Speakers and Sessions Confirmed For Edinburgh

EIEF06 puts games culture on centre stage this August

Monday 17 July 2006/… The content committee for this year’s Edinburgh Interactive Entertainment Festival (EIEF) has today confirmed the conference schedule, which offers a diverse and thought-provoking set of speakers and sessions.

Chris Deering, chairman of EIEF06, said: “Now in its fourth year, EIEF has always broken new ground by looking at the culture and impact of games. Unlike other conferences that examine the technologies or unravel business methodologies, EIEF explores the intangible, indefinable and unquantifiable. It seeks to understand not the now but the future. What this means in real terms is a schedule filled to the brim with passionate speakers who are not afraid to go out on a very small ledge to take a leap of faith in front of a discerning and often critical audience.”

For more information on content, events and how to book, go to https://eief.co.uk.

Monday 21st August:
Keynote – View From The Top – the challenges of next gen
David Gardner, Executive V-P and COO of EA’s World Wide Studios, Electronic Arts.
David’s breadth and depth of experience in the games industry with the world’s leading signals the breed of expertise and forward thinking that will characterise this year’s festival.

Games That Heal – the medicine of interactive software
Ben Sawyer, Serious Games
What if the best medicine wasn’t laughter and pills - but games? It’s a little known fact that interactive software is now routinely used in hospitals and endorsed by doctors. With the conference kicking off at the Royal College of Physicians we take the opportunity to examine how games are being used to help patients with conditions ranging from cancer to post-traumatic stress disorder.

Public Service Programming
Ofcom, the regulator for TV, radio, telecoms and wireless communications is mooting a new media Public Service Publisher with funding in the millions – but should it be for TV programmes only? This lively session will explore the potential avenues available to the computer and video games sector.

So You Think You Know Games?
Nick Parker, industry analyst, Parker Consulting
A dynamic session that will challenge your preconceptions about the games industry and provide delegates with a chance to test the breadth of their knowledge of the industry on the conference interactive voting system.

Mobile Tournament
A short session testing everyone’s ability to play mobile phone games. Mobile has long been touted as the next big thing in gaming but how many people working in the business have ever even played a mobile phone game? This session sorts the men from the boys, the winners from the wannabes.

Green Blood vs Red Blood
Age ratings, censorship and issues relating to violence and sex in content have affected all media at some time. As computer games graphics and HDTV lead to photo realism this will almost inevitably change the way that the censors rate games content. Lots of examples and debate with input from the BBFC, the VSC and the hardware manufacturers.

Tuesday 22nd August
Machinima – the potential of hybrid authorship
In the midst of the current User Generated Content revolution, Machinima (the making of movies using game engines) is one of the most inspiring, exciting and dynamic UGC creation mechanisms of all. Find out just how far Machinima has gone into the mainstream and yet has managed to retain its rebellious and experimental approach. Featuring a world premiere live machinima performance from Rooster Teeth, the creators of Red vs Blue.

When Alice Met Elvis
A unique melding of the latest thinking on true convergence and how it impacts on the creative process. With contributions from author Kate Pullinger who will unveil the World Premiere of the third part of her Inanimate Alice series, a unique kinetic experience, part game, part novel, part movie, and the founders of Velvetelvis who will share their experiences in trying to encourage the “fusion” of all potential commercial elements – film, games, music, web, books - at the very beginning of a new project, to create new paradigms of creative expression.

Games That Make Me Cry
Margaret Robertson, Editor, Edge magazine
Games aren’t art because games can’t make you cry. It’s an old argument, but one Margaret Robertson, editor of Edge, doesn’t accept. Not least because she’s ready to own up to something the rest of us won’t admit: games already make her cry and she’s not ashamed to say so. But how do they do it, and why does it matter that they can?

More Magic Emotions
Back by popular demand, Ken Perlin will be taking the foundations of last year’s presentation on embuing virtual actors with the ability to express emotion and motivation to a new level with a captivating and engaging session which will explore the current cutting edge of research in truly directable virtual actors.

Learning isn’t a game
A highly visual and stimulating presentation which will showcase the latest and most innovative ways in which games, learning and education co-exist.

Please note: this programme may be subject to change.

The EIEF06 program of events consists of:
* Two days of conference sessions - The Conference will take place at the Royal College of Physicians on 21st August and at the Odeon, Lothian Road on 22nd August
* Game Screenings - Offering members of the public a chance to get up close with the creators of some of the leading video games at the Odeon, Lothian Road - 22nd August
* Edge Award - Key industry figures will gather at the Jam House for the annual Edge Award and networking party - 21st August