GDC Observations - MTR

Post date: Mar 25, 2016 1:26:16 AM

Like most of my class, this was my first GDC experience and one that i’m glad I got to have. Going in I really had no idea what to expect, and being completely honest, I probably won’t know what to expect next time either. Nonetheless, I had a great time there and can’t wait to go back next year. A few observations I made were...

1: The Main pass is worth it

This may seem like an odd observation to make, but many people, upperclassmen, other GDC attendees even a speaker, all told me that the main pass isn’t worth the extra cost. However, in my opinion this cannot be further from the truth. During the expo I spent the majority of my time attending the many different talks the main pass gave access to. There wasn’t a single talk I sat through that wasn’t worth my time. I was able to take away something from every session, even at the ones that were not directly related to art (which was the majority of the talks at GDC) . As a result, one of the most important things I want to be known is that the main pass is worth it by far, if you can afford it, get it.

2: Be informed before attending a talk/booth

The speakers are not teachers, they move quick and won’t take much time to explain anything. Before you go to any event, be sure you know the common terminology and techniques relevant to the topic. I’m not saying buy a book on about efficient level design before you attend the fallout 4 pipeline talk, but if you don’t know what LODs or mipmaps are (and yes, I was asked both of these questions) then you probably will end up missing a lot of valuable information that you could’ve gained had you just googled a bit beforehand. The same mindset applies to the expo/career booths as well. Don’t be that guy who walks up to a game company without knowing a thing about the games they create. (Seriously, I saw a person approach Imangi thinking they worked on Crash Bandicoot. Don’t. Be. That. Guy.)

3: Don’t be afraid of rolling solo

For the super majority of the event, I decided to experience GDC alone. By that I mean I didn’t explore the booths or go to talks in a group or with my best friend. This, I believe, is something everyone should consider doing (so long that you’re in a safe place, of course). I had way more conversations initiated with me when I was alone than when I was group or +1. People are much more willing to speak with you when you’re not already chatting along with a group of friends. Just imagine how awkward you feel when you try to give your business card to a group of coworkers already engaged in their own conversation, that feeling goes both ways.