Off the Road for a Minute!
by Jay Moore · 11/09/2005 (11:36 pm) · 23 comments
As those who have tried to reach me might know I'm a moving target. Since IGC on Oct. 7-9th, I've had the privilege to attend FuturePlay in East Lancing, Michigan where higher education considers the revolution of learning going on through games and become a greater resource to the digital entertainment industry. GG had a small reception and met some Torque developers there for the first time.
I then took a quick trip to SF to do some press presentations about GG and Marble Blast Ultra on Xbox 360 Live Arcade.
Davey Jackson and I also attended CIT put on by the League of Innovation, a conference for community colleges with a focus track this year on gaming. Then it was on to the Austin Game Conference, my first time since its always been scheduled right before Indie Games Con and my eighteenth conference in 2005.
This was a great conference, getting to see Marble Blast Ultra on the floor in the Microsoft Casual Games booth; meeting old and new friends, AGC is more about MMP and Mobile games markets, but those are becoming more driven by casual games all the time. We enjoyed meeting with more Torque developers at our reception on Thursday evening. Friday night, after a reception at Austin City Hall with an address from the mayor, we enjoyed the hospitality of Paul Trowe on the Pulse Interactive stretch hummer.
We enjoyed the evening around town (about 20 times) with Matt Scibilia, Billy Cain and wife from Critical Mass Interactive, Clarinda Merripen with Cryptic Entertainment, Victor Jiminez of Northrup Grumman and Krissie Franco with Hydrogen Whiskey Studios.
Some where after we figured out that you can't get more beer in Texas after midnight on a Friday and had to raid Billy Cain's garage, someone decided that it would be a great idea to capture me in a deal making pose at the back of the hummer would reveal how deals actually get made at GG. ;)
Next we're headed off to Orlando for I/TSEC and then back again for the 2nd G.A.M.E.S. Synergy Summit in January. Where last year Benjamin Bradley, Matt Fairfax and I thought IGC might have some real competition for great food
Next year we want to meet more of our developers, hopefully at IGC, but if not then while we're on the road...
I then took a quick trip to SF to do some press presentations about GG and Marble Blast Ultra on Xbox 360 Live Arcade.
Davey Jackson and I also attended CIT put on by the League of Innovation, a conference for community colleges with a focus track this year on gaming. Then it was on to the Austin Game Conference, my first time since its always been scheduled right before Indie Games Con and my eighteenth conference in 2005.
This was a great conference, getting to see Marble Blast Ultra on the floor in the Microsoft Casual Games booth; meeting old and new friends, AGC is more about MMP and Mobile games markets, but those are becoming more driven by casual games all the time. We enjoyed meeting with more Torque developers at our reception on Thursday evening. Friday night, after a reception at Austin City Hall with an address from the mayor, we enjoyed the hospitality of Paul Trowe on the Pulse Interactive stretch hummer.
We enjoyed the evening around town (about 20 times) with Matt Scibilia, Billy Cain and wife from Critical Mass Interactive, Clarinda Merripen with Cryptic Entertainment, Victor Jiminez of Northrup Grumman and Krissie Franco with Hydrogen Whiskey Studios.
Some where after we figured out that you can't get more beer in Texas after midnight on a Friday and had to raid Billy Cain's garage, someone decided that it would be a great idea to capture me in a deal making pose at the back of the hummer would reveal how deals actually get made at GG. ;)
Next we're headed off to Orlando for I/TSEC and then back again for the 2nd G.A.M.E.S. Synergy Summit in January. Where last year Benjamin Bradley, Matt Fairfax and I thought IGC might have some real competition for great food
Next year we want to meet more of our developers, hopefully at IGC, but if not then while we're on the road...
About the author
Serial / parallel entrepreneur, insight merchant, sailor and red wine enthusiast. Co-founder of BitRaider, out to change the game. An original partner in GarageGames and hosted Indie Game Con `02-`05.
#3
11/10/2005 (2:07 am)
That's some cool stuff going on!
#4
11/10/2005 (3:41 am)
Nice Hummer, just seen an image of air ace on G.A.M.E.S Synergy Summit! Cool...
#5
Let me know when you're in the Chicago area. There are quite a few developers up around there that are doing some great stuff with TGE/TSE... (for instance: Mike Kuklinski)....
...on the road again...
-Tim
11/10/2005 (5:29 am)
Jay,Let me know when you're in the Chicago area. There are quite a few developers up around there that are doing some great stuff with TGE/TSE... (for instance: Mike Kuklinski)....
...on the road again...
-Tim
#6
If I read through .plans and see an Indie devs name or picture, I think "Oh that's so and so" they did this and that. I just recognize them more easily.
11/10/2005 (6:40 am)
I just realized this, but when watching tv with my girlfriend and a celebrity gets mentioned, I often end up asking her "who's that?" or "why are they making a big deal about them?" and she tells me a few things that they've done. If I read through .plans and see an Indie devs name or picture, I think "Oh that's so and so" they did this and that. I just recognize them more easily.
#7
11/10/2005 (9:21 am)
#8
11/10/2005 (10:05 am)
Looks like your not busy enough, I guess the rest of us will have to get busy and give you a reason to travel to all the areas there are Torque developers. Yup, sounds like a plan. It's good seeing the images with the info, it helps give me more asperations. Thanks Jay. 
#9
11/10/2005 (10:16 am)
Wow... if I didn't know Victor, I would have thought he was stalking us GG guys... Wait, I do know Victor... he is stalking us... Where's the scotch???
#10
11/10/2005 (10:55 am)
That last ppic, the look on your face says" Um, so ya, why are there feet in this platter?"
#11
11/10/2005 (12:26 pm)
Wow, whirlwind trip!
#12
11/10/2005 (1:19 pm)
Sounds like you had a great trip. Does this mean I can expect a reply to my email or phone messages now? =)
#13
11/10/2005 (2:26 pm)
LOL nice limo. Thanks for the great time at the Thursday social. GG should eventually open an Austin office. So many talented people in the area. Oh also I forgot how many freaks troll downtown Austin. Some guy ran up to me full speed an yell'ed "BEEP you Willy Neilson sings better than you do!". I tried to help pimp out Torque as much as possible to the people that showed up.
#14
11/10/2005 (9:26 pm)
Man, somehow we managed to miss you guys at the Austin Game Conference :/ I was at the Microsoft Casual Games booth applenty! Anyhow, I thought it was a great conference...we talked to many industry professionals and a few publishers. 
#15
11/11/2005 (9:59 am)
Michigan would also be a good place -- it's one hour less of a drive from the east coast, and is still pretty close to Chicagoland.
#16
11/11/2005 (10:46 am)
in the back of the car on the second pick it looks like theres an evil thing with red eyes. sorry I just had to point that out. 
#17
11/11/2005 (3:24 pm)
Quote:in the back of the car on the second pick it looks like theres an evil thing with red eyes. sorry I just had to point that out.maybe it's the greasemonkey looking for Anton?
#18
11/12/2005 (3:15 am)
Oh... That's just the lost soul of Dave Moore. It tends to follow GG employees around. Grizzled little thing, but harmless, mostly...
#19
11/12/2005 (12:16 pm)
Cool stuff Jay. 
Torque 3D Owner dsfsd