Game Developers Converge on NERD Center

The full-day event at Microsoft's New England Research & Development Center gathered to network, and give and listen to improptu talks on topics ranging from game scripting to narrative design.

Aside from being actively involved in their own game projects and companies, organizers Darius Kazemi and Scott Macmillan are responsible for two of Boston's great resources for developing the local video game community, Boston Post Mortem and Boston Indies, respectively. GameLoop represents a growing trend of community-building and openness in the Boston area for game studios and entrepreneurs.

The format of the "unconference" was fairly simple: Attendees started the day welcomed by coffee and pastries (and unconventionally attractive t-shirts for early registrants), then made their way into the largest conference room where they began suggesting ideas for sessions in a large group format. Kazemi and Macmillan took notes on a whiteboard while throwing in enough humor to make it worth the 9 a.m. start-time.

Next, whiteboards were rolled into the halls, and everyone entered into an informal vote for their most interesting sessions, with top hour-long talks making the schedule. More than 50 organized discussions or talks took place throughout the day.