Game Industry Conferences

Edit on Github | Updated: 29th October 2023

Introduction to Retro Games Industry conferences

When taking a historical look at the Games Industry one of the most important sources of information are the Conferences that were held to share information before the mainstream internet.

This page will talk about the main Game-related conferences that took place over the period of time that we classify as “Retro”, they roughly fit into two distinct categories:

• Development - Conferences for Sharing Game Development Information (SIGGRAPH, GDC, Develop)
• Showcase - Conferences for Showing off the latest Games and Gaming Hardware (CES, E3)

This table below lists all the conferences that we are aware about taking place up until 2007:

In the sections below we will try to list any audio or video recordings we can find for the sessions, but bare in mind many of the early sessions will now be regarded as lost media.

GDC - Game Developer’s Conference

GDC stands for the “Game Developers Conference”, which is an annual event held for professionals in the video game industry. GDC serves as a hub for game developers, publishers, artists, programmers, designers, and other industry experts to come together to discuss, share, and learn about the latest trends, technologies, and practices in game development. The event includes a wide range of sessions, panels, workshops, and networking opportunities.

We have so much content on the GDC that we had to split this section out into its own post you can find it below:

SIGGRAPH

SIGGRAPH stands for “Special Interest Group on Computer Graphics and Interactive Techniques.” It is an annual conference and organization that focuses on computer graphics, interactive technology, and various related fields. SIGGRAPH is highly regarded in the computer graphics and interactive technology industry and is known for its conferences and publications.

SIGGRAPH is an interdisciplinary platform that covers a wide range of topics, including computer graphics, visual effects, gaming, virtual reality, computer-aided design, art, and more.

The conference features technical paper presentations where researchers and experts share their latest findings and innovations in the field. SIGGRAPH publishes research papers, proceedings, and a variety of resources that contribute to the advancement of computer graphics and interactive techniques.

The SIGGRAPH conference has a long history, dating back to the 1970s, and it continues to be a vital forum for sharing knowledge, showcasing innovations, and connecting professionals in the field of computer graphics and interactive technology.

They are not always related to game development but many real time rendering techniques used in modern games were first presented at SIGGRAPH.

SIGGRAPH 2000

The website Gamasutra (now Game Developer) posted an article about the 2000 version of the conference from a game developer perspective, you can read it online here: Siggraph 2000 From a Game Development Perspective.

It discusses the new hardware and software for game development shown off at SIGGRAPH 2000 such as Sony’s GScube and the Xbox. Improv Technologies also demoed their new products, Orchestrate3D and Catalyst. The conference also featured presentations on new shading languages and rendering techniques.

D.I.C.E Summit

D.I.C.E stands for “Design, Innovate, Communicate, Entertain” and was first held from February 28th to March 1st, 2002 in the Hard Rock Hotel Las Vegas ¹. The main focus is game design topics along with business rather than game programming or asset creation.

It is part of the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences and they record the presentations which they would sell footage on DVD, but the modern conferences host the videos online for free.

D.I.C.E 2002

The first ever D.I.C.E Summit was held from February 28th to March 1st, 2002 in the Hard Rock Hotel Las Vegas ¹.

The presentations that took place are listed in the table below:

The 2002 D.I.C.E. Summit DVD set was available for $250 to Academy members and $450 to non-members. The DVD was produced by Ziff Davis Media (who publish the GMR magazine).

Here is an Advert for the DICE Summit DVD from issue 1 of the US magazine GMR from February 2003, it has 4 DVDs which has 9 hours of presentations:

Develop (Brighton)

The Develop conference, which is held in Brighton, UK, had its inaugural event in 2006. The conference focuses on the video game development industry and covers various aspects of game development, including programming, design, audio, and business. Since its inception, the Develop conference has become an annual event, providing a platform for professionals in the gaming industry to exchange ideas, share knowledge, and network.

Develop 2006

The first ever Develop conference was split into the following tracks:

• Coding
• Design
• Production
• Business
• Art
• Audio
• The Next Wave

The sessions from Develop 2006 that we know about are listed in the table below:

Consumer Electronics Show (CES)

CES stands for the “Consumer Electronics Show”. It is an annual trade show and convention that serves as a showcase for the latest consumer electronics and technology products. CES is one of the most significant and influential tech events globally, and it’s where many companies, including industry giants and startups, unveil and demonstrate their innovative products and technologies.

CES is known for its extensive exhibition of consumer electronics and technology products, ranging from smartphones and televisions to smart home devices, automotive technology, gaming hardware, and more.

CES attracts a large number of journalists, bloggers, and media outlets from around the world, generating extensive press coverage and reviews of the showcased products.

CES has played a crucial role in unveiling groundbreaking technologies and products that have subsequently shaped the consumer electronics and technology industries. It is a significant annual event for both industry professionals and tech enthusiasts interested in the latest advancements in the world of electronics and innovation.

The first Consumer Electronics Show (CES) took place in 1967. CES was initially held in New York City and later moved to Las Vegas, Nevada. Although it features gaming products they have always brushed the games industry aside in favour of more mainstream consumer electronics.

Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3)

E3, which stands for the “Electronic Entertainment Expo,” was one of the most prominent and anticipated events in the video game industry. It served as a showcase for the latest video games, gaming hardware, and interactive entertainment. E3 brought together game developers, publishers, hardware manufacturers, and gamers to unveil and celebrate upcoming titles and innovations in the world of gaming.

The last E3 took place in 2021. After cancellations of the E3 in 2022 and 2023, the discontinuation was announced.

Creation of E3

SEGA was instrumental to setting up E3, in an interview with Tom Kalinske (former CEO of SEGA America) he had this to say about the formation of E3:

In the early Nineties, CES was huge but it treated the gaming industry poorly. We were put in the back, past the new gadgets, computers and stereos and TVs. One year, we were in a tent and it was raining. Out Genesis machines got wet and I said, “That’s it, we’re not coming Back”. We set out to form our own show with favoured third-parties. It became E3. ²

E3 1995 - The First E3

E3 1995 marked the first E3 event, created as an alternative to the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) where the gaming industry was often overlooked.

At E3 1995, the gaming industry was undergoing significant changes, with the Super Nintendo still the most popular console in North America but with new hardware on the horizon, such as Sega Saturn, Sony PlayStation, and the yet-to-be-released Ultra 64 (later Nintendo 64). This event was mainly focused on the Sega-Sony rivalry, with Nintendo’s console release delayed until the following year.

E3 1995 consisted of exhibits and presentations, but unlike modern E3 events, there were no livestreams, special guest stars, or musical performances. The target audience was gaming industry professionals, retailers, developers, marketing teams, investors, and journalists, rather than gamers. As a result, these early E3 conferences were more subdued and focused on industry announcements rather than generating excitement among gamers.

QuakeCon

QuakeCon is an annual convention and gaming event that primarily focuses on the Quake series of video games, as well as other titles developed by id Software, the company behind Quake. The event has been held since 1996 and is known for its emphasis on competitive gaming, LAN parties, and the celebration of the gaming community.

QuakeCon typically features a variety of activities, including tournaments, panel discussions, exhibitor booths, and opportunities for fans to meet and interact with game developers. It has become a significant event in the gaming calendar, attracting thousands of attendees from around the world.

While QuakeCon started with a primary focus on the Quake series, it has expanded over the years to include other games, including those from Bethesda Softworks, which acquired id Software. The convention has also been a platform for showcasing new game releases, updates, and announcements, making it an exciting gathering for both fans and industry professionals.

Quakecon 2004

John Carmack gave the Keynote speech at Quakecon 2004 where he reflects on Doom 3 Engine Decisions, you can watch it on youtube below:

The key points from Keynote are as are as follows:

1. Evaluation of Doom 3 Engine Decisions:
   • He reflects on decisions made for the Doom 3 renderer over four years ago.
   • Acknowledges some flaws, such as seams on character heads due to mirroring repeat in texturing.
2. Specularity and Lighting Improvements:
   • Talks about limitations in skin tone realism due to a single level of specularity.
   • Introduces new technology for specular maps, allowing control over the breadth of specular highlights.
   • Addresses issues with specularity on broad surfaces and introduces reflection vector calculation for more accurate highlights.
   • Discusses the use of cubic environment maps and normalization for better quality highlights.
3. Anti-Aliasing Challenges:
   • Highlights the aliasing challenges in surfaces with normal maps and specular highlights.
   • Mentions ongoing work to combat aliasing, considering the analysis of surface normals and specularity factors.
4. Multi-Channel Texture Considerations:
   • Discusses the complexity introduced when combining multiple maps (normal, diffuse, specular, etc.) and the need for coordinated adjustments.
   • Notes potential challenges in scaling and rotating independent maps.
5. Quality Improvement through Renormalization:
   • Describes the benefits of renormalization of normal maps before lighting calculations for improved surface quality.
   • Addresses the issue of denormalization in cases where normal vectors deviate significantly.
6. General Improvements and Considerations:
   • Mentions the need for reevaluation and development of a new rendering engine based on current hardware capabilities.
   • Indicates ongoing efforts to enhance the Doom 3 graphics engine, considering issues like aliasing, specularity, and normal map quality.

Overall, he outlines the evolution of the Doom 3 graphics engine, addressing past limitations and describing efforts to improve realism, lighting, and overall graphical quality in the context of current and future hardware capabilities.

3D Design Conference

The US magazine 3D Design played an active role in the 3D graphics community during the 1990s. Miller Freeman leveraged the magazine’s brand to host the annual 3D Design Conference & Exhibition in San Francisco (starting in 1996). By 1997–98, this event offered “the most targeted technical education available for advanced graphics professionals” and included four days of intensive classes on animation, modeling, lighting, and more​

The conference featured top instructors and an expo of 3D hardware/software vendors, and it culminated with the “Big Kahuna Awards” honoring excellence in 3D design​. It is unclear if they also hosted one in 2001.

3D Design Conference 1997 Presentation Schedule

The table below lists all presentations from the 3D Design Conference (June 3–5, 1997) with their title, presenter, a summary of content, and the experience level, thanks to the wayback machine for archiving the old website (3dshow.com):

References