Austin GDC Program Guide 2008

September 15-17, 2008 A ust i n C onvent i on C ent er • A ust i n , TX SESSIONS – TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16 BuSInESS & MArkETInG – lECTurE Dr. Strangeflow or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Pipeline Lane Daughtry (Sony Online Entertainment) 9:30 - 10:30AM | Room 6 This lecture offers a glimpse at managing the complex character and animation asset creation during development of an MMO for a limited console target and presents an overview of how SOE has tackled pipeline creation, asset management and creation for their next-gen console MMO FPS title, the agenCy. As the agenCy is aimed at providing a persistent world experience while maintaining a primarily console SKU, SOE has designed their characters and pipeline to meet the next-gen quality bar of market expectation, as well as allow fast iteration for their game and cinematics content. BuSInESS & MArkETInG – lECTurE the rich comic-book art of the DC Universe to a 3D game world and delivering the same emotional impact online as the brand evokes in its other mediums. SOCIAl nETWOrkInG & COMMunITy – lECTurE advanced storytelling methods are being applied to meet these challenges and more to create Lara Croft’s first truly next-gen adventure. kEynOTE 10 Key Ingredients for a Successful Social Game Kristian Segerstrale (Playfish) 9:30 - 10:30AM | Room 9 This presentation uses data and design examples from the Facebook hit, ‘Who haS the BiggeSt Brain?’, to go over 10 key learnings from developing a top-10 game for social networks. Topics covered include range-from-design insights and process learning to experiments using different business models. Demos, examples, and play-anddistribution data are used liberally throughout the session. TEChnOlOGy & SErvICES – lECTurE Computer Entertainment 35 Years From Today Bruce Sterling (American Author) 11AM - 12PM | Ballroom A See page 6 for full session description. AuDIO, PAnEl Iron Composer Texas, Year 1 Nathan Madsen (Freelance), Randall Ryan (HamsterBall), Jesse Searls (Ohio State University) 1:30 - 2:30PM | Room 10 Prepare for Battle! Three game audio participants will be selected from the pool of volunteers by a Mysterious Mystical Traditional Texas Process. Those three will compete LIVE to see who will be Iron Composer Texas during a 60-minute session at Austin GDC. Three months before the event, each participant will be given a description of The Mystery Game. During those three months, they will prepare a keyboard full of sounds and music. On the day of the session, each participant will have a turn at playing their prepared sound set LIVE, while audience volunteers play the game. Emerging Market: India, Challenges & Pitfalls Sumeet Maniar (K2 Network, Inc.) 9:30 - 10:30AM | Room 7 India is predicted to be the next China in the gaming market by 2011 with revenues exceeding $200M from almost $20M last year. Will this really happen? Is India really the next big thing? Is it all hype? Mr. Maniar has spent the last two years scaling the company within India for publishing MMOG titles. He will discuss trends and issues, the challenges and pitfalls in online gaming in the world’s largest democracy. Mythbusting the Internet Derek Wise (GNi) 9:30 - 10:30AM | Room 4 This presentation examines how physics inevitably impacts what is and is not possible with online game infrastructure and deployment. The talk takes an amusing look at a number of misconceptions surrounding topics such as data transfer, power consumption etc., and provides tools to see through hyperbole around advertised speeds and performance. WrITInG FOr GAMES – lECTurE DESIGn – lECTurE Hardcore Games for Casual Audiences Jesse Schell (Carnegie Mellon University) 9:30 - 10:30AM | Room 5 Jesse Schell has made a career out of taking hardcore videogame concepts, such as flight simulators, first person shooters, and MMORPGs, and turning them into games loved by casual players. In this talk, he will give examples from interactive theme park attractions, MMOs for kids and family (such as toontoWn online and pixie holloW online), as well as serious games. In combination, these examples will show some underlying principles that can expand the audience of any game. The Death of Linearity, Or Who Shot The Three Act Structure? Andrew Walsh (Freelance) 9:30 - 10:30AM | Room 3 On-demand storytelling allows the player to choose when and how to access a game’s story and so create their own unique experience of the narrative. Does this choice to put the player in charge of how a story is told mean that linearity is dead? How can writers, games designers plot further feats of narrative derring-do? This session will analyze the development and future of on-demand storytelling, examine how, why and when it can be used and show how this is being implemented in the new prinCe of perSia. WrITInG FOr GAMES – lECTurE BuSInESS & MArkETInG, lECTurE From Development to Launch: the Keys to Building a Successful Free-to-Play MMO Min Kim (Nexon America Inc.) 1:30 - 2:30PM | Room 6 Free-to-play online games have proven to be very successful from both a community building and revenue generating perspective, and the development model behind free-to-play has become increasingly appealing for many developers. This session calls current and potential developers to a 101 session on developing and publishing a free-to-play MMO. What’s Lara’s Story? Advanced Storytelling Techniques in Tomb RaideR: undeRwoRld Eric Lindstrom (Crystal Dynamics) 9:30 - 10:30AM | Ballroom B The recent adventures of Lara Croft have presented uniquely difficult storytelling challenges. They include a range of issues from progressing a long-standing franchise without alienating a heavily invested fan base to telling the story of a charismatic anti-hero who nonetheless speaks little and works alone. The creative director and writer of the upcoming tomB raiDer: unDerWorlD details how DESIGn – SESSIOn The Art of DC Universe Online (DCUO) Jim Lee (DC Universe Online, Wildstorm Productions) 9:30 - 10:30AM | Room 8A/B Sponsored by Sony Online Entertainment Key members of WildStorm Productions and Sony Online Entertainment LLC discuss the unique challenges and opportunities faced in adapting Audio Business & Marketing Game Design Social Networking & Community Technology & Services Writing for Games 11 https://www.cmpevents.com/GDAU08/a.asp?option=C&V=1&cid=AGC08_PGWPX2

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Austin GDC Program Guide 2008

Austin GDC Program Guide 2008 Contents Conference-at-a-Glance General Information Conference Overview Advisory Board Keynote Speakers Conference Sessions Game Career Seminar Worlds in Motion Summit Austin GDC Events Austin GDC Evening Events Speakers Sponsors & Media Partners Exhibitor Directory Expo Hall Map & Exhibitors

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