Flayra Has Gone To A Conference

Supernorn · February 2003

<div class="IPBDescription">but..wth is it about?</div> Ok, observant people will notice that Flayra has gone off to a Games Developer Conference for a while.
I went to the page and it was slightly obscure as to what it was about.. apart from the "Make Better Games" bit...which is strange as Flayra has arguably made the best game this year....Any ideas?

Orcrist · February 2003

</span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (From the about page)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>
The Game Developers Conference defines the future of the $9 billion game industry and shapes the next generation of entertainment. Now gearing up for the 17th event in 2003, <b>the conference provides an independent forum for expert developers from around the world to share ideas, build skills, and learn about the latest tools and technologies</b>.

The Gama Network is the only media organization targeted exclusively at developers and publishers of electronic games. Our vision is to make games the leading entertainment form of the 21st century by empowering and inspiring this strategic community. Our publications, events, web sites and research are focused on facilitating business relationships and the exchange of ideas, thereby advancing the state of the art and driving growth in the game market.

Our attendees, readers, and members are the technical, creative and business talent behind today's and tomorrow's hottest games. They are game designers, artists, animators, programmers, producers, sound designers, testers, audio engineers, publishers, level designers, and, above all, pioneers. They employ a broad tool set, including hardware, software, and services, to create applications that entertain over 100 million people worldwide. Their work is responsible for the emergence of games as a major market force, surpassing box office receipts in revenue in 1999.</td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'>
Seems to me the game developers are going to give lectures & hold discussions about recent developments & innovations, new game types/genres, etc.

Eshock · February 2003

I'm a member of the IGDA (International Game Developers Association) so I've been getting spammed for the past 3 months about the GDC. Basically it's a bunch of seminars, workshops, and lectures given by people in the industry. There are workshops on pretty much every aspect of game design you can think of. It also has some other great events, like the Independent Games Festival, and the Developer's Choice Awards. It's good fun, I wish I could go, but unfortunately it's on the west coast, and I'm on the east, and I have neither the funds nor the time to make it. Which is a shame, because I really wanted to hear the lecture "Why is a Fart Funny?"

P.S. I am not making that title up.

Ego · February 2003

sounds fun <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'>

a friend of mine that worked on Action HL went to something like that <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'>

bunch of 30 year old guys that are like 12 year olds heh, silly gooslings

i hope nothin happens to our belovid flay. if something does, I WILL ASSUME POWER

Ego

[FACT] - i really will

Duck_King · February 2003

Ego, who was your friend?

ZiGGY · February 2003

Commander I need a shotgun!!!

pardzh · February 2003

Well, just because he has a kickass mod doesn't mean he knows <i>everything</i> there is to know about Game Developing, hehe. I hope he picks up some new stuff to add in to future versions of NS there.

Off-Topic: Supernorn, what happened to your old sig? It was so ponage... D:

Windelkron · February 2003

he's gone to play next-generation games and laugh at us because we can't :F

p4Samwise · February 2003

GDC is cool. I went last year, and will be going this year (and Flayra's gonna talk to me and be my friend and come to my birthday party, so nyah nyah). <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'> It's not quite the spectacle that E3 is rumored to be (I'm going to that one this year for the first time, w00tage) - you don't get to see a lot of new games, and definitely not play them. It's more a place to show off technology than anything else, as the blurb implies. As an example, last year our booth was across from a guy who was demoing motion capture stuff, and the Havok people were somewhere in that general area as well, pimping out their physics engine. The high point of my day there was meeting Gamespy's Fargo, who is also one of my personal heroes.

Cripes, I just noticed my GDC swag bag is still sitting under my desk where I left it after last year. I need to figure out someplace to put all that crap...

ShuflY · February 2003

No, GDC is not quite what E3 is, but the focus of GDC is somwhat shifting in that direction, with all the booths and free beer you see nowadays. The lectures sound kick ****, unfortunatly I have always been bogged down with press confrences there, developers and such showing off new projects and crap, and could never make it to any game design seminars...

p4Samwise · February 2003

</span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (ShuflY @ Feb 28 2003, 12:51 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> No, GDC is not quite what E3 is, but the focus of GDC is somwhat shifting in that direction, with all the booths and free beer you see nowadays. The lectures sound kick ****, unfortunatly I have always been bogged down with press confrences there, developers and such showing off new projects and crap, and could never make it to any game design seminars...  </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> 
The "experimental gameplay" thing sounds really cool. Unfortunately I'm only going Saturday - the last day is usually the most boring. No beer, even.

Insane · February 2003

Perhaps this is a chance for Flayra to get some contacts in getting a job as well. You never know <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'>

USCMLieutenant_Ripley · February 2003

I met and got an autograph of Steve Jackson among other "game developers" last time I went. While the GDC is essentially 99% about computer games, the ideas that circulate apply to a wide range of mediums and generally deal with practical problems encountered in games. What is the most efficient way to deterministically decide on balance changes? What popular themes in gaming have changed marketshare? What features will video cards be using most NEXT YEAR? How much pre-prediction is efficient or how much prediction is fair in hetergeneous network environments? Why will Star Wars Galaxies (and why EQ still does) use pre-loaded memory-resident zones for clients instead of transparent area transition? etc. etc. etc. People pay BIG MONEY for these lectures and discussions...and while I havent looked at the GDC event schedule, the topics I presented are TYPICAL of the hundreds that are offered throughout the conference. It's a lot of fun, if you can get to it. I spit on E3. The GDC is for the serious developer.

p4Prospero · February 2003

</span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> ([p4]Samwise @ Feb 28 2003, 01:58 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> </span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (ShuflY @ Feb 28 2003, 12:51 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> No, GDC is not quite what E3 is, but the focus of GDC is somwhat shifting in that direction, with all the booths and free beer you see nowadays. The lectures sound kick ****, unfortunatly I have always been bogged down with press confrences there, developers and such showing off new projects and crap, and could never make it to any game design seminars... </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'>
The "experimental gameplay" thing sounds really cool. Unfortunately I'm only going Saturday - the last day is usually the most boring. No beer, even.  </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> 
Oh, my friend, there will be beer. One word... kegger.

On a more constructive note(not to say that beer drinking is not constructive) GDC is far and away one of the greatest conferences there is. The energy and passion these developers have is truly intoxicating... it's like walking into a university, but all focused on gaming goodness.

Prosp

MobJustice · February 2003

Comdex > GDC.

Not that I don't already have my Gigapass ready for GDC, but Comdex is far superior in terms of seeing cool **** that makes you say "Wow, humans can make **** like that?!" and other things that you won't see available for mainstream consumption for years to come.

Plus, its often hosted in Vegas. 'Nuff said.

p4Prospero · February 2003

That's true. GDC has much less neat stuff to see... and the schwag sucks. However, I really like talking with the other devs. I'm all about creative environments where people are collaborating and sharing ideas. That's why I like being on college campuses... it's the same feel. You just don't get that at Comdex.

Prosp

Damn, I can't type or spell. <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'> They God we can edit our posts!

Supernorn · February 2003

mm, interesting comments. But i guess we have to wait until Flayra comes back, to see what he's been up to <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'>

Flayra Has Gone To A Conference

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