Hey guys, I'm the promotionals director and corunner of SAGE 2008, along with my buddy MarkEchidna, and I wanted to share some of our plans for this year, as well as inform you guys of different ways you can participate.
Table of Contents (As this post is likely to get pretty long-winded)
---
Section 1: General Expo Information
1.1 - What is SAGE
1.2 - When is it?
1.3 - Registration
Section 2: The Event
2.1 - The Games
2.2 - Special Guest Appearance from Ryan Drummond
Section 3: What YOU Can Do
3.1 - SAGEcasts
3.2 - Workshops
3.3 - Extras
3.4 - Competitions
General SAGE Information
1.1 - What is SAGE?
The Sonic Amateur Game Expo, or SAGE, is an online gaming expo held annually at http://www.sagexpo.org/ to showcase the latest in the fangaming community. Traditionally its main purpose has been to showcase fangames based on the Sonic The Hedgehog franchise, however it is open to any freelance developer that wishes to participate. 2008 marks the event’s 13th itineration. In the past we’ve had many great games introduced, special guests, fun events, and this year will hopefully be the best yet. It’s a huge opportunity for fangamers to show off their latest product.
We usually draw in about 5000 unique hits per day, going off 2004’s statistics, and the participation continues to grow.
Also, I want really emphasize here, at the Daily Click, that we are trying to expand the scope. If you have a game you want to show off, REGISTER IT! We really want to see it! If you want your game featured, give me some information in this topic, in a pm, through email (coordinator@sagexpo.org), or by IM.(AIM: Shadixep). August 8th is the deadline to have a build of your game ready.
1.2 - When Is It?
August 17th - 24th
1.3 - Registration
When August 4th comes around, we'll be opening up our registration. It will be an automated form that will help you get your game registe quickly and efficiently.
Our game registration this year requires some sort of semblance of the game you will be showing at the event on your booth. It's going to be a direct link to your game, and we will be shifting through these to see what booths work.
The Event
2.1 - THE GAMES
Featured Titles:
Refer to 1.1 if you want to be on this list! Excellent promotional opportunity!
2.2 - Special Guests!
2.3 The Entertainment
We have more jam packed shows for you than you can shake a fist at!
Evening SAGEcast Entertainment
Concerts:
What YOU Can Do
3.1 - SAGEcasts
SAGEcasts are returning, and we need some timeslots cove! You can register for as many as you want, all you need to do is send me an email to [email]coordinator@sagexpo.org[/email] with "SAGEcast" as the subject and I will handle your time requests as needed.
Some of the events being held:
-Karaoke & Competition
-DJ Mixing Shows
-Possible Concert Performance from Taxman's Band, "The Polites"
Some ideas for what you guys can do in this area:
Concerts\Performances: If you have a band or you make teh awesome musics, contact me about possibly performing on the radio during the event.
Multicasts: We have this worked out so it works, if you guys want to, especially the folks here that run the podcast, want to have a live show with multiple hosts. I would just suggest in this instance that you guys get together more-or-less a flow for your show.
Skits: In the honor of Slingerlands SAGE finale show last year, writing a scripted show is also a really cool way to get some attention, possibly with voice acting and the likes.
3.2 - SAGE Workshops
We've actually been lacking these lately, the workshops give individuals opportunities to actually teach their fellow peers something they don't know, or expand on something they do know.
Some example Workshop subjects:
-Rom Hacking
-Level Design Theory
-Background Designing
-Spriting
-Modelling
-Programming
3.3 - SAGE Extras
I am also looking for extras for an extra section to the site which will be explained in greater detail if you chose to participate. Any extra stuff that doesn't fit into a casual catagory, like comics, videos, sekret software releases, contact me.
3.4 - Competitions
The Complete Game Contest: Complete your game by August 8th and get spotlighted on the site.
The Remix Competition: Remix a Tune from Sonic CD, results will be published on the Music Section of the site as well the remixes themselves. Tangible Prizes are still under consideration.
Remix Competition Rules:
-Composition must be at least 2:00 in length.
Judging:
Compositions will be judged on the following criteria
-Arrangement
-Production - This ones pretty self-explanatory, pay attention to your mixing\eqing and use of effects and panning.
-Relevance - While originality is good, it can easily go overboard and you lose what made your source song your source song. Overly-liberal mixes send a bad signal to someone trying to fulfill their craving for nostalgia.
-Originality - Midi Rips are bad. There are ways to keep the original song intact without having your song be the original song.
Originally Posted by Marvel Forever So many people make Sonic fan games they have to have a convention...wow...thats just funny and sad at the same time.
Whats so sad about it is that those shitty attempts to imitate sonic are better then the current sonic games.
At least in those games Sonic dosent fall through a platform and die on the first level.
You should submit your game to add some contrast with all the blue then. :3
Really though, I'm desperately outsourcing for non-sonic material for the event. I want to keep pushing the event in the way of become a general fangaming and indie gaming expo than just Sonic themed, however in order to do that we need booths to popularitize outside of the Sonic franchise.
Yea no kidding. You seen the new one where sonic has a FUCKING sword!? And the other one where he turns into a werewolf? Really sega, just make some new Sonic 3 levels and we'll be happy. . .
Originally Posted by JustinC Good idea. The first step would be to take the word "Sonic" out of it
Sure, but first I need the support to. Taking it out now would be PR suicide, as huge as the event is. We need other-franchise support, as well as indie support to get the expo's already huge fanbase on board with that kind of expansion.
This is also complicated by the fact that the event is completely hosted and ran by different individuals each year.
Edited by the Author.
n/a
Peblo Custom ratings must be 50 characters or less
Registered 05/07/2002
Points 185
29th July, 2008 at 07:35:34 -
This is a surprising event, I never would've thought there'd be a expo based around this. I don't have a build ready for you guys, and it'll be impossible to get one out by august 8th I'd imagine, but I'll try something for next year.
"Isn't it always amazing how we characterize a person's intelligence by how closely their thinking matches ours?"
~Belgarath
Originally Posted by Peblo This is a surprising event, I never would've thought there'd be a expo based around this. I don't have a build ready for you guys, and it'll be impossible to get one out by august 8th I'd imagine, but I'll try something for next year.
If you want, you can still register a booth. We have a system in line that is going to allow booths without games to be there except in a different, non-rated catagory. Using this, you can have your booth updated to a regular booth all the way until the event, and I'm thinking about possibly allowing booth conversions during the event.
It's really all a method to keep things organized.
You really should check out some of the games then.
One of own, Dami, developed a surprisingly accurate Sonic engine in MMF, that has become the standard for all games. For example, try Slingerland's 2007 demo of Sonic Nexus.
Advertisement
Post Reply
Edited by the Author.
