Celebrating Different Games

The first ever “Different Games” conference in 2013 was a resounding success. What a receptive community and the organizers, presenters, and attendees were all passionate, smart, and offered so much as game designers, writers, and researchers. I’ve never been to a conference that started off by following an inclusiveness statement, and now that I have, I think it is a great idea to get folks on the same page and open for what is to come. I sat in on the Queering Games panel run by Naomi Clark and Riley MacLeod; then went to the Twine workshop and read great IF/games by the Twine community. After that, there was a tremendous modding exercise of Awkward Moment where huge groups make their own in order to provoke discussion.

 

More on that soon as folks at the lab digest the possibilities for GDC. Finally, Celia Pearce’s keynote was a real treat, as she outlined the #1reasonwhy phenomenon and discussed trends over the last 30 years in the industry.

Awkward-Different Games

There is much to say about the projects, processes, and people I met and saw, but I’ll show here a few snaps I took of people playing Tiltfactor games and suggest you read  Leigh Alexander’s astute Gamasutra piece on our work with values in design and values at play. She really understands our goals.

YAY!

buffalo-Different Games

Here, players are debating a particularly tricky buffalo combination in the Games Arcade!

The conference organizers set up POX: Save the People in the lobby so folks could play the game in spare moments!

pox-Different Games

Thanks to our players! We make our games for you, and are grateful for your enthusiasm!