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Sandbox, an ACM Videogame Symposium

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the scholars-like-fun-too dept.

drew writes "ACM is hosting a two-day videogame symposium on July 29-30 in 2006, co-located with SIGGRAPH 06 in Boston, MA, USA. The symposium will consist of keynotes, panels and papers. In addition, a 'Hot Games' session will preview unreleased titles from major game companies and indie developers."

18 comments

  1. Shorter than usual by hacksaw56 · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Wow, just cram in another paragraph and you could fit the whole "article" into the summary.

    And yes, I did check the the other links on the page, but they didn't lead to much more information.

  2. I'd have some Q's for this symposium by Travoltus · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I hope they're relevant.

    What is more popular:
    More flash (prettier graphics)?
    More story line?
    Is there a huge market for games that have big story lines but fewer cut scenes?
    How about nonlinear play?

    Will single player games (or 1-4 on the console) continue to thrive or is the future in MMORPG's?

    --
    --- Grow a pair, liberals... stop letting the Republicans bully you!
    1. Re:I'd have some Q's for this symposium by Firehed · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      Surely if the game is just to play in the sandbox, the graphics aren't going to be that important. Or the game box is just a few vouchers for discount Tonka trucks and plastic shovels, and if you're lucky an Admit One to the beach.

      --
      How are sites slashdotted when nobody reads TFAs?
    2. Re:I'd have some Q's for this symposium by beoswulf · · Score: 2, Funny

      True, but imagine a MMORPG sandbox game. You and your best friend could melt your sister's barbies and blame each other for it when you get caught. An expansion pack could add a kiddie pool until the sequel, Sandbox 2: The Beach is out out of beta.

    3. Re:I'd have some Q's for this symposium by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There will always be a market for single-player games. There will always be a market for games with big story lines. Just like there will always be a market for movies, music, novels, and plays. You can easily argue that the market for these traditional forms of entertainment is dwindling in the blinding light of the games industry, but you'd be wrong.

      There will always be a market for more literary works. Where else would nerds copy their jokes from?

    4. Re:I'd have some Q's for this symposium by waveclaw · · Score: 1

      I hope they're relevant.

      Well the submisison is basically a cut-n-paste from the website. The about section says there will be a Hot Games' session will preview unreleased titles from major game companies and indie developers. (The website also says The program will be made available early June. So it's a litte early.)

      The question is: will there be booth babes? No really.

      So there is suttlebut about a huge show case of the 'latest and greatest' games with forthcoming release. The graphical theory and practice, at the state of the art, is already a focus of SIGGRAPH. Some video game engines approach implementation of 'last years' ideas, but most are not more techically sophisticated than generic toolkit $FOO running on OpenGL / Direct X shaders.

      The reason to have a showcase such as this is to demo innovative User Interface design and game play hacking, both arguably harder to get right than NURBS modeling and bit pushing. Yet we've seen how innovative game publishers are in UI and gameplay. Doom 3 or Halo 2, anyone? They mention indie developers, but as I see it this is another game company's wet dream. As this is an ACM event, the subtle dilluting of the SIGGRAPH conference is in keeping with the corporate ethos of ACM. But, will this be any different than publishers hoping to expand their market via word of mouth?

      I would more belive the utility of such a presentation if it looked at current, past and soon to be released games. Games that are either the epitome of a UI approach or possesing distinctive gameplay would be a usefull topic. Things like the products of Carnegie Mellon's Experimental Gameplay Project, where gameplay is actually researched, would be welcome. Eventaully, this could develop into it's own ACM Special Interest Group conference. As it stands this special session sounds like chance to sit and drool at the latest and shiniest grandchild of Wolfenstien 3D. I'd like to give it the benefit of the doubt, but there will be more skankily clad women in EA's 'presentation' than indie developers total.

      Will single player games (or 1-4 on the console) continue to thrive or is the future in MMORPG's

      At this point I seriously doubt that any real stats will come out of it. Until they start listing presenters and papers, I'm betting that the only answer to this is 'yes, if you buy our game.'

      --

      "You cannot have a General Will unless you have shared experiences. You cannot be fair to people you don't know."
  3. Oh man! by LandownEyes · · Score: 0, Troll

    I hope my mom can give me a ride!

    1. Re:Oh man! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      I hope my mom can give me a ride!
      I don't see why not - She let me have one last night !
  4. I just want to know... by dewboy · · Score: 1, Funny

    ...who's signed up to give the talk on the "Duke Nukem Forever" approach to game development!

    1. Re:I just want to know... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Whoever they are, they probably won't show up on time.

  5. Cinnamonbox! by zalbag · · Score: 1

    Judging from the picture on the site, they should have called it "Cinnamonbox".

  6. Why bother? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    As if we need yet another forum for game publishers to pitch their products. SIGGRAPH sinks lower each year.

    It should return to its role of graphics conference for academics and artists; and stop acting as the tool of established mass media.

  7. I have some answers by Watson+Ladd · · Score: 1

    Only time will tell. But story line has always been around, ever since Marathon:Infinity. Also HL2 seems to answer number 4 in the affermative.

    --
    Inventions have long since reached their limit, and I see no hope for further development.-- Frontinus, 1st cent. AD
    1. Re:I have some answers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "But story line has always been around, ever since Marathon:Infinity."

      LOL. Ever play a text adventure?

  8. Indie developers by not-admin · · Score: 1

    You have to wonder how the indie scene is doing, with big-named publishers pushing re-hases of last year's hit title. Hopefully this symposium has proof that the indie developer isn't dead. You can get some really invovative titles from them, such as Darwinia.

  9. Sad by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Its sad, from the number of comments on this article it seens the great majority of current slashdot users don't know what ACM is.