{"id":24426,"date":"2011-03-04T14:54:16","date_gmt":"2011-03-04T14:54:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/?p=24426"},"modified":"2011-03-05T04:29:58","modified_gmt":"2011-03-05T04:29:58","slug":"gdc-day-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/gdc-day-4\/","title":{"rendered":"GDC 2011 \u2013 Day 4"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\/\/ <![CDATA[\n                                   google_ad_client = \"pub-7021221536180758\"; \/* 468x60, created 11\/11\/09 *\/ google_ad_slot = \"1949837292\"; google_ad_width = 468; google_ad_height = 60;\n\/\/ ]]><\/script><\/p>\n<p><script src=\"http:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/show_ads.js\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\n<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h6><span style=\"color: #00ccff;\">The following is by G. A . &#8220;Andy&#8221; Marken, President of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.markencom.com\/index.htm\" onclick=\"_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'outbound-article', 'http:\/\/www.markencom.com\/index.htm', 'Marken Communications']);\" ><span style=\"color: #00ccff;\">Marken Communications<\/span><\/a><span style=\"color: #00ccff;\"> Inc. He has kindly agreed to report on the Game Developer&#8217;s Conference (GDC) happening in San Francisco from February 28 through March 4th  for ABT. As with everything that we publish at AlienBabelTech, the opinions expressed are solely those of the individual writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and the <strong>opinions of the rest of the ABT staff.<\/strong><br \/>\n\u2013Mark Poppin, ABT Senior Editor <\/span><\/span><\/h6>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>GDC Day 4<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The quiet buzz flying around Moscone Center on the final day of GDC that Nintendo had an opening for a new speech writer.<\/p>\n<p>To say that Iwata\u2019s comments about social and mobile game platforms and the need for developers to focus on <strong><em>real games<\/em><\/strong> (our translation, not his) didn\u2019t sit well with the production organizations, tool makers, developers who had smartphone games in the market or in development.<\/p>\n<p>The other console folks didn\u2019t jump to his defense they just encouraged the attendees to develop games for their units that would set the world on fire.\u00a0\u00a0 What they did in their spare time\u2026<\/p>\n<p>The closing day of most conferences is something like everyone running around picking up loose change and shotzkys (the free stuff).<\/p>\n<p>But GDC attendees seem to suck up as much information as possible.<\/p>\n<p>Great thing is there is a strong cadre of people in the industry willing to share their insights into their successes and their shortcomings.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/GDC-Day-4-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-24427\" title=\"GDC-Day-4-1\" src=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/GDC-Day-4-1.jpg?resize=480%2C317\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/GDC-Day-4-1.jpg 480w, https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/GDC-Day-4-1-300x198.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>One of the announcements that always makes us wonder &#8212; not just about the gaming industry but the entire software industry &#8212; was that Electronic Arts (EA) had signed up more than 600,000 gamers for the beta version of <em>Battlefield Play4Free<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re sure there were probably another 600,000 plus folks who didn\u2019t make the cut.<\/p>\n<p>Defying logic people \u2013 smart, knowledgeable people &#8212; rush to become a beta user or stand in a long queue to get a copy of software that by definition is still a work-in-progress.<\/p>\n<p>Beta users provide a valuable\/volunteer service not only to the developer but also the ultimate consumer when the gold version is released.<\/p>\n<p>They find bugs, issues, problems and even provide ideas, tricks that make the game better, more fun, more rewarding to play.<\/p>\n<p>Software though is always a work in progress.<\/p>\n<p>They aren\u2019t bugs just undocumented features.<\/p>\n<p>The federal trade or safety folks don\u2019t demand a recall instead you get patches or a work-around.<\/p>\n<p>Nuff said.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/GDC-Day-4-21.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-24429\" title=\"GDC-Day-4-2\" src=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/GDC-Day-4-21.jpg?resize=475%2C380\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/GDC-Day-4-21.jpg 475w, https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/GDC-Day-4-21-300x240.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 475px) 100vw, 475px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>GDC isn\u2019t huge by a lot of convention standards but it\u2019s really big if you consider the fact that people come from around the globe to learn the latest tricks, tools, ideas on what it takes to make the growing array of highly involved, interesting games.<\/p>\n<p>When they aren\u2019t in the sessions or networking they\u2019re on the show floor packing the freakin booths.<\/p>\n<p>Old\/young, male\/female they spend a lot of time in the booths trying to figure out how the hardware\/software will make their behind-in-the-seat development time easier and more rewarding (for them and us).<\/p>\n<p>There were two sessions this final day that we looked forward to when we first looked at the program months ago:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8211;\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Chris Crawford\u2019s presentation\/discussion on yesterday\/today\/tomorrow<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8211;\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The GDC Awards<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/GDC-Day-4-x.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-24430\" title=\"GDC-Day-4-x\" src=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/GDC-Day-4-x.jpg?resize=200%2C200\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/GDC-Day-4-x.jpg 200w, https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/GDC-Day-4-x-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>GDC\u2019s Founding Father<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The founder of CGDC (Computer Game Developers Conference) and a pretty impressive game designer in his own right not only gave us flashes of what he \u2013 and we \u2013 worked with in \u201cthe old days\u201d and his vision of tomorrow.<\/p>\n<p>At times with what seemed like a lump in his throat he talked about working with early microcomputers including the Atari Stella, Apple II, Commodore PET, TRS-80.<\/p>\n<p>He brought tears to our eyes\u2026tears of bygone pain, not pleasure!<\/p>\n<p>Crawford told the young bucks and buckettes in the audience what it was like to program in Assembly (with paper\/pencil) and doing most of the work in your head counting in hexadecimal\u2026backward.<\/p>\n<p>He talked about each little industry improvement like line buffers as though they were monumental strides forward.<\/p>\n<p>Of course his discussion of being delighted when he sold a whopping 150 copies of a game in a ziplock for $15 made more than a few in the audience question is grip on reality.<\/p>\n<p>Crawford founded the conference in 1988 just as the gaming industry was beginning to recover from the massive layoffs four years earlier.<\/p>\n<p>Today he feels that the first law of software development remains unchanged \u2013 when you design a game constantly ask yourself \u201cwhat does the user do?\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>He felt that following the first law was critical because\u00a0 people don\u2019t watch games, don\u2019t read them, don\u2019t listen to them, they play them!<\/p>\n<p>But that is probably the only constant in the gaming industry because today it is made up of large well financed companies and individuals with no money but the fire in their gut to make an insanely great game.<\/p>\n<p>While the depth, breadth, quality, intensity (and expense) of game development has grown over the years he didn\u2019t feel what the player does and the gamers\u2019 satisfaction remains unchanged.<\/p>\n<p><strong> <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/GDC-Day-4-3.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-24431\" title=\"GDC-Day-4-3\" src=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/GDC-Day-4-3.jpg?resize=480%2C319\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/GDC-Day-4-3.jpg 480w, https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/03\/GDC-Day-4-3-300x199.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>If you think the intensity and excitement of the recent Oscar Night was impressive you\u2019ve never seen the GDC\u2019s annual <strong><em>Game Developers Choice Awards.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Ok there\u2019s a total lack of tuxes, fashion gowns, red carpets, gold statuettes and paparazzi but other than that \u2026it\u2019s the same.<\/p>\n<p>Big winner for the evening was Rockstar\u2019s <strong><em>Red Dead Redemption<\/em><\/strong>.\u00a0 Red Dead walked away with Game of the Year, Best Game Design, Best Technology.<\/p>\n<p>Other big winners were:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8211;\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0<strong><em>Minecraft<\/em><\/strong> \u2013 Best Debut Game, Best Downloadable Game, Innovation<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8211;\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <strong><em>Cut the Rope<\/em><\/strong>&#8211; Best Handheld Game<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8211;\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <strong><em>Mass Effect 2<\/em><\/strong> \u2013 Best Writing<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8211;\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <strong><em>Limbo<\/em><\/strong> &#8211; Best Visual Arts<\/p>\n<p>Saga\u2019s Yu Suzuki won the Pioneer Award for his work on such classics as <strong><em>Outrun, Space Harrier, Shenmue Series.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Lifetime Achievement Award went to Peter Molyneaux for his design work on <strong><em>Populous<\/em><\/strong> and <strong><em>Fable.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In Hollywood they\u2019d call that a wrap but in the gaming industry it\u2019s just another chapter in the ever changing learning process for people working on console, PC, MMOG, social and mobile games.<br \/>\n# # #<\/p>\n<p><strong>by:   G.A. &#8220;Andy&#8221; Marken<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong> President<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong> Marken Communications Inc.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong> <a href=\"mailto:Andy@markencom.com\">Andy@markencom.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Please join us in our <a href=\"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/abt\/index.php\" target=\"_blank\">Forums<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Become a Fan on <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pages\/AlienBabelTech\/123268467142\" onclick=\"_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'outbound-article', 'http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pages\/AlienBabelTech\/123268467142', 'Facebook']);\" target=\"_blank\">Facebook<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Follow us on <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/alienbabeltech\" onclick=\"_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'outbound-article', 'http:\/\/twitter.com\/alienbabeltech', 'Twitter']);\" target=\"_blank\">Twitter<\/a><\/p>\n<p>For the latest updates from ABT, please <a href=\"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/?feed=rss2\" target=\"_blank\">join our RSS News Feed<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Join our Distributed Computing teams<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Folding@Home &#8211; Team AlienBabelTech &#8211; 164304<\/li>\n<li>SETI@Home &#8211; Team AlienBabelTech &#8211; 138705<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.worldcommunitygrid.org\/reg\/viewRegister.do?teamID=3P39R3SRV1\" onclick=\"_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'outbound-article', 'http:\/\/www.worldcommunitygrid.org\/reg\/viewRegister.do?teamID=3P39R3SRV1', 'World Community Grid &#8211; Team AlienBabelTech']);\" target=\"_blank\">World Community Grid &#8211; Team AlienBabelTech<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The following is by G. A . &#8220;Andy&#8221; Marken, President of Marken Communications Inc. He has kindly agreed to report on the Game Developer&#8217;s Conference (GDC) happening in San Francisco from February 28 through&#46;&#46;&#46;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":396,"featured_media":24431,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2533,5,7],"tags":[4542,4543,4515,4541],"class_list":["post-24426","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-abt-news","category-gaming","category-technology","tag-chris-crawford","tag-game-developers-choice-awards","tag-game-developers-conference","tag-gdc-day-4"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24426","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/396"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24426"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24426\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24431"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24426"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24426"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24426"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}