LOGIN Beat #102: LOGIN Conference Locked In and Engaged

"The bags are packed, the badges are printed, and the stage is set for LOGIN 2011. The past several weeks have been a ramp-up of intensity as we've prepared to make LOGIN a productive and enjoyable experience for each of you.

It's hard to believe, but it's now year No. 5 for the conference, and we're keeping our strengths — great attendees with perks to match, numerous networking opportunities, cutting-edge learning — at the forefront. For an event to be great, you must keep what works best but be willing to improve through new ideas. At Evergreen Events, we believe in that philosophy. As we've talked about in the past, we've got a new venue in downtown Bellevue, the Meydenbauer Center, amid a vibrant landscape of offices, shops, and locales for bustling nightlife. We've condensed the agenda to create the greatest impact possible for attendees through the strongest possible slate of speakers and sessions. We've also added extra impact through the addition of the Extra Credits Innovation Awards in partnership with the Themis Group, as well as with the addition of the Facebook Game Developer Boot Camp. All changes considered, two things regarding LOGIN won't change: our devotion to quality and our unwillingness to be satisfied with the status quo.

Tuesday: Gamification Will Eat Itself: How Gamification Can Evolve, and Why It Must | Scott Dodson (Bobber Interactive)

Gamification has been gaining more and more attention, and with it, closer scrutiny what the potential is for such a concept in worlds beyond gaming. Scott's views in particular have drawn attention lately, holding to the view that gamification needs genuine gamers involved, not just marketers. His will be a talk that will surely cover a range of fascination and thought-provoking ideas surrounding gamification.

Tuesday: Happy RTS, RPGVille, and FPS World: Does Facebook Suck the Fun Out of Hardcore Games? | Moderator: Geoffrey Zatkin, President (EEDAR)

Social games are another topic that's on fire, especially when compared to traditional games. If it was a competition, it could be argued that traditional games as a sector are losing that competition. Or, does "iron sharpen iron," so that both market segments are benefiting because they sharing their best ideas and best practices?

Wednesday: From Grand Theft Auto to a Perfect 10: How Games Get Reviewed | Erik Brudvig (Electronic Entertainment Design and Research)

The power of the editorial review remains strong even in the age of social media, whether you're a small start-up or a AAA publisher. Understanding how ratings are decided upon and how reviews are adapted to evolving online play makes understanding this process just as important as ever. Erik is sure to shed light on this topic for everyone who feels they need to know about this element of the marketing life cycle of a game.

Wednesday: Eight Years Young: Keeping a legacy game fresh and relevant | Rahul Sandil (GamersFirst)

As many online games start to reach a point of maturity and beyond, how can a company ensure the game remains relevant to modern players with their often increasingly elevated expectations? This is the question that Rahul poses and will help answer for many developers who've got to decide how best to handle an older game. After all, sometimes the best choice isn't to develop a new game but make an older one more successful for longer.

No matter what your role in the online game industry, I'm confident you'll find the sessions at LOGIN to be educational, thought-provoking, and enlightening."

Peter Freese
Director
LOGIN Conference

Read more of: LOGIN Beat #102