Unconferences

Relaxed but intense: a discussion about game narrative at GameCamp One.

Unconferences are modelled on the BarCamp series of developer events. Unlike BarCamp, GameCamp won’t be all about coding (though of course you can talk about that if you want). GameCamp will be an unconference, though, and that means one thing above all: there are no spectators at GameCamp – only participants.

This is because in any gathering, the expertise distributed through the audience usually outweighs that of the person who happens to be speaking at any one time. We aim to bring that distributed expertise out, so everyone can benefit.

There’s no schedule of speakers at GameCamp, and no keynote address. Instead, the schedule is determined on the morning of the event, by the participants themselves. There’s a big schedule board, and in the morning everyone will decide when they want to speak, and what they want to talk about. You are encouraged to ask questions and interrupt: this day is about discussions, not presentations. If you’re bored in a session, vote with your feet and leave. There will be multiple simultaneous sessions at any one time. Over the course of the day, most people attending should get a chance to talk.

It’s an unparalleled way to get large groups of people mixing and talking in a creative and productive way. That means that if you attend, be prepared to speak. You don’t need a prepared presentation, but this isn’t a sit-quietly-at-the-back sort of thing. We want to hear from you.