±Recent Visitors

Recent Visitors to Com-Central!

±User Info-big


Welcome Anonymous

Nickname
Password

Membership:
Latest: HighestAce
New Today: 0
New Yesterday: 0
Overall: 6648

People Online:
Members: 0
Visitors: 566
Total: 566
Who Is Where:
 Visitors:
01: Home
02: Community Forums
03: Community Forums
04: Photo Gallery
05: Photo Gallery
06: Home
07: Community Forums
08: Community Forums
09: Community Forums
10: Community Forums
11: Community Forums
12: Community Forums
13: Community Forums
14: Community Forums
15: Photo Gallery
16: Community Forums
17: Home
18: Community Forums
19: Community Forums
20: Community Forums
21: Home
22: Photo Gallery
23: Home
24: Member Screenshots
25: Community Forums
26: Photo Gallery
27: Community Forums
28: Home
29: Downloads
30: Home
31: Photo Gallery
32: News Archive
33: Downloads
34: Community Forums
35: Community Forums
36: Community Forums
37: Community Forums
38: Downloads
39: Community Forums
40: Community Forums
41: Community Forums
42: Community Forums
43: Photo Gallery
44: Community Forums
45: Community Forums
46: Community Forums
47: Community Forums
48: Community Forums
49: Photo Gallery
50: Community Forums
51: Community Forums
52: Community Forums
53: Community Forums
54: Member Screenshots
55: Photo Gallery
56: Home
57: Photo Gallery
58: Community Forums
59: Photo Gallery
60: Community Forums
61: Community Forums
62: Community Forums
63: Downloads
64: Community Forums
65: Statistics
66: Home
67: Photo Gallery
68: Community Forums
69: Downloads
70: Community Forums
71: Community Forums
72: Community Forums
73: Home
74: Community Forums
75: Photo Gallery
76: Home
77: Community Forums
78: Home
79: Home
80: Photo Gallery
81: Downloads
82: Home
83: Community Forums
84: Community Forums
85: Community Forums
86: Community Forums
87: Community Forums
88: Community Forums
89: News
90: Community Forums
91: Community Forums
92: Community Forums
93: Member Screenshots
94: Statistics
95: Home
96: Community Forums
97: Community Forums
98: Community Forums
99: News Archive
100: Statistics
101: Community Forums
102: Home
103: Member Screenshots
104: Community Forums
105: Community Forums
106: Home
107: Photo Gallery
108: Home
109: Community Forums
110: Community Forums
111: Member Screenshots
112: Home
113: Home
114: Community Forums
115: Statistics
116: Home
117: Home
118: Community Forums
119: Community Forums
120: Photo Gallery
121: Community Forums
122: Community Forums
123: Home
124: Community Forums
125: Community Forums
126: Home
127: Community Forums
128: Home
129: Home
130: Community Forums
131: Community Forums
132: Home
133: Member Screenshots
134: Community Forums
135: Community Forums
136: Home
137: Community Forums
138: Photo Gallery
139: Home
140: Member Screenshots
141: Photo Gallery
142: Member Screenshots
143: Community Forums
144: Member Screenshots
145: Community Forums
146: Photo Gallery
147: Photo Gallery
148: Home
149: Community Forums
150: Community Forums
151: Community Forums
152: Community Forums
153: Community Forums
154: Community Forums
155: Home
156: Home
157: Community Forums
158: Photo Gallery
159: Community Forums
160: Community Forums
161: Community Forums
162: Member Screenshots
163: Community Forums
164: Home
165: Member Screenshots
166: News Archive
167: Community Forums
168: Community Forums
169: Community Forums
170: Community Forums
171: Member Screenshots
172: Photo Gallery
173: Home
174: Home
175: Community Forums
176: Community Forums
177: Home
178: Home
179: Community Forums
180: Community Forums
181: Photo Gallery
182: Community Forums
183: Home
184: Home
185: Photo Gallery
186: Home
187: Home
188: Photo Gallery
189: Community Forums
190: Home
191: Community Forums
192: Member Screenshots
193: Community Forums
194: Community Forums
195: News Archive
196: Community Forums
197: Community Forums
198: Community Forums
199: Community Forums
200: Home
201: Community Forums
202: Community Forums
203: News Archive
204: Community Forums
205: Downloads
206: Member Screenshots
207: Community Forums
208: Home
209: Photo Gallery
210: Home
211: Home
212: Community Forums
213: Community Forums
214: Community Forums
215: Photo Gallery
216: Community Forums
217: Home
218: News Archive
219: Community Forums
220: Community Forums
221: Community Forums
222: Community Forums
223: Member Screenshots
224: Community Forums
225: Community Forums
226: Photo Gallery
227: Home
228: Community Forums
229: Downloads
230: Community Forums
231: Home
232: Community Forums
233: News Archive
234: Community Forums
235: Community Forums
236: Photo Gallery
237: Member Screenshots
238: Home
239: Community Forums
240: Community Forums
241: Community Forums
242: Community Forums
243: Community Forums
244: Community Forums
245: Community Forums
246: Community Forums
247: Downloads
248: Home
249: Community Forums
250: Community Forums
251: Downloads
252: Community Forums
253: Community Forums
254: Community Forums
255: News Archive
256: Community Forums
257: Home
258: Community Forums
259: Community Forums
260: Community Forums
261: Photo Gallery
262: Community Forums
263: Statistics
264: Community Forums
265: Community Forums
266: Community Forums
267: Photo Gallery
268: Photo Gallery
269: Photo Gallery
270: Downloads
271: Photo Gallery
272: Community Forums
273: Home
274: Community Forums
275: Community Forums
276: Photo Gallery
277: Community Forums
278: Home
279: Downloads
280: Home
281: Community Forums
282: Photo Gallery
283: Community Forums
284: Home
285: Photo Gallery
286: Community Forums
287: Photo Gallery
288: News
289: Community Forums
290: Your Account
291: Community Forums
292: Downloads
293: News
294: Community Forums
295: Community Forums
296: Community Forums
297: Downloads
298: Community Forums
299: Member Screenshots
300: Photo Gallery
301: Community Forums
302: Home
303: Community Forums
304: Community Forums
305: Community Forums
306: Home
307: Community Forums
308: Photo Gallery
309: Community Forums
310: Community Forums
311: Photo Gallery
312: Home
313: Photo Gallery
314: Home
315: Photo Gallery
316: Community Forums
317: Photo Gallery
318: Member Screenshots
319: Community Forums
320: Home
321: Downloads
322: Community Forums
323: Home
324: Statistics
325: Community Forums
326: Community Forums
327: Community Forums
328: Photo Gallery
329: Community Forums
330: Community Forums
331: Community Forums
332: Community Forums
333: Downloads
334: Community Forums
335: Community Forums
336: Statistics
337: Community Forums
338: Home
339: Community Forums
340: Home
341: Home
342: News
343: Community Forums
344: Community Forums
345: Community Forums
346: Community Forums
347: Photo Gallery
348: Community Forums
349: Community Forums
350: Photo Gallery
351: Home
352: Statistics
353: Member Screenshots
354: Community Forums
355: Community Forums
356: Home
357: Home
358: Your Account
359: Community Forums
360: News
361: Home
362: Statistics
363: Community Forums
364: Community Forums
365: Community Forums
366: Community Forums
367: Statistics
368: Photo Gallery
369: Member Screenshots
370: Downloads
371: Community Forums
372: Community Forums
373: Member Screenshots
374: Home
375: Community Forums
376: Home
377: Photo Gallery
378: Downloads
379: Home
380: Downloads
381: Community Forums
382: Downloads
383: Community Forums
384: Community Forums
385: Member Screenshots
386: Community Forums
387: Community Forums
388: Community Forums
389: Community Forums
390: Community Forums
391: Community Forums
392: Community Forums
393: Photo Gallery
394: Photo Gallery
395: Home
396: Community Forums
397: Community Forums
398: News
399: Community Forums
400: Community Forums
401: Community Forums
402: News Archive
403: News
404: Community Forums
405: News Archive
406: Community Forums
407: Photo Gallery
408: Community Forums
409: Community Forums
410: Photo Gallery
411: Community Forums
412: Community Forums
413: Community Forums
414: Home
415: Community Forums
416: Photo Gallery
417: Community Forums
418: Member Screenshots
419: Community Forums
420: Community Forums
421: Community Forums
422: Community Forums
423: Community Forums
424: Community Forums
425: Community Forums
426: Your Account
427: Photo Gallery
428: Photo Gallery
429: Photo Gallery
430: Home
431: Community Forums
432: Community Forums
433: Community Forums
434: Community Forums
435: Your Account
436: Community Forums
437: Community Forums
438: Photo Gallery
439: Community Forums
440: Community Forums
441: Community Forums
442: Community Forums
443: Home
444: Community Forums
445: Member Screenshots
446: Member Screenshots
447: Community Forums
448: Community Forums
449: Community Forums
450: Community Forums
451: Community Forums
452: Home
453: Community Forums
454: Home
455: Home
456: Home
457: Home
458: Downloads
459: Community Forums
460: Downloads
461: Community Forums
462: Community Forums
463: Community Forums
464: Community Forums
465: Home
466: Community Forums
467: Community Forums
468: Community Forums
469: Community Forums
470: Home
471: Community Forums
472: Community Forums
473: Community Forums
474: Community Forums
475: Community Forums
476: News
477: Community Forums
478: Community Forums
479: Community Forums
480: Home
481: Home
482: Home
483: Member Screenshots
484: Community Forums
485: Home
486: Member Screenshots
487: Community Forums
488: Community Forums
489: Downloads
490: Community Forums
491: Community Forums
492: Community Forums
493: Community Forums
494: Community Forums
495: News
496: Community Forums
497: Photo Gallery
498: Statistics
499: Home
500: Photo Gallery
501: Community Forums
502: Statistics
503: Home
504: Community Forums
505: Home
506: Community Forums
507: News Archive
508: Community Forums
509: Community Forums
510: Community Forums
511: Community Forums
512: Downloads
513: Community Forums
514: Downloads
515: Community Forums
516: Community Forums
517: Member Screenshots
518: Community Forums
519: Community Forums
520: Community Forums
521: Community Forums
522: Your Account
523: Member Screenshots
524: Photo Gallery
525: Community Forums
526: Community Forums
527: Member Screenshots
528: Statistics
529: Community Forums
530: Home
531: Community Forums
532: Community Forums
533: Community Forums
534: Community Forums
535: Photo Gallery
536: Community Forums
537: Community Forums
538: Downloads
539: Community Forums
540: Home
541: Member Screenshots
542: Community Forums
543: Home
544: Statistics
545: Community Forums
546: Community Forums
547: Photo Gallery
548: Community Forums
549: Community Forums
550: Home
551: Statistics
552: Statistics
553: Photo Gallery
554: Photo Gallery
555: Community Forums
556: Photo Gallery
557: Downloads
558: Community Forums
559: Home
560: Community Forums
561: Home
562: Home
563: Community Forums
564: Community Forums
565: Community Forums
566: Photo Gallery

Staff Online:

No staff members are online!
Game Developers Conference Notebook :: Archived
A general meeting place for all pilots!
Post new topic    Revive this topic    Printer Friendly Page     Forum Index ›  Officer's Club

Topic Archived View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Shadow_Bshwackr
Janitor

Offline Offline
Joined: Jan 21, 2005
Posts: 7019
Location: Central Illinois, USA
PostPosted: Wed Mar 16, 2005 6:41 am
Post subject: Game Developers Conference Notebook

Some interesting reading and the author of this article seems to be quite 'down to earth'....:wink:


Game Developers Conference Notebook
By Loyd Case

My first exposure to Game Developers Conference (then known as the Computer Game Developers Conference) was in 1995. It was early in my technology writing career, and that particular CGDC sticks in my mind for a number of reasons. There was Danny Sanchez, formerly of Orchid, now at ATI, who dragged me into the 3Dfx (the "D" was capitalized back then) developers conference. The Voodoo 1 card hadn't actually shipped yet, but the hardware accelerated 3D was the big buzz of the show.

Later that show, Mike Weksler, then Technical Editor of Computer Gaming World, dragged me upstairs to crash the hotel suite that Rendition was hosting. Rendition was another early player in consumer 3D graphics, long since fallen by the wayside in the brutal competition for desktop graphics market share. Back then, they were one of the hot new companies, and their V1000 single chip accelerator did have a brief moment in the sun.

That was also the year that Microsoft released DirectX 1.0�without a 3D API. Unfortunately, that meant 3D graphics would be mired in proprietary APIs for several years. Later, Microsoft bought Reality Lab, whose graphics API become the core of Direct3D. Today's Direct3D has almost no resemblance to the original Reality Lab.

Since then, GDC has gone through a number of trials and tribulations, but has emerged as a major conference for game developers of all stripes. The early conferences focused on PC game development. (PC is used here in a generic sense, as the Apple II, Amiga, and Atari platforms were still in use back then). Now PC game development is only one part of GDC, which includes consoles, mobile phones, handheld devices, and web-based gaming.

Here are just a few of the notes I made while wandering around this year's GDC.

The Expo Floor

"My heart's in PC games, but I have to pay the bills." I heard variations on this theme from several developers. It wasn't just console developers, either. One is developing games on mobile phones, while another is developing handheld gaming devices. We can hope that Microsoft's XNA unified game development environment, the Windows for Gaming initiative, and the next version of DirectX being an integral part of Longhorn will bring some developers back to the PC.

I did manage to catch part of the talk on the Age of Empires III graphics engine. If you've seen the screenshots, you know that Age III will redefine graphics for real-time strategy games. It's certainly one bit of proof that PC gaming is far from dead. The other arena that shows that PC games are still relevant is IDGA's Independent Game Festival. Games from small developers such as Supremacy: Four Paths to Power and War! Age of Imperialism have all the polish of games developed at larger studios.

Woman Gamers, Women in Gaming

I spoke with Michelle Sorger, Director of Development and Sandra Chen, Project Director, for Girls In Games, Inc. Despite the title, Girls in Games is focused on trying to bring more women into game development. They work with women at all levels, including college students, recent grads, and even women looking to change professions. Their current project is Henched, a casual puzzle game being jointly developed by volunteers as a demonstration vehicle to show their capabilities. The team is distributed over multiple continents, something made possible by modern tools like broadband, IM, online chat, and email.

This effort may have more impact than their previous efforts that merely focused on lobbying game companies to hire more women. After all, having something in your portfolio is always better than simply appealing to a sense of fairness. And having women in game development can have big payoffs. Jason Cross told me the story of Will Wright being asked about how he creates games for women. Will was supposed to have said that he doesn't know anything about making games for women, so he hires women to do that. For example, Chris Trottier is given credit as the co-designer of The Sims, one of the best selling PC games ever created�and just happens to be a woman.

The Expo Floor: Too Quiet

The trade show floor didn't have much buzz going on this year. Sure, we had AMD showing off a handful of actual game titles ported to 64-bit Windows (Far Cry, Chronicles of Riddick, and Shadow Ops among the list). And Sony, for the first time, had an enormous booth, mostly showing off the Playstation Portable (PSP). Even the behind-the-scenes suite action seemed quiet.

What's probably happening is that the industry is taking a collective deep breath. Later this year, the next generation Xbox will arrive on the scene. Sony is starting to talk up Playstation 3, dual-core CPUs will be hitting the street, and even Nintendo is talking about their next gen console. Once that all starts to happen, then the motors will be revved up once more.

This relative vacuum of excitement was probably partly responsible for the buzz behind Ageia's PhysX physics acceleration chip. Despite meeting with them, Ageia was tight-lipped, showing the press only software demos, yet claiming they'll ship a product by year's end. I'll leave Jason Cross to comment on this later, but let's just say I was somewhat underwhelmed.

Will Loyd Bite the Bullet?

Every year, I pick up a couple of books and swear to myself I'll dive into them and learn more about actual game development. Every year, the books languish on the shelf, like abandoned New Year's resolutions, serving as guilty reminders of good intentions. I did it again this year, picking up a book on the Unreal Engine. Will I do anything with it? I dunno, but I still had a great time in GDC, basking in the reflected glory of artists, designers, programmers, and musicians. The industry has changed dramatically in a decade, bringing interactive entertainment to a wider audience than ever before. The next decade will surely be a wild ride.



I liked the comment about buying books with every intention of reading them and comparing that to a New Years Resolution...lol. (I think I can relate to that..:D) Anyhow, reading between the lines, it seems to boil down to a time management issue or a decision to eat and sleep over working...:wink:
Back to top
View user's profile Visit poster's website Photo Gallery
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic    Revive this topic    Printer Friendly Page    Forum Index ›  Officer's Club
Page 1 of 1
All times are GMT - 6 Hours

Archive Revive
Username:
This is an archived topic - your reply will not be appended here.
Instead, a new topic will be generated in the active forum.
The new topic will provide a reference link to this archived topic.