It’s almost time! In just under a week, hundreds of our
people will gather in Sheffield, UK for our first ever Sumo Developer
Conference – and we cannot wait.
The two-day event promises to be engaging and insightful for
our many attendees from Sumo studios near and far, but what exactly can they expect
to see this year? Well, we’re here to take you through an intro to SDC – what
it’s all about, who will be there, and more.
What
is SDC and why is it happening?
Sumo Developer Conference (SDC) is Sumo Digital’s first ever internal Learning and Development conference, it is dedicated to sharing cutting-edge knowledge across different game development disciplines to help inspire our people. There will be over
50 talks and sessions taking place over a two-day period, each from one of the
seven discipline streams.
We’re committed to the learning and development of our people,
we want to give our people as many opportunities to level up and progress in
their careers as possible, and that’s why we’re excited and passionate about
SDC and what it will deliver – it’s a place where we can collaborate and share
our skills and experience with one another.
Being an international game developer, we are fortunate to
be able to showcase the breadth and depth of our talented studios across the UK,
Europe and India, so what better opportunity is there than to bring the vast
majority of our Sumo Digital family of studios together to share expertise and network with other passionate people from across the company.
Who
will be speaking at SDC?
We have over 50 talks planned over the two days of SDC, and
these sessions will cover Art, Audio, Code, Design, Personal Development,
Production and QA. While a number of these talks will be behind closed doors (we’ve
got some super-secret unannounced exciting projects on the go!), there are a
number of open talks that you don’t want to miss.
– Visual Language and Meaning in UI Art
(Presented by France Quiquere of Sumo Leamington): Why and how does visual
language matter for UI artists? This session will define what semiotics is and
how it can complete the mental toolbox of any UI artist with a few practical
examples.
– Imposter Syndrome: What it is, how to spot it
and tips to minimise it (Presented by Lee Morris): Research shows that 70%
of people will experience imposter syndrome at least once in their working
lives. This session will help you understand what imposter syndrome is, some of
the signs and indicators, and techniques to minimise this restrictive
self-limiting belief.
– The path to running your own studio: an
audience with Studio Directors (Presented by (Harinder Sangha of Sumo
Leamington, and Scott Kirkland of Sumo Warrington): A rare opportunity to
come, listen and pose your questions to some of our Studio Directors across
Sumo Digital about the route and career choices they made to running their own
studio. Each Studio Director will share their unique story, challenges they
faced and career advice.
– Studio Jam: Empowering your team through creativity (Presented by Ines Lagato of Lab42 Games): How can you use a studio jam to strengthen your company culture and empower your team? Ines shares her experiences running the first studio jam at Lab42 Games, from inception to completion, and how Studio Jams can empower your team creatively, building an inclusive company culture that allows everyone to grow and feel valued.
– Ahh….you want me to talk in public? Simple
hacks to public speaking (Presented by Jenny Muhlwa of Sumo Group): Presenting
or public speaking can be a nerve-wracking experience, yet the more skilled we
become the more we want to make an impact. In this talk, Jenny will take you
through some simple hacks to get you presenting like a pro with practical tips
that you can implement straight away.
How
do I sign up for SDC talks?
The best place to
keep up to date on speakers, talks and more is over on our SDC dedicated website. As well as
details on the speakers presenting at SDC, you can also download a digital agenda
from the site too, which displays all the fantastic talks in one place across
the two-day event.
Aside from the main talks taking place, there are a number
of networking opportunities at the event for people to meet other like-minded
folks and chat about the world of video games, as well as roundtable
discussions, art demos, and evening get-togethers to unwind with friends.
If you want to see more of #SDC22 and exciting future
events, you’ll just have to join us! Visit our Sumo Digital careers page now and find your
next role.
