Harmonix putting on a show at PAX East panels

by: Dan - posted: 2/18/2011 3:15:00 PM

Anyone heading to PAX East that loves Harmonix and finds panels intriguing will be in for a good time. Harmonix will be well represented in multiple panels during the show including their own “A Reverse Q&A with the Harmonix Community Team“. Below is a list of times, dates, locations and which Harmonix staffer will be on hand. Check after the jump for a full description of the panel and the entire lineup of panelists.

How Your Favorite Game Companies Use Facebook
Manticore Theatre
Friday, 8:00pm - 9:00pm
John Drake [Manager of Communications and Special Projects, Harmonix]

A Reverse Q&A with the Harmonix Community Team
Manticore Theatre
Saturday, 11:00am - 12:00pm
Aaron Trites [Community Manager Manager, Harmonix Music], Allison Thresher [Junior Choreo Designer, Harmonix Music], Eric Pope [Community Manager, Harmonix Music], John Veneron [Associate Producer, Harmonix Music], Jason Brau [Community Moderator, Harmonix Community Member]

The Roads to Becoming a Community Manager (East Coast Version!)
Wyvern Theatre
Saturday, 4:30pm - 5:30pm
Alli Thresher [Community Moderator, Harmonix Music Systems, Inc]

The "Other" Us: If We're All Gamers, Does Our Gender Matter?
Naga Theatre
Saturday, 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Alli Thresher [Community Moderator, Harmonix Music Systems, Inc], Eric Pope [Community Moderator, Harmonix]

Game Marketing & Community Management Roundtable
IGDA Dev Center
Sunday, 11:00am - 11:45 am
Allison Thresher [Junior Choreo Designer, Harmonix]

When I Grow Up: It's Never Too Late to Try Something Crazy
Wyvern Theatre
Sunday, 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Sean Baptiste [Harmonix]

We Like to Move It Move It! (An Animated Discussion)
Naga Theatre
Sunday, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Calvin Barreto [Animator, Harmonix Music Systems]

How Your Favorite Game Companies Use Facebook
Manticore Theatre
Friday, 8:00pm - 9:00pm

Like this. Like that. Facebook has taken the world by storm and has become a crucial platform for community managers and companies to help keep in touch with and grow their online communities. With the constant evolution of social media and Facebook in particular, you may not know some of the cool things happening on your favorite game studio's Facebook page. Join Collin Moore (Community Management Vet) as he moderates a discussion with community managers from across the game industry (Insomniac Games, Playfish/EA, Harmonix, and Robot Entertainment), about the importance of Facebook to game companies, and how pressing the "LIKE" button is just the beginning.

Panelists include: Collin Moore [Game Industry Vet], Sam Houston [Online Content Manager, Playfish - EA], John Drake [Manager of Communications and Special Projects, Harmonix], James Stevenson [Senior Community Manager, Insomniac Games], Justin Korthof [Community Manager, Robot Entertainment]



A Reverse Q&A with the Harmonix Community Team
Manticore Theatre
Saturday, 11:00am - 12:00pm

The Harmonix Community Team spends a good part of their day answering questions about Rock Band and Dance Central on forums, in emails and on camera... but what happens when the tables are turned and they're given free reign to question a captive audience in a PAX panel? Part focus group and part interrogation, this panel turns the traditional notion of a Q&A on its head, giving community members the opportunity to answer questions submitted by developers. You may be wonder: "What kind of questions will be asked?" and "Do attendees answer individually or as a collective?" and "Will this be a disaster?" Continue to wonder, because the Harmonix folks aren't dishing out any answers, only questions.

Panelists include: Aaron Trites [Community Manager Manager, Harmonix Music], Allison Thresher [Junior Choreo Designer, Harmonix Music], Eric Pope [Community Manager, Harmonix Music], John Veneron [Associate Producer, Harmonix Music], Jason Brau [Community Moderator, Harmonix Community Member]



The Roads to Becoming a Community Manager (East Coast Version!)
Wyvern Theatre
Saturday, 4:30pm - 5:30pm

Based on the great feedback we received after this panel at PAX Prime, we've decided to do it again! East-Coast Style. You hear us on podcasts, see us in videos, read our blogs on websites, retweet us, argue with us on forums, and give us high fives at PAX. But have you ever wondered how we became community managers? From games journalism to forum moderation to public policy and QA, every road is different. Find out the random history of some of your favorite game studio community managers, and hear their advice on what skills and knowledge you’ll need to become one of gaming’s next-generation of community managers.

Panelists include: Alli Thresher [Community Moderator, Harmonix Music Systems, Inc], James Stevenson [Community Manager, Insomniac Games], Arne Meyer [Manager, Community, Naughty Dog], Sam Houston [Online Content Manager, Playfish, EA], Jennifer Kye [Company Blogger, Social Media Editor, Gameloft], Michael Abbot [Owner / Writer, Brainy Gamer ], Arne Meyer [Senior Manager of Marketing Communications, Naughty Dog], Justin McElroy [Reviews Coordinator, Joystiq]



The "Other" Us: If We're All Gamers, Does Our Gender Matter?
Naga Theatre
Saturday, 6:30pm - 7:30pm

Abbie Heppe's review of Metroid: Other M prompted a wave of backlash across the gaming community. Words like "feminist" got thrown around in comments sections of popular gaming sites as if it were the new "f" word. But what is really feminist versus what is perceived as feminist by virtue of the fact that it comes from a woman’s perspective? Using these reactions as a jumping off point, a panel of gamers, journalists, and members of the industry will look at the ways gender is treated in gaming culture at large. In our debate and discussion of Abbie's review, we'll be looking at the larger question: "As our industry becomes more progressive and, arguably, gender-blind, is geek and gamer culture regressing?"

Panelists include: Alli Thresher [Community Moderator, Harmonix Music Systems, Inc], Abbie Heppe [Senior Gaming Content Producer, G4 TV], Eric Pope [Community Moderator, Harmonix Music Systems, Inc.], Yesenia Cisneros [Games Tester, Excell], Jennifer Kye [Company Blogger, Social Media Editor, Gameloft]



Game Marketing & Community Management Roundtable
IGDA Dev Center
Sunday, 11:00am - 11:45 am

Role-specific roundtables will consist of top game artists, designers, community managers, and marketing professionals. Each roundtable will be structured into four sections focusing on roles/responsibilities, personal history, career paths, and hot topics/issues.

Panelists include: Arne Meyer [Senior Manager of Marketing, Naughty Dog], Chris Parsons [Product Manager, Muzzy Lane], James Stevenson [Marketing Manager, Insomniac Games], Allison Thresher [Junior Choreo Designer, Harmonix]



When I Grow Up: It's Never Too Late to Try Something Crazy
Wyvern Theatre
Sunday, 12:00pm - 1:00pm

Two years ago, Sean Baptiste was at the top of his game. A wunderkind in social marketing in the game industry, he traveled the country meeting fans and celebrities- promoting games he loved. But an inoperable brain tumor and a series of surguries led to long ICU stays over several months. He came home and discovered that he had major memory problems-at times even forgetting his own name. Struggling with simple tasks most take for granted, Sean decided to do the scariest thing he could think of: stand-up comedy. A documentary crew followed Sean as he met a tutor, did an open mic, and debuted in a local stand-up night. Did he succeed? Watch the premiere screening of 'When I Grow Up' and talk to director (Trevor Chamberlain), stand-up tutor (Dana Bein) and editor (Jon Mercer) to find out!

Panelists include: Trevor Chamberlain [Director, Wicked Smart Kids], Dana Bein [Comedian], Jon Mercer [Editor], Urvi Fontenot [Producer], Sean Baptiste [Harmonix]



We Like to Move It Move It! (An Animated Discussion)
Naga Theatre
Sunday, 2:00pm - 3:00pm

Ever wonder what goes into breathing life and character into the heroes and villains of today's games? Animation for games is where old school animation principles meet new school technical ability and game design theory. Come listen to our panelists discuss how they got their start animating for games, and the difference between animating for games versus film. We will also talk about what the panelists look for in a demo reel and their thoughts on the current state and future of animation for games. (We may talk about animation for Red Dead Redemption, Dance Central, Lord of the Rings Online and Afro Samurai too!)
Panelists include: Daniel Salsberg [Lead Artist, Double Tap Games], Andy Welihozkiy [Lead Animator, Rockstar New England], Ron Friedman [Lead Animator, Tencent Boston], John Lindemuth [Animation Director, Turbine Inc.], Calvin Barreto [Animator, Harmonix Music Systems]