Mcurtiss' notes

Post date: Apr 05, 2013 7:7:57 PM

A note on networking -

I don't really like the term 'networking'. It starts relationships with people off on the wrong foot. I found that this opinion was shared by several industry folk at GDC. GDC is a conference for working professionals, any students who attend are there for one reason only - to "network" - which in the parlance of the student means, "get a job". This gives the impression that, as a working professional, if a student strikes up a conversation with you, they are only doing so because they want something from you. A terrible first impression. On this note, I would highly suggest that if you are a senior, write something like 'freelance environment artist' on your GDC pass, and refrain from peddling your portfolio unless the context calls for it. Over the course of the week I had witnessed several students (from other schools) make asses of themselves by interrupting personal conversations all in the name of "networking". Please, don't be this person.

Game Writer's Roundtable

I wanted to go to this roundtable because I had no clue what a 'game writer' was. It was fitting that as soon as the conversation started, the writers began lamenting the fact that, "No one knows what we do." Basically, they were having trouble with game designers/creative directors/etc. stepping all over their craft, and not letting them do the work they were paid to do. One guy had a wonderful insight as to how to solve this problem. He called it the "Queen's Duck Gambit". It goes like this: people always want to have an opinion about something, to solve a problem, etc. So, lets say you as a writer have to create a character from scratch, and this character happens to be a queen. Make her amazing in every way you that can, but before you send her in for approval, add in a duck that she has to hold on to. Then, when the management sees the concept, they will say, "We love the queen, but that duck just isn't working. Take it out and she's perfect." If you did not add in the duck, they would have found some other detail to harp on, a detail which you as a writer know is essential to her character, and do not want to lose.

I may add more to this post at a later date, I just have to decipher my notes first.