The 7th Annual AI Programmer's Dinner
(2004 GDC)

Our Sponsors
Our Attendees
Seating and Layout
Pics From the Dinner
Eric Dybsand's Moderator Report
Neil Kirby's Moderator Report
Steven Woodcock's Moderator Report
Pics From the Dinner
The Seventh Annual Game AI Programmer's Dinner was held on March 26th at a place we'd visited in the past with great success, Eulipia's Restauraunt. Eulipia's is a couple of blocks over from the San Jose Convention Center and we'd had great success holding the dinner there back in 2003. Everybody enjoyed the food in 2003 and the place was actually willing to put up with a bunch of AI geeks again so...

This dinner was slightly different from previous years in a couple of significant ways. First, we didn't allow it to be open-ended when it came to attending. Since we had sadly been forced to turn away folks from the 2003 dinner when we filled our dining area to overflowing, we had to put limits in place this time. We restricted attendence to 50 people. You got on the list by handing one of us AI guys (myself, Neil, or Eric) a "wrapped card"...a business card with a $20 bill (US) wrapped around it. That way you had already paid in your portion of the buffet and indicated that you were serious about attending. The system honestly worked pretty well since we had filled all of our slots by mid-Wednesday (just after our first AI roundtable, in fact). There were ultimately two cancellations that were immediately filled at our beginner's AI roundtable on the 3rd day, and one last minute gent whom we went ahead and took anyway (he'd emailed me before we had decided on this, it was my bad). It worked fairly well, and I'm pretty sure we'll be doing this in the future.

Second, we had some superb sponsorship from various luminaries in the game industry, for which we are profoundly grateful. If you get a chance you might want to think about checking the link above and perhaps sending a note to them--their contributions were why the dinner was only $20/head vs. $50/head!

As in years past it seemed like all attendees had a fantastic time. There was a lot of talk, many spirited conversations about game AI, great companionship, and something for everybody food wise.

Here are some quick shots from the dinner. A few other folks took pics as well (Odin bless digital cameras!) and as I get copies I'll post them here too. Note that these are all thumbnails, so just click on them if you'd like a bigscreen version. Enjoy!
Before the dinner -- AI programmers begin to gather for the dinner at the GDC Lounge.

This guy is very happy that somebody is going to feed him
Steve's brother Bruce stares at Steve taking a picture of him
Garner tells a grand joke

Demonstrating motion blur
The Professor and Garner ponder potentials
Neil (sitting), John (laughing) and Bruce (staring at something far, far away)

Eric is thinking, "It's time to eat!"
Bruce has this motion blur thing figured out too
At the dinner -- The true Gathering of Geeks begins!

Neil briefs everybody on how our sponsors really made this all possible
Pose for the picture...John's the one smiling on the front left there.
Eric explains the basics of the buffet

"Can we eat yet?"
Neil commenting on the buffet...that's Stacy behind him
"Can we eat yet?"

Matt Prichard grins mightily
Not sure what Steve Rabin (left) is reaching for there, but he kept his pants on so....
The line for the buffet!

Wow...look at all those AI programmers!
"Hey, this is my plate, right?"
In a careless moment Dave and Lauri both let slip that they are in fact possessed by souless (if hungry) demons from Hell

Bruce and Stacy pondering
Bryan Stout had an early flight out the next day
Clarinda Merripen is one very smart lady

Talking about pathfinding over tiramisu
Aaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh............
Stacy and Bruce show off their slick dress and nifty shirt, respectively

Talking about simulation AI
Deep in conversation around the tables
Euan Forrester ("Need for Speed", among others) demonstrates "down"

That demon possession thing looks to be spreading....
Yep, sure 'nuff
Steve finally gets Garner's joke....

Eric participates in yet more deep AI discussion
Now Stacy's got it....
The AI discussions got hot and heavy as the evening wore on

Paul Hoza talks about stuff
"You look'in at me?"
Pondering a point

Down to the last table but still wrapped up in conversation