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UK Indie Games Conf - Express interest?

Name:	Phil Carlisle
Date Posted:	Jul 04, 2006
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Ok, I've been thinking about this for some time now. (Pretty much since I started heading out to IGC in the US every October).

I've got a very light teaching load this year (i.e. almost none) and time to do research and enterprise stuff (for those that dont know, I teach game dev at the University of Bolton).

So I was thinking, maybe I might use this opportunity to actually get a UK Indie Games Conference off the ground.

When I say conference, I'm probably being a bit grandiose. I really mean "meeting" :)

But with a bit of fiddling I might be able to find someone to give us some cash towards hosting it.

So I was thinking I'd guage interest by posting on a few forums and see if there is any interest in such a thing.

Just to give you an idea of what I'm talking about. It would most likely be one of:

1) A single day conference with a bit of dev chat and then some schmoozing on the evening

2) A couple of days, with cheap accomodation, a bit of training and dev chat, plus some schmoozing and maybe some biz people

There would be minimal cost to cover expenses for building hire etc.. Venue would need to be found and a date picked etc.

I really dont want to step on the toes of "real" conferences like the casuality one, but I feel the need for this kind of thing, because there are enough UK indies and unless we congregate a bit, it can get very lonely and isolated.

So, just as a positive action you can do initially. Is to email me at the address given below if you are interested AND pass this mail along to anyone you know who might be.

If there is enough interest shown, I'll get a website setup and start discussions about what/where/when. Most likely it'd be somewhere around Manchester area or London, but given london gets everything.. my vote is Manchester :)

So the email address to express interest is:

indieconf@gmail.com

Thanks. Phil "zoombapup" Carlisle

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Magnus Blikstad (Jul 04, 2006 at 20:46 GMT)

I'll be there (but I'm too lazy/busy to email you =). If I can do anything to help make this happen, just let me know.

Ian Omroth Hardingham (Jul 04, 2006 at 20:46 GMT)

London, September 2nd. I'd started to organise it but I don't mind you taking over Zoomie baby :)

And I know you'd like Manc 'cause it's closer to you Zoom, but if we want some Europeans it'll have to be London... they get to feel like they're having a proper holiday. And we won't get TomB to go far that far North!

Omroth

Phil Carlisle (Jul 04, 2006 at 20:49 GMT)

Only issue with london, is I cant scout any locations for holding it..

Do we know anyone in london?

Tom Bampton (Jul 04, 2006 at 21:40 GMT)

What Magnus said. 2day Bolton area thing is good for me. I call first dibs on Phil's spare room ;-)

Ian, I go that far North fairly often, actually.

T.

Oliver Rendelmann - DerR (Jul 04, 2006 at 21:52 GMT)

I can't get there but I would like to know what schmoozing ist. In Germany we have a word "schmusen" which means snuggling/cuddling.. I couldn't help imagining a pile of geeks snuggling on the ground. Sorry.

Darren Stuart (Jul 04, 2006 at 22:10 GMT)

any where but london/

maybe we can get a uk bootcamp from GG

Korpos (Jul 05, 2006 at 01:34 GMT)

We would love to go.. but we are from Argentina.. :S to bad... but keep going .. I think that it is a GREAT Idea..!

Good luck with it Phil!...

Martin @ Korpos

David Stewart (Jul 05, 2006 at 04:32 GMT)

Oliver,
Most likely that is where schmoozing comes from (schmusen) and has that type of meaning, but no real snuggling/cuddling. Just meant as a social gathering/meeting to get to know one another.

---

If I could afford it, I would like to go to these conferences. I hope you are able to get enough people interested and it's successful, Phil.

Andrew Nicholson (Jul 05, 2006 at 09:16 GMT)

Sounds cool, count me in.

Edit: I vote Manchester too!
Edited on Jul 05, 2006 09:19 GMT

Ian Omroth Hardingham (Jul 05, 2006 at 11:00 GMT)

Out-voted by the northeners! The shame!

Omroth

Ward De Langhe (Jul 05, 2006 at 11:13 GMT)

If you want to attract some people from outside UK, maybe it would be best to do it in London.

Ian \"Xest\" Winter (Jul 05, 2006 at 11:22 GMT)

As I mentioned to Phil in an e-mail, I'm a frequent traveller - Manchester is really accessible to Europeans, Manchester airport is at least as accessible as Heathrow/Gatwick/Stansted. Also I've found Manchester pretty decent for access to the US and Canada so Manchester is a pretty good option imo.

London isn't central enough in the UK and it really cuts out the option for a lot of people to attend the event, also London is damned expensive for travel and accomodation. With the strength of the pound London costs are going to be unaffordable to a lot of Europeans and any strays from the Americas that may attend although any Norwegians and Swedes may feel at home with the extortionate cost of London ;)

I know I'm biased as a Northerner but certainly cities like Manchester/Leeds/York are the most accessible for everyone in the UK because they're basically dead centre and at least as accessible as London for people outside the UK due to some good airports (Manchester, Leeds/Bradford and even East Midlands isn't far), York is pretty expensive like London too though due to being such a popular tourist location so wouldn't be the ideal pick I don't think although it is a really nice city.

Gary Preston (Jul 05, 2006 at 13:24 GMT)

I'd certainly be interested. Although I'd prefer it to be for a few days say Fri/Sun rather than a single day, help make the most out of any travel people need to do. Then again, a single day event would be better than no event if it comes down to it :)

Probably wise to avoid London though, it's not really all that central for those travelling and it would probably end up working out a lot more expensive accomodation wise than somewhere a little more northern.

I'd selfishly vote for having it in Leeds ;)

Quote:
If you want to attract some people from outside UK, maybe it would be best to do it in London.

Manchester could be a good alternative, there are certainly flights to/from the vast majority of places via Manchester.

Phil Carlisle (Jul 05, 2006 at 14:30 GMT)

I'm actually looking at some super-cheap and easy options right here in Bolton, which is in greater manchester (kinda).

Basically need to make it happen, so the easier it is to organise the better.

Hmm... single or two days.. I think two, although the second day would be more of a wind-down anyway. A day to do some real chatting and such (afternoon start maybe), then evening to schmooze and then the following day to wrap up before closing early afternoon.

Charles Andrew (Jul 05, 2006 at 19:12 GMT)

sounds cool, id definately come, im in the UK!

James Bond (Jul 06, 2006 at 10:01 GMT)

Count me in, manchester is good for me also!

Craig Fortune (Jul 06, 2006 at 11:19 GMT)

I'd vote For Bolton (Greater Manchester, thats where Phil is thinking of) too.

As a quick bit of info there are VERY cheap trains straight from Manchester Airport (which has flights to most european destinations, especially bigger ones) to Bolton. Train trip is about 15-25mins deepending on time of day. Venue in mind is a 5 min walk from train station, 10 mins walk if you are an ambler ;)

There are trains til from Bolton to Manchester too if you decide to stay in Manchester or whatever, (2:10am) Getting a Taxi from Bolton to Manchester can be a bit costly if you aren't the haggling type, I've got a taxi from Manchester to Bolton for

Rob Sandbach (Jul 06, 2006 at 12:17 GMT)

Manchester Vote over here.

Primarily stemming from the fact I live slap bang in the middle of Manchester and attend Manchester University :P.

But getting here is not an issue, just as an idea for people:

London --> Manchester
Train (2.5 hours) costs 25 pounds or 40ish dollars?
Plane (3/4 hour) 50ish pounds or 90ish dollars?

So its not a massive addition of cost and you'll save that easily on 1-2 nights accomodations. Plus the reduction of food, drink and ticket prices aswell.
Edited on Jul 06, 2006 12:21 GMT

Craig Fortune (Jul 06, 2006 at 12:21 GMT)

Just to extend on what Rob said, its London Euston station to Manchester Piccadilly. Euston is just down the road from kings cross (or a very short tube ride)

Manchester Piccadilly is on the train line I mentioned earlier (airport -> bolton)

Ian Omroth Hardingham (Jul 06, 2006 at 15:03 GMT)

Alright, sounds like North wins it, I convert ;)

Beginning of September a good idea? After people's holidays and well before IGC.

Ian

James Bond (Jul 07, 2006 at 10:38 GMT)

If this goes ahead, I can car share from the North Staffordshire/South Cheshire area. Just throw me an email.

Jonathan Wetherall (Jul 07, 2006 at 22:52 GMT)

As we discussed last year Onteca are in and would be keen to help (the company i work for), might even be able to help out with the organisation/find some funding. I am sure Game Alliance (NWest UK Game Developer Assocation) would try and help too if they have any money.

Would be quite good to find an angle there are lots of events out there, what is different about indie events i haven't been to IGC, is it that we get to be more hands on?

Matt Laurenson (Jul 21, 2006 at 13:14 GMT)

ill go - once phil decides to give me all his cash..
- ok, sorry - sounds like a great idea...

Saiko (Sep 12, 2007 at 20:38 GMT)

Sounds like I good idea to me. Also, beer is cheaper up north. Dress warn tho ..tis cold up there. ;)

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