GDC/IGF 2k4 Coverage

after writes "GameDev.net is reporting events at the Game Developers Conference 2004. The coverage of the conference spans five days, and the first day is complete already. It has plenty of pictures of some of the activities. Finalists of the IGF are also posted with some amazing pictures. Also, an interview with Iain McNeil of Slitherine Software. More updates come on a day-to-day basis, so check it out."

Comments

Independent Game Development Finalists

[zolaar]

Regarding the Independent Game Festival contest, I actually know and work with the guys who worked on Treefort Wars - one of the games accepted into the finalists - beating out teams from DigiPen and FullSail, among others.

We're all from Iowa State University (I know, a heavy-hitter in the short list of universities that have a game development curriculum ::wink::), and it actually was their success in the festival that sparked a small movement in our computer science and art departments to create the first (possibly, of many?) game development course. Before then, during which Treefort Wars was being developed, it was simply an independent study course overseen by a professor. Now.. well, it's still basically a rather independent study course, but it's much more formalized. As a result of Treefort, we may get funding for studio space, giving artists and programmers a permanent meeting/work place.

In case you haven't guessed, I'm also in this afformentioned class, but our design is still in its infancy. However, thanks to the effort put forth by the Treefort Wars team, Iowa State might just turn a few heads in the coming years when it comes to universities who are friendly to us programmers who don't necessarily wish to deal with TPS reports on a daily basis.

I *highly* recommend to anyone interested in playing independently-designed games: go to the Treefort Wars website and take a look. It really is quite astonishing what non-professionals can do. Kudos to the ISU team, and (I suppose) to all the finalists!