Hey everyone,
There's a new and very cool sounding format to the IGDA meetings that I thought you might want to know about. It's a series of very quick presentations on a wide variety of topics ("Pecha Kucha" format). This is like the "microtalks" format we've seen at GDC which had some of the densest and most enjoyable content in my mind.
Note: This is the first time I've cross-posted another event here - please let me know if you object.
The first event is tonight, here's the full info:
http://www.facebook.com/AutodeskME#!/event.php?eid=157867417607724
The San Francisco chapter of the International Game Developers Association
announces its first Pecha Kucha event and a new meeting location!
When: Wednesday, April 6th, 2011 at 7PM
Where: Autodesk Gallery, One Market St., San Francisco - across from the Ferry
Building, and just steps from the Embarcadero BART/Muni station.
Directions/map: http://usa.autodesk.com/gallery/visit-us/
RSVP: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=202353206449825
Pecha Kucha is a dynamic event format where each presentation is limited to 20
slides that each display for 20 seconds.
We have a diverse lineup of speakers and topics!
Jordan Blackman
http://www.linkedin.com/in/jordanblackman
Description: I've seen countless game pitches from studios and can help you
make a compelling proposal. Using examples from real developers (with
permission), I'll show what works and what doesn't and tell you why.
Jason Lars Bergquist
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/jason-lars-bergquist/2/513/3a9
Description: Games are moving into new territory all the time. They're played
on TVs, Computers, phones, handheld devices, even in the world itself with
services like foursquare. With such diversity of size, purpose,
business-model, and environment, however, how should the user think of these
games critically in a framework that makes sense? How can we move towards
meaningful criticism in a way that will advance design when games are moving
simultaneously in so many different directions?
Matthias Worch
http://www.worch.com/
Description: A look at the systems/level designer relationship using a
painting analogy: a game is a series of paintings - systems designers create
the paint, level designers create the painting. This is a great development
analogy, but needs refinement to describe the designer/player relationship. In
the closing 3 minutes, I examine how players can (or can't) find themselves in
the games that we currently make. Too often we present players with finished
paintings, or - in more positive cases - with blueprints that simply need to
be filled in with colors. We need to create game experiences that are more
than simple paint-by-numbers: blank canvases and guidance for the player on
how to create the painting. We need to teach our players how to paint.
Tim Keenan
http://www.blog.misfitsattic.com/who.html
Description: "Life is what happens when you're making other plans". As Ferris
Bueller predicted, our first title as a new studio is anything but a model of
design efficiency. But it's taught us that there may be a middle ground
between the dogma of game design documents, and the reckless abandon of
continuous design.
Cameron Petty
http://www.jumpcore.com/
Description: One game per year, one year per slide - spanning the course of a
20 year career in the games industry, with thoughts on how exactly each game
exemplifies the trends that the industry has experienced over that time span.
And, of course, the very last slide will have to be a prediction . . . a
prognostication . . . a glimpse into my crystal ball . . .
Lisa Wong
http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=2305187&locale=en_US&trk=tab_pro
Description: "$h!# i'm old, and you kids don't know how well you have it" I
hope to give a quick overview of how what being a game artist has evolved from
the time I entered it, to now. And what expect it will mean in the future.
This is my personal take, not a company take. I have to emphasize this
otherwise I won't be able to speak. :)
Thomas Grove
http://www.lion-gv.com/resume
Description: I will show two evolutionary branches in free roaming top down
shooters and explain why one of them is largely stagnant and the other rarely
attempted.
Our sponsor Autodesk will also be giving a brief overview of their tools for
game developers, including highlights of recent product releases.
Our venue, the Autodesk Gallery, has a fascinating array of exhibits,
including a Tesla Model S and a multi-display, racing wheel simulator of the
new approach to the Golden Gate Bridge!
We look forward to seeing you there!
-The San Francisco IGDA Organizers-
