111 replies to this topic

[soccer99]

I have started teaching Gamemaker classes at a conference I go to every year and it got me thinking, wouldn't it be cool to have a conference just for Gamemaker? I think it would be a good way to meet others interested in game design and to meet people from the GMC.

So my questions for you all:

Could this work?
What kinds of workshops/classes could we have?
What would you want to see at a conference like this?
Would you attend a Gamemaker conference? Would you travel to attend if you had too?
How many of you would volunteer or run a workshop at the conference? It is a lot of work to run a conference and we would have to get a lot of people to help.

[NakedPaulToast]

Of course it wouldn't work.

Conference Centres are expensive.

Conferences need money to run, they make money by advertisers, renting space to vendors, charging attendance.

It would cost the majority of the GMC members hundreds of dollars in air fair, hotel and attendance.

But hey if you think that you can convince a bunch of kids who scream because they might have to pay $10-$25 for the next GM upgrade, to spend hundreds or maybe thousands to listen to some other kids talk about Catch the Clown and impossible GM MMORPGs then you go right ahead.

[petenka]

Its a great idea but seems a bit too much for something as casual as game maker.
@NPT - The people who DO actually come and run workshops and stuff would most likely be the people who actually take this stuff seriously and make it good, thereby increasing the overall quality level way over that of gmc.

Edited by petenka, 13 August 2009 - 09:23 PM.

[NakedPaulToast]

Funny how you completely skirted the money issue.

Address that.

[soccer99]

Yes I know conference centers are expensive, that is why I'm posting here to see if theres even an interest.

Buying software is different from going to conferences. Parents will typically make the kids pay for the software, which causes them to whine and complain about it. Going to a conference would be more of a vacation, which parents don't usually make their kids pay for.

[Desert Dog]

Funny how you completely skirted the money issue.

Address that.

With any luck, FredFredrickson will sponsor it. I wouldn't count on it, though.

Edited by Desert Dog, 13 August 2009 - 09:57 PM.

[NakedPaulToast]

Yes I know conference centers are expensive, that is why I'm posting here to see if theres even an interest.

Buying software is different from going to conferences. Parents will typically make the kids pay for the software, which causes them to whine and complain about it. Going to a conference would be more of a vacation, which parents don't usually make their kids pay for.

Parents pay for family vacations, they go to Disney. They don't put junior on a plane, put him in a hotel for a weekend at a conference centre.

Keynote speakers are almost always heavily rewarded. The rewards range from huge fees, to indirect benefit of product exposure.

Conferences are a business, they are almost always addressed at a corporate audience or audience with a lot of money to spend. Technical conferences are almost always expensed.

With any luck, FredFredrickson will sponsor it. I wouldn't count on it, though.

Maybe KC LC can set up a booth selling acorn squash muffins and pumpkin pie.

[jakman4242]

Its a great idea but seems a bit too much for something as casual as game maker.
@NPT - The people who DO actually come and run workshops and stuff would most likely be the people who actually take this stuff seriously and make it good, thereby increasing the overall quality level way over that of gmc.

No use having a conference with only 3 people attending.


Game Maker is a hobbyist program, commonly used by children from 8-16. If a kid's parents have a problem with spending $20/25 on a piece of software, they'll certainly have a problem paying airfare, housing, and meals.
Most people just use it as a hobby, you know, for fun. Although there are people out there that use it as a significant source of revenue, I believe I have more fingers, than there are of them.

why not just set up a website to cover the things you would at this conference? I believe someone tried this idea before, not sure how it went.

[Revel]

But hey if you think that you can convince a bunch of kids who scream because they might have to pay $10-$25 for the next GM upgrade, to spend hundreds or maybe thousands to listen to some other kids talk about Catch the Clown and impossible GM MMORPGs then you go right ahead.

I completely agree with NPT. No one is going to spend hundreds of dollars to go to a conference where people talk about pacman clones and other crappy games.

[GeEom]

I know a few GMC members personaly who could easily fund a large and publicised conferance
and they do, but for propper issues relevent to us and the world
Gamer conventions are desperate enough, game makers are generaly nerds to a nerds comparison...
I have atended a few game development conferances and competitions, but the only apeal is for wide scope scoops of indie developers, with recruitment and ad parties sent out from big game corps to do features and sponsor.
a Pure game maker (as in, gm7) conferance will not work.

[Kapser]

Indie games finally got a spot at the GDC, it would be nice to see more game maker stuff there. Of course, there is not enough GM people to actually come and show stunning gm games to give GM a spot (even less a full conference), but it's already great how Cactus got to do a GM presentation at the GDC, (possibly the best conference I ever seen.)

Also, there isnt so much things to talk about specific to GM. I mean, what are the subjects? GMC's hot topics? hmm...

I would still be very excited about that kind of event though, but I wouldn't travel that far to assist it.

[Skarik]

But hey if you think that you can convince a bunch of kids who scream because they might have to pay $10-$25 for the next GM upgrade, to spend hundreds or maybe thousands to listen to some other kids talk about Catch the Clown and impossible GM MMORPGs then you go right ahead.

I completely agree with NPT. No one is going to spend hundreds of dollars to go to a conference where people talk about pacman clones and other crappy games.

I would buy the acorn muffins.

[Schyler]

Maybe KC LC can set up a booth selling acorn squash muffins and pumpkin pie.

I'll buy 20~!

Anyway, on a less smile infested note, I don't think it would work. Not everybody has the time or the money - and if you havn't noticed alot of GM's userbase is young people. For example, I'm not disclosing any names, but one of the best GML programmers [I have seen] on the whole GMC is 16 and just signed of MSN to sleep so he could attend school tomorrow. Now moving away from younger people, who are you left with - people busy with jobs, staff. I myself am in the same position, except regretfully younger and unable to afford a conference like this even if one was hosted.

Regards,
-Schyler-

Edited by Schyler, 14 August 2009 - 12:32 AM.

[Dr. Watz0n]

This idea has been around for some time, and just like always, it gets rejected and ignored. To be honest, it's quite an impossible task: setting up a conference even in a hotel ballroom for a program which has its base user set in their teens. I remember a few years back, shortly after YoYo purchased Game Maker, there was a pinned topic in a forum discussing the idea, as well as possible event locations and the like. While the idea may sound great, and if it was actually pulled off I'd be sure to attend, the difficulties of creating such a conference would be staggering.

You need to analyze the cost, first off. As I said, even a hotel ballroom runs into the thousands of dollars, and if you decide to have it for multiple days, you're going to be deep in the red. You then need to find vendors (whether it be indie game developers, professional software to develop music, artwork, etc.) to fill the space, and even then you would need to get them to pay for their floor space. Then you need to take into account the cost for those who wish to visit the convention. Airfare, board, food, as well as the entry ticket into the conference are all factors that need to be analyzed.

In order for it to be even remotely possible, you would need to pick a city that is easy to get to, offers a wide range of accommodations, etc. That being said, good luck organizing such an event.

[Pie Person!]

Conferences are a business

I'm not kidding, but there's a chance that we could seriously convince GDC to take some interest into our "buisness" and see if they'll give it a chance in some way. No doubt, they would never make it a conference of it's own. They'd have to make a small portion of the actual GDC for Game Maker, allowing anyone 13 or over to attend. It would be nice if they also allowed teenagers to have special seats at the big stage display (where they show things like the Unreal Engine, and forth coming video games).

Even if this whole thing is impossible, let's have a little fun and plan on who might be good candidates as speakers.

- Mark Overmars and Sandy Duncan (Overall Game Maker)
- Phantom 107 (usage of 3D mode vs U3D)
- FredFredrickson (Art, Graphics, and Particle effects)
- Fede-lasse and Icuurd (AI)
- Icuurd (Importing and Converting Meshs/Models)
- Tepi and GearGOD (Environment Mapping and other Advanced Effects)
- FredFredrickson (Online Networking)

I'm still thinking of more .

Edited by Pie Person!, 14 August 2009 - 01:58 AM.

[queviltai]

although the idea isn't really feasible, some of you (NPT...) are taking it a little seriously. it was only an idea, after all.

if we were to have a GM conference, where would it be held? The US? The Netherlands? The UK, home of YoYo games?

[voltain]

I'm not kidding, but there's a chance that we could seriously convince GDC to take some interest into our "buisness" and see if they'll give it a chance in some way. No doubt, they would never make it a conference of it's own. They'd have to make a small portion of the actual GDC for Game Maker, allowing anyone 13 or over to attend. It would be nice if they also allowed teenagers to have special seats at the big stage display (where they show things like the Unreal Engine, and forth coming video games).

I think you should have said you were kidding. There isn't a lot to discuss with game maker to add a small section dedicated to it and besides Game Maker and the games created with it fall under the indie games category (for people who don't know, indie games are games made by one or a small group of people without things like big budget companies and an army of programmers and stuff).

Now I don't have much to add since almost everyone seems to be repeating what's already been said. Game Maker is a hobbyist program as said or a stepping stone on the way to game development. But even if there was one would it be worth it to go? The only appeal I can think of is seeing some people who are well known here in real life.

[tangibleLime]

A few years ago Mark Overmars and Arno Kamphuis held a masterclass at the University of Utrecht. I'm not sure if this still runs. You can read about it on Simon Donker's website.

As stated previously, the complexities involved with creating a conference (such as money, language and distance) would probably be a bit too large to overcome. It's plausible, but I don't think it's going to happen anytime soon.

[Pie Person!]

Okay, I changed my mind. Game Maker is a hobyist program and we should all run away and learn C++ or BASIC. But no! I know that it has more potential than just the shareware industry. It may not exactly be Game Maker that hits the nail, but it's opening doors even more grand than what technicians in the big time video game industry are achieving . You wouldn't believe it.

[zbox]

Well, its a really nice thought, but i could never ever see one happening, unless someone like Mark Ovewrmars sponsored it or something, then it might work. But yeah, it is a good idea,