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) 
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
The 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.
T
homas 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
The 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 independe
nt 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.
Danilo 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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
