PAX Aus 2014: PANELS ATTENDED

Queering Video Games: LGBT Representation and Why It Matters

How can video games explore queer themes and stories? Why is it even a problem if they don't? What impact does the lacklustre depiction of LGBT characters have on gamers? Most importantly, what steps are developers taking to improve that representation in games? Join a panel of experienced queer developers - ranging from indie to AAA - for an inside look at "gay games", LGBT content in mainstream titles, and the challenges of making games that represent the diversity of the people who play them.

PANELISTS: James Dominguez [Games Writer, Fairfax Media], Jeffrey Yohalem [Lead Writer, Ubisoft Montreal], Liam Esler [Writer/Scripter, Beamdog], Luke Miller [Indie Developer, Up Multimedia], Maya Kerr [Lecturer, SAE Institute]

What I got mostly out of this panel was that representation needs many variations. You need characters who's storyline is about them finding their sexual identity and we also need normalisation of queer characters. There needs to be a varied amount of personalities and queer experiences. Jeffrey Yohalem who worked on some of the Assassins Creed games, simply said: "A stereotype is a short cut." It definitely made me look at my writing and characters in terms of representation and what I've been conditioned to write about and how I should explore other characters in terms of their dimensionality. 

How to Design a Videogame from Scratch LIVE

For our next experiment, we're going to ditch the talking and start with the creating. Live on stage, we'll gather together and create a game design document, after which we'll release it into the public for anyone to use, expand upon, build off, tear to shreds and utterly reject or just create. We want to share the process of being part of a roundtable and brainstorming how a game might work, what challenges we might face and what the best solutions to some of the perceived problems would be. 

PANELISTS: Leigh Harris [Co-Founder, Flat Earth Games], Rohan Harris [Co-Founder, Flat Earth Games], Morgan Lean [CEO, Epiphany Games], Ron Gilbert [Designer, Beep Games Inc], Ashley Zeldin [Creative Director, Adorkable Games], John Nesky [feel engineer, thatgamecompany]

This was more of the information to figure out before starting the game, such as what platform, genre/theme, character, location, the aim of the game, what the player should feel, etc. It got cut short so there's was a lot that they were going to get to that we missed.

What They Won't Tell You About Working in Videogames

Ever wondered what really goes on behind the closed doors of a development studio? Are publishers really the devil? Do journalists get paid in pizza? Why don't videogames ever look like their trailers? Our panel of current and former game developers, marketers, publishers, journalists and community managers discuss the issues and answer your questions. 

PANELISTS: Paul Houlihan [ex-PR for THQ, host of The Fourth Player podcast, freelancer for Official PlayStation Magazine], Nick Hagger [ex-Producer for Bluetongue Entertainment, GM of indie developer Robot Circus], Ben Abbott [ex-Live Producer Real Time Worlds, QA for Rockstar North, co-host of The Fourth Player podcast], Nathan Cocks [games journalist of 10 years with PCPowerPlay, HYPER magazine and Games.On.Net, co-host of The Fourth Player podcast], James Kozanecki [ex-Community Manager and journalist for Gamespot, PR manager for Indie publisher Surprise Attack], Patrick Stafford [freelance games journalist, contributing to Polygon, Eurogamer, EDGE, Hyper and Kotaku]

This was a very interesting panel because you multiple options from Public Relations, Journalists, and Game Producers. One thing they definitely talked about was how in the game industry you are always pushed for time. You could be at a point where you know the game will get finished and look great by the deadline but then it will be pushed two months early. This leads to the people working on it to feel pressure and know they can't complete the game how they want to. Even the game journalists were saying how when a game comes out and they have to review it, they are pushed to play the game as quickly as possible. Which means they don't play the game the way gamers do. They made the point that they do not need to play the whole game to understand it, and to review it. They said that you will get the same information playing a game for an hour and playing a game for 10 hours. Although the game developers defended themselves, the journalists said, if a game hasn't captured your attention withing the first hour, then it's not a good game. "You shouldn't have to play a game for 4 hours to start enjoying it and enjoying the plot." It was very interesting in terms of the difference of opinions. The debate was a great way to understand the industry.

Geek as a Cultural Identity: Do Fake Geeks exist?

After the success of "Is there Such a thing as a Fake Geek" Panel last year, the team are back to discuss more about the culture geeks create for themselves and have created for them.  How different are we to the portrayals we are shown of ourselves?  Can we finally define what a Geek is for ourselves or are we waiting for the right definition?  Moderated by Player Attack's Jessica Citizen, panelists featuring former Reality TV contestant Jimmy Reilly will try to answer these questions.

PANELISTS: Jessica Citizen [Editrix/Host, Player Attack], Jimmy The Geek [Presenter/reporter, Player Attack], Steven Gates [Comedian/Musician, Tripod]

The main thing that they were trying to say is that geek, is just having a passion for something whether it's games, comics music or sport. They didn't actually touch much on "fake geeks." They started off saying yes, there are fake geeks but didn't really follow it up with any reasoning. In my opinion, I've never come across a fake geek. They touched on other issues though, such as, women being accused as things such as "fake girl gamers." And how the environment is being treated as though it's a sand box filled with toys. Where the kids don't want to give up there toys to others, therefore they will attack and bully new people who try and take away their thing.

Rooster Teeth

Formed in 2001 with the online smash hit Red Vs Blue, Rooster Teeth has since grown into a Texan-sized production company, responsible for none other than Achievement Hunter, RWBY, The Gauntlet, Immersion, Slo-Mo Guys and plenty more. Join the Rooster Teeth staff as they go up on stage completely unprepared and wing it!

PANELISTS: Jack Pattillo [Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter], Ray Narvaez, Jr [Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter]

I attended this panel for myself more than for any gaming industry information. There were some points made that were interesting though. In terms of content creation on YouTube, Jack made a point that you have to have a thick skin with the hate. They really advertised following your dreams and not letting other people bring you down.

Penny Arcade Q&A

Immediately after Storytime with Pete Hines, stick around for a Q&A session featuring Gabe and Tycho of Penny Arcade! Two mics, one heck of a time! Also note that if you can't make it to this panel, there's another one on Sunday in the Main Theatre. These guys are givers. They give.

PANELISTS: Gabe and Tycho!

These guys were really interesting as one of them is a writer and the other an artist, and they both were involved in the creation of Penny Arcade and PAX. They didn't talk to much about things that would be relevant to the industry as the pre-submitted questions weren't about the industry.

Industry Games - Animation

Monkey Stack

• Adelaide Animation Studio
• Client based work
• Offer an in house course
• Work in 2D & 3D animation
• Because they're a rather small group, they would hire those with a varied amount of skills.

Vishus Productions

• Based in Adelaide
• Vishus Productions is a multifaceted studio, with a special focus on preproduction for animated film and television.
• They've created an animated TV series, an animated Music Video, an 8 minute animatine film and also made a animated game.

Industry Games - Effects

Rising Sun Pictures

• Based in Adelaide.
• They create visual effects for feature film, TV and transmedia clients.
• They offer a graduate course.

They look for people with skills in:

• Animating
• Texturing
• Modelling

University Courses

Preference 1: Flinders Bachelor of Creative Arts (Digital Media)

2014 Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR): 60.00
Portfolio, written statement, curriculum vitae and referee details also required.  Short-listed applicants may be required to attend an interview.Guaranteed entry ATAR: Not applicableTAFElink: Not applicableBonus points: SEAS, RISAS Deferment: This course may not be deferred.

The range of core topics offered will develop and strengthen your skills in multimedia 

production, screen production, and 2D and 3D animation and effects, as well as providing a strong theoretical background in the creative arts and creative practice.

You will gain basic professional skills in digital media production including the operation of software and hardware, as well as the ability to plan, develop and complete a digital media product including production and post-production stages.

Graduates with these skills are able to pursue careers in a range of digital fields including in the local and international film industry, web design, interactive media, animation and the gaming industry.

Preference 2: Flinders Bachelor of Creative Arts (Screen)

2014 Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR): 60.00
Portfolio/show-reel, interview, written statement, curriculum vitate and referee details also required.
Guaranteed entry ATAR: Not applicable
TAFElink: Not applicable
Bonus points: SEAS, RISAS

At each stage of the degree you will develop your screen production skills, as you learn 
and strengthen the basic technical and intellectual skills required to produce screen-based media from conception and scripting to production, post-production and presentation. Alongside this, you can specialise in specific skills including producing, cinematography, directing, writing, editing or production management.

Preference 3: UniSA Bachelor of Media Arts

Part-time study available: Yes
SATAC Code: 444191ATAR (Internal): 60.20 (for 2014 entry)Prerequisites: None

Students choose to complete a Bachelor of Media Arts in one of these Professional Majors: 
Animation, Digital Design, Drama, Film and Television, Interactive Multimedia, Music Media, Performing Arts, Web Development. 

Interships:

BBC 

Internship Fall 2014 - Creative Services - On Air Promo (NY)

https://www5.recruitingcenter.net/Clients/BBC/PublicJobs/controller.cfm?jbaction=JobProfile&Job_Id=11018&esid=az

VOD Editor

https://www5.recruitingcenter.net/Clients/BBC/PublicJobs/controller.cfm?jbaction=JobProfile&Job_Id=10979&esid=az

Editing/Screen Production Folio

I recently did a Marvel Cinematic Universe trailer on my channel and my sound editing has really improved since I've started this course. There are some points I was unhappy with but couldn't do anything about it because of the file, but I worked with what I had. I'm thinking of putting this video in my folio/showreel for the Screen Production course I want to go to. I did some research about what they look for in Film Folio's for Uni and it said they just want to see if you can show a story, which I think I have a few different videos that show that as well as some projects from this course. 

B Team Animation Logo

Katelin and I organised a small meeting to talk about possible logo designs. We mucked around with a few different options before settling on having a neon sign. We quickly got to work on finding a tutorial on how we could go about making text look neon. We had to change a few settings for it to work for our design but it's worked out very well. There's still a few more things to add but this is working for our idea.