Thanks to everyone who showed up! We really enjoyed the evening and hope you did it to.
The evening was started off by Kian Bashiri, creator of Swarm (Best Mobile Game 2008), who spoke about another success of his: ‘You Have to Burn the Rope’. Kian gave an overwiew of the unexpected attention and fame the game has received and developed his ideas about indie game culture and being true to oneself.
Next up, Alex Fast spoke about his journey in working with the title Boingo (Best Execution 2008). Alex emphasized the importance of being persistent in game development despite seeing team dynamics and the project itself undergoing big changes during the development process. Hardly any of Alex’s original team mates were still on the project once it was done—and the project itself was started over completely within the last couple months of the competition.
After a short break Johan Pilestedt entered the stage and shared his experiences working with Magicka (Game of the Year 2008). Having been the leader of a relatively large team, Johan brought some valuable insights about group dynamics and group decision-making. He also made good points about the importance of getting things in print as a way of making the whole group aware of what the goals are.
Finally, Tobias Sjögren (DDM) spoke about how the gaming industry works and what potential makers of indie games have if they wish to aim for a professional career. Tobias shared his wisdom regarding the possible ways to make money as a game creator and what not to do when discussing with representatives from game industry companies.
After the on-stage presentations all the participants were given a chance to mingle over snacks, drinks or a light meal. So thanks again for coming, and for those of you who could not make it: we will soon post videos of all the speakers. And of course: a big thanks to all the speakers!
