NVISION 2008: 55 Hours of Awesome

Next Monday, August 25th, graphics chip maker NVIDIA will kick off NVISION 2008. NVISION is a three-day long mega-event that draws gamers, graphic artists, game designers, and industry heads together to discuss, experience, and explore the present and future of gaming. Held in the San Jose Convention Center at the heart of Silicon Valley, this is ground zero for the computer and gaming industry. Packed with celebrity appearances, demonstrations and tutorials by leaders in the industry, and a whole lot of gaming, there’s plenty of ground to cover. Here’s a preview of the event: and stay tuned, as GotGame News will be in the thick of things live, with up-to-the minute updates all next week!

Celebrity Appearances
Buzz Aldrin: The second man on the moon will be making an appearance at the event. Buzz will be showcasing his new animated feature Fly Me to the Moon, presented in the HD Digital Theater, about the first men–and flies–to land on the moon.

Tricia Helfer: That’s right, BSG fans — Number Six will be doing a meet and greet and Q&A at the event, as well as being on a panel of keynote speakers discussing how the advancements in visual computing have affected her role on Battlestar.

Mythbusters (Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage): As if Tricia Helfer wasn’t enough for us geeks to drool over, Discovery Channel’s dynamic duo will also be making an appearance and showing off a brand new, reportedly “unforgettable” machine. We’re hoping that, in true Mythbusters fashion, it blows something up.

Also appearing for keynote speeches and discussions: NASCAR driver Kyle Busch, NASA Space Shuttle Commander Eileen Collins, NVIDIA CEO Jen-Hsun Huang, multi-touch display creator Jeff Han, and more distinguished guests that will be giving fresh, first-hand perspectives on the world of visual media and gaming.

Gaming LANs and Competitions
Electronic Sports World Cup (ESWC): NVISION will be the site of the Grand Final of ESWC, one of the biggest competitions in gaming. With 800 pro gamers representing 53 countries, some of the best and baddest in the world will be squaring off in several events. The competition covers the more established competitive games: Counter-Strike 1.6 (with a separate women’s league), Quake, Warcraft III (and DotA), and Trackmania. With $200,000 total prize winnings for the tournament, there’s a lot at stake—not to mention pride.

GeForce LAN: NVISION will be hosting one of the largest LAN parties ever with over 1,200 participants throughout. This bring-your-own-computer event will be run ’round the clock for the entirety of the 55-hour event, with tournaments, raffles, giveaways, and much, much more in store.

Girl Gamer Zone: Within the greater GeForce LAN, there’s a special area for the ladies. Dubbed the “Girl Gamer Zone,” the Pandora’s Mighty Soldiers (PMS) clan will be the special guests. They’ll be playing CoD4, TF2, World in Conflict, UT3 and Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, along with a ladies-only CS 1.6 tournament. While it’s open both sexes (both girls and the guys who support them), it’s definitely a unique opportunity for girls to strut their stuff…in gaming.

Guinness World Record: Also within the GeForce LAN, NVISION will host a Guinness World Record attempt at the longest LAN party ever—36 straight hours (with 10-minute breaks every hour that you can clump together). The BYOC event will kick off on 11pm Monday, August 25 and end at 11am Wednesday, August 27. Aside from the usual swag, participants get VIP treatment, with free food and drink delivered to them at their request, access to exclusive areas, and prizes/raffle entries if they finish. The event has sold out, but if you’re willing, you can sign up as an alternate for those too weak to make it through.

Shows and Performances
Video Games Live: The world-traveling show will be making an appearance during the evening. The full orchestra plays a selection of songs from throughout gaming history and across multiple platforms. This performance is a must-see for any true video game lover, and one that GotGame will definitely attend. Check out this article for more info about Video Games Live, as well as their newly released CD.

Fly Me to the Moon: As mentioned, this is Buzz Aldrin’s CG animated movie about adventurous flies who stow aboard the historic Apollo 11 mission. Starring Buzz Aldrin as himself, this eye-popping feature will also be presented in 3D.

Workshops, Presentations, Demos
Along with the usual showcases, speeches, and gaming, NVISION also has a large number of events dedicated to art, graphics, computer, and game design for both industry insiders and weekend warriors. From “The Future of Rendering” to “Build an Inexpensive PC,” “The Art of Machinima” to “Raytracing on the GPU,” there are a ton of workshops geared towards bringing the latest and greatest techniques and technology to consumers and professionals.

Meanwhile, there will be special hands-on playing with (as-of-yet) unannounced games, even those that have been unreleased/unannounced, and demos of exciting new technology, like Bump Top, a new and interesting desktop application (which you can see below).

Well, that’s about it for now. For more information, check out the official NVISION site. We’ll keep updating this post as new information comes in, and we’ll have live updates about the latest news and events throughout NVISION. So stay tuned, and get ready for some fun!