2008 Austin GDC Audio Track To Include Sony Keynote, fl0w Session

Author: by Staff

Think Services Game Group, organizers of the Austin Game Developers Conference, announced its first keynote, industry veteran Jason Page who will deliver a speech titled "Is That It? Next Gen Audio." Page, audio manager at Sony Computer Entertainment Europe's Research & Development division, has worked on notable titles including Cool Boarders 2 and Gran Turismo, and has been instrumental in the development of the PlayStation 3 audio SDK libraries adopted by developers worldwide. Austin GDC will take place Sept. 15-17 at the Austin Convention Center in Austin, Texas. Staying true to the theme of Austin GDC's audio track, "Breaking out of the Loop," Page will uncover how an informed perspective can help all game developers realize the integral role of game audio, and how audio specialists can look beyond the constraints of their tired methods of development to produce the next cutting edge tracks and sound effects for games. In a year when "next generation" platforms have increasingly asserted themselves as mainstream, Page's keynote will delve into the potential of these newer platforms and discuss what developers can expect from them. He will also discuss what can be learned from the methods and tools of the pro audio market adapted for game developers. "We are very excited to welcome Jason Page to this year's Austin GDC," said conference director, Izora de Lillard. "The audio track's theme 'Breaking Out of the Loop' resonates with this year's overall message of bringing forth progressive and out-of-the box ideas to allow our attendees to level up their skills and 'Evolve to Win' in the industry." Joining Page at the conference will be a number of featured speakers also breaking the loop in terms of technique, tools, and thoughts on the future of game audio. Such speakers include Austin Wintory, composer of fl0w, Kurt Larson Audio Director of Slipgate Ironworks speaking on "A Generative, Adaptive Music System for MMO Games," and Chris Grigg head of Standards, MMA/Beatnik discussing three brand new non-proprietary audio standards for audio technology: 3D MIDI Controllers, the High Definition (HD) Protocol for MIDI, and Interactive XMF (iXMF). In addition to game audio, the Austin GDC features tracks on writing and online games covering business & marketing, design, social networking & community, as well as technology and services. The conference will house over 100 sessions and lectures, a nearly sold-out expo floor; as well as play host to the Worlds in Motion Summit, an Independent Games Festival Showcase, and the Game Career Seminar. Attendees can meet, network, and plan their schedule ahead of time via myGDC, the Game Developers Conference official professional networking resource. For more information on the sessions, keynotes and lectures for the upcoming event, as well as online registration, please visit the official Austin GDC website.