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Call for Speakers: Digital Media Wire Events for 2015

Paul Philleo
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Call for Speakers: Digital Media Wire Events for 2015

The call for speakers is an evergreen call to action for folks (in the games industry, for the purpose of staying on message) with opinions, ideas and experiences they wish to share with audiences with whom they can do business or register influence with. Lest we forget, there is the sweet icing on the cake of the free conference passes and other perks that usually go along with the lofty role of conference speaker or panelist.

Now it’s Digital Media Wire‘s turn to open the door to experienced and influential people from the games business community to submit their talk idea for DMW’s upcoming 2015 conferences.

To submit a talk for any of the several events coming up on their calendar (Digital Music @ CES notwithstanding, as it’s in the rear view mirror), the official catch-all one-pager to fill out is here.

Digital Media Wire’s most gaming-focused events are two main events on either coast of the US: The LA Games Conference on May 6th and the NY Games Conference on September 30th.

 

 

 

Third Annual GDC State of the Industry Research Shows Number of Developers on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 Nearly Doubled (PR)

Paul Philleo
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Third Annual GDC State of the Industry Research Shows Number of Developers on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 Nearly Doubled (PR)

It’s that time of year to read the tea leaves about what fortunes have arrived, and may come, in the game industry, from the points of view of the game developers themselves. The Game Developers Conference polled a couple thousand developers who attended GDC 2014 for their thoughts. Among the more interesting tidbits: 78% believe eSports is a sustainable business, a belief an increasing volume of data supports. 50% of developers see majority of profits from digital sales or microtransactions versus retail.

Read the nitty gritty of the findings in the full press release below:

SAN FRANCISCO – Jan. 15, 2015 – The Game Developers Conference® (GDC) has polled more than 2,000 North American game developers who attended GDC 2014 to compose the third annual State of the Industry Survey, which provides a snapshot of the games industry and illustrates industry trends ahead of GDC 2015 in March. Notable trends shown in the poll results include console development on the rise, digital and microtransaction sales dominating profits, and other trends that offer a glimpse into the future landscape of the games industry.

The 2015 State of the Industry Survey is the third in an ongoing series of yearly reports that offer insight into the shape of the industry as a prelude to GDC 2015 in San Francisco. Organized by the UBM Tech Game Network, GDC 2015 will take place March 2-6 at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco, California.

PC and Mobile Remain Top Platforms for Developers, but PlayStation 4 and Xbox One are Gaining Traction

As the latest generation of console hardware matures, a larger percentage of developers are moving to make games for Sony’s PlayStation 4 and Microsoft’s Xbox One, compared to last year. 26 percent of developers surveyed said they’re currently working on a PlayStation 4 game, up from 14 percent last year, while 22 percent said they’re currently working on an Xbox One game, up from last year’s 12 percent (note that games often are developed across multiple platforms).

But PC and mobile still reign in terms of platform popularity; 56 percent of survey respondents said their current game will be released on PC and 50 percent said their current project will release on smartphones or tablets, as compared to 53 and 52 percent (respectively) a year prior.

Looking ahead, 29 percent of developers surveyed said they expect their next game to be on PlayStation 4, and 24 percent of respondents expected it to be on Xbox One, compared to 20 percent and 17 percent, respectively, of those surveyed last year.

Interest in mobile development slipped slightly, according to the survey; while 53 percent of those polled think their next game will be released on PC, 48 percent expect to release on smartphones or tablets.

Digital Sales and Microtransactions Trump Retail When it comes to Profits

In an effort to suss out where developers do their best business, this year’s survey included a question about where respondents make the majority of their profits. 29 percent said they made most of their profits from direct sales to consumers or digital sales, while 21 percent named micro-transactions as their primary source of profit.

Just 13 percent of those surveyed said they saw the majority of their company’s profits from sales at retail. 19 percent said they saw no profits, were non-profit or didn’t know where the majority of their profit came from.

Over 40 Percent of Developers Saw Profits Rise and Staff Expand in 2014 Compared to 2013

Those surveyed were also asked how their company’s profits last year compared to the year prior. 41 percent said profits were higher in 2014, and 9 percent said profits were higher in 2013, while 20 percent said profits remained the same year-over-year. 28 percent admitted they weren’t sure.

Survey respondents were also asked whether or not their company expanded or contracted during 2014 in terms of staff; 44 percent said their ranks had swelled during the year, while 15 percent said they lost people. 1 percent said their company closed entirely and 38 percent confirmed their headcount remained the same throughout 2014.

More Than 1 in 10 Developers Surveyed Say They are Making an eSport Game

12 percent of developers surveyed said they’re working on a game they consider to be an eSport — competitive, skill-based multiplayer games. 79 percent of all respondents said they perceive eSports to be a long-term, sustainable business.

“Twitch is making broadcasting competitions very accessible, and high-profile events like Evo are getting more and more attention,” wrote one developer.

“Creating a game as an eSport causes it to become a hobby and an interest outside the act of playing it,” wrote another. “This increased engagement is one way of allowing a game to become part of a player’s life in ways that [don’t] require them to always be investing their time into playing it.”

For more information about the 2015 Game Developers Conference or to register online, visit www.gdconf.com.

Event Registration Deadlines Roundup

Paul Philleo
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Event Registration Deadlines Roundup

Today must be a special date for making event news announcements, because they’ve been coming across the wire fast and furiously. Let’s bundle these potentially useful calls to action into a fast read, shall we?

CES Asia: “Oh no”, some of you might be thinking with a note of alarm, feeling aches in your feet, neon-stricken eyes and sound-hammered ears return to your senses. “I just attended the marathon run through endless horizons of of tech just last week at Consumer Electronics Show 2015 in Las Vegas. I’m not ready for another CES!” But the show must go on, it’s just a matter of when and where. It will in a few months, during May 25-27, with the first ever CES Asia in Shanghai, China.

Similar to CES in the States, this upcoming part of the CES tradeshow family will offer free access (at least to the show floor, if not more) if registration is a fait accompli before April 30th.

Digital Kids Conference 2015: If toys, edutainment and games are what makes the world go ’round for you, and you don’t mind spending time in New York City in winter, then the Digital Kids Conference is an event to put on your radar. But, prospective attendees may want to decide about whether to attend or not soon, since early bird registration is running out of time and it’s taking place during the 25,000 person-strong Toy Fair.

The Digital Kids Conference at the Toy Fair 2015 is offering early bird registration until January 16th. Savings versus onsite purchase would run $200-$300. With the purchase of a conference ticket for Digital Kids, taking place in NYC on February 15-16th, the attendee gets access to the Toy Expo expo show floor, a $225 value.

The full rates and pass option are listed on the Digital Kids Conference’s official registration page.

GDC 2015: One of the linchpin annual conferences for both games industry developers and businesspeople, the Games Developer Conference 2015  in San Francisco is about about to serve up an early bird deadline. After January 21st early bird registration rates end and rates jump as much as $500.

Hopefully, it won’t be as tough to decide on whether to attend and what pass to pick up as it might be to sort out which major game industry-related conference is most important to you during the first week of March!

Check out the going rates and accompanying pass options to attend GDC 2015.

Mobile Growth Summit 2015: Another inaugural event, Mobile Growth Summit goes live on February 5th to the 6th in San Francisco. This summit focuses on the tools, tips and strategies it takes to acquire, engage and retain mobile app costumers.

The early bird gold pass of $195 ends on January 16th, bouncing up to $495. However, when using the previously announced “FELLOWSHIP” code”, the registration rate is $95 for a full conference pass. Full registration options are listed here.

NVIDIA GPU Technology Conference 2015: NVIDIA’s annual ecosystem conference, the GPU Technology Conference, is a flashy, often impressive, showcase of NVIDIA’s visual and cloud computing products, technologies and applications. Interactive entertainment is one of the first markets where NVIDIA planted a flag, so it’s an interesting, relevant conference for gaming-minded business professionals and consumers.

Their conference takes place shortly after GDC, and so does the expiration of their early bird registration options. After January 20th, pass prices jump incrementally by no more than $150 while others don’t bump up at all. Still, it’s a deadline to keep in mind when — or if — registering for the GPU Technology Conference. Registration details can be found on this page.

 

 

Registration Opens for Inaugural International CES Asia (PR)

Paul Philleo
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Registration Opens for Inaugural International CES Asia (PR)

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)® today announced that registration is live for the 2015 International CES AsiaTM. The inaugural event will run May 25-27 in Shanghai, China at the Shanghai New International Expo Center (SNIEC) and will draw global businesses to showcase the latest products and technologies entering the Asian marketplace. CEA is co-producing the event with Intex Shanghai Co., Ltd., a prominent producer of international tradeshows in China. Special co-organizers for CES Asia include the Chinese Electronic Chamber of Commerce (CECC) and the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Product (CCCME).

“With our strong Chinese partners, our reputation for producing the world’s best innovation event, the dynamism of Shanghai and the huge importance of technology and branding, we believe the International CES Asia is poised for success,” said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, CEA.

From major global brands to innovative startups, the full breadth and depth of the Asian marketplace’s innovation value-chain will be on display at CES Asia, which will span 20,000 square meters (8,500 net square meters) of exhibit space in its first year. Major trends and product categories, including 3D printing, robotics, sensors, the Internet of Things and wearables, will be prominently featured across the show floor and in the conference program. Highlights among many notable companies set to exhibit to date include GGMM and Thinking Group, plus global brands like Audi, Ford, Garmin, Gibson Brands, Hisense, IBM, Intel, Monster and TomTom.

“The 2015 International CES Asia will showcase the latest innovations from major companies representing some of the world’s largest economies, providing unparalleled exposure to the dynamic Chinese marketplace,” said Karen Chupka, senior vice president of corporate business strategy and the International CES, CEA. “CES Asia attendees will experience the latest advancements in consumer technology, making the show a must-attend for technology executives, international buyers and media.”

Additionally, Audi AG Chairman Rupert Stadler will deliver a preshow keynote address at the 2015 CES Asia. Stadler’s address is scheduled for 5 PM, Sunday, May 24. Following the address, Audi will host a reception from 6-7:30 PM.

To register for the 2015 CES Asia, please visit CESAsia.com. Journalists traveling from outside of China will require a J-2 visa. For questions about exhibiting at CES Asia, contact Brian Moon at bmoon@CE.org or +1 703-907-4351.

Sony will make a big appearance at the Taipei Game Show

sirpaul54
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0
Sony will make a big appearance at the Taipei Game Show

Sony has been known to become a relevant name at the Taipei Game Show, and this year proves to be no different as Sony plans to unleash their big weapons at the show. At this year’s show, Sony Computer Entertainment Japan and Asia will release a huge lineup of game events. Here is the list:

January 28th (this times refer to the local time zone)

  • 11:30 AM – Sword Art Online: Lost Song
  • 2:00 PM – God Eater 2: Rage Burst

January 29th

  • 11:00 AM – NBA 2K15
  • 1:00 PM – One Piece: Pirate Warriors 3
  • 3:00 PM – JoJo’s Bizarre Adventures: Eyes of Heaven

January 30th

  • 1:00 PM – The Order: 1886
  • 3:00 PM – Bloodburne

January 31th

  • 11:00 AM – Dragon Quest Hereos
  • 1:00 PM – Metar Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
  • 3:30 PM – Street Figther V/Monster Hunter Frontier G

February 1st

  • 11:30 AM – Final Fantasy Type-0
  • 1:00 PM –  Yakuza Zero

Hideo Kojima will talk about Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. Yuji Hori and Kenichi Ogasawara will discuss Dragon Quest Heroes and show some gameplay. Yoshinori Ono from Capcom will be the host for the Asian debut of gameplay from Street Fighter V. Ru Weerasuriya from Ready at Dawn will show a demo for The Order: 1886. Sony will show 26 PS4 games, ten PS Vita games, and one PS3 game that can be played on the demo floor. Visit the Taipei Game Show website to learn more about the event:

http://taipeigameshow.biz/guide.php?lang=e

AGDQ 2015 Setting Records of More than One Kind

Paul Philleo
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AGDQ 2015 Setting Records of More than One Kind

The bi-annual speedrunning and record-breaking fest, Awesome Games Done Quick, is all about blazing through old and recent gaming classics as fast as possible, or to power through lengthy marathons, to entertain and impress gaming fans in person and via stream online, all while raising money for charity. And wow, during the most recent AGDQ the gamers and their fans sure found a way to do all of these things.

As of the time of this writing, over $1,550,000, through 39,000 plus donations, has been raised for the Prevent Cancer Foundation. Over a week’s time, a lot of interesting and fun scenarios played themselves out on and off-camera. Digital Trends has compiled a list of five of these awesome things.

1.) Player taking on a game of invisible Tetris: “He’s not even playing at full speed here (to see him cut loose, watch this), in order to meet certain requirements to achieve the game’s highest rank and unlock a bonus level during the credits, which is the real feat: Invisible Tetris.

After each block is placed, it becomes invisible, leaving it up to the player to remember where it is. Kevin clearly has a pretty precise picture in his mind of what he’s building, as evidenced by a moment when he cries out about making a bad move, apparent to no one but himself.”

2.) Racing Through Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels: “Charming and extremely skillful, Big John does a great job of explaining what he’s doing as he goes, making this an excellent intro for speedrun neophytes.

The run is extremely impressive, particularly toward the end, and he even gets to the secret, post-credits level for not using any warps.”

3.)Speed-hacking Pokemon Red plugged into a Super Nintendo: “TASbot’s team set up Pokemon Red on a Super Game Boy cartridge converter plugged into a Super Nintendo. Then, using nothing but standard button inputs within the game, TASbot managed to take control of the game by rapidly moving and deleting objects in order to selectively re-write its memory. From there it hijacked the Super Game Boy, and then on to the Super Nintendo itself.Finally, as a coup de grace to demonstrate its mastery over the whole system, TASbot ran the live Twitch comment stream through the controller cable to display through the console, closing the loop and collapsing the whole livestream into a singularity of awesome.”

4.) Playing The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for Nintendo 64 blindfolded: “Runnerguy2489 literally backs up the boast of knowing a game so well that he could play it blindfolded by doing just that with the child dungeons of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for Nintendo 64 on the final day of the stream. He relies extensively on sound to provide the necessary feedback in order to navigate the the environment and enemies, using his sword like a blind person’s cane to feel his way through the game, often along the walls. The Z-trigger targeting feature, which was particularly necessary back in the day without a second joystick to control the camera, is also critical in hitting certain enemies and switches. It was not the fastest run of the week, but it was easily one of the most demanding and impressive overall.”

5.) The couple who games together stays together:“During a run of the N64 platformer Mischief Makers, runner Jackafur takes the opportunity of a lengthy cutscene to give a heartfelt thank you to the AGDQ community for supporting him last year during a difficult time, and then propose marriage to his fellow runner Kittyrawr. It’s a beautiful reminder of the ways in which games and the communities that form around them can bring people together.”

GameZone also called out the crazy-fast speedrun of Dark Souls 2: “Oginam absolutely wrecks Dark Souls 2 without any crazy glitches. To advance through the game, you normally have to beat the four main bosses and collect their souls in order to open a special shrine that allows you to advance to the later areas in the game. Oginam sidesteps this by collecting 1 million soul memory.]He then goes on to beat the game in just over an hour, clocking at 1:04:33, which is absolutely insane!”

GameZone goes on to mention Animal Crossing’s speedrun too: “Animal Crossing is a fascinating game. It’s so unique in a way that it doesn’t contain any sort of action, but rather it focuses on passive gameplay, where the player must live out their life in a village, while amassing money and eventually paying off the debt to their new house. …Speedrunner Forstrike has accomplished the daunting task of paying off the extremely high amount of Bells to that terrible Tom Nook in just under 45 minutes, a task that can take players months.”Check out the articles, and the videos associated with them too, if you want to see how this excellent speedrunning was done. For many more videos, the GDQArchive on YouTube covers a lot of the bases during AGDQ event!

International Games Week Berlin 2015 from April 21 to 26, 2015

Mathew Anderson
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International Games Week Berlin 2015 from April 21 to 26, 2015
  • Ten individual events over six days under one umbrella brand
  • Europe’s biggest networking and communication platform for the industry
  • Events for industry experts and for the wider public

Berlin, January 12, 2015 – The INTERNATIONAL GAMES WEEK BERLIN is coming up for the second round: After last year’s huge success, everything in the capital will again revolve around computer games this year from April 21 to 26, 2015. For six days, more than ten established and new individual events will offer both the industry and the game-playing public the opportunity to actively dive into the subject. The INTERNATIONAL GAMES WEEK BERLIN is Germany’s leading communication and networking platform for international game developers, publishers, investors, and representatives of the entire media industry. Last year, nearly 10,000 visitors came to the individual events. The INTERNATIONAL GAMES WEEK BERLIN follows in the footsteps of DGT – Deutsche Gamestage (German Games Days), initiated in Berlin in 2007 by Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg.

“The Games Week has something to offer for everyone, from industry professionals to gamers to regular visitors interested in games. Our aim is to give the creators, the players, and the wider public an understanding of the industry’s trends, developments and prospects“, said Michael Liebe, Head of the INTERNATIONAL GAMES WEEK BERLIN 2015. “We are particularly excited about the new events that will take place under our umbrella brand: With the CGC BarTalk, we will integrate the huge eSports scene into our program. The international trade fair Apps World Germany expects more than 6,000 visitors from the app-developers scene. And our action day Womenize! is all about female talents seeking a career in technology, digital business and media.”

As part of the INTERNATIONAL GAMES WEEK BERLIN 2015, a variety of events will take place:

The Opening Summit on Tuesday (April 21, 2015) at Kino International is the official launch event, where German and international speakers from politics and business discuss current industry issues and thus officially open the week.

Subsequently, the developer conference Quo Vadis (April 21 to 23, 2015) begins, where the elite of the American and European game development community are expected: Glen Schofield and Michael Condrey (Sledgehammer Games/”Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare“), Dorian Kieken (BioWare/”Mass Effect“), Matias Myllyrinne (Remedy Entertainment/”Alan Wake“), and many more. Since 2003, Quo Vadis is the most important international game developers conference in Germany and one of the three biggest games conferences in Europe. In 2014, it had more than 2.500 visitors. Tickets: www.qvconf.com/tickets.

A formal highlights during the INTERNATIONAL GAMES WEEK BERLIN is the presentation of  the German computer game awards Deutscher Computerspielpreis (DCP) on the evening of April 21, 2015. The award, which was significantly changed for 2015, honors high quality games and will be awarded in up to 14 categories. Additions include the Audience Award, three international categories, and an optional Special Jury Award. The German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI) and the industry associations BIU and GAME award the DCP; the award ceremony is supported by Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg. The foundation for digital games culture, Stiftung Digitale Spielekultur, hosts the awards ceremony and organizes the winner selection and award assignment based on an independent jury decision. www.deutscher-computerspielpreis.de.

The international Independent Video Games Festival A MAZE. / Berlin (April 22 to 25, 2015) celebrates games as an art form and will be held in Berlin for the fourth time. The one of a kind festival allows professionals, artists and creators to share their skills and visions, to present their projects, to play and to socialize. During the festival, the A MAZE. Award will be presented. In addition to the established categories – The Most Amazing Game Award, the Human Human Machine Award, and the WTF?! Award – a new category is introduced this year: The Other Dimensions Award. Projects for the A MAZE. Award may be submitted until February 15: www.amaze-berlin.de.

Again this year, the Gamefest at the Computerspielemuseum (April 23 to 26, 2015) is the festival for gamers, retro fans and culture lovers. The foundation for digital games culture, Stiftung Digitale Spielekultur, and the Computerspielemuseum, the world’s first computer games museum, invite games enthusiasts and the general public to a varied program open for everyone at Kino International, the Computerspielemuseum, and Alte Feuerwache Friedrichshain: http://gamefest.computerspielemuseum.de.

Making Games Talents (April 25, 2015) will again be held as part of the INTERNATIONAL GAMES WEEK BERLIN. With more than 300 successful matches already made, it is the most successful recruitment event for talents in the games industry. The special twist: The talents don’t apply to the companies – the companies compete for the talents. www.makinggames.biz.

Additionally, the INTERNATIONAL GAMES WEEK BERLIN welcomes many new events under its roof: Womenize! Tech, Digital Business and Media (April 23, 2015), an action day for female talents in the areas of technology, digital business, media and games; Apps World Germany (April 22 to 23, 2015), the international trade fair for mobile marketing and app development; the CGC BarTalk, a community event for the eSports scene, and many more.

More information, registration and tickets on www.gamesweekberlin.com.
Eventbrite is Official ticket partner of the INTERNATIONAL GAMES WEEK BERLIN.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/gamesweekberlin
Twitter: @gamesweekberlin, #gamesweekberlin

About the INTERNATIONAL GAMES WEEK BERLIN
The INTERNATIONAL GAMES WEEK BERLIN from April 21–26, 2015 is the leading cross-industry communication and networking platform for games business, development and culture in Europe. Over six days, the umbrella brand combines more than ten events for industry representatives and game enthusiasts alike. In 2014, about 10.000 international and German game developers, publishers, investors and representatives of public institutions and the media industry as well as gamers, families and fans came to Berlin.

During the INTERNATIONAL GAMES WEEK BERLIN, a variety of events take place, including the opening event Opening Summit, the German Games Award, the games business and development conference Quo Vadis, the independent video games festival A MAZE. / Berlin, Gamefest at the Computer Games Museum, Womenize!, Matchmaking Dinner, Making Games Talents, CGC BarTalk, Apps World Germany, and many more. The INTERNATIONAL GAMES WEEK BERLIN follows in the footsteps of the DGT – Deutsche Gamestage – an event initiated by the Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg in Berlin in 2007. Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg supports many of the individual events.

Gearbox will host a panel at PAX South 2015

sirpaul54
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Gearbox will host a panel at PAX South 2015

Gearbox Software is planning to host a panel at PAX South 2015. At this panel, they will discuss their latest and upcoming products. According to the PAX website, the panel will take place on January 25 at 10:30am in the Main Theater. The panel is described as an opportunity for people to get the latest news and updates on Borderlands and other upcoming Gearbox titles.

Gearbox Software also plans to have never-before-seen reveals, exclusives, and surprises at the panel. Possible topics at the panel may include updates on current games such as Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel and Tales from the Borderlands, as well as games in development such as Battleborn and Homeworld Remastered.

In other Gearbox News, a Borderlands Remastered Edition was rated by the Australian Classification Board, but the studio has not said if a Borderlands remake was in development for the PS4 or Xbox One. PAX South 2015 will take place in San Antonio, TX from January 23 until January 25.

Check out the PAX website for more information on the event:

http://south.paxsite.com/

CES 2015: The final word

Mathew Anderson
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CES 2015: The final word

From CNET: It’s official: Another CES is in the can. And with two show floors, it was more packed than ever before. So what did we learn from the show? And what does it mean for tech in 2015 and beyond?

Read more at CNET.

A Look at Tobii EyeX at GXDev

Paul Philleo
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A Look at Tobii EyeX at GXDev

Several game developer and platform developer-focused companies are sponsoring and supporting the first-ever GXDev “Everyone Creates” LGBTQ-focused game jam. Among them is a Swedish eye tracking hardware and services company, Tobii.

Tobii is the only company at this game jam with a demo table, and one of the supporting companies who demoed on stage too. Still, even without these event-fueled accoutrements, the company’s Tobii EyeX Dev Kit is interesting enough to be a draw even if it were hidden away in a corner.

While Tobii was wrapping up their presence at 2015 CES, Rickard Wallin, a community manager for the company, was at GXDev.

The EyeX hardware is a slender black bar with three sensors that affixes within line-of-sight upon a laptop or monitor. The principle of eye tracking can be applied in numerous applications beyond gaming, but for the purpose of this discussion, it’s a method of immersive interface with the game. Principally, that means the eyes can be used for mouselook, for tracking for targeting, among other purposes within a game. Naturally, at a game jam the hope is that game developers will dream up new ways for Tobii EyeX to be applied within their game. As far as software support goes, developers can integrate the EyeX into C/C++,C#/.NET, and Unity 3D.

I briefly tested the device on Rickard Wallin’s laptop. Starting with calibration, using vision tracking to center and focus on different points, I jumped into the games. A simple Asteroids variant offered me, as a protagonist earth, the chance to fire off some shots at rogue space rocks, UFOs and comets. Focus on the enemy with vision, then fire and forget.

Next up was the Son of Nor demo, adapted for EyeX. In a sentence, the demo feels a little like a combination of the tossing-stuff-like-Darth-Vader feeling from Throw Trucks with Your Mind and the god-like terraforming of Populous. Fun to play, even when getting attacked by desert critters.

Last but surely not the least for me to try was Eyeron Defender, a Dreamhack 2014 prize winner. This game is more than anything else a challenge in mastering multitasking skills, between controlling and guarding your ship and a drone attached by a flexible electrical tether. Enemy fire can be absorbed by the electric line between ship and drone, and fire can be discharged via both vehicles. Juggling offense and defense will take a few minutes to get used to, especially when multiple control schemes, including, of course, vision tracking controls.

A number of attendees checked out the EyeX but only a handful of teams have thus far used this platform to develop their game. A couple factors limiting use by the teams of the EyeX platform did not necessarily involve interest, but that the development platform was for Windows PC-only and required USB 3.0 only (no doubt due to higher bandwidth needs for real-time data transmission). Roughly half of the computers in use by the developers looked to be Macs.

While the developer kit has been available for just shy of a year, Wallins said, the exclusive retail version, the SteelSeries Sentry Eye Tracker has only been out on the market for about a week. The developer version is priced at $139, or less with discounts, and the SteelSeries retail version prices out at $199.99.

Beyond GXDev, Tobii is lined up to be at GDC 2015, complete with what Wallin predicts will be exciting news from the company for gamers and game developers.

 

 

CES 2015: Innovation at the Speed of Awesome! (PR)

Paul Philleo
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CES 2015: Innovation at the Speed of Awesome! (PR)

Content Creators, Service Providers, Entrepreneurs, Innovators, Marketers, Health Care Professionals, Celebrities, Government Officials and Industry Professionals Convene at World’s Greatest Technology Even Innovations Across Show Floor Address Global Challenges

Las Vegas, NV, January 9, 2015 – The 2015 International CES® closed today as the largest and most amazing CES in show history, breaking all records as innovators across the show floor unveiled technology services that will solve world problems and improve lives. Owned and produced by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)®, the 2015 International CES closes today after running January 6-9.

The 2015 CES wrapped as the largest show in history with more than 2.2 million net square feet of exhibit space featuring more than 3,600 exhibitors, including a record number of startups. Innovators showcased the latest across categories like automotive electronics, personalized health care solutions, unmanned vehicles, connected devices, 3D printers, gaming and more. CES is the world’s gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technology and this year more than 170,000 industry professionals, including more than 45,000 from outside the U.S. convened at the only event of its kind to engage in the hands-on experience of interacting with the next generation of technology.

“This CES vastly exceeded our expectations. The show inspired and likely gave almost every attendee a sense that innovation will provide solutions to a range of global issues from the environment and agriculture to transportation, health and safety,” said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, CEA. “CES is the center of convergence among content, services and products, combining to create amazing new technologies to improve our lives and entertain us. It’s been incredible to see thought leaders from many diverse communities come together for cross industry collaboration.”

“The technology here demonstrates how solutions to global challenges can be effectuated through innovation,” said John Penney, chief strategy officer, Starz. “This year’s show brought an incredibly strong narrative of interdisciplinary interaction across an array of markets and industries. Tremendous!”

The 2015 CES featured technology breakthroughs and product launches across the technology ecosystem, drawing the world’s attention to innovation from driverless cars and 3D printers to life-saving body monitoring systems and connected homes. This year’s show featured three venues – Tech East, Tech West and C Space at ARIA – established to curate technology innovation, foster community and satisfy all technology appetites.

While attendance reached record highs, product area-specific marketplaces and the new show venues enabled attendees to easily find specific areas of innovation while seeing the relationship among diverse technologies.

“Attendees from an array of industries were able to have the optimal CES experience across our three venues, Tech East, Tech West and C Space, based on their business needs and meeting schedules,” said Karen Chupka, senior vice president, International CES and corporate business strategy. “Our strategy of creating diverse CES experiences for our attendees appears to have succeeded. Our attendees were able to find focused technology areas while travelling easily and seamlessly among venues.”

“We had a terrific show. Our team was able to travel efficiently from venue to venue to make our meetings,” said Gary Yacoubian, president and managing partner, Specialty Technologies/SVS. “CES is truly a must-attend global event. We receive a full return on our investment.”

The International CES, which serves as a proving ground for innovators, big and small, featured 375 startup companies, up from 220 last year. Mara Lewis, CEO and co-founder of Stopped, said, “There is no better place I’d launch a startup.” CEO of Peak Ventures, Larry Richenstein, explained the business power of CES by stating, “there is no better place than CES to discover early stage companies in CE and related areas, and to learn the latest trends in technology.”

CES is curated to reveal the many facets of innovation. “CES is the new World’s Fair,” said Enrique Muyshondt, president, DesktopFab Inc. “You have to be here!” We brought a record number of buyers this year.  There is no place in the world where you get so much done is so little time,” said Fry’s Electronics President Randy Fry.

CES represents all aspects of the technology ecosystem and brings together leaders from major global industries, as well as policy makers and government officials. The 2015 International CES featured government officials from across the U.S. and Canada, including five members of the Federal Communications Commission, including Chairman Tom Wheeler, four members of the Federal Trade Commission, including Chairwoman Edith Ramirez and seven members of the U.S. Department of Commerce, including Deputy Secretary Bruce Andrews and Assistant Secretary of Industry and Analysis, Marcus Jadotte. Other representatives from the Federal Trade Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Federal Aviation Administration were also in attendance.

CES once again cemented its position as a truly global event with more than 45,000 international attendees.  In addition, governments from outside the U.S. sent leaders including the French Minister of Economy and the French Minister of State for Digital Affairs. The U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia and the Slovakian ambassador to the U.S. also attended this year’s CES.

The success of the 2015 International CES builds strong momentum for CES Asia which will run May 25–27 in Shanghai, China. With strong exhibitor demand for CEA’s inaugural event, the show will be curated with select qualifying companies permitted to exhibit. Companies interested in applying to exhibit are encouraged to contact Brian Moon, vice president international sales, CEA, for details. More information can be found on CESAsia.com.

CEA will release final 2015 CES numbers upon its independent audit late this spring. The International CES will return to Las Vegas Wednesday, January 6 through Saturday, January 9, 2016. For the latest CES news and videos visit CESweb.org and CESweb.org/videos. B-roll for the 2015 CES is also available online. The show close video which contains official show stats can be found here.

Postmortem of Adventurous Atari Classic Game Announced for GDC 2015

Paul Philleo
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Postmortem of Adventurous Atari Classic Game Announced for GDC 2015

Let’s take a trip back in the way-back machine to 1979 — 26 years ago. That’s a long time ago, right? Many of you weren’t even born yet. The Sony Walkman cassette and radio player was the rage; M*A*S*H and Three’s Company were hot on television; Rod Stewart and the Bee Gees were A-list’ers pumping out top 10’s.

It was also the year the groundbreaking Atari 2600 game Adventure was rolled out.

One of the creators behind the Adventure game will, at the 2015 Game Developers Conference, be sharing his experiences developing the game, maximizing features with only a thimble-full of pricey memory to work with, and fighting to earning the credit game developers were due.

Gamasutra summarizes the postmortem: “Warren Robinett, the veteran programmer, designer and The Learning Company founder known for his groundbreaking game design work at Atari, TLC and NASA, is coming to GDC 2015 to deliver a Classic Game Postmortem on the creation of his hit 1979 game Adventure for the Atari 2600 console.

Adventure is particularly notable for (among other things) being one of the first graphical action-adventure games ever released. Adventure also contained one of the earliest known “Easter eggs” ever hidden in a game by a designer — in this case, a hidden screen revealing Robinett’s name and authorship at a time when Atari was unwilling to publicly credit game makers for their work. Thus his efforts to create Adventure meaningfully advanced both the practice of game development and the fight for developers to be recognized for their work.

His talk is about the implementation of Adventure. For clarity, the game code has been translated into C (from its original 6502 assembler code). Because memory was extremely expensive in the late ’70s, the program for Adventure had to fit into a 4K-byte ROM chip. Therefore the program was very short — barely a dozen pages of C code!

At GDC in March, Robinett will speak at length about how he managed to create the game, how it was all jammed into 4K of memory, and how he gave in-game creatures “desires” and “fears” at a time when most games were still filled with simplistic AI.

This is an hour-long session that’s worth keeping on your radar, so make sure to bookmark the session on the GDC 2015 Session Scheduler.”

GDC has had a history of showcasing developers of classic games for postmortems, such as Zork, Robotron, Alone in the Dark, among many other old school titles. If you’re a fan of retro games and the history of the game industry — and attending GDC, of course — then this should be a talk high on your GDC to-do list.

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