Marguerite Dibble, of Birnam Wood Games
Connect with Vermont’s nascent video game industry at the 2013 Vermont Tech Jam — Friday and Saturday, October 18 and 19, at Memorial Auditorium in downtown Burlington. Admission is free.
Two sessions on Friday run by Burlington-based studio Birnam Wood Games offer insight into what it takes to enter the field of game design. From the schedule:
Friday at noon:
Inside a Vermont Video Game Studio (242 Main Stage)
As a kid growing up in rural Vermont, Marguerite Dibble wasn’t allowed to watch much TV or play many video games. Then, as a student at Champlain College in Burlington, she studied video game art and animation and founded Birnam Wood Games with some of her classmates after graduating in 2012. Located in Burlington’s Karma Bird House, their studio produces video games and commercial projects for local clients. Their latest project, Pathogen, will be released in October by independent game publisher Gameblyr. In this presentation, Marguerite shares Birnam Wood’s story.
1 p.m.
A new release from Birnam Wood Games
Creative Exercises in Paper Prototyping (Downstairs Demo Zone)
Want to make video games? The process doesn’t start in front of a screen. First you need to design an irresistibly fun and challenging game. In this hands-on, hour-long workshop, the staff of Burlington-based Birnam Wood Games will explain some basic principles, split the group into teams and invite them to make their own games using simple tools. Limit: 15 participants. Please register in advance.
Birnam Wood is also one of the video gaming exhibitors that will have a table at the Tech Jam — you can stop by to play Pathogen, their new release, or Runoff, the arcade game they made for Seven Days and the ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center. Other exhibitors include:
Team Aurora, a group of indie video game developers who attend Champlain College; each of them is majoring in a game-related discipline. Talk with them about their forthcoming project, Grey: The Lost Technology, at their Tech Jam booth, which has been provided by the Vermont Technology Alliance with support from Physician’s Computer Company.
Poster for Grey: The Lost Technology
and
BigHead Scientists/Tim Fielder: Tim Fielder is an illustrator, concept designer, cartoonist and animator; he’s also an animation instructor at New York University. His clients have included Marvel Comics, The Village Voice, Tri-Star Pictures and Ubisoft Entertainment. Tim’s web serial Dieselfunk comic, “Matty’s Rocket,” is available for free online. His Tech Jam booth has been provided by the Vermont Technology Alliance with support from Physician’s Computer Company.