Game Development Graz @ button 2017

Game Development Graz @ button 2017

19. – 20. May 2017 :: Seifenfabrik Graz

On 19-20 May 2017, the button Festival will return to Graz for 2 days of gaming culture.

This year with Game Dev Graz will organize many subevents and programme points:

  • Talking Dev :: Talks from Game Dev Professionals (Friday evening 2nd floor – Extra-Ticket necessary)
  • Meet’n’Play :: Local Game and Indie Game Exhibitions -Talk to Local Developers (all day in Game Dev Area)
  • SAGA Award :: First Styrian Games Award will be presented at Button Festival!


 

Schedule:

Friday:

  • 15:00 – 03:00 Meet’n’Play – Play local games! – loc::GAME DEV AREA
  • 19:00 – 22:00 TALKING DEV EXTRA EVENT – loc::2nd floor! 

Saturday:

  • 10:00 – 22:00 Meet’n’ Play – Play local games! – loc::GAME DEV AREA
  • 20:00 SAGA AWARDS – Main Stage 

 


 

 

Talking Dev @ button 2017:

Special Event: Friday, 19.5. 19:00 – 22:00: TALKING DEVS (extra registration) GameTalks_900x300

You need a button ticket + extra limited ticket for the talking dev event (3€)

Reserve a ticket now: tba

Schedule tba! 

    • 18:45 – Door opens.
    • 19:00 – Official Opening
    • 19:15 – Tadej Kupcic, Danilo Kapel (Cowardly Creations, AT/SLO): Uncanny Valley – How not to make a game
    • 20:15 – Thomas Reisenegger (ICO Partners, Brighton, UK): Games PR for Small Studios: Little Money, Maximum Impact
    • 21:15 – Discussion + Panel: Game Development Graz – The Future of “Us”.


Title: Thomas Reisenegger (ICO Partners, Brighton, UK): Games PR for Small Studios: Little Money, Maximum Impact

ICO-partners001The number of game releases is skyrocketing. As a result, reaching players and getting media, Youtube and streamer coverage is becoming simultaneously more important and more difficult. This is especially true for small teams with limited resources who must pick their PR battles wisely. This talk will pinpoint the most effective means of communicating with press and players, and will provide tools and tips for small teams and solo developers to apply to their games in order to be heard internationally.

Tthomas_reisenegger_picturehomas Reisenegger works at the Brighton-based PR and consulting agency ICO Partners as a PR manager for games such as ‘League of Legends’, ‘Smite’, ‘Paladins’, ‘Endless Space 2’ and various indie games like ‘The Lion’s Song’ ‘Blackwood Crossing’, or ‘A Normal Lost Phone’. He also likes sharing tips of the fine art of PR by giving talks at events such as GDC, IndieCade Europe and Digital Taipei. In his free time, he enjoys going to gigs (a lot) and tries to be Scott Pilgrim (even more).


 

Title: Tadej Kupcic, Danilo Kapel (Cowardly Creations, AT/SLO): Uncanny Valley – How not to make a game

CompanyLogoThe developers of Uncanny Valley discuss how the game was a moderate success, even with their inexperienced development process of compromising ideas to release the game and marketing it with a zero budget.

Tadej Kupcic started in the industry by forming an independent company, where he worked as a programmer and game designer on self published independeBioPicTadejKupcicnt titles. One of the titles, Uncanny Valley, was received with positive criticism and good sales on Steam and was later ported to Playstation 4, Vita and Xbox One. Currently he is working as a junior Game Designer at an Austrian company Bongfish, where he is developing an unannounced AAA game. In addition he is continuing his indie career by creating a new game called Jim the Dim Reaper.

BioPicDaniloKapelDanilo Kapel is a Slovenian based composer and sound designer, known for his work on the indie survival horror game Uncanny Valley by Cowardly Creations and Kresnik, an award winning series of short films based on Slavic mythology. He is currently shaping the soundscape and music of Cowardly Creations next project, Jim the Dim Reaper

 

 


Meet’n’Play:: Here is a list of games which will be showcased at the game exhibition @ button 2017:

 

Team Phoenix presents Phoenix
‘Find each other, stick together, survive it all!’ describes the core principles of Phoenix. Our unique setup enables VR-Players to not only experience a game themselves, but share their experiences with non-VR-Players. Only if the VR-Player does not neglect their duty of helping their fellow PC-Players and only if the PC-Players decide to work together, can they outrun their demise.

Screenshot 2017-05-11 08.21.34 Screenshot 2017-05-11 08.18.08 Screenshot 2017-05-11 08.16.30

Watch the game trailer here.


doorfortyfour presents MarZ Rising

MarZ Rising is a tactical base defense game, in which the fight against the undead decides about life on Mars. Real Time Strategy meets Tower Defense. Build your martian base and defend it from the evil.  The player guides his crew through 20 breathtaking missions and slowly tracks down the mystery of the undead. Meanwhile, the gameplay challenges the creativity and responsiveness of the player.

marzrising MarZRising-screenshot4 MarZRising-screenshot5

Watch the game trailer here.


Lost in the Garden presents LIGHTFIELD

LIGHTFIELD is a crossover between classical arcade racing and free flying. It’s like wall running with a space ship, like a hyperfuturistic and omnidirectional version of parkour. A racing game with no predefined roads, no invisible walls or guide rails.

Lightfield_17 Lightfield_14 Lightfield_2

Watch the game trailer here.


Long Haired Llamas presents Project L.L.A.M.A. 

This game (formerly known as AiRena)  is a fast paced local multiplayer party game. 2-4 players can battle each other. The ultimate goal of this instant kill game is to be the first to reach 10 kills through head jumps or items. Gather your friends in front of a screen just like in the good old console times.

airena airena2 airena3

Watch the game trailer here.


Rarebyte presents PIN Racer

PIN Racer is a futuristic multiplayer hoverboard racing game for 2-4 players providing fast-paced racing action using REAL hoverboards!

pin_racer_rarebyte rarebyte_pinracer_vidscreen rarebyte_pinracer2jpg

Watch the game trailer here.


Bongfish GmbH presents Smurfs’ Village

The evil wizard Gargamel and his ever present cat companion, Azrael, have finally found the Smurfs’ village and have scattered our lovable blue friends far and wide throughout the enchanted forest. Come along with familiar friends, like Papa Smurf, Smurfette, Brainy, Jokey, Greedy and the rest of the smurf family, as they guide you on a family fun adventure to build a new forest village for the Smurfs to call home.

bongfish2 bongfish3 SmurfsVillage_CustomThumbnail_600x403

Watch the game trailer here.

 

 

 


SAGA Finalists:: These five games will be exhibited in the Game Dev area as well @ button 2017:

SAGA Award :: First Styrian Games Award will be presented at Button Festival!

You can vote for the finalists to get the Audience Choice Award at the Game Dev area. The awards will be announced on Saturday 20:00. Get to know the five SAGA finalists here:

Title: A Hole New World (Mad Gear Games) 

The city is being invaded by monsters from the Upside Down World! You, the Potion Master, must defeat evil all alone, with no tutorials or “Easy Mode” to assist you. You’ll have to rely on the help of Fäy, your companion fairy, and your potions! Jump and shoot like they did in the good ol’ NES days. Fight enemies in your world and in the Upside Down World! Defeat gigantic bosses and acquire their powers!

 035-world    005-icy     madgear-logo

Watch the pitch video here


Title: Subwords (Klemens Strasser)

Subwords is a fun mix between a trivia and a word game for iOS. Words are split into fragments and you have to put them back together. To make it easier, the words always correspond to a specific topic. There are 30 topics available, which range from animals to video game series and even greek history. The game features two different game modes: Classic and challenge. In classic, you simply have to put all words back together until no fragments are left. Challenge mode on the other hand gives you three minutes to find as many words as possible, while new fragments constantly appear on the screen. Subwords also gives you the possibility to challenge your friends online via GameCenter or locally using a single iPad.

subwords-multiplayer subwords1 icon-subwords

Watch the pitch video here


Title: Drone Swarm (stillalive studios)

In Drone Swarm you control a swarm of thousands of drones to obliterate your enemies. You are the captain of the only human deep-space vessel tasked to find New Earth. Explore an unknown part of the galaxy filled with different aliens, dangers and opportunities. Establish first contact and use every means you deem necessary to save mankind. It’s your choice! Beware though! The swarm has it’s own will… The game is taking the player on a journey into the dark. His choices have direct impact on the game world and since the universe isn’t black or white, they always have a downside. The easy choice will take the player down a dark spiral to losing his human moral and becoming the most feared warrior of a secret alien mind.

Drone Swarm 270x220 Drone Swarm Mothership    saslogo

Watch the pitch video here


Title: Goliath VR (Wolfgang Tschauko)

Goliath VR is a local multi player game that makes use of one player’s real physical body to extend the level for the other player to explore. The two players are named Goliath and David and the playing experience for each of the players is completely different. Goliath controls a real time created body representation by moving his own body. David is controlled with mouse and keyboard like in any Jump&Run game. The displayed body of Goliath can be used by David as an extension of the level. Goliath can help David to cross abysses or reach higher platforms. David is highly vulnerable to fire and other dangers so Goliath must help to protect David by warding off fireballs or lava streams. Both are locked up in a lava cave, and only by working together and collecting coins and keys they can manage to open the final door to freedom.

GoliathVRAmazeCut_7 GoliathVRAmazeCut_2 goliath

Watch the pitch video here


Title: Pixel Soldier (Accidently Awesome Studios)

Pixel Soldier is a GameBoy-styled fast-paced Run ‘n’ Gun. Shoot and dash your way through various stages and fight frantic bosses. Pixel Soldier started as a submission for GameBoy Jam 5 in 2016 and has been in development since then. We aim to bring it to mobile as the GameBoy controls lend itself perfectly for mobile devices.

screen_1491039127.9 screen_1491039009.89 screen_1491038654.84

Watch the pitch video here