2006 Austin Game Conference: Coverage Overview

Author: by Staff

Gamasutra is covering the 2006 Austin Game Conference in depth this week, including the associated Game Writers, Casual Games, and Game Audio Conferences. In this post, we archive all of our write-ups from our team of journalists covering AGC to date: Sony Online On 'The Market You Have' [09.11.06] Without specifically calling broad changes to one of its flagship game titles a mistake, Sony Online Entertainment's heads of development John Blakely and Todd Fialaheads issued a warning to the audience of their AGC session: "Don't make our mistakes." Michael Dell Asks Austin Gamers 'What is a PC?' [09.11.06] Michael Dell, founder and chairman of Dell, Inc., sat for a public Q&A session at the Austin Game Conference and gave his views of how the PC would figure into the future of gaming. Keynote - Vernor Vinge On The 'Inside Out' Cyberworld [09.11.06] Award-winning science fiction Vernor Vinge, speaking at the Austin Game Conference, gave his vision of a future in which connectivity was literally in the air around us, painting a picture of ubiquitous connectivity and the emergence of "post-human" capabilities. BioWare's Schubert Goes 'Beyond Men In Tights' [09.08.06] Damion Schubert, lead combat designer for Bioware Austin's first project, and previously leading design on Shadowbane, Ultima Online 2 and Meridian 59, discussed 'the debate between innovation and status quo' in a fascinating AGC lecture. Finding The Funny: Comedy In Game Writing [09.08.06] As part of the Game Writers Conference's panel 'Finding The Funny: Comedy In Game Writing,' Pandemic's Tom Abernathy and Wideload Games' Matt Soell, along with moderator Richard "Reese" Bryant of Microsoft, talk jokes, timing, and the dangers of in-game comedy. Koster Says Game Industry Dinosaur 'Doomed' [09.08.06] Legendary MMO designer Raph Koster warned the Austin Game Conference on Thursday that the game industry was undergoing a radical shift that few game companies understood, and that the industry as we know them today would likely become extinct without adaptation. Finding New Models for Game Stories [09.08.06] At the Game Writers Conference in Austin, Microsoft Game Studios writer John Sutherland presented 'Finding New Models for Game Stories,' on the structure of tension, harmony and dissonance, pacing as defined by the entire development team, and practical advice for game writers. BioWare on 'Writing for Digital Actors' [09.07.06] BioWare's Mac Walters and Mike Laidlaw presented 'Creating Characters for Games: Writing for Digital Actors,' on the ways they approach writing for games on the new consoles, and on the blessing curse of work with photo-realistic characters a nearly unlimited number of situations. Inside The Voice Actor's Studio [09.07.06] The Game Writers Conference's 'Inside The Voice Actor's Studio' session saw voice actors including Debbie Mae West (Meryl, Metal Gear Solid) discussing game voicing perspectives with experts, including the moderator, Bungie's Joseph Staten. MMO Personalities 'Rant' On Industry [09.07.06] The "MMO Rant" once again spawns all kinds of dirty talk, with Gordon Walton and Rich Vogel from BioWare Austin, NCSoft's Scott Jennings, Sony Online's Lorin Jameson and more spewing words heartily about the state of massively multiplayer games. Terrano Keynotes Game Writers Conference [09.07.06] For his Game Writers Conference keynote, designer, programmer, and former Age of Empires 2 lead Mark Terrano looks at storytelling, the history of words in games, and the most important market forces changing games as we know them. Ubisoft's Nolent Talks 'The Death Of Cinematics' [09.06.06] Ubisoft's Alexis Nolent (King Kong, Far Cry: Instincts) comments on narrative design for games, suggesting that "fewer cinematics, and more scripted events" are becoming the norm for next-gen gaming. Blizzard's Pardo On WoW's Success [09.06.06] Blizzard Entertainment VP of game design Rob Pardo opens the Austin Game Conference with a keynote exploring the decisions and management style that has led World of Warcraft, Blizzard's flagship massively multiplayer online game, to precedent-setting success in the genre. Check back throughout the week for regular Gamasutra updates from the 2006 Austin Game Conference and associated events.