SAN FRANCISCO – June 29, 2023 – The second day of GDC Showcase 2023, held on Wednesday, June 28, served up a rich blend of insightful discussions, career firesides, and deep-dives into game development classics. The day began with the first round of informal networking at 10:00 AM PT, providing attendees with a virtual space to connect, interact, and share ideas. The networking session was followed by an enlightening post-mortem on the classic game, “OUT OF THIS WORLD/ANOTHER WORLD” by Eric Chahi. Chahi delved into the game’s distinct visual style and the cinematic cutscenes that have charmed audiences since its debut in 1991.
The day’s schedule was punctuated by further intriguing sessions, such as the “Vault Rewind: Digital Ownership and the Gaming Revolution” presented by John Osvald, Patrick Bergman, and Jason Brink from Gala Games, which examined the concept of real player ownership in gaming through the lens of the Web3 revolution. In the realm of game design, attendees had the chance to gain insights from industry veteran Raph Koster, CEO of Playable Worlds, as he joined Bryant Francis in a fireside chat, sharing his experiences from his game design journey and the challenges of running his own company twice.
Day Three of GDC 2023: Shaping the Future of Proposal Submissions and Hybrid Work
As we enter Day Three of the Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2023 Showcase, the global development community continues to unite in this all-digital setting. Today’s agenda focuses on two crucial aspects of the gaming industry: The art of crafting winning proposals for conference talks, as presented by industry expert Kimberly Voll, and the shifting dynamics of work environments, as discussed by Jessica Damerst. Both sessions promise to illuminate the path ahead for game developers navigating these key areas, setting the tone for a day of insightful dialogue and networking.
GDC Submission Q&A with Kimberly Voll
Starting the day is the much-anticipated session by Kimberly Voll, a renowned game developer and GDC Advisory Board member. She’ll be providing insights into how to formulate and submit standout talk proposals to GDC. Voll will be sharing her insider knowledge of the proposal process and will highlight what the advisory board seeks in submissions. The session will also feature a live Q&A, offering an excellent opportunity for prospective speakers to have their queries answered.
Voll, Co-CEO/Co-Founder of Brace Yourself Games/Fair Play Alliance, will be speaking from 10:20 AM to 11:20 AM PT. Her session is a must-attend for anyone who aspires to propose a talk for future GDC events. Find out more about Voll’s session here.
Hybrid Work Roundtable with Jessica Damerst
Later in the day, Jessica Damerst, Release Manager at Unknown Worlds Entertainment, will host a roundtable discussion titled “Hot Desks to Sweatpants: Hybrid Work Roundtable”. The session will explore the shift towards hybrid work environments in the gaming industry.
Damerst will delve into the implications of the post-pandemic move towards a hybrid model that accommodates both on-site and remote work. She’ll cover a broad array of topics, from hiring and team leadership to office space management and IT solutions. This session is an opportunity for collaborative problem-solving and a chance to challenge traditional 9-to-5 office norms.
Damerst’s roundtable is scheduled from 2:10 PM to 3:10 PM PT. Find more about her session here.
Day Three of GDC 2023 promises to be a stimulating day of dialogue and networking for the global game development community. Stay tuned for more insights from the industry’s leading lights. For detailed updates on the conference, visit the GDC’s official website, or subscribe to regular updates via Facebook, Twitter, or RSS.
GDC Showcase 2023: What’s Happening on Thursday
From 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM PT:
- Roundtable: Strategies for Effective Feedback & Critique, Presented by Jeff Hesser, Games. An interactive session inviting artists across all disciplines to share their effective feedback and critique approaches.
- Roundtable: The Importance of Automated Testing, Presented by Andrew Fray, Roll7. This roundtable invites developers of all levels to discuss automated testing and its role in efficient software development.
- Roundtable: Best Practices in Tools Design, Presented by Robin-Yann Storm, RYStorm. A conversation about the development and maintenance of internal tool design workflows.
From 12:00 PM to 1:10 PM PT:
- Roundtable: The Role of the Technical Artist, Presented by Matt Oztalay, Epic Games. A platform for technical artists to exchange insights and best practices for managing complex content creation and asset tracking systems.
- Roundtable: Narrative in Games, Presented by Richard Dansky, Crytek. A forum for narrative professionals to discuss a wide range of storytelling topics in games.
From 1:00 PM to 2:20 PM PT:
- Workshop: How to Submit a Winning GDC Proposal, Presented by Kimberly Voll, Brace Yourself Games & Fair Play Alliance. Kimberly Voll imparts her wisdom on creating a compelling GDC talk proposal, along with a live Q&A with attendees.
From 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM PT:
- Open Session: Networking Thursday. An open video chat space for attendees to network and connect with fellow game developers.
From 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM PT:
- Repeat Roundtables: Tools Design, Automated Testing, and Effective Feedback & Critique. A second chance for attendees to join these earlier discussions led by Robin-Yann Storm, Andrew Fray, and Jeff Hesser, respectively.
From 5:00 PM to 6:10 PM PT:
- Repeat Roundtable: Technical Artist, Presented by Matt Oztalay, Epic Games. A rerun of the earlier session for technical artists to share experiences and insights.
- Roundtable: Hybrid Work – The New Normal, Presented by Jessica Damerst, Unknown Worlds Entertainment. A platform to discuss strategies for successfully managing a hybrid work environment.
- Repeat Roundtable: Game Narrative, Presented by Richard Dansky, Crytek. An encore of the earlier roundtable on narrative topics in game development.
*Please note, all times are in Pacific Time (PT).
