Coming to Raleigh, NC next week is the East Coast Game Conference, an event packed to the gills with learning sessions, social functions and opportunities for game developers and those making their way into the industry to advance professionally.
Epic couldn’t pass up the chance to be heavily involved in this conference that’s practically in our back yard. We’ll be hosting gconf.com/content/learning_UDK”>Unreal University, a collection of lectures designed to help teams getting started with UDK, the free edition of Unreal Engine 3. We’re even flying in our favorite UDK experts from all over the world for this special occasion.
In addition, Epic Games Senior Graphics Architect Martin Mittring will give his DirectX 11 presentation on Samaritan, the real-time Unreal Engine 3 demonstration that shows what Epic would like to see in the next generation of games.
We’ll also provide multiple Gears of War 3 development talks, from facial rigging techniques to content optimization.
We’re really excited about this event and would like to share our top 10 reasons for people to come to the show. It’s totally affordable, too! To register, visit http://www.ecgconf.com/apps/register/.
Top 10 Reasons to Hit the East Coast Game Conference
1. Have your mind blown by Epic Games’ real-time Samaritan demo and learn from Epic Games Senior Graphics Architect Martin Mittring how they’re using the latest DirectX 11 features to get ready for the next generation of games.
2. Reflect on where the game industry has been and hear where it is going with Mark Cerny, a veteran game designer, programmer, producer, business executive and recipient of the IGDA’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Cerny’s keynote, “The Long View,” will examine the types of adaptations required of game creators in order for them to survive industry upheavals and succeed in years to come.
3. Find out where GPU technology will take us next with Tony Tomasi, NVIDIA’s senior vice president of content and technology. Tomasi’s keynote address, “The Future of Graphics Processing,” will discuss the incredibly rapid advances in GPU technology and how their horsepower and programmability enable new gaming experiences.
4. Get behind-the-scenes insights on unreleased games like Ratchet and Clank: All 4 One, Mortal Kombat and Gears of War 3. Learn about the techniques used to craft blockbuster video game entertainment experiences from the developers themselves.
5. Learn about the latest art and cinematic techniques, such as the special effects for Disney’s Epic Mickey, a game that changed the way the world interacts with its favorite animated mouse.
6. Attend the all-new Unreal University. Dive into the award-winning Unreal Engine 3 development toolset that’s taking games everywhere, from mobile to next-gen. Attend sessions led by veteran developers flown in by Epic just for this special occasion; hear from the all-star student team behind Sp.A.I, Indie DB’s Best UDK Game; and hear about the latest NVIDIA PhysX features available in Unreal Engine 3.
7. Find out how innovators are transforming education and training in ECGC’s “Advanced Learning” track. The latest trends and opportunities in serious games will be addressed by RTI International, Lockheed Martin, Applied Research Associates’ Virtual Heroes and other world-class organizations.
8. Gain insights into casual game development and game design from speakers such as Brad Merritt, the lead game designer of Cartoon Network’s Game Studio, who will share his talk “Mindmapping for Game Design.”
9. Dive into the handheld and social gaming revolution in ECGC’s “Social and Mobile” track. Games are everywhere – on our computers, in our living rooms and in our pockets. This is where you can come to see innovation in the works and what experts see as imminent opportunities in this space.
10. Get career advice from industry professionals as they share decades of collective wisdom in roundtable and one-on-one sessions in ECGC’s Career Lounge. Take a crash course on the game industry in our focused Game Fundamentals track. Socialize with peers and relax in the expo hall lounge. The list goes on and on!
Can you spot the Epic Games president in that last picture? 
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Bryanvandyke
Epic Games
