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[Nulldorf]

So work is paying for my pass (including summits, if I choose), and flights, but only two nights in the hotel. So if I go to the Tuesday and Wednesday summits, I'd leave Thursday evening.

I've heard Thursday night is a fun time, and that Thursday has a lot of fun socializing, networking, etc. Would it be worth it to pay out of pocket for a hotel room Thursday night for the extra time? I'd like to go to the summits, the indie in particular, but I also primarily do audio so that would be great too.

Is there anything I definitely shouldn't miss, should miss? It's my first time.

[EDIT] Spelling

[weasello]

May be obvious, but don't miss the the Indie stuff. I attended a smattering of events outside the Indie room at GDC SF earlier this year, and I regretted it! The Indie stuff is just chock full of actual relevant things to us.

That's not to say that you can't learn things from the other events going on - because I did - I just wish I learned more indie-related stuff instead.

The socializing parties afterwards are always a blast too, but I don't know when/if/where they are.

[gradgames]

I just got a GDC press pass issued to us this weekend!

Luckily, Southwest flies from Philly to Austin and it looks like all the hotels are within walking distance to the convention center. 

Sadly, I'll have to leave Thursday afternoon due to my honeymoon/wedding taking place that weekend, but looking at the schedule I shouldn't miss any of the indie summit stuff.

[AdamAtomic]

yea the big parties are thursday night usually, and free liquor is always fun!  the parties themselves usually suck, unless you got yourself a nice indie runnin' crew (last year me, tommunism and robin & alex from beatnik caroused for hours before stumbling into cabs).  We stole a BUNCH of sushi from Sony which was pretty rad.

ANYWAYS, the indie content this year is going to be pretty hot (this is basically the first year, and it's definitely going to be great).  Offworld is helping to put on some kind of indie-friendly party one of those nights, but I haven't heard a specific date for it yet.  I'm secretly hoping for wednesday!

(also I'm putting on a flixel workshop that wednesday evening, but I haven't announced it yet.  Hopefully it doesn't overlap the indie stuff too close!  I'm gonna have to bail an hour early maybe)

[Mike Lee]

Heading for Austin GDC guys! Will be hitting the Indie Games Summit and the Flixel workshop. Plus I'm hoping to show off a fresh new iPhone game (lol everyone has an iPhone game now).

Dunno if this is the place to ask, but where are people staying in Austin? I still need to book a hotel so recommendations (or if you're looking for a person to split a place I'm more than happy to join up!).

[AdamAtomic]

flixel workshop was moved to thursday afternoon/evening btw!

[gradgames]

we're staying at the hampton inn, but could only get a smoking room 

[Alec]

I'd recommend The Saltsman Hotel, but I hear they're booked...

[___]

I'd recommend The Saltsman Hotel, but I hear they're booked...

Even with the diamond encrusted towers they added this past year?

[Alec]

I'd recommend The Saltsman Hotel, but I hear they're booked...

Even with the diamond encrusted towers they added this past year?

Yeah, you don't want to sleep on the diamond encrusted sheets.

BTW, is there an IGDA get together at this year's Austin GDC?

I want to go and poop on their dance floor.

[simoniker]

It's a bit late for many people to organize, but I will note that there's a special slightly sekrit offer on JUST attending the summits (iPhone, Indie, Writing, Audio) between now and Sept 4th that gets you access for $299 instead of double that:

http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2009/08/gdc_austin_indie_iphone_summit.php

Just in case anyone was wavering...

[Imagineergames]

 I'm also going! If anyone sees a guy with a Button that says IMAGINEER GAMES, be sure to ask me if I still have Free Shades of Violet Demo Cds. I'll be carrying a bunch around just in case I get to meet someone interested in seeing the game (just for leisure!)

 Is parking good around the area? I'll be staying in a Super 8 motel 9 minutes away from the event. Kinda scared though, never having been to Austin before.

[triptych]

Shades of Violet looks interesting. Is it a platformer? RPG?




I hope some folks here do some tweeting or live blogging to us unfortunates can get in on the news and stuffage.

[Imagineergames]

Shades of Violet looks interesting. Is it a platformer? RPG?




I hope some folks here do some tweeting or live blogging to us unfortunates can get in on the news and stuffage.

 Neither! It is a point and click adventure game.

 There's a longer trailer in youtube by the way Triptych

[Tandy]

I am a regular attendee at Austin GDC and will be attending again this year. I would be happy to meet up with anyone who's interested. Our group doesn't arrive until Tuesday afternoon, but we will be at the party at Maggie Mae's and at the CC for all sessions during the following three days.

[Demon Lizardman]

That character is Shades of Violet looks awfully familiar, I can't wait for this event!

[Kaelan]

Just found out today that I'll have access to a GDC Austin pass, so I'm looking forward to seeing some of the indie talks there, and getting to catch up with tigsource peoples

Feel free to drop me a line via email or send me a forum PM if you want to say hello while you're there.

[simoniker]

Hot tip for indies who are in town for GDC Austin (or locals who aren't attending, even) - we set up a couple of screenings at the Alamo Drafthouse, including the Jason Rohrer/Chris Crawford documentary that was filmed at GDC:

http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2009/09/gdc_austin_amoda_present_video_game_docs.php

The organizers of GDC Austin 2009 have announced a partnership with the Austin Museum of Digital Art to show two notable video game-related documentaries at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema during next week's Game Developers Conference in Austin -- one of them a U.S. cinema premiere.

To coincide with the first day of the Independent Games Summit at GDC Austin, the famous Alamo Drafthouse independent theater in downtown Austin will be showing 'Into The Night with Chris Crawford & Jason Rohrer' on Tuesday, September 15th, 2009 at 10.15pm.

This documentary, originally shot for a European TV series of the same name, and shown in cinemas in the U.S. for the first time, "follows an extended conversation between the indie game designer Jason Rohrer and legendary game designer Chris Crawford. Filmed over the course of a day during GDC 2009, Crawford and Rohrer play and discuss various indie titles at the conference, show their games to one another, and talk about the past and future of game design." Selected indie game-related short films will also be shown before the main feature presentation.

Also playing during GDC Austin at a special AMODA and Alamo Drafthouse one-off showing at is the pinball-related doc, 'TILT: the Battle to Save Pinball', on Thursday, September 17th at 10.20pm. This Greg Maletic-directed documentary "tells the story behind one of entertainment's most mysterious failures" - the Pinball 2000 series of Williams pinball machines which twinned video game and pinball technology.

Plenty of behind-the-scenes interviews and footage illustrate the battle over Pinball 2000 at Williams, as "soon after its successful and highly-profitable launch, Williams pulled the plug, leaving behind unanswered questions and abandoning one of the world's great design organizations." The documentary tries to answer some of these questions by speaking to many of the principals involved. Selected short films will also play before this special GDC Austin screening.

More information on the screenings, which are open to the public and GDC Austin attendees alike at a standard admission fee, are available on the Alamo Drafthouse cinema homepage. (The screenings were made possible by AMODA, an Austin-based organization that seeks to "engage the public and artists in the creation, understanding, and appreciation of digital art".)

[Mike Lee]

I'm flying out in a little over an hour to Austin! Attending both GDC Austin and Adam's Flixel workshop. Should be a ton of fun and I hope to run into all the indies there!

[___]

I am heading out to austin soon as well!