QuakeCon 2014: Spotlight
What's Happening at This Year's QuakeCon
Yesterday we looked at what QuakeCon is, so today we're going to look at what's going to be going down at this year's QuakeCon.
Front and center of this year’s convention (and this writer's personal "one to watch") will be the preview of the next "Doom" title. On the July 17 at 6 P.M. CDT on the Ventrilo Main Stage, the convention will invite attendees to this year’s welcome presentation and sneak preview/update from Id Software and what’s been going on with the next "Doom" release. You can check out the article about the new "Doom" and where it’s been for the last seven years here at Player Theory.
"Doom" is the big unknown release news related to QuakeCon, but it is a packed weekend of info and activities on top of the B.Y.O.C. (Bring Your Own Computer) LAN party fun that inevitably fills the venue.
Daily Exhibits
On each day of the event, Hugo Martin, art director at Id, will hold a special two-hour session for attendees to bring him their artwork portfolios for review. It’s a great opportunity of amateur and professional artists alike to get their work reviewed by an industry professional with some guidance on pursuing a career in the industry. This will run between noon to 2 P.M. in the exhibit hall each day. If you’re at the con, check it out, because you might just see the next big name in video game art.
The highly anticipated “The Evil Within” will also be at QuakeCon 2014 as developer Bethesda sets up a booth in the exhibition hall, giving fans a chance to try out this new survival horror. Director Shinki Mikami hopes to restart the survival horror scene, and there are big expectations for this title in the hope is that it can reinvigorate the genre.
Attendees will also have the chance to check out the new multiplayer action game from BattleCry Studios throughout the weekend. "Battlecry" is describe as a “fast-paced and frenetic 32-player action game,” and players will get a chance to test their mettle in a series of tournaments organized by the studio.
Now what can you expect on a specific day? We’ll set aside the specific tournaments for another time and look at the key discussions and developer sessions that’ll be on show. Remember that Hugo Martin will be available on the Thursday for portfolio reviews, as well as the official welcome presentation at 6 P.M. later that day.
Friday Spotlight
Developers from ZeniMax Online Studios will be on the Ventrilo Main Stage on Friday at 5 P.M. They will be talking specifically about “The Future of The Elder Scrolls Online.” The guys from “Elder Scrolls” will be discussing future long- and short-term plans for the title and its content, as well as approaches to player feedback and suggestions.
The big hitters in the games development will be there as Lead Designer Rich Lambert, Game Director Matt Firor, and Lead Programmer Jesse McIntyre will take to the stage alongside other senior staff members. “The Elder Scrolls Online” will also be coming to consoles, so it’s expected this will be a part of their discussions.
As a special bonus on top of the Q&A session following the panel, the first 3,000 attendees will get a free copy of “The Elder Scrolls Online.”
Friday nights festivities in Texas continue in the Table Top Village area of the event where Friday Night "Magic" takes over for the release of the "Magic 2015" Core Set (M15) at 7 P.M. A tournament will be taking place on that night as a first glimpse of the new set as a sealed draft, so anyone of any skill can take part. The Table Top Village will also play host to more drafts and other table top games throughout the weekend, so it’s definitely a spot to check out at least once while there. You’ll even have the chance to win a copy of a 10th anniversary edition of "Ticket to Ride" in a tournament organized by one of the retailers present.
Saturday Spotlight
Attendees can also check out “Designing the Perfect Game,” a panel taking place on the Ventrilo Main Stage on Saturday at 5 P.M. Chris Kluwe (former NFL punter, video game enthusiast, and occasional reviewer), Rick Malambri (actor, and Twitch streamer), and Matt Grandstaff, global community lead at Bethesda will come together in an effort to design the perfect video game. The panelists will work on a game concept which will be judged by Feargus Urquhart, CEO of Obsidian Entertainment, which produced "South Park: Stick of Truth" and "Fallout: New Vegas."
After the panel, attendees can weigh in on the game design and provide feedback and reviews. The first 1,500 attendees will also receive a Bethesda t-shirt!
That’s a look at some of the key events. Tomorrow, we're going to cover all the information you could ever need about the tournamentsm,
