GameCity 2009
GameCity is an annual games event like no other. Spread over various sites in Nottingham, between 27th
and 31st October, there was a massive list of activities with something for every type of gamer, enthusiast, budding developer and even non gamers. I really enjoyed the time I spent there and I’m kicking myself for missing some of the events during the week (Curry Sessions!!).
There is way too much to write everything in depth so I’ve done some longer write ups and summarised some of the highlights for your reading pleasure. If you are around the midlands, you should get yourself to GameCity next October as it will be back, bigger and badder and there’ll be more curry sessions!
BrickFactor and Brickstock
Basically battle of the bands using the yet to be released Lego Rock Band from TTGames and Harmonics. LET’S GET ROCKIN! The winners of the initial rounds at HMV went on to perform on the big stage in the market square Arena for the finals. I was surprised by how good some of the bands were actually and that they were really getting into it. Some of the guys looked like they were playing real instruments and there were some talented singers. It was a good chance for lovers of Rock Band to really show off their skills. And you know they can’t help showing off the skills.
And for the audience there was loads to do in the tent, including PLAYING WITH MASSIVE TUBS OF THOUSANDS OF LEGO PIECES AND LEGO MEN!! I had to restrain my brother, who I brought along, from fighting kids, Kirk vs. Spock style, to the death for blue, 6 stud Lego. It was quite embarrassing. By the way, Happy 27th Birthday bro.
Projector Games!
Up to 100 players, 16 games (more available), 1 room, 1 BIG screen. Let the fun begin! Projector Games return to GameCity for the 2nd year running.
It’s a great idea. They project a simple game onto a massive screen and up to 100 people play together at once. You just pick up and play with one of the PS2 controllers, which are all hooked up to a single PC and you’re away. The games they had on show were mostly light concepts such as Frogger and Falldown. Everyone knows what Frogger is but Falldown is a game where there are a mess of circular saws coming down the screen to mince you and you must run to the nearest gap on each platform to get down to the one below, hence avoiding becoming a cloud of red. Simple enough. Each platform is randomly generated with at least 1 gap so there’s no learning the sequence and in any case this becomes irrelevant as the further you get the faster the game moves, and trust me, it gets blisteringly fast. Now factor that there’s up to 100 little characters all swarming back and forth dropping down the same hole as you! I played with 23 other people and it was hard to keep track. Although there is no depth here, there doesn’t need to be, it’s mindless and with a big group of people together, it is super fun, happy time.
Other games include a bomberman clone, a little army man shooter, a game where you have little gravity based ships that fly around shooting/flying into each other and more. I’ve been told there are also deeper games available that take more explaining so are better for more controlled occasions.
Projector Games are bookable for all sorts of parties and events in the UK and Europe, so get in touch with them through the website www.projectorgames.net. They also have some of their games released on the XBOX360 from 80 Microsoft points.
The Curry Sessions
Discounted curry lunches at Indian restaurant, Mogal-e-Azam with insightful talks and discussions from big players in the game industry such as Philip Oliver, CEO of Blitz Games and Feargal Sharkey, CEO of UK Music. There was also a number of developers around including Martin Hollis, director and producer of Goldeneye 007 and founder of Zoonami devolpment studio.
This is the event I most regretted missing. It’s a great idea. Get developers and industry experts, sit them down with regular folk like you and me, and have a chat about topical gaming matters. Or just chat about Gears of War, Horde Mode. The point is, you get to interact with the people who make the games you love and they get to interact with the people they are making games for. All over a big plate of poppadoms and mango chutney! Next year, save me a spot next to Shigeru Miyamoto (you never know) and order me a plate of Aloo Saag please.
BAFTA Vision Statement: Masaya Matsuura
The Father of rhythm games, creator of Parappa the Rapper, Vib Ribbon (amongst others) and hit musician in Japan, Masaya Matsuura.
Masaya graced us with an amazing live performance of 3 songs including ‘Unforgettable’ (that’s what you are…) in his own, unique synthesiser style like he was a musical robot sent back from the future to teach us how to love music games. The visuals on the main screen were being controlled live by some guy in a tweed jacket with a laptop on the other side of the stage. It was a little bit David Bowie in Space but it worked.
He went on to talk in depth about his thoughts on the music and rhythm game genre and it’s future (robot future). He also showed a sneak peak at current projects that his studio are working on, including an iphone tapping on the screen rhythm game and a mobile phone based music game called ens-ens that looked pretty interesting. Ens-ens is already out in Japan and he encouraged us to knock down some publisher doors and demand a UK version. You use the whole keypad to play the notes on screen. It looked controllable but pretty challenging. Masaya performed an extremely complicated tune that had his thumbs flying around like 2 little, stubby, ninjas on crack.
Mr Matsuura talked about concepts of the human love for music and rhythm, he talked about the direction of the genre as he saw it and he talked about us travelling into the robot future together, holding hands. Or something along those lines. Some of what he had to say was very insightful and it was catered to the many game/music students and home enthusiasts in the room, but it was a joy to hear his views and his live performances were cool as.
Ballroom Bricks
First of all let me say Jonathon Smith (Jonathon Smith is King of the World) from TTGames is a legend. Head of Production for the Lego games series, all of which are developed here in good old UK, he came to talk about and demonstrate the soon to be released Lego Rock Band and it was the best presentation (Jonathon Smith is King of the World) I’ve seen in the games industry. There was no long gaps between sentences, no scripted, robotic dialogue, no stumbling, he was funny, he knew what the game was about and he was a jolly nice bloke.
He had kids and adults up playing Lego Rock Band, including a wicked performance of “Ghostbusters” and he himself rocked with a song or 2, showing that he wasn’t just a manager type (Jonathon Smith is King of the World) , he‘d played the game a lot. I’m now pretty convinced to pre-order Lego Rock Band, which will be the first rock music game that I’ve owned, myself. I don’t know what he did to me (Jonathon Smith is King of the World) but I feel compelled to buy the game. Maybe it was the eye drawn on his palm or maybe it was the swirling vortex in his eyes but I’m sold.
In all seriousness it was a lot of fun. We got to see various parts of the game including the opening video showing Lego bands rocking all over the Lego universe, including pirate ships and haunted houses (which are playable levels). The usual Lego comedy style was there and the Lego recreations of rock stars such as Iggy Pop, David Bowie, Bon Jovi and Spinal Tap were just as cool as you’d expect them to be. I believe that we will be having a review of Lego Rock Band going up in the next couple of weeks so look out for that. Oh and Jonathon Smith is King of the World.
EA Games Tour
EA were at the event showing off some of their recent games including Fifa 2010 and Brutal Legend. They had a big screen entertainment set up with sofa for people to have a nice sit down and play some multiplayer Fifa on the XBOX360. There was also a rep on hand to talk a little about some upcoming games including The Saboteur.
Elite: Paper Universe
Using Origami to recreate the ships of Frontier’s ground breaking, machine coded, massive universe game, Elite (Commodore 64) with Mark Bolitho. These were then hung from the top of the Market Square Arena. Every Elite fanboy’s dream. Apparently when designing the game the creators David Braben and Ian Bell had commissioned old college mate and artist Mark Bolitho to create origami versions of the ships in hopes that templates could be shipped with the game. This never came to fruition but GameCity made up for that with it’s origami exhibition.
Robert Holdstock: The Dark Wheel
Acclaimed science-fiction author Robert Holdstock, who wrote the novella for Elite, showed his face for a public reading! Ian Bell and David Braben, creators of the game were also present to talk about their thoughts on stage.
How to Write a Chart-Topping Chiptune Song in 60mins
Top chiptunes musician Sabrepulse tutored participants in the art of creating music on the gameboy! Awesome.
Runescape: The Director Commentary
Jagex (maker of Runescape) were around to talk about the history, culture and development of one of the most successful MMO’s ever.
IndieCade Europe Expo
A collection of playable Indie games from all over the world layed out for your approval with the developers at hand to give the third degree!
Crysis: Live
Imagine living a video game. Well some lucky people got the chance to do exactly that as the makers of Crysis, Crytek and EA, created a real life set to run around, hide and fight using air powered guns. And it was over 16’s only so no holes barred!
What would you really do?
Spite Your Face Lego Animation Workshop
The animators of TTGames, UK developers of the Lego series helped guests create their own Lego animations which were featured on the big screens in Market Square!
Look out for GameCity 2010 coverage next year and maybe I’ll see you there!
That sounds like a fantastic idea, and a ton of fun!
The thing I was most upset about missing was the Gameboy music thing at Muse on the Friday afternoon. I wish they did some of the stuff in the evenings. It seemed mostly centrered around students and people on the dole.
That is kind of true. There was so much cool stuff and I couldn’t go to a lot of it because I was working.
They did have some cool stuff going on at the weekend and in the evenings though.
And just think, maybe next year you won’t have a job! Then you’ll be able to go to the whole thing! Awesome
Oh man, I wish I’d have found out you were going, you could have met up with the guys from Mode 7 and had a look at Frozen Synapse!
Really good round up, I’m hoping I can go next year =)