The "Power Hour" Returns To The D.I.C.E. Summit 2008
Top-Notch Game Developers to Explore Pros and Cons of Building Internal Technology
CALABASAS, Calif. - November 12, 2007 - By popular demand, the "Power Hour" sessions will return to the upcoming interactive entertainment industry conference: The D.I.C.E. (Design, Innovate, Communicate, Entertain) Summit ® 2008. Going into its eleventh year, the gathering of industry giants is hosted by the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences ® (AIAS) and will take place February 6-8, 2008 at the Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas.
The "Power Tools: The Best Way to Build Tomorrow's Games" session will be made up of three 20-minute presentations and will deliver candid opinions and hard learned lessons on the pros and cons of building technology from the ground up versus using a third-party solution like Havok, Unreal or idTech. "Power Hour" session participants will be game developers in the trenches, including:
Yannis Mallat, Ubisoft Montreal
As President of Ubisoft's Montreal Studios, Mallat has been responsible for a number of award-winning game franchises including, Assassin's Creed and Prince of Persia trilogy. In the "Power Hour" session, Mallat will share his view on what determines whether game technology should be built internally or licensed from a third-party.
Dr. Mike Capps, Epic Games
Epic Games President, Dr. Michael Capps, will argue the benefits of using external tools and third-party solutions as part of the game development cycle. Capps served as the director of development for the blockbuster title, Gears of War. He was responsible for balancing resources across all Epic games and directed the engine team as they built the features the Gears team needed to develop the AAA-title.
Andy Burke & Mike Acton, Insomniac Games
Creators of critically acclaimed Ratchet & Clank and the PS3 hit, Resistance: Fall of Man, Insomniac has always designed its games with a commitment to building their own technology. As the Tools Group Lead at Insomniac Games, Andy Burke works with a talented team to maintain and improve the content pipeline. He has an integral role impacting various departments and contributing on multiple projects throughout the year. Burke is acutely aware of the challenges inherent in creating content for modern games. Engine Director at Insomniac Games, Mike Acton, is also the director and administrator of CellPerformance.com and is dedicated to helping the Cell community.
D.I.C.E. Summit 2008 "Power Hour" Session Announcement
Online registration for the D.I.C.E. Summit 2008 is now open. Please visit www.dicesummit.org for more information and to register to attend the interactive entertainment industry event of the year.
About the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences:
The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) was founded in 1996 as a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement and recognition of the interactive arts. The Academy's mission is to promote and advance common interests in the worldwide interactive entertainment community; recognize outstanding achievements in the interactive arts and sciences; and conduct an annual awards show (Interactive Achievement Awards) to enhance awareness of the interactive art form. The Academy also strives to provide a voice for individuals in the interactive entertainment community. In 2002 the Academy created the D.I.C.E. (Design, Innovate, Communicate, Entertain) Summit, a once yearly conference dedicated to exploring approaches to the creative process and artistic expression as they uniquely apply to the development of interactive entertainment. The Academy has over 10,000 members, with the board comprised of senior executives from the major videogame companies including Bioware/Pandemic, Electronic Arts, Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony and Ubisoft. More information on AIAS and the D.I.C.E. Summit can be found at http://www.interactive.org and http://www.dicesummit.org
CONTACT:
Wendy Zaas / Angelina Duran
Rogers & Cowan
310-854-8148 / 310-854-8168
wzaas@rogersandcowan.com
aduran@rogersandcowan.com
Geri Gordon Miller
Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences
818-876-0826 x202
geri@interactive.org