News
Time Warner Cable will show its support for the Carolinas largest video gaming event by becoming both the hospitality room sponsor and the official Internet provider of the Carolina Games Summit.
The 5th Annual Event will be held Saturday, February 6th from 10am until 9pm. This year’s event will feature 18 video game tournaments, 4 trading card game tournaments, a costume contest, industry speakers, live video game bands, and exhibitors from across the country.
"Time Warner Cable has supported our event for many years. With its reliable, super-fast speeds and commitment to the communities it serves, we are happy to have Time Warner Cable back for our 5th anniversary event,” states Michael Everett, Creative Director of the Carolina Games Summit. Attendees can purchase tickets at the door but because of the large estimated turnout, it is recommended you pre-register online. More than 1,500 gamers will converge on Wayne Community College in Goldsboro, NC for the summit.
RUaGamer, the East Coast’s Largest LAN gaming center, will be attending the 5th Annual Carolina Games Summit Sponsored by the Escapist Magazine on February 6th from 10am until 9pm. Attendees will be able to visit representatives from RUaGamer at their exhibition booth and get questions answered throughout the day. A small sample of the gaming stations in use at RUaGamer will be on display for attendees to test out as well.
In addition, RUaGamer will be operating the Rockband 2 tournament event. “Attendees will be competing on the same dedicated, high-end equipment we use at RUaGamer”, said Jeff Torello, RUaGamer President. Gamers will be able to experience the ION Drum Rocker drum set as well as premium guitars from Logitech, all while competing for top honors as the Rockband 2 champions. Bands interested in participating can register online now for just $10 per member at CarolinaGamesSummit.com. This will ensure their spot in any of the 19 official video game tournaments held at the event. Winners receive custom plaques, medals, and recognition from hundreds of fellow gamers during the awards ceremony at the end of the event.
What really makes the Carolina Games Summit unique is the speakers from game developers such as EA Sports and RedStorm Entertainment along with representatives from local colleges and schools who feature game design programs. Tracy Schmeltzer the Carolina Games Summit's Producer notes "Visitors can experience presentations from industry visionaries, plan for a future in the game development field, and enjoy fiercely competitive tournaments all at one event."
About RUaGamer
Cary, NC-based RUaGamer is the premier interactive social destination for gamers of all ages. Operating the largest state-of-the-art, high-end videogaming facility on the East Coast (over 55+ stations), RUaGamer gives friends, families, and serious gamers a fun and exciting place to meet and play the hottest Wii, Xbox 360, and PC games together in a welcoming social atmosphere with soft drinks, snacks, and other amenities. Get UR game on today at www.ruagamer.com
The PMS Clan will be invading Goldsboro, NC to attend the 5th Annual Carolina Games Summit Sponsored by the Escapist Magazine on February 6th from 10am until 9pm. Attendees will be able to visit representatives from PMS at their exhibition booth and get questions answered throughout the entire day. In addition PMS will be holding a dedicated session on the clan's history and current initiatives. Ashton Williams is responsible for over 40 members in the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 division and will be leading the session. "Becoming an active member of the competitive gaming community is one of our many initiatives," states Ashton, "joining the Carolina Games Summit will allow us to spread the values of the PMS clan to our core audience."
In addition PMS Clan is organizing a Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 tournament, while their brother clan, H20 runs a Left 4 Dead 2 tournament. Both events will be 4v4 team tournaments with every player enjoying a dedicated XBox 360 gaming station and Vibras 5.1 channel headset. Teams interested in participating can register online now for just $10 at carolinagamessummit.com. This will ensure their spot in any of the 19 official video game tournaments held at the event. Winners receive custom plaques, medals, and recognition from hundreds of fellow gamers during the awards ceremony at the end of the event.
What really makes the Carolina Games Summit unique is the speakers from game developers such as EA Sports and RedStorm Entertainment along with representatives from local colleges and schools who feature game design programs. Tracy Schmeltzer the Carolina Games Summit's Producer notes "Visitors can experience presentations from industry visionaries, plan for a future in the game development field, and enjoy fiercely competitive tournaments all at one event."
About PMS Clan
PMS Clan (formerly Psychotic Man Slayerz, now Pandora’s Mighty Soldiers) was born from the camaraderie of finding other girl gamers in a male dominated online gaming community. Because of the original sparseness of women in the online gaming community, and the amount of harassment female gamers are submitted to, the PMS Clan was founded to provide a competitive, fun and positive environment for female gamers. Since it's inception in 2002, PMS has become one of the most recognized female oriented Clans in the world. Members from all walks of life are integrated into one community, sharing one passion – gaming. Additional information can be found on the official web site: www.PMSClan.com
Beginning today, in anticipation of the 5th Annual Carolina Games Summit on Feb 6th, The Escapist, media partner and platinum sponsor of the event, is hosting an online scavenger hunt with five prize packages from Dust-Off, VIBRAS Five.One, Hampton Inn, PNY, and mygamepax.com, totaling over $3,000.
The grand prize packs include one night in the official hotel, Hampton Inn. All five prize packs include tickets to the Carolina Games Summit and a selection of items from the official cleaning product provider Dust-Off, an official video card from PNY and an official 5.1 channel audio headset from VIBRAS Five.One. In addition mygamepax.com will customize one of their products for each of the winners.
Details on the individual prizes can be seen on The Escapist scavenger hunt landing page: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/contests/register/CGShunt. Participants in the hunt will explore CarolinaGamesSummit.com to find details on what really makes the Carolina Games Summit unique. The event features video game tournaments, live bands, speakers from game developers such as EA and RedStorm, along with representatives from local colleges and schools who feature game design programs. Tracy Schmeltzer the Carolina Games Summit's Producer notes, "Visitors can experience presentations from industry visionaries, plan for a future in the game development field, and enjoy fiercely competitive tournaments all at one event."
Participants must be 18 years or older, sign up and enter on www.escapistmagazine.com, and be residents of the continental United States. Winners will be selected at random on Monday, February 1st and receive one of two grand prize packs or three alternative prize packs. Carolina Games Summit will be held Saturday February 6th 2010 10AM – 9PM at Wayne Community College in Goldsboro, NC and tickets can be purchased online at carolinagamessummit.com
About Carolina Games Summit
Carolina Games Summit will be held Saturday February 6th 2010 10AM – 9PM at Wayne Community College in Goldsboro, NC. This hybrid event will once again deliver industry speakers, video game tournaments, concerts, exhibition booths, cos-play, educational sessions, and trading card games. Compete against gamers from all over the country in a variety of popular tournaments. Enjoy all your favorite platforms including arcade, computer, and console games with both tournament and free play options available. Additional information can be found on the official web site: www.CarolinaGamesSummit.com
About The Escapist
Founded in 2005, The Escapist (www.escapistmagazine.com) is a leading video gaming destination offering video game enthusiasts high-quality, innovative and exclusive content. The mouthpiece of the gaming generation, The Escapist aims to capture and celebrate the contemporary video gaming lifestyle and the diverse video game culture by way of in-depth features and thought provoking articles authored by leading video game authorities, as well as cutting-edge video shorts, engaging forums and robust and innovative social media elements tailored to its audience. Honored with both a Webby Award two years in a row in 2008 and 2009, and Webby People's Voice Award in 2008, The Escapist is responsible for the web's most viewed video game review series, Zero Punctuation, in addition to introducing the first-of-its-kind Internet Film Festival for Gamers and the March Mayhem game developer competition. The Escapist is part of Themis Group, Inc.'s online media arm Themis Media, and currently generates over 34 million page views each month.
About Dust Off
About Game Pax
About Hampton Inn
About PNY Technologies, Inc.
Cases2Go is pleased to announce that they have been selected as the exclusive transit case and storage partner for the Carolina Games Summit. Cases2Go will be in attendance at the 5th annual Carolina Games Summit on February 6, 2010 proudly displaying one of the custom cases it recently produced for the event.
With over a quarter century of packaging experience, Cases2Go was able to craft the optimal transit and storage solution for equipment used to produce the Carolina Games Summit. Michael Everett, Creative Director for the Summit states “We, like many others in the gaming community, have made considerable investments in equipment. Protecting that investment is paramount and the engineers at Cases2Go provided the perfect affordable solution for us.”
These ruggedized cases are formed from sturdy and lightweight plastic and offer more than simple storage. With wheels and a retractable handle, the cases allow the active gamer to bring his/her entire repertories on the road in a single container. With hundreds of exterior shells to choose from and an engineer to assist with the design of a custom foam interior, the possible configurations are unlimited. The resulting custom case offers extreme protection for your investment, even in the harshest environments.
About Cases2Go
Cases2Go offers a complete selection of carrying, transit and rackmount cases that can be configured to meet the specific requirements of our customers’. Foam interiors can be custom engineered to protect even the most sensitive electronic equipment: Laptop & PC Hardware, Plasma & LCD Monitors, Audio/Visual Components, Gaming Consoles & Accessories. GSA pricing is available to all qualified government and military buyers. With over two decades military packaging and contracting experience, Cases2Go can offer its customers the highest levels of support and service. Please contact one of our knowledgeable Sales Consultants at sales@cases2go.com or call 1-800-636-1690 today so we can recommend a solution that will protect your equipment in style. For additional information, please visit us at www.cases2go.com.
Founded in 2005, The Escapist is a leading video gaming destination offering video game enthusiasts high-quality, innovative and exclusive content. The mouthpiece of the gaming generation, The Escapist aims to capture and celebrate the contemporary video gaming lifestyle and the diverse video game culture by way of in-depth features and thought provoking articles authored by leading video game authorities, as well as cutting-edge video shorts, engaging forums and robust and innovative social media elements tailored to its audience. The Escapist is part of Themis Group, Inc.'s online media arm Themis Media, and currently generates over 28 million page views each month. Additional information can be found on the official web site at www.escapistmagazine.com
The contest is being produced by one of last years most popular exhibitors, Penny Dreadful Productions. Penny Dreadful Productions is a group of professional artists from the Metro-Atlanta area who collaborate to “bring your imagination to life”. Penny Dreadful Productions will also be available to speak to attendees at their exhibition booth during the event.
More information about the contest can be found here and don't forget to purchase your tickets early.
http://www.getdreadful.com/
The fourth annual Carolina Games Summit wrapped up at 9 pm Saturday, Feb 7, with a full crowd experiencing the closing cinematic of the awards ceremony while Entertainment System played a classic gaming score from Castlevania 2. The band's lead guitarist Chris Baines stated, "We have performed at over thirty events and this is one of the most organized we have seen, with attendees representing a friendly and engaged gaming community."
Over 1400 attendees, special guests, and exhibitors made up the largest gaming event in the Carolinas. For twelve hours Wayne Community College in Goldsboro, NC, was transformed into a mecca for the video game community. A bus left early Saturday morning from Virginia Beach, VA, full of excited ITT Technical Institute students, while professional MLG gamers and members of the PMS and H2O clans flew in from across the country a day before the event.
These two groups represent a unique formula that makes the Carolina Games Summit different than other video game-related events. Visitors to the event can experience presentations from industry visionaries, interact with exhibitors, and plan for their future in the game development career field, or they can dedicate their day to one of eighteen fiercely competitive tournaments.
Michael Everett, creative director of the event, reported that "831 attendees registered for at least one tournament, reflecting about 60 percent of our attendees. This tells us that at least 40 percent of our audience is here to enjoy speakers, exhibitors, and bands while expanding their knowledge of North Carolina's game development industry." Tracy Schmeltzer, the event's producer, added that "It is important to note that while both groups were well represented this year, there are many people who overlap these two groups and get the full benefit from attending a hybrid event like ours."
Highlights of the day included keynote speeches by both Insomniac Games and Media Sunshine. In addition, Len Annetta from NCSU spoke on the benefits of educational games and the various serious game projects his team is working on. Kris Dell of Applied Software, along with Roy Kimmins and Phyllis Jones, both game development teachers in the Guildford County School system, spoke on North Carolina's latest efforts to expand a game development curriculum into the public school system and the tools needed to achieve this goal.
Chad Dezern of Insomniac Games commented on the Summit, "It is a great way to meet people who are playing games, and people who are really involved in game development, and it's a great way for everyone who has an interest in games in North Carolina to meet under one roof."
Robert Rice, CEO of Neogence Enterprises, spoke on the future of mobile games, augmented reality, and massively multiplayer online role playing games. Kwame Hawkins, from the School of Communication Arts, gave attendees an introduction to lighting effects in computer-generated environments. Hands-on sessions allowed attendees to learn perspective sketching from North Carolina State University School of Design professor Timothy Buie or to explore costume and prop design from movie industry veterans, Penny Dreadful Productions.
Inside a packed auditorium the top three winners of each tournament were recognized during the awards ceremony. Wayne Community College Simulation and Game Development Students designed and produced the ceremony complete with custom music videos of each game.
Sponsors of this year's event included, BFG Technology, Chick-fil-A, Cobalt Flux, Coca-Cola, CPU Magazine, DigitalRecruiter.com, FSP, Hampton Inn, Time Warner Cable, Vitamin Water, Wireless Xpress, and this fine video game community.
Tournament results, pictures, and video footage from the event are currently being added to the official web site, www.CarolinaGamesSummit.com and our official profile on GatheringofGamers.com. The date for the next Carolina Games Summit will be Saturday, February 6, 2010. Contact the event organizers, Michael Everett and Tracy Schmeltzer, at (919) 735-5151 or info@carolinagamessummit.com for more information on attending, exhibiting or speaking at future Carolina Games Summit events.
Rob's game credits as a recruitment consultant include Harmonics Rock Band 2. The Digitalrecruiter.com team will serve as tournament directors for the Carolina Games Summits official Rock Band 2 tournament.
Due to issues at our web server cluster and possibly our events popularity, we have experienced several instances of downtime over the past 24-48 hours. Luckily the system engineers at our hosting company have been working around the clock to limit this downtime and fix all the issues.
If our page does not display or you are unable to log in it is likely because of these issues.
On a positive note we have experienced record online registrations and extended the registration period until Thursday Feb 5th at Midnight. You will be able to purchase tickets online until this time. Online tournament registration will continue to be available until the actual tournament starts Saturday morning.
If you are having a hard time figuring out the tournament registration system please visit this forum post about the topic:
http://www.carolinagamessummit.com/forums_topic.php?topicid=2677
About GatheringofGamers.com
Many thanks go to our graphics designer Josh Berens and our programmer Joseph Pender. Together they have created and implemented the new site. Our team hopes you enjoy the new layout and will be able to find what you are looking for quickly and easily.
Josh Berens is a graduate of the Wayne Community College Network Administration program and has been designing graphics for the Carolina Games Summit since 2005.
Joseph Pender is a current student in the Simulation and Game Design program at Wayne Community College. He runs his own web design company and is a self taught game designer. For more info visit his website http://www.producerstudio.net/ He has been contributing to the Carolina Games Summit since 2007.
If you have questions or comments please feel free to post in the forums or fill out the contact form! Check back often as the new site continues to evolve with your feedback.
To access this new feature you simply must upgrade your CarolinaGamesSummit.com account to pre-registered status, by purchasing a $10 ticket. Your account will be instantly upgraded allowing you to visit the existing tournaments page and register for tournaments. For those of you who like things in list form here are the steps once more:
- Create an account on CarolinaGamesSummit.com using your real name, a valid email, etc.
- Purchase a ticket: Ticket Purchasing Link
- Simply use the "Click Here to Register" link on the existing tournaments page: Tournaments Page Link
- If the tournament is a team tournament you will be asked to join an existing team or create a new team.
- You can view your current registration status on the tournaments page listed in step #3.
- You can see all currently registered participants by clicking the tournaments name on the tournaments page listed in step #3
If you want to withdraw from a tournament simply LOGIN and then visit the tournaments page, find the tournament you are signed up for on the list and use the "Click Here to Withdraw" link.
Restrictions: You can sign up for more than one tournament ONLY when those tournaments have the same location aka are in the same room! So if you want to sign up for all 2D Fighters you can. If you want to sign up for Halo FFA and 4v4 you can. If you want to sign up for all 2D and 1 3D fighter, you can not.
Please note that no team can exist without at least one participant. Therefore the last person to leave a team, even if it is not the founder of the team, will cause the team to be automatically deleted. Do not worry however because you can re-create a team and have it deleted an unlimited amount of times.
Please check the system out and let us know what you think. Users can join and leave tournaments an unlimited number of times UNLESS the tournament becomes full and subsequently stops accepting registrations.
To buy tickets you must first create an account on our site. You may buy multiple tickets at a time but only the buyers account will be able to access our tournament registration system. So if want to use our online tournament registration system you must buy your ticket seperately.
Keep visting carolinagamessummit.com for all the latest news and information on our upcoming event.
The Carolina Games Summit will be held 10 a.m.-9 p.m. on Saturday, February 7, 2009 at Wayne Community College in Goldsboro, NC. Tickets are available to the public for $10 each and may be purchased online or at the door. The event includes video game tournaments, industry speakers, live music, educational sessions, and exhibition booths. An exciting mix of fun, academic opportunities and career exploration has been created for students, aspiring game developers, educators and professionals alike.
Attendees may participate in sponsored tournaments and enjoy unlimited free-play on full-size classic arcades as well as the latest consoles and computer gaming systems.
Building on the continued success of past years over 15 tournaments and numerous speakers from a variety of game development firms and educational institutions will be featured. Due to overwhelming interest, organizers have scheduled two keynote speakers for this year's event.
Insomniac Games' North Carolina Studio Director Chad Dezern and Production Director Shaun McCabe will give an in depth look at Insomniac's production philosophy during their keynote. They'll pull examples from their latest blockbuster titles: Ratchet and Clank Future: Quest for Booty and Resistance 2. In addition, they will provide an overview of hiring standards geared toward students interested in joining the game industry.
Media Sunshine's founder and producer Heather Chandler and writer Rafael Chandler will present the lessons they've learned during their combined 22 years in the trenches of the game industry. The husband-and-wife team will wrap up this keynote presentation with a look at their upcoming projects, including the PS3 shooter M.A.G. (Massive Action Game) and the stealth-action title Cipher Complex.
Hands-on training sessions by seasoned game development professionals and college educators will also be returning. The student showcase room will give budding game developers the chance to display their work directly to industry professionals. Rounding out the event, the exhibition hall will be packed with industry and educational representatives.
Visit the official web site, www.CarolinaGamesSummit.com, for a listing of events and additional details. Contact the event organizers, Michael Everett and Tracy Schmeltzer, at (919) 735-5151 or info(at)carolinagamessummit(dot)com for more information on attending, exhibiting or speaking at the Carolina Games Summit.
About Carolina Games Summit:
Carolina Games Summit is an event featuring both video game development sessions and highly competitive tournaments. Every year the organizers create an inviting atmosphere for both consumers and developers of video games. Hosted by Wayne Community College in Goldsboro, NC the event encourages career and educational exploration in an environment the entire family can enjoy. Attendees can discover all the opportunities the video game industry has to offer while interacting with gamers from all across the country. Additional information can be found on the official web site at http://www.carolinagamessummit.com.
About Insomniac Games:
Insomniac Games is a wholly independent console videogames developer that has released award-winning hits for the PlayStation(R) game console, the PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment system and PlayStation(R)3 for 14 years. The company created the first three Spyro the Dragon(TM) games, the Ratchet & Clank(TM) franchise and Resistance: Fall of Man(TM), which combined to sell more than 25 million units worldwide. Insomniac Games recently released Resistance 2, its fourth PS3 exclusive title. In addition to making blockbuster video games, Insomniac is known for ranking among the top four "Best Small Companies to Work for in America" in 2005 and 2006 and among the Top 10 for 2007, according to the Great Places to Work Institute and Society for Human Resources Management. Insomniac Games announced the opening of a North Carolina-based development studio in January 2009. The new studio, which will be located in the Raleigh-Durham area, will focus on developing both current and new intellectual properties. Additional information can be found on the company's web site at http://www.insomniacgames.com.
About Media Sunshine:
Media Sunshine is an independent game development studio that provides contracting and consulting services to publishers and developers, including Psyonix Studios, SouthPeak Games, 1C Company, and Artificial Studios. Heather Chandler, a producer with experience at Activision, Electronic Arts, and Ubisoft, founded the company in 2005. She was joined in 2006 by Rafael Chandler, a writer who has worked on games developed and published by Sony, Sega, and Ubisoft. Media Sunshine has contributed to the development of Monster Madness: Grave Danger, Two Worlds, Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars, Spy Hunter: Nowhere to Run, and Sacred 2: Fallen Angel. Additional information can be found on the company's web site at http://www.mediasunshine.com.
The Carolina Games Summit, formerly known as the Goldsboro Gaming Expo, will be held 10 a.m.-9 p.m. on Saturday, January 26, 2008 at Wayne Community College. Tickets are available to the public for $10 each and may be purchased online or at the door. The event includes industry speakers, video game tournaments, live music, exhibition booths and educational sessions. An exciting mix of fun, academic opportunities and career exploration has been created for students, aspiring game developers, educators and professionals alike.
Last year's summit doubled in size over the inaugural year, attracting over 1,400 participants to compete in 18 tournaments and experience more than 20 speakers from a variety of game development firms and educational institutions. To build on this phenomenal growth, organizers have added bands such as Select Start to recreate theme songs from popular games using classical instruments. In addition, students and budding game developers will have the chance to display their work in the newly created student showcase room.
Hands-on training sessions will also be a first at the next Carolina Games Summit, where seasoned game development professionals and college educators will lead tutorials on how to use game content creation tools including Adobe PhotoShop, Autodesk Maya and leading game engine software. A range of presenters including corporate executives, creative leaders and educators have committed to unveil business strategies, development techniques and more at the event.
Distinguished speakers include:
Alexander Macris, Co-Founder, President, CEO - Themis Group, Durham, NC
Bruce Shankle, Senior Software Development Engineer, DirectX – Microsoft Game Studios, Redmond, WA
David Sipple, President – Music Wizard Group, Longmont, CO
Dana Cowley, Public Relations Manager - Epic Games, Cary, NC
Joel Gonzales, Engineer - 1st Playable Productions, Troy, NY
Attendees may participate in sponsored tournaments and enjoy unlimited free play on full-size classic arcades as well as the latest consoles and computer gaming systems. Outdoor attractions include the U.S. Army Mission Support Battalion’s "Adventure Van," a unique simulation system contained in an 18-wheel tractor-trailer, and the Panasonic Living in HD flagship truck, which includes the world’s largest plasma TV, all 103” of it.Visit the official web site, www.CarolinaGamesSummit.com, for a listing of events and additional details. Contact the event organizers, Phi Beta Lambda club advisors Michael Everett and Tracy Schmeltzer, at (919) 735-5151 or info@carolinagamessummit.com for more information on attending, exhibiting or speaking at the Carolina Games Summit.
Wayne Community College Phi Beta Lambda is a chapter in the college division of FBLA-PBL Inc. and is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization. The mission of FBLA-PBL Inc. is to bring business and education together in a positive working relationship through innovative leadership and career development programs.
Wayne Community College, located in Goldsboro, is a public, two-year college serving more than 14,000 individuals annually as well as business and industry, and other groups in its service area with quality, economical, convenient learning opportunities.
Mr. Sipple is president of the Music Wizard Group. David has 20 years experience in the software and TV industries, in sales, marketing and executive management roles. Mr. Sipple joined the Music Wizard Group in 2004, helping it grow from a development company into revenue and operations. His unique insights and approaches have consistently led to increased sales and ROI's with previous employers, the Home Shopping Network, Quarterdeck Software and SAS. A diverse and experienced business leader, he also owns his own consulting firm Poseidon Dynamics. David has a BS in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Wyoming and an MBA from the University of South Florida. His interests include reading, swimming and music.
About Music Wizard Group:
Music Wizard Group is the leader in music videogame software that teaches anyone how to play real musical instruments. Music Wizard provides a simple and non-violent, gaming solution that "cracks the musical code" of reading notation and delivers on the promise of real musicianship for everyone. Music Wizard Group seeks to improve the quality of life by empowering more people with the gift of playing music and by promoting music as something to be shared and enjoyed together.
Music Wizard welcomes everyone to experience the joy, self-expression and liberation naturally gained through a relationship with playing music. Backed by award-winning software, university produced Music Wizard Academy tutorials for parents and teachers, a proven song-based curriculum and a never-ending supply of musical content, the means is now available to unlock and ignite the creative musical genius inherent in all.
Music Wizard Group believes that the language of music is a birthright, something that anyone can learn and enjoy at any age, regardless of experience. The company's core mission is to help bring about universal music literacy.
For more information visit: http://www.musicwizard.com/
Check out more information about David and our other speakers under our Speakers section.
