Topic: First Annual Game Writers Conference Announced

[Karl Castaneda #2]

Writers of the trade will be heading towards Austin, Texas.

FIRST ANNUAL GAME WRITERS CONFERENCE TO TAKE PLACE OCTOBER 26-27, 2005 IN AUSTIN, TEXAS    

Conference Program Directed By Leading Game Industry Leaders    

Austin, Texas - July 26, 2005 - The Game Initiative, a leading producer of conferences and events for professionals in the computer and video game industry, announced today the first annual Game Writers Conference, taking place October 26-27, 2005 in Austin, Texas.  Game Writers Conference (GWC) is a two-day conference dedicated to the art and craft of game writing. GWC registrants will also be able to attend the Women's Game Conference (also taking place Oct. 26-27, 2005) and the Austin Game Conference, taking place Oct. 27-28, 2005.  Conference details and registration information are available at http://www.GameWritersConference.com    

The Game Writers Conference's advisory board members - game-industry leaders all - graciously gave of their time and expertise to put this conference together.  Advisory Board members include:    

Susan O'Connor, Scriptwriter & Conference Chair
 Hal Barwood, Designer/Writer, Finite Arts
 Dana Fos, User Experience Manager, Microsoft
 Clint Hocking, Creative Director, Ubisoft    

During the conference, industry leaders will speak on the following topics:    

Gaming the Narrative -
 Game writers are in the process of inventing a new form of narrative for this unique media. How do we deal with the player's desire to 'game the narrative'? Are there design or narrative mechanisms we can use to direct this tendency toward developing the narrative, instead of diffusing or destroying it?    

The Language of Games -
 Somebody, somewhere, invented the closeup, the fade, the dissolve. These techniques have contributed to the language of film. We're inventing a new language now - the language of games. This session takes a look at examples of this emerging language - and what it means for game writers.    

Concept to Localization Kit -
 A Case Study for Writers - How can a writing team successfully shepherd their story through the development process? A team emerges from the trenches to share their front-line stories.    

The Writer/Designer Tag Team -
 A writer and a designer share the stage to discuss the writer's role in design and the designer's role in writing.    

Game Writing Workshop -
 This hands-on, small-group breakout session will be an opportunity for attendees to brainstorm solutions to common game-writing challenges.    

Team Dynamics -
 How can the writer best collaborate with other team members? Where are the opportunities for creative collaboration between the writer and the musician - animator - programmer? How can these collaborations improve the quality of the stories and the games?    

Writing for MMO's -
 A panel of MMO writers discuss the trials and tribulations of their jobs.    

Publishers' Panel -
  Publishers discuss the story development process from their point of view.    

AI for Writers -
 A look at what lies ahead for AI, and what it will mean for the interactive writer. Will intelligent AI = "actors"?    

Alternate Reality Games -
 A look at the work behind ARG games like ilovebees and Beast.    

Game Writers Conference Advisory Board    

Susan O'Connor, Scriptwriter & Conference Chair
 Susan O'Connor has been writing stories for games since 1998. Her client list includes Activision, Atari, Disney, Electronic Arts, Microsoft, Sony Online Entertainment, THQ/Pixar, and Vivendi Universal. She has worked on over fifteen titles in several different genres, including RTS titles, action-adventure games, RPGs, and MMOs. Recent projects include Act Of War (Atari), Dungeon Siege II (Microsoft), and Star Wars Galaxies: Jump To Lightspeed (LucasArts).    

Hal Barwood, Designer/Writer, Finite Arts
 Hal Barwood is a freelance writer and designer. For more than ten years he was a project leader at LucasArts, where he wrote, designed and directed a number of story-game titles, including Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis, a PC adventure game, Big Sky Trooper, a Super Nintendo  RPG, Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine, a real-time 3D action-adventure, and RTX Red Rock, a character-action title for PS2. Before Hal began building games he spent twenty years in Hollywood as a writer, producer and director. Among his movie credits are Sugarland Express, Dragonslayer, and Warning Sign.    

Dana Fos, User Experience Manager, Microsoft    

Clint Hocking, Creative Director, Ubisoft
 Clint has been working for Ubisoft in Montreal for four and a half years.  Most recently he worked as Scriptwriter, Lead Level Designer and Creative Director on Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory. Before games he worked in the web industry and experimented with independent filmmaking while earning a Masters degree in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia.  He lives happily in Montreal with his fiancĂ© and his dog.    

Patricia Pizer, Lead Designer, 4orty 2wo Entertainment
 Ms. Pizer debuted in the gaming industry at Infocom in 1988, making games back when you didn't even need graphics. Over the next decade, she worked at such studios as Boffo Games, THQ/GameFX, CogniToy and Harmonix Music. Patricia moved into massively multiplayer games as Creative Director at Turbine Entertainment before working on MMOs at UbiSoft and Disney's VR Studio, makers of Toontown Online and the upcoming Pirates of the Caribbean Online. Currently, Patricia is applying her design skills to Alternate Reality Games for 4orty 2wo Entertainment. Mostly though, she just likes to play games.    

Registration Information    

Early registration for the event is now open. To register, log on to http://www.gamewritersconference.com/register .  Early registration (before August 12th) is $145. After August 12th the registration rate rises to $165 and onsite registration is $195.  Early registration for students prior to August 12th is $95. After August 12th the price for students is $115 and onsite registration is $145.  Conference attendees will also have access to the Khronos Developer University, the Austin Game Conference, the TechPavilion, the Women's Game Conference, and the Austin Game Conference, which run concurrently with the Game Writers Conference.    

Austin Game Conference Highlights:    

- Khronos Developer University - This one day hands-on work shop provides up-to-the-minute training on industry standard APIs for embedded graphics and video processing. These APIs, including OpenGL ES and OpenVG, are vital for state-of-the-art game development on emerging handheld platforms including cell phones.    

- Multiplayer Online Games Tracks - This is the definitive conference on multiplayer online games. Visionaries and veterans provide detailed insight with 4 tracks: Tech, Design, Service and Production.    

- Future of the Development Pipeline - This special sponsored track focuses on streamlining the design process - includes networked games, console games and PC games. With the length of today's development cycle don't be left behind.    

- LivePitch  - This well respected industry matchmaking event puts development projects in front of the world's leading game publishers.    

- TechPavilion and Attendee Lounge - The TechPavilion showcases the latest tools, technologies, products and services.  Booths and/or private meeting rooms are available. The Attendee Lounge includes comfortable couches and chairs where attendees can relax and network in a casual environment.      

- Machinima and Game Tech Showcase Theater - Cinimatics and Gameplay are leaping forward.  Witness the best of game animation, gameplay and film-making from 3D game engines.    

- Mobile Market Design and Profits - Expanded to 2 full tracks for 2005.  Understand this market and the opportunities. Learn how to get product out the door and make a profit.      

- Women's Game Conference - The second annual Women's Game Conference (WGC) focuses on women in the computer and video game industry.  The conference program will cover women as an essential market for game growth and diversity as a necessary tool for game development.    

- Game Writers Conference - The first annual Game Writers Conference (GWC) is dedicated to the art and craft of game writing. GWC is guided by a group of leading game industry professionals: Susan O'Connor, Scriptwriter & Game Writers Conference Chair; Hal Barwood, Designer/Writer, Finite Arts; Dana Fos, User Experience Manager, Microsoft; Clint Hocking, Creative Director, Ubisoft; Patricia Pizer, Lead Designer, 4orty 2wo Entertainment