OFFICIAL - Panels and Workshops, Ideas and Volunteers.

[JohnT]

One of the major attractions of ApolyCon '06 will be the ability to attend (and give) panels and workshops in regards to any aspect of the entire range of products covered by Apolyton, even Apolyton itself!

As Event Organizer I invite you to both throw out ideas for panels you would like to see, and for panels you would like to lead. You may conduct panels singularly or as a group, and they may cover any game, product, or company that Sid Meier or Brian Reynolds has been involved with in their professional career - want to give 15 minutes demonstration of CPU Bach? Volunteer for 15 minutes, I'll PM you and pencil you into the schedule, and the rest will be up to you!

Panels can be as short as 15 minutes - if I demanded you go on for an hour about some game arcana, I'd lose 70% of my volunteers. Currently we have plans for two rooms set up in, iirc, conference setup - 40 people apiece will be able to fit in the rooms. We have the rooms from 9:00am to 5:00pm on Saturday only, but if interest demands, I'll be glad to rent out rooms for panes on Sunday as well. Conversely, if the number of panels scheduled are smaller than estimated, we might see if we can get by with one room with extended hours. (8:00-6:00, for example) Any suggestions for proper room setup for a gaming convention would be greatly appreciated!!

(Yes, I know I have a committee to discuss questions like that... but the thought occurred to me now. Anyway, they'll get around to reading this.)

Two panels have already been appointed: DanQ's panel on Apolyton, and Adrian Hon's panel on demogames. Niether have committed to any specific length of time, nor really need to at this early date. If the average panel takes 1/2 hour, then we need 12-16 volunteers to lead them per room. It is a hope that some will be led by employees of Firaxis and Big Huge Games, especially panels regarding modding.

I would like to throw out some obvious suggestions:

"The legacy of..." Civ/Smac
"Modding"
"Gamers Wish List" - Modern updates on CPU Bach, Colonization
"Real Time vs. Turn Based - the future of God Games."
"Rise of Nations 2" (Assuming it's been announced)
"Civ 5" ( )
"SMAC 2" ( )

[Imran Siddiqui]

I'll... attend . I haven't been exactly the best player, so me giving a workshop probably wouldn't be the best of ideas .

[JohnT]

You know what we ought to do? Timed games of Civ 1, 2!

How fast can you get to Alpha Centauri - game turns and clock time.

No cheating.

[Imran Siddiqui]

I'll participate... you think anyone can beat my 10 hours?

[Adrian Hon]

Er... it's Adrian *Hon* not *Hun*

In addition to organising a demogame panel, I wouldn't mind helping out on panels in general - writing up guidelines, etc. I've spoken at games conventions and conferences before, so I have a few tips. It would be great if we could get a wiki or something similar online so we can start filling in the spaces, etc.

[James]

Civ 1 games would be retro

[OzzyKP]

15 is impossibly short for a workshop of any value. You can hardly get people in the room and introduced in that time. Even 30 minutes is really short for a workshop. I recommend going for hour long workshops. Its ok if you put more than one workshop in the same time slot, it happens all the time. Just give people a good schedule and they'll pick which ones to go to.

You can put me down for a Diplogaming workshop.

[JohnT]

You're quite right about 15 minute workshops/panels, but I don't want to scare people away by having the attitude "1 Hour Or Nothing!" We'll see what they want to offer and then go from there.

[Adrian Hon]

15 minutes is pretty short, it's true, but the problem with 1 hour slots is that many speakers end up just waffling for the last 20 minutes. I've found that 30 or 45 minute slots do well, since it forces speakers to be concise. Of course, there are people who can use complete 1 hour time slots perfectly well, but they're often more experienced speakers. As usual, all of this depends on the topic and speaker(s).

[duke o' york]

I think that depending on what you're discussing, 15 minutes should be fine. Not for the whole thing - there'll need to be questions from the floor and arguments civilised debate with other speakers, etc.

[JohnT]

Originally posted by Adrian Hon
Er... it's Adrian *Hon* not *Hun*

In addition to organising a demogame panel, I wouldn't mind helping out on panels in general - writing up guidelines, etc. I've spoken at games conventions and conferences before, so I have a few tips.

That would be great. I'd appreciate it.

It would be great if we could get a wiki or something similar online so we can start filling in the spaces, etc.

A "wiki"? Educate the middle-aged n00b!

[snoopy369]

Wiki = concept behind www.wikipedia.org among others.

Basically a collaborative document that people can edit themselves into Not dissimilar to a web-based, free access writely, if i understand writely correctly.

I presume in this case adrian is suggesting we set up a wiki with the schedule, and spaces to be filled, and people who want to do a workshop in the 15:30-16:30 hour on Thursday just write themselves in for a workshop there

[Grandpa Troll]

Colorful Story writing for games forum?

I think it would be neat to have something in the interactive storyline, maybe an era outfit..with someone telling a story to someone else..how a story comes to life and such..

Maybe ot such a good idea but something to whet the intellectual appetite perhaps..

[Harry Tuttle]

I don't know if this is the right thread for this, but Paddy the Scot thought that the Civ 2 Source Code Petition could be presented during the convention. The latest copy has been reposted in this thread:

http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=132525&pagenumber=2

It's one of the latest posts, made on 12-21-2005

[JohnT]

I think not.

Not because I don't support the Civ 2 Source Code petition - as a signer, I obviously do support it. But because such a manuever would be in poor taste, and would amount to nothing more than a useless gesture made to people who no longer own the property.

Take-Two Interactive owns Firaxis now. That means that TTWO is the party to whom you would submit the petition, not Sid Meier, not Jeff Briggs, not Soren Johnson, but some lawyer in the Take Two offices on 622 Broadway, New York NY, 10012.

ApolyCon '06 cannot give it's imprimatur or consent to a submission of the petition at the convention, during official convention functions. I would be interested if, during one of the Q&A sessions, if somebody asks about the Civ 2 source code, but I respectfully request that y'all please drop the idea of submitting a petition during official convention events and let this sleeping dog lie.

Thanks.