As new platforms emerge and existing platforms evolve, the array of issues in the industry that directly affect game designers abound. GDC is coming to you packed with must-attend sessions geared toward your needs including info on realistic physics, facial expressions, lighting techniques, drama, gameplay, and psychology.
Check out GDC Board Member, Louis Castle, Top Business and Management Picks for GDC08
Louis Castle is a co-founder of Westwood Studios and vice president of Creative Development at Electronic Arts Los Angeles. As part of the management team, Castle helps direct EALA’s programming, artwork, audio, and research & development departments, as well as contributes to studio business strategy. More Info...
Louis' Top Game Design Picks:
CRYSIS in the Making Speaker: Cevat Yerli (Managing Director, Crytek GmbH)
This session will offer a look into key areas of CRYSIS development that markedly depart from Crytek's first project, FAR CRY. More Info
Dynamic Cinematic Gameplay: Creating STRANGLEHOLD's "Tequila Bombs" Speaker: Neill Glancy (Lead Designer, Midway Games)
In this design post-mortem, hear how STRANGLEHOLD's design team created several cinematic, yet entirely dynamic gameplay modes based on their favorite moments from Woo's films. These "Tequila Bombs" could happen anywhere, at any-time, and had to retain their cinematic flair while never getting boring. More Info
E Pluribus Unum: Matchmaking in HALO 3 Speaker: Chris Butcher (Engineering Lead, Microsoft / Bungie)
This presentation describes the algorithms behind the peer-to-peer matchmaking model, and its implementation over Xbox Live. It examines the impact of matchmaking on the HALO online community, and provides techniques for shaping the player experience and discouraging cheaters. More Info
Stories Best Played: Deconstructing the Best Interactive Storytelling Speaker: Richard Rouse III (Director of Game Design, Midway Games), Steve Meretzky (Senior Designer, Blue Fang), Marc Laidlaw (Designer/Writer, Valve Software), Ken Rolston (Lead Designer, Big Huge Games)
Though many are quick to complain about the poor quality of game writing, this panel will highlight the games that have gotten it right. A group of seasoned writer/designers will present their favorite examples of game storytelling, with each game demonstrating a core principle of interactive storytelling. More Info
Experimental Gameplay Sessions Speaker: Jonathan Blow (Number None, Inc.)
A series of short presentations, where game developers demonstrate and talk about their new and experimental games. Independent games, academic projects, and AAA mainstream games are all represented. More Info
Design Reboot
by Jonathan Blow
Assaulting you with a variety of different perspectives about what it means to design and build a game, and the consequences of those viewpoints. More Info
Bob Rafei suggests...
'Do, Don't Show' – Narrative Design in FARCRY 2 by Patrick Redding Examine the challenges faced in creating a game story that is fundamentally driven by low-level player input and action and filtered by drama management systems rather than being rigidly authored in a traditional sense. More Info
Business/Mgmt Track
