Develop Conference and Expo

Sound design for computer and video games should focus on creativity rather than technology. Engineers need to consider what to leave out, rather than how much they can cram in. These are just some of the messages that will stream through the Audio Track sessions at this year’s D evelop Conference in Brighton, which runs from 29-31 July.

Now firmly established as Europe’s premier annual game audio gathering, the Develop Conference will feature eight audio sessions, a keynote panel and an open mic debate shaped around the theme Inspirational Sound Design, and delegates will be shown that the future of audio in games lies not necessarily in technology but in the power of ideas.

The Audio Track gives top billing to some of the most respected game audio practitioners in the world from companies such as DICE, Dolby, EA, RARE, SCEE and Zoe Mode, who will reveal how they are bringing fresh, pioneering thinking and approaches to forthcoming titles.

And, in a first for the Develop Conference, delegates will also be treated to presentations from film sound experts discussing how 80 years of talkies may provide inspiration and education for video games as the industry struggles less with hardware constraints and more with the challenge of consumer expectations driven largely by their movie soundtrack experiences.

Commenting on the Audio Track John Broomhall said: “We are confident that this year’s track will spark an interesting dialogue as we discuss the future of sound with a keynote panel of audio luminaries from both games and movies. If that’s not enough, with the bulk of Europe's videogames industry represented at this year’s conference, there will be networking opportunities a-plenty. So if you’re involved with sound, music and dialogue for games, or would like to be, the Develop Conference Audio Track really is the only place to be on 31 July.”

The planned programme features:

The 2008 Audio Keynote Panel: A Sound Future What Can Movies & Games Learn From Each Other and How Will Both Linear & Interactive Audio Develop Over the Coming Years?

John Broomhall, Broomhall Projects; Dan Bardino, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe; Tom Johnson, Alex Joseph, Nick Wiswell, Bizarre Creations; Adele Cutting, Electronic Arts

Can You Hear Us Now? Dolby’s New Voice Solution For Online Games

Paul Boustead, director, interactive voice technology, Online Game Technology Group, Dolby Australia

Welcome To Our World 2008 - A Rare Insight To Rare's Celebrated Audio Department's Inner Workings

The Rare Audio Team: Robin Beanland, Dave Wise, Steve Burke

Audio For Multiplayer & Beyond - Mixing Case Studies From Battlefield: Bad Company & Frostbite

David Möllerstedt, head of audio, DICE

The Deaf Leading the Blind: Understanding Why Our Clients Care Less About Our Work Than We Do Is The Key To Making Them Care More

Ciaran Walsh, audio director, Zoe Mode

Let There Be Life: Conveying Emotion & Characterisation Through Audio

Adele Cutting, senior audio director, Electronic Arts

Sonic Stories: Using the Next-Generation Mindset to Harness Creativity and Evolve the Art and Craft of Video Game Audio

Chris Sweetman, audio director, Splash Damage

What We Might Learn From 80 Years of Movie Sound.... The Storytelling Power of Sound

Paul Moore, creative director, Ardmore Sound whose credits include A 21st Century Portrait, Breakfast On Pluto, Zidane, Shrooms etc & Tom Johnson, twice Oscar-winning sound re-recording mixer, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street, Beowulf, There Will Be Blood, Children Of Men

Room for Improvement: Strategies for More Successful Game Audio Production

Garry Taylor, audio manager, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe

Open Mic 2008: The Game Audio Debate & Beer: A Town Hall Session Arising

A full list of confirmed sessions can be found online at http:// www.developconference.com .

Delegates can register for Develop at www.developconference.com. An audio pass costs £215 and gives delegates access to all audios sessions on 31 July as well as access to the expo floor.

Standard, Super, Mobile, Online and individual day passes are also available at www.developconference.com

Notes to editors:

About Develop Conference and Expo: The third annual Develop Conference will host more than 90 speakers and 60 sessions moulded around tracks that are key to the world of games development: Audio, Art & Animation, Business, Coding, Game Design, Production and World View.

A full list of confirmed sessions can be found online at www.developconference.com. Registration is now open and delegates can apply for Super, Standard, Mobile, Audio and Expo passes for the Develop Conference and Expo online at www.developconference.com. The expo pass is free of charge – please register online.

Develop Online, Develop Mobile and GAMES:EDU will run alongside the Develop Conference & Expo on Tuesday 29 July. Develop Mobile is expanding to offer delegates two tracks – business and development – with sessions focused on everything from the latest 3D technologies, to case studies of successful games, proven techniques for launching a new IP, and cross-platform casual games design.

GAMES:EDU is an annual conference, which aims to light a spark under the debate over the current and future education needs of the gaming community. It offers a unique opportunity for those who have a passion to transform the UK development community. Backed by Skillset, GAMES:EDU brings together the UK's foremost educators from across all disciplines to connect directly with developers and games producers, to exchange ideas and perspectives.

About Tandem Events:

Tandem Events has over 20 years of experience in organising market-leading exhibitions, conferences and events across a number of industry sectors, including Develop Conference & Expo, Develop Mobile Conference, GAMES:EDU, Games Marketing Forum, Games Grads and Casual Games Forum. For more information, please visit www.tandemevents.co.uk

Interested in participating at Develop? Please contact:

Craig Mundle or Andy Lane on +44 (0) 20 7405 4500

E: craig@tandemevents.co.uk/andy@tandemevents.co.uk