“Dedicated to bringing together the freshest, most innovative and creative minds and works in independent game design.”
//2011 Conference: Sessions and Schedule
Conference events start October 7th with a keynote and coffee hosted by PlayStation Home. A full schedule of special sessions, talks, keynotes, parties, and social events continue through October 9th.
Explore the schedule below, to which we will continue to add information.
- What is the IndieCade Festival:
A comprehensive overview! - Registration, Passes, & Wristbands
- Prizes, Deals, and Gifts for Attendees!
- Schedule Overview
- Conference @ IndieCade
- Festival Sessions
- 2011 Finalists
- Meet the Developers
- Big Games
- IndieXchange
- Where is IndieCade?
- Accommodation Recommendations
- Media Registration and Information
//Thursday, October 6th
//On sight Registration and Check-in.
9:00 am - 6:00 pmLocation: IndieCade Village
//Pre Conference Event The IndieXchange is by invitation and is now closed.
9:30 am - 6:00 pmThe IndieXchange. IndieXChange is by invitation only and it is closed..
Location: NextSpace
//VIP Reception / Mixer hosted by Gamer Economic Systems and Loot Drop
4:00 pm - 7:00 pmLocation: NextSpace
Join us for an intimate IndieXchange VIP reception/mixer, directly following the IndieXchange.
//Friday, October 7th
//Onsite Registration and Check In
9:00 am - 6:00 pmLocation: IndieCade Village
//Opening Coffee hosted by PlayStation Home
9:00 am - 10:00 amLocation: Ivy Substation
//Opening Keynote by Richard Lemarchand entitled "Beauty and risk: Why I Love Indie Games"
10:00 am - 11:00 amLocation: Ivy Substation
In my talk at IndieCade 2011, I’d like to tell you about some of the experiences I’ve had at Naughty Dog in my role as Lead Designer on the Uncharted series, and how profoundly the ideas about game design that I use every day have been affected by indie games.
I love independent games, and I grew up playing them in the UK on the first generation of home computers. At that time, all games were indie games, in spirit at least. The ‘bedroom programmers’ of that generation were my first mentors when I joined the game industry, and I’ll talk about that DIY spirit of creating something from nothing, and how vital it still is today.
The visionary creators of the indie games of 2011 have used the game-making tools of this generation to do amazing things - to give expression to emotions barely seen in videogames before, to develop new styles of play and even new genres of game, and to explore subject matter considered untouchable by the mainstream.
The world is changing at an incredible rate; both indie and AAA game creation is changing too. I have a lot of strong opinions about good and bad ways to make games, about the nature of human minds and of creativity.
The title of my talk is about gameplay - the beauty of systems and the risk introduced by random or complex elements at play. It’s also about creative risk-taking: so take a risk, and come to my talk!
The Opening Keynote is hosted by PlayStation Home. The Keynote will also be streamed through PlayStation Home and available in the Creators' Lounge.
I love independent games, and I grew up playing them in the UK on the first generation of home computers. At that time, all games were indie games, in spirit at least. The ‘bedroom programmers’ of that generation were my first mentors when I joined the game industry, and I’ll talk about that DIY spirit of creating something from nothing, and how vital it still is today.
The visionary creators of the indie games of 2011 have used the game-making tools of this generation to do amazing things - to give expression to emotions barely seen in videogames before, to develop new styles of play and even new genres of game, and to explore subject matter considered untouchable by the mainstream.
The world is changing at an incredible rate; both indie and AAA game creation is changing too. I have a lot of strong opinions about good and bad ways to make games, about the nature of human minds and of creativity.
The title of my talk is about gameplay - the beauty of systems and the risk introduced by random or complex elements at play. It’s also about creative risk-taking: so take a risk, and come to my talk!
The Opening Keynote is hosted by PlayStation Home. The Keynote will also be streamed through PlayStation Home and available in the Creators' Lounge.
//Indie Development and the Constant Growing Landscape of Game Platforms
11:00 am - 11:30 amLocation: Ivy Substation
Jack Buser, Director of PlayStation Home, with Jesse Vigil of Codename Games, will be discussing the different ways in which indie developers can utilize different avenues to get their games in the hands of gamers.
//Experimental is Hard
12:00 pm - 1:00 pmLocation: Foshay Lodge
Steve Swink, co-creator of Shadow Physics and author of "Game Feel," will speak about the definition, constraints, ethics, and mercurial nature of experimental design.
//Well-Played Session I
1:00 pm - 2:00 pmLocation: Ivy Substation
What makes a game good? or bad? or better? Video games can be "well played" in two senses. On the one hand, well played is to games as well read is to books. On the other hand, well played as in well done. Building on the ETC Press book series, our speakers (to be announced soon) look at video games through both senses of "well played." The goal is to help develop and define a literacy of games as well as a sense of their value as an experience.In this first Well-Played session, Michael Abbott and Simon Ferrari will present on "Way" and "Desktop Dungeons," two of our finalists' games.
//Refreshment Break hosted by GameSpy
1:00 pm - 2:30 pmLocation: Creators' Lounge
Free beer, fresh coffee, and free online services for indie game developers. What could be more refreshing? Join GameSpy Technology from 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. in the Creator’s Lounge for a cross-platform game break, and enjoy all three at once. Grab a cup of fresh coffee or a cold pint of locally made beer, and a snack. While you’re there, get hands on time with the latest versions of Trendy Entertainment’s Dungeon Defenders and Halfbrick’s Fruit Ninja, two iconic indie games that use GameSpy services to enable multiplayer gaming across iOS, Android and more. GameSpy Technology staff will be on hand to answer questions about their services for indie developers (from multiplayer to player metrics & rankings to cloud data storage) – or just to hand you another pint. Cheers!.
//A Dialogue on Depth
2:30 pm - 3:30 pmLocation: Foshay Lodge
I keep saying I'm trying to design SpyParty to be a "deep" game. What makes a game "deep"? What does "deep" even mean? What's the difference between "deep" and "hard" or "complicated" or "meaningful" or any of a host of other adjectives that might describe a game design or a gameplay experience? How does game depth relate to multiplayer versus single player, or player-skill versus avatar-skill games? Join Paul Sottosanti and myself (Chris Hecker) in a conversation about these and any other depth-related topics you bring to the session.
//Experimental Gameplay Workshop @ Indiecade: The Process of Experimental Collaboration
2:30 pm - 3:30 pmLocation: Ivy Substation
In this special session of the Experimental Gameplay series, we will be focusing collaboration. Several pairs will speak on this topic, using their work as a point of departure for an in depth discussion of experimental design processes. In particular, we'll explore how close, intense collaboration with others impacts the outcomes of an experimental gameplay process.
//Featured Talk by John Blow & Marc ten Bosch entitled "Designing to reveal the nature of the universe."
4:00 pm - 5:00 pmLocation: Foshay Lodge
Any system of interactivity can of course be explored: If X happens, what are the consequences? What are all the ways in which pattern Y expresses itself, and to what do those expressions lead? By inspecting the structure of a system in this way, we can find the core ideas of the system, and see how those ideas illustrate fundamental truths of our universe. We present a game design aesthetic that values looking for systems that express these truths in the cleanest possible way. We explain how this is different from more-traditional combinatoric design techniques; we show examples from our games and describe a method for applying the aesthetic in general.
//Gallery Preview Opening Reception hosted by the City of Culver City
4:00 pm - 6:00 pmLocation: Fire Sation
Exclusive to conference attendees, the Fire Station will open its doors on Friday evening for a preview reception celebrating all of the finalist games.<
//Opening Party and Festival Game Slam hosted by PlayStation Home
6:00 pm – 10:00 pmLocation: IndieCade Village
Join us for the conference party hosted by PlayStation Home. There will be a Festival Game Slam where representatives from a variety of games featured at the festival have 90 seconds to present their game and their process. Fast paced, fun, and a great way to learn about a variety of the games and gamemakers in the festival. And from 8:00-10:00 pm the world premiere of Eddo Stern's new game entitled Flatlands ARG (you can read more about it in the big games section of the website).
//Saturday, October 8th
//Onsite Registration and Check In
9:00 am - 6:00 pmLocation: IndieCade Village
//Opening Coffee
9:00 am - 10:00 amLocation: Ivy Substation
//Influences Panel
10:00 am - 11:00 amLocation: Ivy Substation
A session NOT about games: Eddy Boxerman, Mary Flanagan, and Jake Kazdal will talk about their influences outside of games that has impacted and inspired their work and why. They will then discuss the importance (or lack thereof) of looking beyond games for the future of indie games.
//How to Maximize PR for Your Game
11:00 am - 11:30 amLocation: Ivy Substation
How does a small studio generate press coverage and word-of-mouth for its titles? In this fast moving 30 minutes, you will learn how to get multiple news items and features in the enthusiast press, and what kind of niche communities can help you broaden your audience. Sue Bohle, president of The Bohle Company, whose public relations firm has served the game industry for more than 30 years, will offer tips and advice.
//Storytelling through Minimalism - Bit. Trip and Beyond
12:00 pm - 1:00 pmLocation: Ivy Substation
In this talk, Mike Roush and Alex Neuse discuss what it means to have a creative and narrative vision while making games that are incredibly simplistic. Finding the story through simplicity not only becomes a design vision, but also a design challenge. The Gaijin founders will reveal the complete BIT.TRIP story and share with the audience how working within constraints and being open to input allowed them to tell a bigger and better story than if they had been working alone. Ideas about collaboration, focus, respect, and honor will be discussed as they pertain to game development in a team-based independent environment.
//Iron Game Designer
12:00 pm - 1:00 pmLocation: Foshay Lodge
Whose design will reign supreme? Join hosts Colleen Macklin and Eric Zimmerman as they challenge game designers with real-time game design. Three captains will pick teams of designers from the session audience and then everyone is given a theme, materials, and a secret ingredient. Before your eyes, the teams will create a real-world game. As they wrack their brains for the right recipe, get a sneak peek into how these game designers solve difficult design problems. And who knows? You might just witness the birth of a brand new game.
//Well-Played Session II
1:00 pm - 2:00 pmLocation: Ivy Substation
What makes a game good? or bad? or better? Video games can be "well played" in two senses. On the one hand, well played is to games as well read is to books. On the other hand, well played as in well done. Building on the ETC Press book series, our speakers (to be announced soon) look at video games through both senses of "well played." The goal is to help develop and define a literacy of games as well as a sense of their value as an experience. Saturday's Well-Played session features Jamin Brophy-Warren on "FEZ" and Jane Pinckard on "Kiss Controller."
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//No Screens Panel
2:30 pm - 3:30 pmLocation: Ivy Substation
This is a free-range session about games that go beyond the confines of the polygonal frame. In other words big games, street games, args, playful disobedience, analog games or whatever you'd like to call them! The panelists (Mathieu Castelli, Nathalie Pozzi, Greg Trefry, Jeff Watson, and Chris Weed) will discuss design considerations, new approaches and what's next in the genre.
//Form + Code
2:30 pm - 3:30 pmLocation: Foshay Lodge
Panel speakers Zach Gage, Robert Hodgin, Casey Reas, and Daniel Shiffman will present and discuss projects which use code as a generator of form, and explore the various ways in which procedurally generated elements can contribute to the mechanics, dynamics, and/or aesthetics of video games.
//Happy Hour / Mixer hosted by OnLive
4:00 pm - 7:00 pmLocation: Creators' Lounge
//Featured Talk: Games Interest Me
4:00 pm - 5:00 pmLocation: Foshay Lodge
Adam Saltsman will be talking about why making games interests him. Topics may include ambience, not shooting things, procedural generation, the war in Iraq, and cultural footprints.
//Night Games
7:00 pm - 10:00 amLocation: IndieCade Village
Unique to IndieCade, is the annual Saturday Night Games, outdoors under the stars, -- or clouds. This year's Night Games include Johann Sebastian Joust, Shadowplay, Super HyperCUBE, and pxlpshr. There is rumor of a party too.
//Sunday, October 9th
//Onsite Registration and Check In
9:00 am - 4:00 pmLocation: IndieCade Village
//Opening Coffee hosted by The Bohle Company
9:00 am - 10:00 amLocation: Ivy Substation
//Project Next
10:00 am - 11:00 amLocation: Ivy Substation
Want a sneak peak at the next wave of indie games? To see how finalists and ground-breaking indies are following up their successes? Project Next is a series of quick previews of unreleased games by a wide range of indie developers. Speakers include Terry Cavanagh, Phil Fish, Douglas Wilson, Heather Kelley, and Brandon Boyer.
//IndieCade Town Hall
11:00 am - 11:30 amLocation: Ivy Substation
Robin Hunicke and Richard Lemarchand lead an open dialogue about how to make IndieCade more awesome and preserve its spirit as it grows.
//Do Art Games Matter?
12:00 pm - 1:00 pmLocation: Ivy Substation
Now that we are a few years out from the artgame high water marks of Passage, Braid and The Marriage, it is time to reflect on the past, present and future of artgames. Panelists Daniel Benmergui, Brenda Brathwaite, Rod Humble and Eddo Stern will take on the importance of artgames, and games as an artform.
//Well-Played Session III
1:30 pm - 2:30 pmLocation: Ivy Substation
What makes a game good? or bad? or better? Video games can be "well played" in two senses. On the one hand, well played is to games as well read is to books. On the other hand, well played as in well done. Building on the ETC Press book series, our speakers (to be announced soon) look at video games through both senses of "well played." The goal is to help develop and define a literacy of games as well as a sense of their value as an experience. Nick Fortugno and Tracy Fullerton present the third and final Well-Played session on "J.S. Joust" and "Halcyon."
//
//Session TBA
2:30 pm - 3:30 pmLocation: Ivy Substation
//Closing Session: S:S&S EP Post Post-Mortem
2:30 pm - 3:30 pmLocation: Foshay Lodge
Kris Piotrowski & Nathan Vella from Capy will be joined by representatives from Superbrothers Inc. and a telegraphic representation of rockstar/composer Jim Guthrie to reflect upon this unusually collaborative art + music + videogame project and look ahead to the [REDACTED] still ahead for S:S&S EP in 2011.
//Games on Film, Films on Games
2:30 pm - 5:00 pmLocation: Ivy Substation
A series of shorts and other related films on games, also open to festival wristband holders.
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//Audience and Developer Choice Awards and Party hosted by GameFly
5:00 pm - 7:00 amLocation: IndieCade Village
Don't forget to vote on your favorite game and find out the Audience and Developer choice award winners at the Closing Party hosted by GameFly. A great party for conference and festival attendees celebrating the end of the festival and all the great indie games and their creators!
