2007 Program
For a .pdf version of the 2007 program, click here
Thanks to Souri from tsumea.com for filming the sessions
Lecture Program
| Time | Topic & Details | Speakers |
| 9.30am | Keynote Lecture – YouTube What does it mean to be an independent game artist? What are the practicalities of shaping an idea into a good prototype? Jonathan Blow discusses his landmark game Braid. |
Jonathan Blow |
| 11am | The Indie MBA – YouTube This session gives a comprehensive and practical overview of the business of running an indie shop. Topics include negotiating contracts with artists and programmers, outsourcing, funding opportunities, and legal considerations. Indie MBA will also feature a case study of Gridwerx. |
Amelia King Nick Blackmore Paul Motion Mahomed Adoob Chaired: Chris McCormick |
| 12.30pm | Independent’s Day – YouTube How can independents come up with earth-shattering ideas that change the face of gaming? What are the parameters of independent game making and who are the innovators outside of the big-publisher system? This session investigates innovation in independent gaming to date, and discusses where it might come from in the future. |
Jonathan Blow Robert J Spencer Paul Callaghan Chaired by Christian McCrea |
| 3pm | Playing with Pixels and Politics – YouTube What is the place of social commentary in gaming, and can games achieve social and artistic legitimacy? Indie games development brings new opportunities for audience interaction and debate, and in some cases offers a deeper level of interactivity. It may even inspire a culture of resistance. What are the possibilities for ‘serious’ games as a learning tool and language for cultural expression? What is the potential for games to say something other than “BOOM!” |
Justin Halliday Damian Scott Rebecca Cannon Chaired by Helen Stuckey |
| 4.30pm | Why I Really Still Love You – YouTube Newbie game developers are everywhere, but their love of game development is often short lived; like puppy love it goes away real quick when the going gets rough. So how do great developers maintain the love through the tough times and, perhaps more importantly, why do they stick it out? Veteran insiders express the real reasons why they still love games development. |
David Hewitt Eve Penford-Dennis Andrei Nadin Chaired by Paul Callaghan |
| 6pm> | Keynote Australian Lecture – YouTube The paramount importance of independent games, and how they are crucial to games development as an art form. |
Robert J Spencer |
Workshop Program
| Time | Topic & Details | Speakers |
| 11am | Can’t Touch This Move on from game pads, keyboards and mice and learn how to create sensor-driven games. This session looks at how you can use your body to control avatars with motion, distance and light sensors, and discusses the intriguing possibilities this offers. |
Dr Seng Loke Courtney O’Sullivan Alistair Smith Gordon Pedersen |
| 12pm | Take Advantage of the Big Boys Learn the pros and cons of the free toys from the ‘big boys’. Unreal Engine, development kits from Microsoft such as XNA, the XBOX 360 and others from Sony for the PS3 are giving more power to the little guys. Of course it is all part of a hidden agenda, but as long as you know the score there can be no harm in joining the conspiracy, can there? |
Damian Scott Thomas Mayer |
| 1pm | Get Your Feet Wet Create a game in eight easy steps, without programming. This session will get you started in game development. It will cover a well known middleware, 3D Game Studio, that’s not yet widely commercially used but is gentle with beginners. |
Binh Nguyen |
| 3pm | The Best Things in Life are Free This session will provide an overview of the various open source technologies and engines available to developers. Tim Ansell of Thousand Parsec will look at the state of free open source software (FOSS) games in general, as well as specifically on Linux, and argue how this is one of the last bastions of the proprietary software world. The session will conclude with a discussion of Tim’s experience at Worldforge and Thousand Parsec. |
Tim Ansell |
| 3pm | Everyone Loves a Designer Make your game stand out by giving it a great design. Speakers in this session will discuss design techniques from the point of view of narrative, level design and art direction. |
Joe Velikovsky Ivan Beram Luc Le Quiniat |
| 4pm | Mod Making 101 Good modifications, or ‘mods’, can improve a game and add an extra dimension of addictiveness and excitement. Mods increase the lifecycle and sales of games and return to both players and publishers more bang for their buck. This session will draw on the experience and knowledge of staff from the Mod DB website, who will provide an overview on developing a mod. |
Scott Reismanis Django Merope-Synge |
| 5pm | Game Makers Soap Box Open mic and demonstration session featuring six presenters speaking for 20-minutes each. Various topics. |
Christian Rubino Chris Nelson Genevieve Gilbert |
| 7.30pm | Networking & socializing Chill out after a big day at Free Play with free drinks in the ACMI Function Space. Meet the speakers and catch up with mates. Hosted by the Independent Game Developers Association (IGDA) Melbourne chapter, and sponsored by the Academy of Interactive Entertainment (AIE) and IR Gurus. |