iOS Game Design Panel: Telling Stories with Touch

I have this crazy idea that in addition to being the gift no sane person ever returns, the iPad (and I suppose any other well-designed tablet, erm...) is going to change the way we do a lot of things, including how we tell and experience stories.

So this is the topic for the October meetup. With many thanks to Leslie Wolin and Jessica Kahn for offering to host, I've invited four game developers and a TV producer to join us for a panel discussion titled "Telling Stories with Touch". The main topic will be "How do tablets and touch interfaces change the way we tell stories?" including how stories make games more engaging.

Panelists include:

Pete Parisi, FuzzyCube Software (http://www.fuzzycubesoftware.com/). With his partner Jeff Ruediger, Pete has been climbing the charts with iQuarterback and Panda Picnic. Pete has a degree in Fine Arts and has been involved in a stunning number of aspects of game development at Mondo Media, Electronic Arts, Ensemble Studios, Microsoft, Bonfire Studios, and Apple.

Nicole Lazzaro, XEODesign Inc (http://www.xeodesign.com). I think Nicole is the leading authority on emotion in games and Google agrees (type "emotion in games" for her report on the subject). She's also a game developer and is currently working on Tilt (http://www.tiltworld.com/), an iOS game with an interesting ecological theme. Nicole's teaser: "I'd like to present three secrets to increase engagement by using novel interactions to change the world."

Iman Mostafavi, Limbic Software (http://www.limbic.com). A Palo Alto company, Limbic's games include Zombie Gunship, Nuts!, and TowerMadness. Iman cofounded Limbic, which is named for the brain structures "which support a variety of functions including emotion, behavior, long term memory, and olfaction." Olfaction?

Brian Leckey, The Content Canning Company (http://www.contentcanning.com). Having started his career at the BBC Brian has directed a wide variety of 'factual entertainment' shows including Mythbusters, Junkyard Wars, Digging for the Truth, Weapon Masters, and Extreme Machines. Brian recently produced an hour-long documentary about a team's quest for the motorcycle land speed record, Ack Attack: The Fastest Bike in the World (http://www.contentcanning.com/Content_Canning/On_Air.html). I asked Brian to join us to give us some insight into how the pros tell stories.

Tim Fitz-Randolph, Disney Mobile (http://dimgjobs.disney.go.com/). Tim is the mastermind and lead developer of Disney's new hit game, Where's My Water? (http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/wheres-my-water/id449735650?mt=8)

Oh wow, I almost forgot, one more thing: Alvin Lau has offered to give away an iPad2 (http://www.apple.com/ipad/) as a door prize. You'll have to come to the meetup to find out why.