• Register
Post news Report RSS GDC '08: Lessons - Shorts, Skirts and Shirts

Scott aka INtense! shares his perspective from GDC '08 (beers and random chatter basically)

Posted by on

Lessons at GDC '08

So I'm here at GDC '08 with Ryan (ModDB's editor) and I thought I'd share my thoughts, my take on the event, game development, and all the stuff I'm seeing for the first time. If it is game development goodness you're after you'll have to check back later, as that's Ryan's gig (he is the note taker b*tch). I'm happy to sit in on presentations, thankful that I'm not the one dealing with the complexities of game development - which makes about as much sense to me as a rubix cube does to a color blind person.

So why the title shorts, skirts and shirts? That's a damn good question and one I had an answer to during my Tuesday night "drink the beer campaign" but lost thanks to common sense kicking back in. Besides if I'm going to be told the 40 spelling and grammatical errors I make I figure I don't need a "piss-poor sense of humor" complaint tacked onto that list.

Anyhow, onwards to the interesting stuff which is my thoughts on GDC: what you learn, why people are here, how stuff works and all that. First, a dislaimer about me - I'm not a game dev, my background is purely creating and running Mod DB so hopefully I can approach this article from a different angle than every other damn game site pretending they know and care about the game development process because I'll admit I care but don't know a great deal about what modders, indies and studios go through to get a title out on shelves. Bear with me because this is basically a brain dump in text which makes about as much sense as Christmas decorations coming out in September.

Its me at GDC!


GDC is a recruiting ground for game companies. You could throw a ball 5 feet in any direction and find 5 people looking for talent to join their company. If you can talk the talk, GDC will get your foot in the door with some company provided you can back that up with a strong resume and examples of stuff you have made (i.e. mods). This event is all about the creators vs. just the players, it is impossible not to run into guys here from game companies you admire and all will share their story about how they broke into the industry with you. If its a job you want add GDC to your calendar.

GDC is about lucky breaks and consequent success stories. How did bioshock end up with such a compelling storyline. How did everyday shooter, N+ and other indie titles make it onto the XBOX Live Arcade and Sony Playstation Network digital distrubition systems. How did university mod and indie game projects become IGF finalists and a "virtual resume" for their creators who landed their dream job after the right person played their creation? The common theme is damn hard work, creativity and getting lucky. Persevere and you will prevail.

Indie Games Booth


GDC is about parties, shmoozing and meeting people. The best people to party with are hot grrrrls and well hot girls. BUT - Beyond this the people you want to know are those who do something similar to what you do and are interested in what you do. Finding people who share your passion is rare, I'm betting 99% of you have parents who wonder what the hell it is you are doing when you mention your mod. At GDC you are surrounded by like minded individuals who want to know what it is your doing (either that or they'll sit there and tell you what they are doing). Either way conversations flow freely here whether you want to talk (or are talked to) or not.

GDC is about the world beyond modding. Holy crap there is a world beyond modding... yeah really. Why do you mod? For experience, fun and to get a job is the dream of most members on this site, and GDC shows you this end game. Heaps of people here got their start in the world of modding, and it is refreshing to know and see that vs. just being told (unless your getting told by me). The path you have set yourself upon may seem long and hard, so its good to know there is a light at the end of the tunnel and see so many people who passed the path they set themselves.

Expo Hall


Well that's all I've got for you, it would have been done earlier had I not fallen asleep on my laptop. The theme of this years GDC seems to be f**k yeah; after all, 2007 rocked with gamers getting flooded with kick ass titles. Let hope this trend continues. That's all for now, see you whenever folks.

Post comment Comments
Henley
Henley

wow a good read Scott, really wish you invited me i could have pimped my resume :P, this is why people mod, its the only real way to get experience in the industry when your fresh outta luck trying with the big boys who all say the same thing "come back in a few years when you have some more experience".

The hardest part to this industry is getting noticed... so you kinda have to be cheesy with your mod pimping :P. Thanks again Scott for giving us all the opportunity to get exposed... (not naked i mean mod wise).

My question is did anyone talk to you about moddb?

Reply Good karma Bad karma+1 vote
Dragonlord
Dragonlord

How can you NOT know about ModDB? *shocked*

Reply Good karma Bad karma+1 vote
Dragonlord
Dragonlord

Sorry, this should have been "How can one not know" ... so much for absence of editing :/

Reply Good karma Bad karma+1 vote
BunnyJen
BunnyJen

Hee hee awesome. I love the picture of you with the Big Daddy, and the Mod DB shirt looks great too! ^_^

Reply Good karma Bad karma+1 vote
sbnewsom
sbnewsom

I didn't see Scott at GDC? Blah, maybe it was the people I was with that seem to make a path that is avoid of Scott........well it was still fun.

Reply Good karma Bad karma+1 vote
Dragonlord
Dragonlord

Maybe you should have dressed as booth-babe then Scott for sure would have shown up on your door step :D

Reply Good karma Bad karma+2 votes
sbnewsom
sbnewsom

Aww crap, why did I think of that!?!?!? Where were you when I need GDC counseling?

Reply Good karma Bad karma+1 vote
Dragonlord
Dragonlord

At home :( ... it's at the other end of the world literally.

Reply Good karma Bad karma+1 vote
sbnewsom
sbnewsom

Sad to hear, maybe next year moddb or myself can help you out.

Reply Good karma Bad karma+1 vote
BlueWolf72
BlueWolf72

I missed scotty 2 hotty as well and I was at the ECA booth!

Reply Good karma Bad karma+1 vote
sbnewsom
sbnewsom

I saw you, but you know. I didn't say hi. I'm *** like that.....just kidding.

Did you get any numbers from the girls at the EVE Party?

Reply Good karma Bad karma+1 vote
BlueWolf72
BlueWolf72

and yes i went to 3 parties and let me tell you the EVE party was full of naked hot girls!

Reply Good karma Bad karma+1 vote
Henley
Henley

NO WAI NAKED GIRLS>>>>> :P

Reply Good karma Bad karma+1 vote
formerlyknownasMrCP
formerlyknownasMrCP

It'll be interesting to hear the development notes. Good to hear that the convention was useful to you intense and I hope you had a great time learning about the industry, I would have loved to have been there myself (as would the rest of the people I work with :D) but sadly we couldn't make it this year.

Have a safe trip back to Australia ;)

Reply Good karma Bad karma+1 vote
theprplppleater
theprplppleater

Damn, that photo with the model Big Daddy is pretty neat. I wish I had the moolah to go.

Reply Good karma Bad karma+1 vote
ambershee
ambershee

I literally flew in and out. I didn't get to attend any of the fun stuff, or meet many people.

Doh.

Reply Good karma Bad karma+1 vote
theprplppleater
theprplppleater

Well that sounds like a bucket of fun doesn't it.

Reply Good karma Bad karma+1 vote
Noesis_Interactive
Noesis_Interactive

Nice article Scott, you did a good job of summing up GDC and the importance of partying with hot girls, ha ha! It was really great to meet you and Ryan and I think there are some awesome things ahead for both ModDB and Noesis Interactive!

Ben

p.s. Here's my response to your Big Daddy photo
I168.photobucket.com

Reply Good karma Bad karma+1 vote
Noesis_Interactive
Noesis_Interactive

might as well show off these pics as well, ha ha.

Panoramic of North Hall Expo
I168.photobucket.com

Case and I with Fatal1ty
I168.photobucket.com

Reply Good karma Bad karma+1 vote
Post a comment

Your comment will be anonymous unless you join the community. Or sign in with your social account: