Sessions at the GDC are divided into tracks, generally according to the subject discipline such as programming or art. This year's GDC Tracks include the following:

• Audio
• Business and Management
• Game Design
• Production
• Programming
• Vision
• Visual Arts
  

Games routinely involve the scripting and editing of 50,000 lines of dialog, multiple variations of orchestral scores and sound effects with real-time controls. This requires a unique fusion of craft and technology, and is shared by musicians, sound designers, programmers, and game designers. From sessions designed to polish the skills of a veteran composer to case studies that shed light on programming techniques and tools that bring those compositions to life, the Audio Track offers real world information to take game audio to new heights.

Audio Track Session Highlights
(302)Audio Boot Camp The Art Of Custom Sampling

[View all Audio Track Sessions]

All studios face enormous business challenges today. The game industry is mitigating risk by basing a large proportion of new products on known licenses and sequels to popular games. Projects perceived as too weak to take to market are more likely to be killed during development. To create a business environment that supports the creation of innovative games, developers need both sound business strategies and outstanding tactical execution. The Business and Management Track looks at the game development process from the standpoint of running the business and offers proven strategies for the developer who needs to understand complex business issues.

Business & Management Track Session Highlights
Advertising & Games – Opportunities, Pitfalls, And Competition Mashups, Mods & Machinima: Who Owns The Rights To Your Blood, Sweat & Tears

[View all Business and Management Track Sessions]

Creating compelling, immersive games requires understanding, visualizing, demonstrating, and tuning the interactions of an ever-increasing number of game tools and systems. While game designers need to understand and exploit the possibilities of new technologies such as realistic physics, facial expressions, and lighting techniques; they must also continue to master the traditional disciplines of drama, gameplay, and psychology. The Game Design Track explores the challenges and ramifications of the interaction between new technologies and established techniques.

Game Design Track Session Highlights
'Do, Don’t Show' – Narrative Design In FARCRY2 Your Music Is the Game: Designing PHASE, The Other Project at Harmonix

[View all Game Design Track Sessions]

Next-generation console development has propelled game production values to an all-time high, increasing the already high demands upon game producers. Producers must manage expanding development teams, skyrocketing budgets, larger games, and a growing global market to create games that stand out from the crowd and find an audience. Production track sessions continue to offer proven tools and techniques to take a project from pre-production to shipping, on-time and on-budget. The track will help tighten a producer's focus by looking more clearly at the market and the resources needed to put out the games of the future.

Production Track Session Highlights
An Agile Retrospective The BioWare Live Team: Building Community Through Technology

[View all Production Track Sessions]

As new platforms emerge and existing platforms evolve, programmers face an ever increasing challenge to produce games that capture the attention of the public and the media. The Programming Track focuses on these challenges and the opportunities presented by next and current generation development including mature consoles, new handhelds, a highly competitive sales environment, and increased demand for very high production values in games.

Programming Track Session Highlights
Creating A Character In Drake’s Fortune Crysis Next-Gen Effects

[View all Programming Track Sessions]

The Vision Track features creative artists from a range of cultural media, such as film, music, design, and games, who will discuss their visions of the future of interactive entertainment. The track is designed to provoke innovation among developers, and inspire you to create the breakthrough games that drive our industry forward.

Vision Track Session Highlights

[View all Vision Track Sessions]

The focus of game art is shifting from simply attaining the best possible production quality to exploring new ideas and art styles that allow a game to stand out from the competition. The Visual Arts track provides longer format classes to allow speakers the time to walk attendees step-by-step through the latest tools and techniques. Each class will be self-contained to provide the specific practical knowledge of advanced techniques that will take game art in new directions.

Visual Arts Track Session Highlights
Building An Art Department From Scratch Practical Light And Color

[View all Visual Arts Track Sessions]

Conference At A Glance:

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