Australian IGC
by Paul Malyschko · in General Discussion · 01/13/2004 (3:08 pm) · 33 replies
Finally Australia has it's own IGC as part of the Next Wave Festival. This may not matter to 90% of the community, but to those in Australia who have been hungering for an event where independent developers can convene and learn, we finally have one.
Information and suggestions can be made at Sumea.
Information and suggestions can be made at Sumea.
Quote:
Next Wave Independent Game Developers' Conference - Melbourne 2004
The conference will be held from the Friday 21st to Sunday 23rd of May this year at a venue in inner city Melbourne as part of the Next Wave Festival. The conference is designed to cater for indy and DIY game developers, game modders and mappers, creatively frustrated professionals, game development students, animators, and new media artists from every state in Australia. The aim of the conference is to bring together these communities in a forum that is financially reasonable (prices will be cheap and subsidies and support will be available to those who cannot afford to attend), with a programme that is developed by the communities themselves.
Programme Overview
The conference will be held over 3 days and will cover topics like:
home brew console game development; independent and online distribution methods; open source and distributed development models for games and mods; business development, publishing and licensing agreements, finance and government funding for indy development; practical skill sharing workshops - especially game art and design: mapping, level editing, character modeling; open source and low budget game engine round-up; publisher (mainstream to indy distributors) representatives will be invited to look at demos; roundtable discussions; debates on key issues facing local developers; social events; and our answer to E3: an indy game and mod expo that functions as a cross between a LAN party and trade show.
The organisers of the conference are looking for suggestions for what the programme should include and volunteers. Who and what do you want to see at this conference? If you have suggestions get involved in the forums at sumea.com.au or email: gamers@nextwave.org.au
About the author
#2
01/13/2004 (5:14 pm)
I'm not from Australia, but its good to see the indie community is pulling together there also.
#3
I've e-mailed them for more information about costs, etc., but am still awaiting a reply. I've also e-mailed Jeff about it and he seems interested to know what's going on.
All in good time. :)
@Nate: Yes, the Australian scene is pretty fragmented still. It would be nice to see some ideas shared between compatriots.
01/13/2004 (10:01 pm)
@Edward: Melbourne seems to have everything. I believe it's because the Victoria Government has poured a lot into getting the games and arts industries off the ground, not to mention they have places like AIE for training people in games. It doesn't surprise me that they've done this before anyone else.I've e-mailed them for more information about costs, etc., but am still awaiting a reply. I've also e-mailed Jeff about it and he seems interested to know what's going on.
All in good time. :)
@Nate: Yes, the Australian scene is pretty fragmented still. It would be nice to see some ideas shared between compatriots.
#4
01/14/2004 (12:25 am)
Go us! I was going to go to AGDC last year, but sadly couldnt make it. This on the other hand looks more like an event that I would find useful. 
#5
Yeah Victora, likes there art etc.
What I saw in the forums there still looking at costs and what will be there. :-D
01/14/2004 (12:35 am)
How many indie groups are here?Yeah Victora, likes there art etc.
What I saw in the forums there still looking at costs and what will be there. :-D
#6
They have been advertising in a lot of mod communities as well, so I suggest you spread the word to any LAN communities you may be parley to or aspiring game developers. I would like to see more than one game company in Adelaide. :P
@Edward: I have no idea. There are a couple of Australians who are involved with the community... Daniel Neilson and Devon Ly come to mind. I don't know of any Australia-based indie groups, however.
I think it's time we started doing something about that. :)
01/14/2004 (5:06 am)
@Dylan: I couldn't make it either... the prices have skyrocketed from when I first went in 2000. I thought you might like this event too.. I've been watching in interest you do stuff with Plan B Games for a while and have talked to Skye on occasion (though it's been a while). I received an e-mail from one of the organisers today, and they're compiling a list of speakers and accepting any suggestions you can throw at them, which I suggest you do to let them know we have a presence.They have been advertising in a lot of mod communities as well, so I suggest you spread the word to any LAN communities you may be parley to or aspiring game developers. I would like to see more than one game company in Adelaide. :P
@Edward: I have no idea. There are a couple of Australians who are involved with the community... Daniel Neilson and Devon Ly come to mind. I don't know of any Australia-based indie groups, however.
I think it's time we started doing something about that. :)
#7
01/14/2004 (6:01 am)
W000000... lucky i'm moving to melbourne for uni! Dylan you can stay with me!
#8
Prices, for the full 3 day venture are $30 full-price, $20 tertiary students and $10 secondary students. It's even less if you're only attending for one day.
Here is the schedule:
------------------------------
Friday
10.00 How to turn a game concept into a game design
10.30 Character animation
11.00 Independent console development - a contradiction in terms?
12.00 Game dev courses - the official round up
12.30 PC game audio systems
01.00 Game dev grads tell all
02.00 Women in the industry (or lack thereof) part 1
02.30 The art of mapping
03.00 Crunch time or time to get a life
04.00 Public/government financing of independent games
04.30 Home brew PS2 development and console hacking
05.00 Women in the industry part (or lack thereof)
Saturday
10.00 Modding round up
10.30 Python
11.00 Case study: Street Survivor
12.00 Game journalism
12.30 Vertex shader workshop
01.00 Game boy advance game development
02.00 Surviving in the industry - where do you expect to be in 10 years time?
02.30 Open source and low cost engines
03.00 Introduction to legal matters
04.00 International keynote speaker
04.30 Open source art tools - blender workshop
05.00 Creative game interfaces
06.00 Sex and games
Sunday
10.00 What is independent and building the independent game development community
10.30 Machinima workshop
11.00 The international independent developer's scene
12.00 Independent game distribution strategies
12.30 The role of the creative programmer
01.00 Financing avenues
02.00 Business models for startups and independents
02.30 Political games
03.00 A game developers place in society and culture
04.00 Expo, demo display, mod recruitment...
04.30 Educational games followed by artistic game modeling
05.00 Managing a mod project followed by how to contribute to an open source project
------------------------------
Sessions run for two hours, and start half hour after each other to allow people to move in between sessions if they like. There's also an international keynote speaker, though I have no idea who that is at this time. I suppose we'll find out.
I suggest anyone who wants to go finds someone they can carpool with or begin saving those bucks for a bus trip or flight. It looks like this is going to be an outstanding conference.
--Paul
04/01/2004 (6:39 pm)
We finally have some prices and a schedule for Freeplay, as the Australian IGC has officially been termed.Prices, for the full 3 day venture are $30 full-price, $20 tertiary students and $10 secondary students. It's even less if you're only attending for one day.
Here is the schedule:
------------------------------
Friday
10.00 How to turn a game concept into a game design
10.30 Character animation
11.00 Independent console development - a contradiction in terms?
12.00 Game dev courses - the official round up
12.30 PC game audio systems
01.00 Game dev grads tell all
02.00 Women in the industry (or lack thereof) part 1
02.30 The art of mapping
03.00 Crunch time or time to get a life
04.00 Public/government financing of independent games
04.30 Home brew PS2 development and console hacking
05.00 Women in the industry part (or lack thereof)
Saturday
10.00 Modding round up
10.30 Python
11.00 Case study: Street Survivor
12.00 Game journalism
12.30 Vertex shader workshop
01.00 Game boy advance game development
02.00 Surviving in the industry - where do you expect to be in 10 years time?
02.30 Open source and low cost engines
03.00 Introduction to legal matters
04.00 International keynote speaker
04.30 Open source art tools - blender workshop
05.00 Creative game interfaces
06.00 Sex and games
Sunday
10.00 What is independent and building the independent game development community
10.30 Machinima workshop
11.00 The international independent developer's scene
12.00 Independent game distribution strategies
12.30 The role of the creative programmer
01.00 Financing avenues
02.00 Business models for startups and independents
02.30 Political games
03.00 A game developers place in society and culture
04.00 Expo, demo display, mod recruitment...
04.30 Educational games followed by artistic game modeling
05.00 Managing a mod project followed by how to contribute to an open source project
------------------------------
Sessions run for two hours, and start half hour after each other to allow people to move in between sessions if they like. There's also an international keynote speaker, though I have no idea who that is at this time. I suppose we'll find out.
I suggest anyone who wants to go finds someone they can carpool with or begin saving those bucks for a bus trip or flight. It looks like this is going to be an outstanding conference.
--Paul
#9
04/02/2004 (8:10 am)
What dates?
#10
04/02/2004 (6:55 pm)
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOOHOOOOOOOOO FINALLY. I'M THERE!
#11
It's still a couple of months off yet, but it's going to be worth the wait.
--Paul
04/02/2004 (8:25 pm)
@Ben: Sorry, forgot about the dates. It's happening on the 21st-23rd May.It's still a couple of months off yet, but it's going to be worth the wait.
--Paul
#12
04/02/2004 (8:31 pm)
I am there. I applied for the Travel Allowence, but even if that doesnt come through, I'm definitely going :D
#13
Otherwise, I suppose it will be the cheapass Firefly bus over again *sighs*.
--Paul
04/02/2004 (11:07 pm)
@Dylan: if I can convince my associate to carpool then there will be a large chance you can grab a ride with us. There's three of us planning on going at the moment, so there should be room.Otherwise, I suppose it will be the cheapass Firefly bus over again *sighs*.
--Paul
#14
04/02/2004 (11:28 pm)
Cool :D If it works out then be sure to email me about it :D
#15
Otherwise, I suppose it will be the cheapass Firefly bus over again *sighs*.
--Paul
04/02/2004 (11:44 pm)
@Dylan: if I can convince my associate to carpool then there will be a large chance you can grab a ride with us. There's three of us planning on going at the moment, so there should be room.Otherwise, I suppose it will be the cheapass Firefly bus over again *sighs*.
--Paul
#16
04/03/2004 (12:26 am)
I live in Australia :) In fact, I live in Albury, not that far from Melbourne. And I have relatives in Melbourne, so I am going, going GOING :D
#17
04/03/2004 (5:35 pm)
We need some GG.com shirts! :-D and some of those bags!
#18
04/03/2004 (6:50 pm)
Nice idea ;-) Why don't GG sell some shirts/caps/bags online anyway?
#20
BTW: Has the venue been decided yet?
04/03/2004 (10:27 pm)
It would be nice if GG had some sort of place there. That way it would be easy to meet up ;-)BTW: Has the venue been decided yet?
Torque Owner Edward Smith
Silencersoft
I would like to go, will have to see as not sure where I will be in my work for the course I'm doing at the moment.
Maybe a GG booth, well with out GG staff?