Use code DREAMSIEGE15 at https://dreamhack.com/atlanta/tickets/ to get 15% off your 3-day and family passes

FRIDAY, Dec. 15

12:00 PM SIEGE Presents: Breaking into Game Development

Game dev is one of the most exciting jobs of the 21st century, but many people have no idea how to get into it. Join Warren Spector and our panel of experts to learn how to get your foot in the door.

Jeremy Vanhoozer (moderator)

Jeremy Vanhoozer brings over two decades of experience in the gaming industry and nearly three decades as a creative professional. Beginning his career as an Illustrator at Disney, he has since held key roles at studios including Cartoon Network, Electronic Arts, and Bungie. With a versatile background including Artist, Art Director, and Creative Director roles, Jeremy now serves as the Chief Creative Officer (CCO) at The Believer Company. In this capacity, he leads the Creative Department as they build an open-world co-op adventure game and create a groundbreaking new IP.

Warren Spector

Warren Evan Spector is an American role-playing and video game designer, director, writer, producer and production designer. He is known for creating immersive sim games, which give players a wide variety of choices in how to progress. His credit list is impressive, including Deus Ex, Ultima, Epic Mickey, and so many more

Scarlet Dangerfield

Scarlet Dangerfield is the VP of Talent for Hi-Rez Studios, where she fulfills the company’s staffing and human development needs. Prior to Hi-Rez she worked with Xaviant and CCP. She brings to Hi-Rez 20 years of progressive global human resource and recruiting experience, with a passion for the games industry.

Valencia Coleman

Valencia Coleman is an Associate Gameplay Engineer at Owlchemy Labs. She graduated with her bachelor's in Computer Science and is currently pursuing an MFA in Interactive Media and Game Design. She actively advocates for diversity in the games industry and is the alumni coordinator of the IGDA Foundation. When she is not volunteering for game development programs or participating in game jams, she loves to write, read, and attend anime conventions.

Marcus Matthews

For more than 25 years, Marcus has been a driving force in sports gaming, including taking the helm as Senior Producer for the inaugural version of NFL 2K in NBA 2K back in 1999, showcasing his leadership in design and production. Currently spearheading new experiences in VR sports gaming as the Executive Producer at StatusPro, Marcus oversees the development of the groundbreaking NFL Pro Era for the Meta Quest. Before StatusPro, Marcus led efforts at Niantic, the minds behind Pokémon Go, where he shaped the vision of NBA All-World—the first AR-enabled league licensed sports game.

1:30 PM Warren Spector Keynote: Why Games Matter

In this followup to his SIEGE2015 keynote speech, Warren Spector returns to what his most important and valuable about our profession. Prepare to be challenged, inspired and to leave ready to create greater games than ever before.

3:00 PM SIEGE Presents: How to Playtest Games

Playtesting is one of the most important parts of the game dev process, but it usually gets the least attention in school and other training programs. Everyone needs to test their own work, and good playtesters are invaluable. Join us for a look at the skills that lead to good testing, as well as some tips on how to effectively test indie games, as well as how to get a job as a tester.

Ron Jones (moderator)

Ron Jones, short for Ron Jones The Artist, is an entrepreneur, artist, and game developer. He's from New York but was raised in the south. Outside of working for Tripwire Interactive, he loves using his skills and creativity for independent projects. He created The Indie Cluster to help game developers gain access to opportunities and complete their games. Based in Atlanta, they've been an integral part of the local game community. You can find him at one of his art shows, making comics, or playing indie games on Twitch.

Valencia Coleman

Matt Canei

Matt Canei is a 13-year veteran in the game industry currently serving as a Principal Technical Artist at Believer. He has spent his entire career using Unreal Engine as an tech artist, environment artist and level designer across studios such as ILM Immersive, Tripwire Interactive and Hi-Rez Studios. Matt also moonlit an indie studio for over a decade shipping his game-as-a-tribute Hanako: Honor & Blade in 2021. Shipped titles include: Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy's Edge Enhanced Edition, Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, Maneater, Chivalry 2, SMITE, Paladins, Tribes: Ascend and more!

Aaron Ware

Aaron Ware, former Associate QA Analyst at Hi-Rez Studios. During his time as an analyst, Aaron worked with First Watch's Rogue Company and Evil Mojo's Paladins. Not only did he meet the expectations of his managers while working for both teams, he exceeded them by handling tasks not normally given to one at an associate level. He is quick to adapt in order to complete tasks given to him. He's strived to help improve not only on the games' overall quality, but also the workflow of resolving game issues via better team communication.

6:00 PM SIEGE Presents: How to Make a Game with Unreal Editor for Fortnite

Learn the first steps of game development with UEFN, beginning with crafting the game’s island. We'll dive into player interactions, creating mechanics, interaction, and engagement in the game world. We'll wrap the session with game conditions, including defining win and lose conditions. Attendees can watch or bring their laptops and build alongside us! For anyone hoping to build with us, please have Fortnite & UEFN downloaded and installed prior to the workshop. UEFN is only available on PC, please see our documentation for more information. https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/uefn/launching-in-unreal-editor-for-fortnite

Heather Storm

Heather Storm is the leader of Creator Evangelism at Epic Games. She is driven by a passion for exploring the convergence of technology and learning. Her diverse expertise spans robotics, artificial intelligence, video games, community, and marketing as she continually seeks unconventional avenues to enhance people’s lives and foster enjoyment. With a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from CU Boulder, and a robotics patent, Heather has worked over the past decade to leverage her expertise in the technology industry to propel advancements and drive meaningful change.

SATURDAY Dec. 16

10:30 AM SIEGE Presents: Making It as a Game Artist

Game art has come a long way from the days of Pong and Space Invaders, and our panelists have been involved in some of the best looking and most evocative games. Join them to learn what it takes to become a successful game artist, and how you can do it too.

Jeremy Vanhoozer (moderator)

Sven Bybee

Sven Bybee, lead concept artist for Funcom, has been working in the video game industry, as well as film, for the past 18 years. He has worked on video games including "Warhammer Online", "Rift: Planes of Telara", "Atlas Reactor", "SPARC", "Demon Souls", "SMITE", and "Conan Exiles."

Jasmine James

Jasmine James is a multifaceted artist based in Atlanta, wearing different hats as a concept artist, fashion designer, and even cosplayer. Through her journey in exploring different applications of her art, she has honed her skills and achieved international recognition for her creativity and passion, guesting at conventions from the US all the way to New Zealand. Even though her digital illustration skills are self-taught, she was able to rise through the ranks of Hi-Rez studios and has worked on several of their titles, starting as a UI artist and is currently a senior concept artist for SMITE. To this day she continues to design diverse and well loved gods as well as skins within the game. While desiring a way to apply her artistic passions in other areas, Jasmine also learned how to sew and used her concept and design talents to create interesting ideas and altered designs for cosplay. Over time, she amassed a dedicated following under the moniker “Cutiepiesensei” of over 1.5 million followers across platforms who admire her artistry and engaging content. Combining her artist background in designing in-game skins and her gained knowledge of clothing from cosplay over the years, Jasmine was able to also become the CCO of Fira X Wear®, a pop culture clothing brand for the fashion forward and casual fans alike.

John Bridges

John Bridges is Lead Concept Artist at Titan Forge/Hi-Rez Studios. He leads a team of staff and outsource artists to create character concepts and splash art for SMITE, the Battlefield of the Gods. He got his start doing freelance illustration for TTRPGs, and has been drawing gods and monsters ever since. HIs past game credits include Lichdom: Battlemage at Xaviant, the World of Darkness MMO for CCP Games, and art direction for the Fading Suns universe at Holistic Design. As a freelancer, he has provided art for Marvel Comics, White Wolf Game Studio, Wizards of the Coast and other game and advertising industry clients. He has a long standing love of myth and fantasy, and served on the leadership team of the Mythic Imagination Institute in Atlanta, GA, a non-profit devoted to encouraging wisdom and imagination through the understanding of myth and metaphor in modern culture.

Jeff Yu

Jeff Yu is involved with projects including VR development, live-action shows on popular streaming platforms such as Netflix and Discovery+, video games, real-time animated cartoon series, board games, and graphic novels. In 2023, Jeff received a Telly Award as an Executive Producer on the short film JOYRIDERS. In addition to his artistic pursuits, Jeff actively fosters the growth of the animation community as the Business Director of ASIFA-South, an Atlanta-based nonprofit volunteer Animation Society, S3 reviewer for ACM Siggraph, and volunteer/speaker with the Georgia Game Developer’s Association.

1:30 PM Team Audio Presents: Success in Game Audio, VO, and Music

Every year the best games raise the bar on what makes for good audio. Join our panel of award-winning game composers, audio directors and sound designers to learn what is required now to create great game audio ... and what will be required in the future! 

Chris Rickwood - Composer / Music Director - Team Audio

Chris Rickwood is a versatile and dynamic composer, with a flair for creating musical scores that capture the essence of video game worlds. With a career spanning over two decades, Rickwood has honed his craft to create immersive soundscapes that are as diverse as they are memorable. Having composed music for a wide range of titles, from the epic battles of Smite, Paladins, and Tribes: Ascend, to the whimsical landscapes of Brawlhalla, Jetpack Fighter, and Adventure Time Battle Party, Rickwood is no stranger to the challenges of game scoring. His past work also includes Madden NFL 12, Orcs Must Die! series, Ghostbusters: The Videogame, and Age of Empires Online, to name just a few. Chris is passionate about sharing his knowledge and expertise with aspiring composers and regularly lectures at prestigious institutions like Game Developers Conference, Savannah College of Art and Design, University of Georgia, Kennesaw State University, Clemson University, Art Institute of Atlanta, SAE Atlanta, DreamHack, and SIEGE. Rickwood has contributed his expertise to the game audio community as a founding member of the Game Developers Association in Georgia and by serving on the Advisory Board for the Game Audio Network Guild and the Board of Governors for the National Association of Recording Arts and Sciences. 

Kat Wenske -Audio Director, Sound Designer, and Executive Producer - Team Audio

Kat believes in the power of storytelling and people-centered leadership. From indie games to AAA titles, she enjoys the unique insights and challenges of game development and has worked on games such as Age of Empires Online, Darksiders 3, Pentiment, Wizard101, and Towerborne. Beyond her professional work, Kat is a mentor and advocate for emerging talent in the game industry. She enjoys sharing her stories, insight, and experience alongside organizations such as Girls Make Games, Latinitas, Girls Empowerment Network, and FilExcellence, and has been a panelist and lecturer at The University of Texas at Austin, California State University Dominguez Hills, DreamHack, SXSW, and PAX.

Kyle Vande Slunt - Senior Sound Designer / Sound Supervisor - Team Audio

Kyle Vande Slunt has been designing sound for games, linear media, and interactive art since 2005. In the last decade he’s had the privilege of working on titles like Saints Row: The Third, Saints Row IV, and League of Legends by Riot Games. He has also designed sound and music for many short films animated and directed by beeple. In 2008, Kyle was awarded the Mary J. Nohl fellowship for emerging artists for Interactive Media and Sound Design. In 2013, Kyle started his Sound Design a Day project on Soundcloud under his pseudonym standingwave where a new sound, recording, or music piece is designed from scratch and uploaded every day for free download. He now serves as Audio Director for the social robotics company Jibo under robotics pioneer Dr Cynthia Breazeal. 

Laura Taylor - Sound Designer / Composer - Sound by Laura LLC

Laura Taylor is an Atlanta-based audio engineer, sound designer, VO artist, and composer with more than 30 years of experience in audio for video games, radio/TV/web commercials, short films, broadcasting, and podcasting. She has created sound design and music for more than 190 slot machine games, as well as SFX for 343 Industries' Halo: Infinite. She was a supervising sound editor & re-recording mixer for the award-winning PBS American Masters series Unladylike2020, and an ADR recordist for the Apple+ series The Afterparty. Current projects include slot games for Aurify Gaming and Makro Gaming. See and hear her work at www.SoundbyLaura.com.

2:00 PM SIEGE Presents: Game Art Workshop

In this hands-on session, DTM will show you how to create animation and game art from a sketch to finished illustration with the most popular apps available for professional artists. Wherever direction an artist takes, the tools are all fundamentally the same and understanding how they work is the purpose of this demo class. Bring your Laptop or drawing tablet and try the drawing apps and exercises. We will explore the various Adobe Apps including Fresco, Photoshop and Illustrator. Plus we will set aside time to go over the extensive list of apps available on desktop, android and even iPhone! No experience necessary, all the tools will be within the app. A device/laptop with Adobe Apps installed is required to follow along, but anyone can come watch. This session is for anyone starting their digital art journey creating 2D art for comics, character art and game assets.

Dan Flores

Dan Flores, aka DTM is a multimedia artist with 20 years of experience in drawing, graphic design, concept art, vector illustration and traditional arts. DTM has been published in ImagineFX Magazine, hosted an art competition for Microsoft Ignite Conference, received best Tattoo Shop of Atlanta Award (Creative Loafing 2002), and his traditional art has been featured in over 25 art exhibitions including shows for Honey Jack’s Art Beats and Lyrics, Herradura Tequila, Sharpie, The High Museum of Atlanta and Mercedes Benz Stadium. In the 20 year professional career, DTM's art and illustration has adorned murals in Downtown Atlanta, created art and marketing materials for Coca Cola, Emory University, Georgia Tech, UGA, Farm Burger, The Salvation Army, Newell Brands, Silicon Benders (Sketchable App) and McDonald’s.

SUNDAY, Dec. 17

11:00 AM Arnall Golden Gregory Presents: Copyright and Contract Law for Creators and Game Devs

Worried about protecting yourself and your creations? Join our panel of legal experts to learn how game devs can use contracts can protect "chain of title" to the copyrights embodied in original video games, from source materials to music licensing to trademarks, and how gamers can protect themselves when negotiating team contracts, sponsorship agreements, and publicity rights.

Beth Moore

Beth B. Moore serves as Of Counsel and Co-Chair of Entertainment & Sports at the law firm of Arnall Golden Gregory LLP, specializing in representing artists, investors, and creative entrepreneurs in music, film, tv, gaming, e-sports, theater, literature, and web3 development. She is also a former member of the Georgia House of Representatives, where she advocated for the interests of the arts community and in support of the Georgia Entertainment Industry Investment Act as a pillar of the state's growing creative economy.

Warren Spector

Michelle Davis

Michelle’s practice is focused on the representation of domestic and international clients in transactions involving software development and licensing, digital transformations, complex global technology, and business process outsourcing. Michelle previously served as the primary contract negotiator for the University of Georgia’s technology and software procurement and has developed deep experience in the enterprise-level procurement of software, technology, and services in the public sector. Her experience includes negotiating terms related to learning management solutions, research applications, customer relationship management platforms, and a wide range of cloud technologies. Michelle is also versed in counseling leaders across organizations on cybersecurity, privacy, liability, and compliance with federal and state laws.

Marcus Jackson

Marcus is well-versed in representing corporations, private equity firms, and sellers to structure, negotiate, and close transactions across a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, financial services, consumer products, food and beverage, franchising, healthcare, and technology. He is also a certified privacy professional. Before joining AGG, Marcus practiced at other Atlanta-based and international law firms, where his clientele included a variety of high-profile clients, including award-winning creatives, recording artists, and athletes. Additionally, he has counseled international and individual clients on a range of issues, such as crisis management, business disputes, mergers and acquisitions, corporate formation, and financing.

2:00 PM SIEGE Portfolio Review

The SIEGE Portfolio review has helped countless newcomers to the industry improve their portfolios and get jobs. Get feedback on your game art, audio, design and/or programming portfolios from veteran game devs of the Georgia Game Developers Association.

Register HERE to get you portfolio reviewed.

Contact info@ggda.org to become a portfolio reviewer