Game Developer - January 2011

GDC is home to a variety of summits, which adapt to the changing face of the games market, and its multiple facets. This year, summits encompass artificial intelligence, education, smartphone development, indie games, serious games, localization, and social games.

Below, we’ve outlined each summit, as well as a sampling of the key talks within each. More talks will be added after press time, so be sure to visit www.gdconf.com for more.

AI SUMMIT The AI Summit at GDC is organized by the AI Game Programmers Guild, and features lectures from some of the industry’s top AI programmers, who will discuss the key architectures and problems with modern games, as well as where AI will go moving forward. These lectures are directed at intermediate to advanced programmers who hope to gain a better understanding of AI, though most anyone interested in the subject will surely gain crucial knowledge from any of the numerous sessions.

will explain how to create more environmentally aware AI using influence maps, detailing their use for spatial analysis and position evaluation for strategy and action games.

PEOPLE IN YOUR POCKET: HIGH-QUALITY AI ON MOBILE DEVICES Richard Evans (Little Text People), Emily Short (Freelance Writer and Consultant), and Andrew Stern (ngmoco)

/// While simulating human behavior on PC and consoles can require huge amounts of animation and graphic resources, developing on mobile devices allows developers to focus less on appearance, and more on behavior. This lecture focuses on the unique challenges of mobile development as regards AI design; with lower expectations for high-quality visuals, developers can focus on generating high quality behavior, even under strict technical limitations.

GAME EDUCATION SUMMIT The GDC Education Summit aims to bring together educators and working professionals to share their experiences and ideas to benefit game education in the classroom, and to give advice to current and former students. Lectures will highlight experimental and inventive educational approaches that conference attendees can bring back to school, whether they are educators or students. Other sessions will focus on collaboration and how students should aim to succeed in the industry after graduation.

BRINGING GAMES USER RESEARCH INTO OUR EDUCATIONAL PRACTICE Katherine Isbister (NYU’s Polytechnic Institute)

programs to teach students how to bring together the multi-dimensional aspects of game development.

USING RANDOMNESS IN AI: BOTH SIDES OF THE COIN Dave Mark (Intrinsic Algorithm), Brian Schwab (Blizzard Entertainment)

/// When players begin to notice AI becoming repetitive or predictable, it can severely harm a game’s longevity. To alleviate this risk, adding elements of randomness can keep a game interesting, just so long as it continues react in a believable way to the player’s actions. This lecture examines how players interpret randomness as more complicated game systems, as well as how to avoid some of the problems that random elements can generate.

/// In order to understand audiences and users, developers must understand how to conduct effective research to aid design decisions. This talk will examine games education programs at four different universities, and how research techniques can be woven into the curriculum and also into the general atmosphere of a program.

EDU TO INDIE: TEACHING STUDENTS SELF-RELIANCE Jeremy Gibson (USC - Interactive Media Division)

GDC SMARTPHONE SUMMIT In previous incarnations, GDC has featured a mobile summit, and later an iPhone summit. This year will mark the first annual GDC Smartphone Summit, which looks more broadly at the iPhone and iPad, Android OS devices, Blackberry, and other similar handheld platforms. The mobile space’s top developers will share their ideas and practices for developing mobile games, focusing on emerging business and marketing strategies, as well as design tips for taking advantage of these successful platforms.

/// While many students may dream of starting their own company after graduation, achieving such a goal can prove incredibly difficult. In this talk, USC faculty member Jeremy Gibson discusses how students should prepare for a successful indie future, citing examples of past student success.

CHANGING THE WAY WE MAKE
GAMES: LESSONS LEARNED IN
THE TRANSITION FROM AAA TO
MOBILE DEVELOPMENT
Vijay Thakkar (Newtoy)

LAY OF THE LAND: SMARTER AI THROUGH INFLUENCE MAPS Damián Isla (Moonshot Games), Alex Champandard ( AiGameDev.com), Kevin Dill (Lockheed Martin)

COLLABORATION ACROSS DISCIPLINES AND PROGRAMS Eric Zimmerman (Independent), Michael Sweet (Berklee College of Music), Matthew Weise (Singapore-MIT GAMBIT Game Lab), Tracy Fullerton (USC School of Cinematic Arts) and Colleen Macklin (Parsons the New School for Design)

/// With the rise of mobile and social gaming has come a host of changes to the way we make games. Based on experience from working with AAA titles and social games, Vijay Thakkar will examine how to improve development for new or unexplored platforms.

/// When placing an AI-controlled character into a game environment, it needs to be able to successfully navigate its surroundings in believable and interesting ways. This lecture

/// Any development team knows collaboration is crucial for any project, and this panel will examine how an emphasis on coordination and communication can be used in education