IGDC @ Nextwave 2005???

I could be wrong but I don't think there's a Nextwave festival planned for next year? I guess that's the reason for wondering if Freeplay could happen for 2005. Check out the [url="http://www.nextwave.org.au/interim.htm"]Nextwave website[/url] and you'll see the festival isn't mentioned for 2005, but 2006. I'll see if I can get some info on what's happening, although it's probably really early days yet and not a lot of organising being done yet if a Freeplay 2005 were to happen.

It would be *fantastic* for the local chapters of IGDC to take a large role in helping out with the organising and taking part of the next Freeplay, if it were to happen. Fiona's moved on from Nextwave, so I don't think she'd be able to take as large as a role as she had for Freeplay 2004, of which she did a darn fantastic job!.

thanks mate

At http://www.nextwave.org.au/whatis.htm it says nextwave is biennial (means every 2 years).

Though a conference that is only on every 2 years may work, I think a conference that is on every year works a lot better.

If you ask me, Next Wave were great in getting Free Play off of the ground, and did a great job of doing so in general, but, they are not game developers ? but then again this does have its benefits [;)] This is apparent in the end quality of the event, such as the lack of preparation and quality checks present for the presenters and their talks ? more so their talks. If I am not certain, presenters were told that such preparation was not necessary, that it was more of a casual laid-back affair, where presenters just got up and talked and fielded questions ? this is ok for some talks, but not all.

Then there was the ?venue? which was fragmented all over the place, and though I liked the wall mural in the main room (dojo), it was a little too budget / underground orientated for me. I am sure that Melbourne being the creative and cultural city it is that a reasonable venue can be found that is both professional but still retains a creative and perhaps underground rebellious feel ? if that is a feel that the organisers are aiming for.

And more importantly is the conference?s timing, it was pretty much on at the same time as E3, and this may have seen a lot of developer that would have attended, not show up due to other commitments. If the conference takes place next year ? I for one hope it does ? then there is no need for it to coincide with ?Next Wave? as it will not be on. Therefore the conference can take place during a period of the year where there are no major conflicts ? I think June / July may be good.

Perhaps this is the perfect opportunity for developers to take hold of the conference and to make the event what they want it to be. And hopefully next year?s will be a hell of a lot better [:)] I am sure it will be, if people make an effort to not let this opportunity disappear.

Maybe this can be a major point of discussion for the Melbourne IGDA?s next chapter meeting? -- as Souri suggested, perhaps they can play a part in organising this.

Just because Nextwave is every two years doesn't mean Freeplay has to be. AFAIK Nextwave not being on in 2005 is a big part of the funding shortfall for 2005 the Freeplay people were talking about during the conference.

I know people are working on having a 2005 Freeplay.

Coming from you Cynical :) I'll take "developers" to mean people who make games rather than companies who hire people to make games, and I agree. A really big issue for an independent conference is that it has to stay independent, meaning if there is sponsorship from commercial entities it has to be truly "no strings attached".

I don't think Certain People were at all happy to find me on that Game Dev Grads Tell All panel for example, and these same Certain People sponsored drinks.

I've also heard that the timing will be different, not only because of E3, but also because it was panic time for undergrad uni students with assignments.

quote:Originally posted by lorien
I've also heard that the timing will be different, not only because of E3, but also because it was panic time for undergrad uni students with assignments.

thats good to hear, it was the weekend before exams for myself and many other students [:0]

It is great to hear that there are plans that the conference will be on for next year, and not every 2 years. That would be a bad thing to do, as a lot of foundation and momentum has been built for the event, and to take advantage of that the event needs to go ahead next year, not the year after when the excitement has fizzed, and momentum lost.

Yep you are right Lorien, I do mean exactly that in regards to developers, if I meant the latter I would have probably used the terms studio or scum ? actually to be fair they are not all bad, just most of them ;) Having experienced developers attend is important, as there is no point in having such a conference if experienced developer don?t attend so that newbs can pick their brains about the industry and make contacts within it ? and in that manner ?break-in.?

You raise and make clear Lorien an important point in that the conference needs to remain independent in nature, and not be subverted by sponsorship dollars, making it just another marketing thought-control fiasco that is the AGDC. Having a more ?liberal? ? in the true meaning of the word not the conservative political party we have in Australia ? organisation like the IGDA?s Australian chapter involved in it, would hopefully go a long way in making sure it stays ?independent.?

But, perhaps having others that are not so heavily involved in the industry and have a more ?objective? perspective on it (involved in the conference) may also create a more even playing field ? one that is not just a hype / marketing exercise for the old-guard Australian studios, something to steer clear of.

On the point of ?sponsorship? and funding for the conference, can?t whomever takes it upon themselves to organise the event approach the same government bodies that provided funding for the event, but this time around outside of the Nextwave event, or am I assuming too much? ? I don?t have much experience with building, funding and running conferences ;)

Disclaimer: my only involvement with Freeplay was presenting 1/2 of the PC Game Audio Systems talk (Brett Patterson- the main FMod guy- did the other 1/2) and being on the panel mentioned above.

If you want/need truly reliable information I suggest contacting Freeplay people.

Souri, perhaps (with consultation with Freeplay organisers) that online petition for funding that I suggested earlier in the year could be set up soonish? I think a nice long list of names and email addresses of people wanting this conference to happen might encourage govt agencies to hand over some dollars.

Some may say that it is still too early to begin the organising and planing for Freeplay, I disagree, now is the time to get people involved, and now is the time to lay the foundation and plans for Freeplay ? especially if there is a big question over funding for the event. Ideas like Lorien?s, and discussion like this now, will make sure it all goes ahead ;)

I?ll probably contact the Freeplay organisers myself anyhow, but I think a public / industry forum like this is a better place to discuss these ideas, and get people involved and excited about the prospects of Freeplay 2005.

Anyway, that?s just my opinion on the issue.

Hey, if they want to fly me down to Melbourne for a day just to field some questions for an hour again, I'm all for it :)

Who ya calling "not developers", huh? [:p]

No-one. Just the word "developers" is used to describe both companies and individuals who make games. I do feel it describes individuals better, as I think does Cynical Fan.

I certainly wasn't implying that people working at games companies aren't developers! Sorry if that's how you took it.

No, I was referring to the notion that the people involved in organising Free Play weren't developers [;)]