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[joshg]

So I went to this Vancouver International Game Summit thing last year, it was okay.  I'm looking at it this year, and I think they upped the price, darn it, but maybe I'll just sneak (ie. walk) into the good sessions.

I am really tempted to do something subversive at the final event on the agenda here: Bear Pit Debate - "Are Games Factory Production Items or an Art Form?"  Maybe put up a sign that says **** FREE ART HERE **** and hand out CDs of indie freeware and demos.  Although probably someone else here can come up with something funnier and more awesome.

Anyone else from here planning to attend this?  Or is in the area and wishes they could attend but wtf $500, and wants to get together with other indie-minded people instead, reproduce our own badges and infiltrate?


p.s. On their reasons to attend: "We serve real food! No box lunches!!"  ... man, I should share the horror story of the first lunch they served last year - mashed potato in martini glasses, and saucer-sized plates of weird pasta.  Seriously, what the heck.  At least they made up for it the next day with a burger buffet.  I think that was a different venue though, so maybe this to assure people that this year's food won't suck.

p.p.s. "Ken Lavine" has been invited!!!!111!!

[Alec]

hrmmm... not sure!

i'm in the area though.

[ChevyRay]

I'm in the area, but there's no chance in hell I could dish out that kind of cash right now.

[joshg]

Yeah, I probably can't afford to pay for it either... which is partly why I was hoping there'd be interest in some kind of alternative for us cheap indies to meet up anyway.

Hmm, I wonder if posting twice in the same thread will make the bugged "Manbaby" tag go away...

[Alec]

We could just organize our own thing. That'd be cool.

[ChevyRay]

A fine idea. Four/five hour drive from Van, I live in Kamloops. I'd go if it looked like there was gonna be a show up.

[joshg]

Sounds good to me.  We can probably come up with better food than potato martinis on our own.  How should we plan this thing?  I could just pick times and dates for whatever suits me, and see if people complain?   


Hrm, I wonder what happened to the NWGF, for that matter.  That was originally supposed to happen after the last day of the VIGS last year, but it got "postponed" and then just didn't happen at all.  The NWGF seemed to have more of an indie-friendly feel to it, from what I heard of the Portland event in 2006.

[Alec]

Should just start by meeting and hanging out somewhere.

Ryan Clark might not mind hosting? He has an office in downtown Vancouver.

Nick Waanders and his company (the guys that made N+ 360) are here as well.

[joshg]

Neat, I didn't know the N+ 360 guys were in the area.

Should I start a new topic for a meetup so that this isn't planned in the shadow of some expensive event that didn't feel like pricing itself within proper indie budgeting range?  Or we (you?) could just rename this thread I guess.

Also does Ryan Clark drop by here, or will someone have to call/email him and ask nicely?

I am filled with nagging questions because I will be sad if this doesn't happen.

[ChevyRay]

Should I start a new topic for a meetup so that this isn't planned in the shadow of some expensive event that didn't feel like pricing itself within proper indie budgeting range?  Or we (you?) could just rename this thread I guess.

I think a separate thread would do the trick, and save this one for the original topic.

In that Grubby Games gang photo I see JPOD on his (freakishly empty) bookshelf, that was a good book

[joshg]

Yeah, I should give that a read.  I think it's been long enough since my EA years that it wouldn't be too traumatizing anymore.