Creative Seminars

Each year The Gathering invites talented individuals to host seminars and share some of their secrets. The seminars are excellent if you want to get started with a new creative way of using your computer, or if you are already in the scene and want to learn some new tricks. After the seminars, you can stay in the Creative Lounge to get additional follow-up from the Mentors, and finally we encourage you to present your work in this year's Competitions.

Guest lectures

Campus Informatica - a 3D web solution

When: Thursday 14:00-14:30
Where: Creative Lounge
By: Morten Daehlen

Institute for informatics at Oslo University presents the first official version of the institute. Visit Campus Informatica and get an impression of the education at Institute for informatics. You will also get some entertainment!

Simulerations, chaos and sex - a miniseminar about how simulations can be used to understand the world

When: Friday 14:00-14:30
Where: Creative Lounge
By: Roger Antonsen og Jan Dyre Bjerknes

In this miniseminar we look at how local rules creates global phenomenons and how something that in one hand is simple can be uncomprehensible by the means of simulation. We will talk about spreading of virus, the famous intercoursegraph, pack dynamics, how nature creates beautiful patterns and how local chaos can give rise to global order. Come and get a taste of visual and surprising research!

Programming

Programming 101

When: Wednesday 20:00 - 21:30
Where: Creative Lounge
By: Anders Bondehagen aka pingo
Level: Beginner
Tools used:
  • JavaScript in a web browser
  • fScript

Are you eager to create games, demos or useful utilities for PC and the web? Why not use this easter to learn programming in an inspiring environment?

In this seminar, Anders Bondehagen will give you a flying start with the basics of programming JavaScript. The principles you will learn in JavaScript applies to most other programming languages as well, so this is a very good place to start no matter what kind of applications you want to create later.

Get your hands dirty with variables, if-tests, loops and functions - the very essence of any computer program. The mentors in the Creative Lounge will be happy to help you through the entire party so that you can learn enough to enter one of this year's competitions.

Make sure you use your time to practice what you've learned here, and continue in the 3D Graphics programming seminar on Thursday!

3D programming for beginners

When: Thursday 18:00 - 19:30
Where: Creative Lounge (starts at the main stage)
By: Anders Lassen aka Duckers^Outracks
Level: Beginner
Tools used:
  • fScript / JavaScript
  • 3DS MAX
  • Photoshop

Do you know the basics of programming, but want to take the step into 3D graphics to be able to create demos and games? This seminar teaches you the basics of 3D graphics using a very beginner friendly programming environment called fScript. fScript is based on JavaScript and enables you to create demos and games with very little experience and get quick results. What you learn here can later be applied if moving to other languages and APIs like OpenGL/Direct3D.

Put your programming knowledge to use with 3D objects, cameras, textures and lighting. With some work and effort you can learn enough to create your first entry in the Demo, Fast Intro or Game Development Compo already this year!

For absolute programming beginners, it is recommended to visit the Programming 101 seminar on Wednesday first.

Shader programming

When: Friday 18:15 - 19:45
Where: Creative Lounge (starts at main stage)
By: Petri Wilhelmsen aka Digitalerr0r^Dark Codex Crew
Level: Advanced
Tools used:
  • C++
  • DirectX / HLSL

Petri of the demogroup Dark Codex Crew teaches you some neat ninja tricks you can do with your GPU. Learn how to achieve incredible looking effects and unlock new possibilities in real time using shaders. Suitable for coders with some experience with graphics programming.

 

Music in 4 kilobytes

When: Friday 15:30 - 16:30
Where: Creative Lounge
Av: Jake Taylor aka Ferris^Youth Uprising
Level: Advanced
Tools used:
  • C++
  • Assembler

The young democene rockstar Jake Taylor (aka Ferris of Youth Uprising) is flying in from the USA to experience TG and to host this exciting studio session. He'll reveal some of the black magic tricks used to squeeze 3 minutes of high quality graphics AND music into their 4096 bytes intro that won Assembly 2009. In particular he will talk about his 4k synthesizer system that made it possible to generate a full blown soundtrack from just a few hundred bytes.

The studio session contains a 45 minute presentation followed by a Q/A-session. You'll probably also get see a few 4k intros on the big screen. Make sure you catch the "Legendary Intros"-show on the main stage earlier Thursday evening!

This would definitely be a good place to pick up some tricks for the 4k/64k intro compo. But be warned that you risk severe asskicking on the big screen this year from our young american friends :).

Graphics

Photoshop speedpaint session

When: Thursday 14:30 - 16:00
Where: Creative Lounge
By: Wictoria Nordgård aka wic
Level: Beginner
Tools used:
  • Photoshop
  • Wacom

Last year's Freestyle Graphics winner Wictoria Nordgård will draw a themed speed paint picture from scratch on the big screen in the Creative Lounge. This is a good chance to learn new painting techniques or just be inspired by Wictoria's madskills with the Wacom.

Wictoria will explain the techniques she uses and considerations she makes during a speed paint. You are also free to ask questions along the way. We suggest you use this unique possibility!

During and after the speed paint session, there will be graphics mentors in the Creative Lounge that can help you at your own level. Feel free to bring a laptop or book one of the free computers in the lounge at the help desk.

3D modelling studio session

When: Friday 13:00 - 14:00
Where: Creative Lounge
By: Mathias Leangen aka cyasuey
Level: Intermediate
Tools used:
  • Maya

Last year Mathias gave us a sneak peek of the early working stages of the game characters he is working on for the game called Evil Junior. Now he's back with a very exciting lineup of finished characters. Rumors have it a gameplay demo of the game is in the making for this year's Game Development Compo.

In this seminar, Mathias will teach you some basic modelling and show his workflow for creating game characters. Mathias is also a graphics mentor, and will be available to answer your questions in the creative lounge throughout the party.

Some basic knowledge of Maya or 3D modelling in other software packages is recommended.

Music

Studio session 1 with Flipside and Kaktusen
Basic music production

When: Thursday 16:15 - 17:30
Where: Creative Lounge
By: Alex Odden aka Flipside & Magnus Sørlie aka Kaktusen
Level: Beginner
Tools used:
  • Various

Long time demoscene musicians Flipside and Kaktusen will host studio sessions where they show you how to use music produciton software and tools to create your own music.

This first studio session is targeted at beginners with little experience in music produciton.

The main topic is basic use of synthesizers, samplers and sequencers. Feel free to ask questions if you want to know more about something in particular.

Studio session 2 with Flipside and Kaktusen
(TBA)

When: Friday 16:30 - 17:30
Where: Creative Lounge
By: Alex Odden aka Flipside & Magnus Sørlie aka Kaktusen
Level: Advanced
Tools used:
  • Various

Long time demoscene musicians Flipside and Kaktusen will host studio sessions where they show you how to use music produciton software and tools to create your own music.

This studio session covers some more advanced topics and effects and is recommended for people with some basic experience in music production.

Theme for the session is not yet decided - coming soon!