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daily reports

Early arrivals reception, 03-11-2003

The conference has not officially started yet, but tonight the early arrivals had the opportunity to register and receive their badge and the green 'Level Up' bag full of information. The actual conference will start tomorrow at 9 am, but tonight all the visitors and speakers had the chance to get to know each other while enjoying a beer and a sandwich.

The organisation immediately got good comments, the food was good, the hotel was ok and everybody is looking forward to the actual conference. The atmosphere was relaxed and everyone was seemingly enjoying them selves. Despite the fact that the reception wasn't the official opening, we noticed the speakers really wanted to get started.

We spoke with a couple of speakers who all said that the conference was bigger than they expected. We thought they would be more nervous because of this. But professor Frans Mayra, PhD from the University of Tampere, said he wasn't very nervous at all, he was exited. He said it's great to talk about something that interests you. And of course there will be people listening who are interested in his work. He'd like to attend all lectures of the speakers but there are just to many to see them all. Everybody really wanted to see the keynote speakers and the speakers who connected the most with their own work.

Of course, we as Level Up web reporters will visit as many speakers as we can to keep you informed about everything. We therefore advise everyone to keep visiting the daily reports! Not just the speakers but also the visitors, because their comments will also be noted. So all of you who want to know everything about the conference, visit us again tomorrow, because that's when we will report all the new facts of the first day of Level Up.

Day one, 04-11-03

Various reactions by the audience indicated that the first day of level up was a great success. The first day officially started for everyone, after they registered themselves at the counter. And after registering, it was of to see the first speaker in the Theatron. But the first speaker was not to arrive not before Marinka Copier and Frans MŠyrŠ had officially opened the conference. And after this short but warm welcome, its was really going to begin. This was very exiting moment for all of us, not only for the speakers but also for the audience and of course for the whole Level Up organisation.

Eric Zimmerman and Katie Salen were the first to speak at the conference. They immediately had the public on their hand. Because of their interaction with the public, their lecture was not only educative but also a pleasure to listen to. At the end of their lecture, they introduced a new game witch can be played during the whole conference. In this game every player (that's everyone present at the conference) has a card with a word. The goal of the game is to make your opponent say the word on your card without him or her knowing it. This way you have to give him or her your card, and at the end of the conference the player who get rid of his or her cards has won the game. As you can imagine the audience was very enthusiastic and we can say Zimmerman and Salen's lecture was a great experience, not only because of the game but the entire lecture was great. But then again, so were all the lectures we attended. 

It seemed everybody was talking about his or her paper with great pleasure and knowledge. Of course talking about something that interests you should be a pleasure, but that was not the only reason. The atmosphere was like yesterday evening, very relaxed. The speakers are having fun, as well as the audience. One person who was visiting the conference shared the following with us: "It's just fun to be here and I'm enjoying myself very much, I'm enjoying everything Level Up has organized for us." This is just an example of the many positive reactions we received.

Another great thing is going on right now. I'm in the editing room writing this report, and behind me Eric Zimmerman is having an online discussion with Brian Sutton Smith in Sarasota Florida. Thanks to the technicians behind the videoconference today it's possible to have a discussion even when you're miles apart. Right now it's already dinnertime, but the Theatron is still full with people. Well, we don't know about you but we are looking forward to seeing you tomorrow at day two! Because if it's going to be as much fun and educative as today, We are sure it will be a success too.

day two, 05-11-03

After a good night sleep we started of with Janet Murray and her lecture about 'What are games made of'. As yesterday, the Theatron was full, full with visitors who wanted to hear all about this subject. After her lecture we asked her what she thought of Level Up. She was very enthusiastic. "It's quite important to have something like this. I often give lectures through videoconference, but because this is such a big thing I wanted to be here." And that's what we heard from a lot of speakers. Because the game research is a relatively new research area, and it's not yet getting the attention it deserves, it's important to stimulate and contribute to a happening as Level Up. And a happening it was, except the speakers there were a lot of other interesting things to visit. For example the various game consoles that were presented. All the new games were shown, and visitors had the chance to play them.

Nokia even had a Hummer (big military car) to attract the attention from the public. It was possible to take a ride with it, and so we did. Inside the car, it was possible to play a game on Nokia's N-gage. A great way to promote your product...

But the game consoles were not the only attraction. On this second day of Level Up the posters made by the Utrecht University students were presented. And directly after this, the student presentations were planned. Here the nerves were clearly present. They felt a bit small between all the big speakers from all over the world, but despite the nerves, they handled it well.

GameFest

As you probably know, day two was also the day of the Level Up Gamefest. We saw a lot of the speakers go totally wild on this party. Here you can see how your work can also be your pleasure. The party started at 21.00, but it really got busy around 23.00. All these people came to dance, drink and play games, because even in Tivoli, the presence of Level Up couldn't be denied. There were games everywhere, the painstation, a game designed by the HKU, X-box, Nintendo and many more. The party people were given the opportunity to play games and dance at the same time. Of course there was a smashing DJ and a creative VJ to bring the gamefest to the highest level. At 1.30 people started to leave, because it would be an early morning, because there still was day three of the Level Up conference.

day three, 06-11-03

After yesterday night, a few of you were spotted with pretty tired faces. But we all had to get up early to be in time for the first lectures this morning. The keynote speaker was in contrary to the past two days not the first to begin. Jesper Juul, the keynote speaker today, was the last to speak. At this lecture the Theatron was full again, as some of you might have seen on the Internet while we were live streaming. Jesper Juul asked the question; Why is there an affinity between computers and games?  After his lecture it was time to officially close the conference. Marinka Copier, Joost Raessens and Frans MŠyrŠ thanked their sponsors, the speakers, the visitors, DIGRA and many more because without all these people it wouldn't be possible to have a conference like Level Up. To end the third day the conference dinner was planned. At the restaurant Ottone, all the speakers and the DIGRA assembly enjoyed a lovely meal.  It went so quick, the three days with all those speakers have already finished and still we have so much to talk about. But not to worry, there is still one day left. Tomorrow you'll read all about the last day of Level Up.

Dinner at Ottone,  06-11-03

webreporters: Stephanie & Floris editor: Keimpe

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