Game Connect conference registration Now Open! Conference Program Released! Sponsorship & Exhibition Opportunities!

Registrations for Game Connect: Asia Pacific 2008 Conference have now opened.

Register now to take advantage of early bird registration rates and experience all the conference has to offer from as little as $400 for members.

For a full list of registration options and rates or to register for GCAP 08 ‘CLICK HERE’

Conference Program Released!
Coinciding with the opening of conference registrations, the program for the GCAP 08 Conference has now been released. This years program brings together all of Australia's development community, along with a carefully chosen crop of international guests.

GCAP 08 will feature the world renowned Yahtzee. Famous for his rapid-fire Zero Punctuation game reviews,Yahtzee will deliver a presentation on what makes a good game, from the point of view of a critic.

Other confirmed speakers include James Gwertzman from Popcap Games, Mary Beth Haggerty from Autodesk, Dan Scott from Nokia, and Penny Sweester from 2K.

To view the program ‘CLICK HERE’

Sponsorship & Exhibition Opportunities
GCAP 08 offers exclusive sponsorship opportunities which will enable your organisation to access key contacts,demonstrate your support for and continued contribution to the games development sector. GCAP 08 provides the best platform for you to showcase, promote and/or launch new products and services.

In sponsoring or exhibiting at GCAP 08 your organisation is making a difference to the game development industry within Australia and the Asia Pacific, while at the same time it is enhancing its image as a responsible corporate supporter. Sponsoring or exhibiting at this prestigious event brings benefits not just to the attendees but also to your entire business on a local, national and international level.

‘CLICK HERE’ to register your interest in sponsoring and/or exhibiting at GCAP 08 and to receive the Sponsorship & Exhibition Prospectus.

More Information
Please visit the Conference Website or contact the Conference Organisers:

International Conferences & Events (ICE) Aust. P/L
1/12-14 Gladstone Place, South Melbourne, VIC 3205, Australia

t: +61 (3) 9681 6288
f: +61 (3) 9681 6653
e: info@gameconnectap.com
w: www.gameconnectap.com

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 25/09/08 - 5:03 PMPermalink

Hold on, $400-$520 for an international keynote presentation by Yahtzee called "what makes a good game"?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 25/09/08 - 7:18 PMPermalink

Program looks comprehensive & topics exciting. Stuck between student and earning a good wage, so it's going to be interesting trying to save for flights and the ticket cost!

Any luck finding good accommodation, Souri?

Submitted by souri on Fri, 26/09/08 - 4:30 PMPermalink

It's a shame there isn't a cheap hotel close by. Something like a Formule 1 would be great. I may have to opt for one of the back packer places :[

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 26/09/08 - 4:19 PMPermalink

The decision to have a keynote by Yahtzee made me question the integrity of the entire conference. They won't be getting my money.

Submitted by souri on Fri, 26/09/08 - 4:29 PMPermalink

I don't get it. You have a problem with a game developer (of which Yahtzee is) for a keynote at a game developer conference? In what way is this buckling the integrity of the conference??

Being as well known and popular as Yahtzee is, it makes pretty good sense to nab him for Game Connect. I would be bemoaning like you are if the GDAA didn't grab him.

Submitted by samh on Fri, 26/09/08 - 6:16 PMPermalink

It's easier to bitch than organise a conference, I guess. Personally, I say good work to the conference organisers for managing to get a good segment of the industry together talking about some interesting topics. Events like this are really important for the industry IMHO.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 26/09/08 - 10:49 PMPermalink

At first I laughed when a friend said he would be giving a keynote on what makes a good game. It seemed strange that a guy who has never actually worked in the industry until the last month or so when he scored a contract position at Pandemic would be sharing his vast "knowledge" with experienced developers. I mean we go to these things to learn from industry leaders not overnight internet celebrities with a few student quality game maker games under their belts.

But after reading the tag line again it seems his talk is firmly coming from a critics point of view and not that of an actual seasoned developer and that's cool, being a critic and holding up a mirror to a games obvious faults is what he does best. I'm looking forwards to hearing his presentation as I'm sure it will be an intentionally enjoyable and humorous one.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 27/09/08 - 3:30 PMPermalink

Except that anyone I've spoken to who has met him in person says he's neither an enjoyable nor humourous person to be around.

Regardless.. I'm curious to hear what he has to say.

Submitted by souri on Mon, 29/09/08 - 9:16 AMPermalink

He's pretty good at what he does (critiquing games in an entertaining way), and if he can provide that for a talk at GCAP, what difference does it make whether he's someone you'd want to hang around with or not?

I mean, out of all the presentations at last year's GCAP, not once did I think "well, the presentation's pretty good.. but uh, I don't know if I would really hang out with this person."

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 27/09/08 - 5:05 PMPermalink

I feel maybe the conference is a bit expensive. I found in the past that freeplay conference in melbourne (which was also over a couple days) was quite cost effective at about $50. Most of the money came through government sponsorship etc.

Also in the original days of the AGDC it was around $500 but you got quite a few internationals and it was cost effective.

The problem I been finding is that from a company perspective you can just pay 4-5 of your senior developers to go the GDC in the US and get them to do some speaches about what they been discovering when they get home. It tends to be more cost effective in the long run based on the amount of information you gain.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 27/09/08 - 6:24 PMPermalink

Exactly. GDC is far more attractive since GCAP's prices keep raising each year. The exposure and knowledge that's present at GDC is definitely worth paying for, but I don't see GCAP providing anything remotely worth a $500 ticket price.

Good on them for trying, but a $500 ticket seems more like a money grab by the GDAA rather than anything else, especially after taking a look at what they're charging companies to sponsor the event.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 29/09/08 - 3:36 PMPermalink

Regardless, I'll still be going to this. Thank you student prices!

The topics look extremely interesting and I think I may be torn between design and production speeches throughout the conference (since to me, they're both integral to a game designer). Truthfully, I'd like to attend all of them to get my money's worth, I feel for you guys with the higher costs, and it does make me wonder how well the Brisbane government actually supports this (doesn't seem to be doing it financially...)

Dunno what you Escapist-addicts are complaining about because Yahtzee is addressing the crowd. Considering it's not going to be broadcast across the interwebs, it might actually be educational and make some people think before they make more poor games.

Submitted by Lantree on Sun, 05/10/08 - 11:40 PMPermalink

Looks like I get to go to the GCAP this year thanks to work. Since I'm staying a extra day I stayed at a hotel a suburb along. Public transport is easy in Brisbane, just jump on a train so not much of a inconvenience. Saved around $100 from the rates in brisbane center.