GDC 2005
[](http://gdconf.com/)
I just got back from
[GDC](http://gdconf.com/), and now that I'm finally caught up on sleep debt,
I've posted some pictures and written up some of the highlights.
[](/space/gdc_2005_pictures/mike_sam_ryan.jpg)
[](/space/gdc_2005_pictures/ryan_mike.jpg)
[](/space/gdc_2005_pictures/mike_presentation.jpg)
[](/space/gdc_2005_pictures/sam_mike.jpg)
[](/space/gdc_2005_pictures/sam_mike_serious.jpg)
-[Overview](/space/GDC+2005#overview)
-[My favorites](/space/GDC+2005#favorites)
-[Tim Sweeney: Unreal 3](/space/GDC+2005#sweeney)
-[Peter Molyneux: The Room](/space/GDC+2005#molyneux)
-[Emily Dickinson](/space/GDC+2005#dickinson)
-[Will Wright: Spore](/space/GDC+2005#wright)
-[J Allard: Xenon (ie XBox 360)](/space/GDC+2005#allard)
-[Experimental Gameplay Workshop](/space/GDC+2005#experimental)
-[Awards: IGF and Developer's Choice](/space/GDC+2005#awards)
### [](/space/GDC+2005#overview) Overview
As always, GDC was overwhelmingly fun. I saw amazing demos, heard
thought-provoking talks from inspiring people, and of course, partied way too
much. It's also very involving, and I definitely got swept up in current
industry issues like [quality of life](http://www.igda.org/qol/) and
[skyrocketing budgets](http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=7225).
However, one of the best parts of this year's GDC didn't have to do with games
at all. Games just provided the excuse to hang out with a
[few](http://mmandel.com/)
[good](/space/Sam+Z.+Glassenberg)
[friends](http://derelictsands.com/). We don't get to hang out nearly enough,
since they don't live in the area, so we had a lot of fun. LucasArts kids tear
it up!
Anyway, if you just want previews of the games shown at GDC, [Gamespot is
comprehensive](http://www.gamespot.com/features/gdc2005/index.html), as always.
If you just want to play some award-winning (and free!) independent games, check
out this year's
[Independent Games Festival](http://gdconf.com/schedule/igf.htm).
### [](/space/GDC+2005#favorites) My favorites
For my money, the coolest, most progressive talks were fairly small: [natural
language processing in
games](http://www.cmpevents.com/GD05/a.asp?option=C&V=11&SessID=3943), a
roundtable on [economics and monetary policy in
MMOGs](http://www.cmpevents.com/GD05/a.asp?option=C&V=11&SessID=4681), and
[synthesizing animation using
physics](http://www.cmpevents.com/GD05/a.asp?option=C&V=11&SessID=3875).
The NLP talk in particular was amazing. They gave an extended demo of
[Facade](http://www.quvu.net/interactivestory.net/#facade), their
proof-of-concept game, which they plan to release in a month or so. I can't wait
to try it.
### [](/space/GDC+2005#sweeney) Tim Sweeney: Unreal 3 Engine
Tim Sweeney showed the
[Unreal 3 engine and
toolset](http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/03/09/news_6120126.html). The demo
was the same as last year - still mind-blowing - but the toolset, "Kismet," is
radically new and different. Everything is visual; modelers, animators, level
designers, and producers can all create complex, interactive, scripted content
and gameplay without a single line of code.
Sweeney used this to diss EA's claim that next-gen games will need 150-person
teams. Microsoft has licensed Unreal 3 for a number of current and next-gen
games, so it's more than just
talk.
### [](/space/GDC+2005#molyneux) Peter Molyneux: The Room
Peter Molyneux demoed [Black & White
2](http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/03/11/news_6120276.html), and gave a Fable
postmortem. Both were meh. However, he also showed a Lionhead tech-demo called
The Room, which was phenomenal. It was an sandbox, not a game, and it was
unapologetic. The graphical level of detail, cinematography, physics, and
interactivity were a huge step beyond Black &
White.
### [](/space/GDC+2005#dickinson) Emily Dickinson
The Room also appeared in the game design challenge session. Molyneux joined
Will Wright and Clint Hocking (of Ubisoft), and they were all challenged to
design [games based on Emily Dickinson's
poetry](http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/03/10/news_6120167.html). This was
really, really entertaining. It drove home how difficult game design is, and
just how good these three designers
are.
### [](/space/GDC+2005#wright) Will Wright: Spore
[Will Wright unveiled Spore](http://www.gamespy.com/articles/595/595975p1.html)
([screenshots](http://www.gamingsteve.com/archives/2005/03/pictures_of_wil.php)),
which is effectively the next evolutionary step for player-generated content, a
la The Sims. Specifically, the players create the content, but it's generated
programmatically. _All_ of it. As such, this is Will Wright's answer to the
problem of ballooning budgets and content requirements.
Spore is basically an MMO SimEarth with a stunningly functional creature editor.
You slowly design and evolve creatures, raise them to sentience, help them build
cities and culture, then fly around the galaxy and check out other player's
planets. You can interact diplomatically, econmically, and militarily.
Among other things, the way the engine handles LOD is amazing. You start out
zoomed in onto individual cells, and you eventually zoom out to see the entire
galaxy. He said he This felt more like the real sequel to Black & White; Black &
White 2 felt more like a big expansion
pack.
### [](/space/GDC+2005#allard) J Allard: Xenon (ie XBox 360)
There's been [a lot of
flak](http://www.costik.com/weblog/2005_03_01_blogchive.html#111069190589189590)
over it, but I thought [J Allard's
keynote](http://www.gamespot.com/live/stream_asx.html?speed=300&path=ms_gdc05_pcfull.asx&playall=&letsgs=&push=0&prestream=&first)
was really compelling. OK, the developer in me wished he'd talked more about the
long-term future of XNA (ie unified game experiences across PC, Xbox, cell
phones, the webetc.). He didn't, but the short-term toolset is cool. He also
pushed HD really hard, for who knows what reason. It's unrelated to gameplay; I
could care less.
Mandatory Live support on Xenon is definitely a big deal, though. I was
especially interested in the Xbox Live "marketplace." It's essentially a turnkey
micropayments solution for developers. They can charge small amounts of money
for incremental content - $.20 for a new paint job in a racing game, $1.00 for a
new Halo level. Allard specifically said that Microsoft will remove the
per-transaction fees normally associated with credit cards. If that's true, this
would be a full-fledged micropayments platform. Once it's up and running, it's
hard to believe that Microsoft wouldn't use it for a lot more than games...
There wasn't much other info about Xenon, but the specs have already been
leaked. Gamespy has
[two](http://xbox.gamespy.com/xbox/microsoft-xbox/594331p1.html)[
articles](http://xbox.gamespy.com/xbox/microsoft-xbox/594355p1.html), and a
reliable source told me that they're entirely accurate.
Anyway, watch [the
video](http://www.gamespot.com/live/stream_asx.html?speed=300&path=ms_gdc05_pcfull.asx&playall=&letsgs=&push=0&prestream=&first).
Unless you're an industry geek like me, you'll want to skip to 34:00. Oh, and
they gave away 1000 flatscreen HDTVs. Gotta love Microsoft's developer relations
budget. He wasn't kidding about the "HD
Era"...
### [](/space/GDC+2005#experimental) Experimental Gameplay Workshop
The experimental gameplay workshop kicked ass. Highlights included the [Indie
Game Jam](http://indiegamejam.com/) (experienced developers get together and
build crazy games in 4 days and no sleep), [Rag Doll Kung
Fu](http://ragdollkungfu.com/), [Jane McGonigal](http://avantgame.com/) (of
[4orty2wo](http://4orty2wo.com/)) talking about [I Love
Bees](http://avantgame.com/live.htm), and the [Trader Malaki
incident](http://www.grimwell.com/index.php?action=fullnews&id=192) in [A Tale
In The
Desert](http://atitd.com/).
### [](/space/GDC+2005#awards) Awards: IGF and Developer's Choice
Oh, and the [awards](http://gdconf.com/schedule/choiceawards.htm)! [Half-Life
2](http://half-life2.com/) swept four, including best game, and [Katamari
Damacy](http://www.namco.com/games/katamari_damacy/), [World of
Warcraft](http://worldofwarcraft.com/), [Halo 2](http://halo2.com/), I Love
Bees, etc. also won awards. As for the [indie
games](http://gdconf.com/schedule/igf.htm), [Alien
Hominid](http://alienhominid.com/),
[N](http://www.harveycartel.org/metanet/n.html), [Wik](http://wikgame.com/),
[Gish](http://chroniclogic.com/gish.htm), and a couple others carried the awards
and most of the buzz.
Sheesh, I'm beat, and I haven't even mentioned the parties, much less
[Mishapalooza](/space/2005-04-01)! Suffice it to say, it was a great
conference, but even without the games, it was well worth it as an excuse to
hang out and party with good friends.
See you at [E3](http://e3expo.com/)!