EVENT: AGDC 2005: "Developing Dreams"
DATE: 1-3 December 2005
VENUE: This year's conference will be innovative, fresh and held at an exciting new venue - Federation Square, Melbourne, AUSTRALIA.
DESCRIPTION
As the premier Australian conference in the game developers- calendar, AGDC is committed to the growth of the Game Development Industry by raising the profile of Australian game development companies with publishers and distributors, and educating the industry on the activities and demands of the global Interactive Entertainment Industry.
AGDC 2005 will:
- Provide a platform to showcase Australia's game development talent to the world.
- Highlight the latest technological innovations in interactive entertainment.
- Bring together Australian and international talent to examine the future of computer game production, programming, design, games technology, and education.
- Foster and increase networking opportunities for the Interactive Entertainment Industry.
The program will feature:
- Keynote addresses featuring high profile international speakers.
- Pre-Conference interactive workshops
- Australian Game Developers Awards
- Pitching Competition and Pitch to Publishers Day
- Trade and Retail Expo
- Concurrent tracks exploring Art, Game Design, Business Matters, Platforms, Programming and Production, Education/Careers and Audio.
- Academic Summit
- Social functions including the Gala Awards Dinner, Big Party Night, Delegate Cocktail Party, VIP and Executive Cocktail Party and Women in Games Luncheon.
AGDC is owned by the Academy of Interactive Entertainment Ltd; organised by its- event management division IE Events and is supported by international game developers and the Game Developers Association of Australia [GDAA].
Visit www.agdc.com.au for more information
Does "Federation Square" mean at ACMI? Are they feeling pressure from Freeplay? :)
I'll be there - this year is my last time i can get in on a student pass!
i like the sounds of "Pre-Conference interactive workshops" - might head on over and check out the website now....
Fed Square ? at least that means we can get some real food at lunchtime! :-)
good thing being at fed square - gives it a hell of a lot more visibility!!
I dunno where that is but it sounds great! I'm so there! (No really, I mean it this year)
Fed Square is about as central as you can get in Melbourne. Just across the road from Flinders St station. It's where those funny green hexagons are on this map at the bottom near Swanston St: http://www.whereis.com:80/mapping/panMap.do?mapIndex=3&brandId=1&direct…
Notice how there is no mention of price. Thats because its a big fat waste of money. Sure maybe if I could get in at a student price, but for those of us already in the industry you'd be better off saving for GDC, at least you get value for money.
i agree, it's a bit of a rip off, that's why this is likly to be the last year i'll attend, since i can get a student price. and if you ask me S250 - S300 should be the standard delegate price (at most), not a discounted price.
I think to understand the AGDC you need to look at who owns it, why they set it up, and what they get out of it now.
Hopefully this will be the last AGDC-
"securing the Australian Game Developers' Conference (AGDC) in Melbourne for a further three years from 2003 to 2005" from http://www.mmv.vic.gov.au/Governmentsupport
The mmv sponsorship seems to run out this year without any mention of a renewal on the site.
Why is it always AIE students who win the prizes,hmmmm. maybe because AIE runs the show. IGDA is better, cheaper and not tainted.
Not sure which prizes you mean: if it's the sony uk work experience scholarship for some strange reason that one has only been open to AIE students.
If you mean the unsigned games thing- don't know how it's been working recently, but with Hail we were told to cheat i.e. vote for it multiple times. They've been putting the voting forms in the bags now haven't they?
I'd be more concerned about past conference volunteers: how many of these people getting free tickets have been AIE students or Pon's conference management students from the uni of canberra, and how many have been games students from other institutions?
"Hopefully this will be the last AGDC"
Thats the dumbest thing i have heard for a long time. Do you care at all about the game industry in Australia??? I wish i could slap you.
I think people do care about the game industry in Australia but are just unhappy with the running of AGDC and its under tones. I think thats why people are looking to IGDA. I wish AGDC wasn't the way it is but what can you do when the head of GDAA has an office within AIE. The above comment is that dave as in David Giles.
I agree with Martin btw. I care about the games industry in Australia, hence I say nasty things about the AIE/AGDC.
I think you will find that's the case with most people who have the guts to speak their mind, particularly those who use their *real and full name*.
As for Dave, perhaps you would like to comment on this new conference the GDAA are setting up and why they are doing it? :-)
Particularly given that you think that not liking the AGDC one bit is dumb.
I never said not liking the AGDC is dumb. Your putting words into my mouth now. What i said is that, stating you hope this years AGDC is going to be its last is dumb. I think any kind of event that supports the australian game industry is a good event and should be supported. Last year they had speakers from Valve and this year they will have speakers from blizzard. I have not heard anyone that has actually been to the AGDC complain about it, they actually all loved it.
Oh and i want to state that i do think its quite overpriced for students, but again that doesnt mean we should hope this is its last year.
If you haven't heard, you haven't been listening very hard. For something local to sumea, maybe try and find out who Cynical Fan and Grover are.
Note to everyone: the complete avoidance of the GDAA's new conference in David's reply.
Lorien I never thought to put my full name and I was not hiding. I think it is strange that you would go on the attack, "I think you will find that's the case with most people who have the guts to speak their mind, particularly those who use their *real and full name" I think if you have so much passion for AIE (as you are a graduate) you should show us the positive light. Many people have be burned by AGDC and many people have benefited from AGDC. My name is Martin. Lorien you did not put your name on every comment or is it a different Lorien. I am looking for a online fight I am only putting forward how many people feel and I hope these comments will finally be taken into consideration by AGDC.
I think you misunderstood me Martin, I have no idea who you are, and I wasn't attacking you.
I think there are only 3 or 4 people named Lorien in Australia, and google indicates I'm probably the only Lorien D*** on the planet. I've stated my full name and place of employment plenty of times before in the forums, and most people here know I've been using my own name in the forums here for years. Including David Giles.
Positive light? Read some of the AIE/AGDC marketing drivel. If you think I'm going to say nice things about people who have NOT been nice to many of my friends or myself you are sadly mistaken.
Woot! My favourite subject :)
Dave - I will be one of those people who would put their hands up and state happily that the AGDC is a waste of cash. You see, most people dont have to pay to go - most people get sponsored by their employer. If you are an employer then youd know what I am on about, or if you are an independant games company. The prices are rediculous and the value/worth is limited. As a professional convention, its alot more about self backslapping a few GDAA companies, rather than providing serious useful content. WoW value attended.. does anyone even remember the keynotes? Did anyone use the info? Or did people just say "Wow, this Valve guy was there...". Most people spend most their time catching up with friends and such.. and drinking beer (which is a personal fave.).. but it all leads me to beleive its not healthy for the Aus industry. The people that need the access the most are least likely to attend, and the ppl that attend, rarely take notes of the lectures or even remember what the lectures are.. and see it as a convienient holiday/party.
You can read alot more about this and other views in the forums :)
If you are If you *are* the David that it seems very likely indeed you are I think I should point out the implications of a Head of School saying "I wish I could slap you" in public.
I've worked for two Australian games company's now, and both (two high profile game companies, IR Gurus and Ratbag) have you pay your own way. Ratbag did put up money for speakers for their accomodation/flights etc, so I'd say employer sponsorship is unusual for the grunt workers :)
This is just a futile argument now, it seems everyone loves to hate the AGDC and its very easy to jump on that bandwagon as many have done.
The only reason im replying is to inform Lorien that i am not, nor have i ever been a head of school. My FULL name has no place here, as on this forum we are all just names with opinions, and i gave mine.
If you reread my original post, i was neither telling everyone how good the AGDC was, nor how much i loved the prices being high, i was merely informing the 11th poster that having no AGDC is an amazingly stupid solution to the high price.
In Loriens head you are David Giles - Head of School at AIE who just threatened him with physical violence and you are also deliberately avoiding the GDAA issue even though you never brought it up LOL. Lorien, you need to realise that no one here is out to get you so stop being so damn paranoid and on the attaack.
Actually I just don't like a lot of things I hear coming from that particular individual. At freeplay he said "I don't even understand the difference between training and education" while speaking on a panel. Perhaps someone would care to take the time to enlighten him?
There have been some posts which really look like me that aren't in these anon sections too. I'm not going to point them out.
"you'd be better off saving for GDC, at least you get value for money."
Pfft, its just a bigger AGDC with more of a trade show aspect and more "sponsered sessions", But its still the same old crap re-circulating. If you're in the industry and actually want to learn something new go to SIGRAPH or something...
The above Dave is not me.
"I've worked for two Australian games company's now, and both (two high profile game companies, IR Gurus and Ratbag) have you pay your own way. Ratbag did put up money for speakers for their accomodation/flights etc, so I'd say employer sponsorship is unusual for the grunt workers :)"
Tantalus paid to send their grunts (even when it was in Sydney and included flights etc, back when IR Gurus were just squeezed into the back room at Tantalus), Perception pay, Team Bondi pay, I'm pretty sure Blue Tongue does, I think you just got screwed... :)
I'm told this will be the last AGDC, ever. GDAA is setting up their own conference and the AGDC is mercifully going to finish.
Anyone hear the same?
Well what do you know, the last keynote is called 'So Long and Thanks for all the Fish...'
Fish?
'We Apologize for the Inconvenience' might have been better