GDC 2006
[](http://gdconf.com/)
This was my fifth year at
[GDC](http://gdconf.com/), and as always, it's a lot of fun to take a break for
a bit and immerse myself in an entirely different world. It's also a little
overwhelming, so I had to take a few days to let the sleep deprivation and
hangover(s) wear off before I could type up my notes.
Other sites have much more detailed coverage, including
[Gamasutra](http://www.gamasutra.com/gdc2006/),
[Slashdot](http://games.slashdot.org/index.pl?issue=20060324), and
[GameSpot](http://www.gamespot.com/events/gdc2006/). I can't beat that, so I'll
link to their coverage when they have more detail on a particular talk. Instead,
I'll lay out some of the common themes I noticed.
Also, the full proceedings will soon be available online at
[GDCTV](http://gdctv.net/) and [GDCRadio](http://gdcradio.net/). I was actually
lucky enough to snag the [2005 and 2004
proceedings](https://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/store.php?category=3) on CD for
$30 each. They list for upwards of $400, but they had excess inventory, so they
had to slash prices to get rid of it. I might not listen to NPR again for
months...
### Contents
[Big budgets and the return of the garage developer](/space/GDC 2006#budgets)
[Fun and games? Or strictly business?](/space/GDC 2006#business_or_fun)
-[ Sony's PS3 keynote](/space/GDC 2006#sony)
-[ Nintendo's DS and Revolution keynote](/space/GDC 2006#nintendo)
-[ Security and privacy meet SoX and the Feds](/space/GDC 2006#privacy)
[Games go data-driven](/space/GDC 2006#data-driven)
-[ Tim Sweeney on building a game engine](/space/GDC 2006#tim_sweeney)
-[ Emotional character control in Shadow of the Colossus](/space/GDC 2006#colossus)
-[ God of War: lead designer vs. lead programmer](/space/GDC 2006#god_of_war)
-[ Different perspectives in Ninety-Nine Nights](/space/GDC 2006#n3)
[How the pros invent games](/space/GDC 2006#game_design)
-[ Game design challenge: Nobel Peace Prize](/space/GDC 2006#challenge)
-[ Will Wright's keynote](/space/GDC 2006#will_wright)
-[ Best game research of 2005](/space/GDC 2006#research)
-[ Peter Molyneux goes MIA](/space/GDC 2006#molyneux)
[Metrics and analysis for...gameplay?](/space/GDC 2006#analysis)
-[ Playing with physics in Half-life 2](/space/GDC 2006#hl2)
-[ Ernest Adams on interactive fiction](/space/GDC 2006#ernest_adams)
-[ Burn, baby, burn](/space/GDC 2006#rant)
[Talks I missed](/space/GDC 2006#missed)
[Extracurriculars!](/space/GDC 2006#extra)
-[ Independent Games Festival](/space/GDC 2006#igf)
-[ Game Developers' Choice Awards](/space/GDC 2006#choice_awards)
-[ Video Games Live concert](/space/GDC 2006#concert)
### [](/space/GDC+2006#budgets) Big budgets and the return of the garage developer
A common refrain at [last year's GDC](/space/GDC 2005) was the unstoppable
ballooning of game budgets and teams. Due to the need for higher and higher
quality assets, as well as marketing and IP licenses, a next-gen AAA game can
easily cost upwards of $10M. Among other things, this means that publishers are
less willing to take risks with gameplay or content.
At the same time, as with other media, there's been lots of buzz about digital
distribution. This wasn't commercially viable until the last few years, with the
mainstream adoption of broadband and ecommerce. Free from the traditional costs
of publishing, distribution, and traditional marketing, casual and downloadable
games have flourished. Smaller, online-only titles like
[Bejeweled](http://www.popcap.com/gamepopup.php?theGame=diamondmine), [Diner
Dash](http://www.gmlb.com/games/dinerDash.html), [Puzzle
Pirates](http://www.puzzlepirates.com/), and [Darwinia](http://darwinia.co.uk/)
have become huge hits.
Microsoft followed this trend with [Xbox Live
Arcade](http://www.xbox.com/livearcade), one of the most exciting console
developments in years. In addition to trailers and microcontent for retail AAA
games, you can download demos and full-fledged games to your Xbox 360. We're
seeing both ever-expanding budgets for AAA games and a boom in games made on a
shoestring. I don't know what this dichotomy means in the short term, but it's
bound to be an interesting ride.
### [](/space/GDC+2006#business_or_fun) Fun and games? Or strictly business?
[Microsoft](http://microsoft.com/)'s [Xbox 360](http://www.xbox.com/en-US/) was
the platform keynote last year, so it was only natural that
[Sony](http://scea.sony.com/) and [Nintendo](http://nintendo.com/) would give
this year's platform keynotes. Apart from the content, though, I was surprised
at how much the _tone_ of the two keynotes reflected the companies
themselves.
[](/space/GDC+2006#sony)
[Phil Harrison](http://www.cmpevents.com/gd06/a.asp?option=G&V=3&id=237356) gave
[Sony's keynote](http://www.cmpevents.com/gd06/a.asp?option=C&V=11&SessID=2788)
(more at [Slashdot](http://games.slashdot.org/games/06/03/22/208221.shtml),
[Gamasutra](http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=8628),
[GameSpot](http://www.gamespot.com/news/6146436.html)). He started by patting
himself and Sony on the back with graphs of the retail lifespans of the PS1 (12
years!) and the initial growth ramp-up of the PS2 and the PSP. He went on to lay
out Sony's [Playstation 3](http://www.ps3land.com/) roadmap, emphasizing
[Epic](http://epicgames.com/), [Havok](http://havok.com/),
[Ageia](http://www.ageia.com/) (why _two_ physics providers?), and [SN
Systems](http://www.snsys.com/), which Sony recently bought.
Next up was the spec sheet, including the obligatory
[Cell](http://cell.scei.co.jp/index_e.html), [Blu-Ray](http://www.blu-ray.com/),
and [NVIDIA](http://nvidia.com/) cheerleading. Phil also spent a few slides on
Sony's as-yet-unnamed [online
service](http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=15378) for the PS3.
He tried to get excited, and implied that Sony was doing something new and
important, but in the end it was just a direct copy of the [Xbox
Live](http://www.xbox.com/en-us/live/) feature set. Matchmaking, trailers,
demos, micropayments, downloadable content and games...check. I thought this was
hilarious. Sony had flatly refused to build a service like this for the entire
lifespan of the PS2, _and_ for the PS3 at first. They claimed it was the
developers' job, but they really just couldn't be bothered. They only gave in,
begrudgingly, after Xbox Live exploded and third-party developers felt more
justified in demanding it.
Last up, Phil showed a number of graphics, physics, and game demos, including
the first ever live, realtime PS3 gameplay demos.
[Incognito](http://www.incognitostudio.com/)'s shooter
[Warhawk](http://www.gamespot.com/ps3/action/warhawk/),
[Insomniac](http://www.insomniacgames.com/index.php)'s FPS
[Resistance](http://www.gamespot.com/ps3/action/insomniacshooter/), and
[Evolution](http://evos.net/)'s deformable terrain racer
[MotorStorm](http://www.gamespot.com/ps3/driving/motorstorm/) all got the big
screen treatment as their developers came on stage. It was a fitting end to a
keynote that, for all its hard-headed business and glitzy eye candy, broke no
new ground whatsoever.
[](/space/GDC+2006#nintendo)
The next day, [Satoru
Iwata](http://www.cmpevents.com/gd06/a.asp?option=G&V=3&id=381380) gave
[Nintendo's
keynote](http://www.cmpevents.com/gd06/a.asp?option=C&V=11&SessID=2785) (more at
[Gamasutra](http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=8656),
[GameSpot](http://www.gamespot.com/news/6146541.html)). It couldn't have been
more different.
He started, as he always does, with stories from his early days at Nintendo. He
was earnest, sincere, and passionate about his love for games. Iwata spoke about
Nintendo's goal of expanding the market beyond existing core and casual gamers
with new, _accessible_ game experiences. As an example, he briefly discussed the
research that went into the [Revolution
controller](http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3143782) to make it
fundamentally more immersive, yet as easy to use as a TV remote.
Following in the "disruption" vein, Iwata showed off
[Nintendogs](http://www.nintendogs.com/),
[Electroplankton](http://electroplankton.com/), and his newest project, [Brain
Age](http://www.nintendo.com/gamemini?gameid=tYVqJgro-KG6QL_mMbXFoQTkQIzgi9nU).
It's a puzzle game designed to exercise your mind, and it's already a huge hit
in Japan with people of all ages, especially seniors! Iwata joked that like all
good ideas, it came from a board of directors. One of Nintendo's directors had
complained that they didn't games for seniors.
He then brought a few of the speakers and conference organizers up on stage to
play Brain Age and [Metroid Prime:
Hunters](http://www.nintendo.com/gamemini?gameid=06538594-faae-4099-9b2d-c18a91353902)
live. Finally, he showed a roadmap for the [Nintendo WiFi
network](http://www.nintendowifi.com/global/index.jsp?locale=en_US), then
quickly jumped back to games with trailers for the [Twilight
Princess](http://www.zelda.com/universe/game/legendzelda/) and [Phantom
Hourglass](http://ds.ign.com/articles/697/697930p1.html)
([video](http://media.nintendo.com/mediaFiles/fDp6jkG4NYgUu74upE_kpwhmLp5Xq3-f.mov))
Zelda games.
The contrast was striking. As opposed to Sony's business partnerships, growth
projections, and engineering muscle-flexing, Iwata's message came from the
heart. Nintendo loves games and wants to share that love with as many people as
possible. Hell, he actually brought people up on stage to play games together on
the _DS_! They couldn't be bothered with eye candy; they were having too much
fun.
Sony will still likely be the market leader in the next console generation, and
Nintendo will still likely be third...but you have to admire their
sincerity.
[](/space/GDC+2006#privacy)
The next day, I stopped in at a roundtable on [security and privacy in
games](http://www.cmpevents.com/gd06/a.asp?option=C&V=11&SessID=2334).
Cryptographer [Elonka Dunin](http://www.elonka.com/) of
[Simutronics](http://www.play.net/) moderated, and the discussion included
people from [Blizzard](http://blizzard.com/)'s [World of
Warcraft](http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/), [Microsoft](http://microsoft.com/)'s
[Xbox Live](http://www.xbox.com/en-us/live/),
[Punkbuster](http://www.punkbuster.com/),
[Sony Online Entertainment](http://www.station.sony.com/en/),
[Linden Labs](http://lindenlabs.com/)' [Second Life](http://secondlife.com/),
[EA](http://www.ea.com/), and even the [FBI](http://www.fbi.gov/)!
It was all business. We discussed fraud, session and chat logs, interaction with
law enforcement (proactive, e.g. death threats in chat, and reactive, e.g.
subpoenas), ethics vs. legality, and how to use demographic and technical
information. We even discussed SoX! I've [gained a fair amount of
experience](http://ryan.barrett.name/resume.html) with this stuff at work, so I
even contributed a little.
I was particularly encouraged to hear that many companies are separating
personally identifiable information, usually billing info, from game data and
session and chat logs. It's far from the sexiest topic, but it is a sign that
the game industry is maturing.
### [](/space/GDC+2006#data-driven) Games go data-driven
I didn't go to many programming talks this year, but I still noticed a common
theme. Bigger budgets for AAA games mean more opportunities for designers to
influence each game's experience. However, [Fred
Brooks](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Brooks) taught us that we can't scale
design just by adding more programmers. Instead, programmers are making their
games more and more [data-driven](http://www.faqs.org/docs/artu/ch09s01.html),
so that designers can take the reigns and create the game experience
themselves.
[](/space/GDC+2006#tim_sweeney)
[Tim Sweeney](http://www.cmpevents.com/gd06/a.asp?option=G&V=3&id=192499) of
[Epic Games](http://epicgames.com/) drove this home in his
[talk](http://www.cmpevents.com/gd06/a.asp?option=C&V=11&SessID=1540). Like
[last year](/space/GDC 2005#sweeney), he described how Epic consciously designed
the [Unreal 3](http://www.unrealtechnology.com/html/technology/ue30.shtml)
toolchain to empower artist and designer productivity, even when it meant
sacrificing performance. He showed the UE3 shader, materials, level, and script
editors as concrete examples. This is made possible by UE3's component system,
which is basically [mixins](http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?MixIn), and its design goal
of orthogonality, ie component interoperability in all modes without
constraints.
[](/space/GDC+2006#colossus)
The engineering team behind [Shadow of the
Colossus](http://www.us.playstation.com/Content/OGS/SCUS-97472/Site/) boiled
this down in their
[postmortem](http://www.cmpevents.com/gd06/a.asp?option=C&V=11&SessID=2815):
_Whenever you find a variable that affects design or gameplay, expose it to
non-programmers._ They cited their inverse kinematics system as an example. They
needed its physics, but their designers kept control over the blending between
physics and animation, and set thresholds for the IK input.
_Immersion was paramount_, they said, so they were determined that their game
look good and feel right. In true Japanese pixel-painting style, when reality
conflicted with their design, they cheated reality. _Reality lacks direction. To
get true emotion, you need artistic
control._
[](/space/GDC+2006#god_of_war)
[Tim Moss](http://www.cmpevents.com/gd06/a.asp?option=G&V=3&id=409785), the [God
of War](http://us.playstation.com/Content/OGS/SCUS-97399/Site/) lead programmer,
took this to an extreme. In his
[talk](http://www.cmpevents.com/gd06/a.asp?option=C&V=11&SessID=2409) (more at
[GameSpot](http://www.gamespot.com/news/6146611.html)), he called the God of War
design "a special case at every turn." Custom animations, sounds, weapons,
collisions, mechanics, cameras, you name it. He modestly said that he "gave up"
and "dumbed down" the engine so it had no special case logic at all. Instead,
the artists had to tell it which animations, sounds, and cameras to use for each
situation. In essence, he made the designers do his work for him. The final
executable was under 1MB, and even that was mostly rendering
code!
[](/space/GDC+2006#n3)
The [Ninety Nine Nights](http://www.n3-game.jp/) team had an interesting spin on
this. During their [talk on character
design](http://www.cmpevents.com/gd06/a.asp?option=C&V=11&SessID=2376) (more at
[Gamasutra](http://gamasutra.com/features/20060324/cifaldi_01.html)), they
played two different edits of in-game cutscenes side by side. They needed the
same in-game events to convey different emotions, depending on which character
the player had chosen. It was amazing how cuts and camera angles alone could
change the tone of the scenes.
On a different note, why is [Tetsuya
Mizuguchi](http://www.cmpevents.com/gd06/a.asp?option=G&V=3&id=437221) ([Sonic
Team](http://www.sonicteam.com/), [United Game
Artists](http://www.mobygames.com/company/united-game-artists)), following up
brilliant games like [Space Channel
5](http://www.mobygames.com/game/dreamcast/space-channel-5),
[Rez](http://www.sonicteam.com/rez/e/news/),
[Meteos](http://meteos.nintendods.com/), and
[Lumines](http://www.luminesgame.com/) with a tired-looking Gauntlet clone?!?
### [](/space/GDC+2006#game_design) How the pros invent games
Most of my favorite GDC talks each year come from the game design track, and
this year didn't disappoint. There were lots of interesting new mechanics and
innovations, both in the game design talks and in the [IGF](/space/GDC 2006#igf).
[](/space/GDC+2006#challenge)
[Eric Zimmerman](http://www.ericzimmerman.com/)'s [Game Design
Challenge](http://www.cmpevents.com/gd06/a.asp?option=C&V=11&SessID=1625) is
always a ton of fun. This year's mission, [design a game that could win the
Nobel Peace
Prize](http://www.cmpevents.com/gd06/a.asp?option=C&V=11&SessID=1625), (more at
[Gamasutra](http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20060324/diamante_01.shtml),
[Slashdot](http://games.slashdot.org/games/06/03/24/0726247.shtml),
[GameSpot](http://www.gamespot.com/news/6146623.html)), didn't disappoint. Will
Wright didn't disappoint either - he wore a tiara for the entire talk, then
presented it to the winner!
[Midway](http://midway.com/)'s [Harvey
Smith](http://www.cmpevents.com/gd06/a.asp?option=G&V=3&id=99381) ([Deus
Ex](http://deusex.com/),
[Thief](http://www.eidosinteractive.com/gss/legacy/thiefportal/)) went first. He
mentioned some of his original ideas, then identified the inspiration for his
Nintendo DS game _Peacebomb_: flash mobs! He described Peacebomb as a "platform
for generating flash mobs." The game would overlay a corrupt, totalitarian
government on the real world. Players would use Peacebomb to congregate in the
real world and organize protests and peaceful uprisings. They'd use the game's
social network and microeconomy, along with the DS' wifi and new GPS peripheral.
This was a striking idea, and Harvey ended up winning the prize.
[Epic Games](http://epicgames.com/)' [Cliff Bleszinski](http://cliffyb.com/)
([Unreal](http://unreal.com/)) went next. He talked about his research
methodology: he went to the [Nobel Peace Prize web
site](http://nobelprize.org/peace/) and found that, wonder of wonders, it has
[games](http://nobelprize.org/games_simulations.html)! He couldn't steal them
whole cloth, though, so he presented _Empathy_. It places you at the head of a
family in a country on the brink of war. You must keep your family together a la
[The Sims](http://thesims.ea.com/) and gather resources to survive, RTS-style.
In a fun twist, CliffyB said he'd require all world leaders to play Empathy
before they were allowed to start a war.
[Koei](http://www.koei.com/)'s [Keita
Takahashi](http://www.cmpevents.com/gd06/a.asp?option=G&V=3&id=373688)
([Katamari Damacy](http://katamari.namco.com/)) went last. Strangely, He didn't
present a coherent game design at all. Instead, he opted for a cute, whimsical,
animated presentation on _love_, of all things. He followed a group of animated
characters as they spread their love of games across the world to poor people,
sick people, and even soldiers and hawkish politicians. They all proceeded laid
down their weapons, help each other, and play games together happily ever after.
It was too sweet for words.
:P
[](/space/GDC+2006#will_wright)
[Will Wright](http://www.cmpevents.com/gd06/a.asp?option=G&V=3&id=434769),
creator of the Sim games, is a legend in the game industry. His talks at GDC are
always standing room only, and this year was no exception.
Will's [game design
keynote](http://www.cmpevents.com/gd06/a.asp?option=C&V=11&SessID=2507) (more at
[Gamasutra](http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20060324/sanchez_01.shtml),
[Slashdot](http://games.slashdot.org/games/06/03/24/150234.shtml),
[GameSpot](http://www.gamespot.com/news/6146586.html)) was even more frenetic
than last year. Free of the burden of presenting a single game,
[Spore](http://www.spore.com/), Will described how he comes up with concepts and
does game design research. The presentation was as scattered as his process,
bouncing from [Drake's equation](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drake_equation) to
[The X Files](http://www.foxhome.com/xfilesportal/) to comic books to
[terraforming](http://www.otherworlds.net/otherworlds.net/worldbld.htm) to
[Bagger](http://www.wisoveg.de/rheinbraun/rb-bg-17022001lnk.html), the German
highway-eating machine. [Really](http://people.freenet.de/LinkeBM/Bagger.htm)!
Will emphasized front-loading risk, throwing away ideas, and prototyping. He
tries to identify the main risks in any game very early - in the case of Spore,
procedural content. He and his cohorts at [Maxis](http://maxis.com/) then
prototyped almost 70 gameplay mechanics, content systems, and other ideas to
remove the unknowns from that risk. This helped them focus their design, as well
as clearly identifying what they needed to cut. Less than 10% of their original
ideas survived, which Will thought was
typical.
[](/space/GDC+2006#research)
In a very different vein, [Jane McGonigal](http://avantgame.com/), [Ian
Bogost](http://www.lcc.gatech.edu/~bogost/), and [Mia
Consalvo](http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/~consalvo/) presented the [top ten game
research findings of
2005.](http://www.cmpevents.com/gd06/a.asp?option=C&V=11&SessID=2408). This was
a lot of fun, especially since much of the research was surprising and
non-intuitive. There are fairly complete transcripts at
[Wonderland](http://crystaltips.typepad.com/wonderland/2006/03/gdc_last_sessio.html)
and [Raph Koster's
site](http://www.raphkoster.com/2006/03/25/gdc-day-5-top-ten-lessons-from-game-studies-number-zero/),
though, and [Avant Game](http://www.avantgame.com/top10.htm) has the slides and
notes. I won't try to do better than refer you to them.
:P
[](/space/GDC+2006#molyneux)
I was anxious to hear [Peter
Molyneux](http://www.cmpevents.com/gd06/a.asp?option=G&V=3&id=188017) talk about
game design again this year. He was fascinating [last year](/space/GDC 2005#molyneux), and [this
year](http://www.cmpevents.com/gd06/a.asp?option=C&V=11&SessID=2508) looked to
be equally compelling. Unfortunately, [his talk was
cancelled](http://www.gamespot.com/news/6146650.html). I was disappointed.
### [](/space/GDC+2006#analysis) Metrics and analysis for...gameplay?
Apart from new gameplay ideas, I was struck by how often I heard about metrics
and analysis for something as ephemeral as gameplay. Many game developers were
actively using quantitative tools to build and tweak the "sweet science" of
their games' mechanics.
[](/space/GDC+2006#hl2)
[Jay Stelly](http://www.cmpevents.com/gd06/a.asp?option=G&V=3&id=102444) spoke
about how he and the other [Valve](http://valvesoftware.com/) designers created
the physics-based gameplay of [Half-Life 2](http://half-life2.com/) (more at
[Slashdot](http://games.slashdot.org/games/06/03/24/1926234.shtml),
[GDC](http://www.cmpevents.com/gd06/a.asp?option=C&V=11&SessID=1625)). He
defined gameplay as teaching players skills, then letting them use those skills.
He believed each game has a limited capacity for new skills, so it's essential
to narrow them down to the most valuable. How do you value a skill? By the
amount it interacts with the game world and especially with other skills.
Stelly described this as a living, breathing game design economy that can be
measured and optimized. He used this methodology and _Excel_ (no joke!) to
compare skills in Half-Life 2: crates, the gravity gun, the glue gun, Dog. Valve
used that to help decide what to keep and what to
cut.
[](/space/GDC+2006#ernest_adams)
Meanwhile, [Ernest Adams](http://www.designersnotebook.com/) spoke about the
[present and future of interactive
storytelling](http://www.cmpevents.com/gd06/a.asp?option=C&V=11&SessID=1507). He
quoted [Ken Perlin](http://mrl.nyu.edu/~perlin/): _the cost of an event is
relative to its improbability_. That is, every story has a "credibility" budget.
If too many unbelievable things happen, the story will blow its budget and its
suspension of disbelief.
When you apply this to interactive stories, it gets more interesting. Both the
author (designer) and the reader (player) create the story, so they're both
constrained by the credibility budget. He gave
[Facade](http://interactivestory.net/) as an example. As a result, IF designers
don't need to account for all possible actions, sandbox style. If the player
doesn't play their part and blows the budget, _the story is over_.
Adams also described some technical approaches to IF. Traditional branching
structures hard-code both time and behavior. To support emergent behavior, as is
currently fashionable, plot events should be treated like functions and
characters like pass-by-reference variables. That way, plot points can take
place with anyone, and affect them accordingly.
I also saw the [Writers Guild of America](http://www.wga.org/)'s
[panel](http://www.cmpevents.com/gd06/a.asp?option=C&V=11&SessID=1934) on
writing for games, which also touched on IF. It wasn't nearly as memorable. It's
uncharitable of me to say so, but much of it was simply complaining that game
writers (still!) don't get enough
respect.
[](/space/GDC+2006#rant)
Finally, no GDC would be complete without a developer [analysis and rant
session](http://www.cmpevents.com/gd06/a.asp?option=C&V=11&SessID=1911) led by
[gameLab](http://gmlb.com/)'s [Eric Zimmerman](http://www.ericzimmerman.com/).
(More at [Slashdot](http://games.slashdot.org/games/06/03/24/159248.shtml),
[Wonderland](http://crystaltips.typepad.com/wonderland/2006/03/gdc_game_develo.html).)
[Robin Hunicke](http://www.cs.northwestern.edu/~hunicke/) led off with a
hilarious retread of the cliched, age-old tradition of using women and sex to
sell games - and this year, the [Graphic Impact
Competition](http://www.gdconf.com/networking/art.htm).
[CAA](http://www.caa.com/)'s [Seamus
Blackley](http://www.cmpevents.com/gd06/a.asp?option=G&V=3&id=121763) then told
developers to suck it up and at least learn _something_ about business before
complaining about being rejected by publishers.
The other navel-gazers included [Frank
Lantz](http://www.cmpevents.com/gd06/a.asp?option=G&V=3&id=101915) of
[area/code](http://www.playareacode.com/), [Jonathan
Blow](http://number-none.com/blow/) of [Number None](http://number-none.com/),
[Jessica Mulligan](http://www.skotos.net/articles/bth.html), [Chris
Crawford](http://www.erasmatazz.com/) (formerly of
[Origin](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origin_Systems)), Jane Pinkard of [Game
Girl Advance](http://gamegirladvance.com/), and [Chris
Hecker](http://www.d6.com/users/checker/) of [Definition 6](http://www.d6.com/).
The [Wonderland
transcript](http://crystaltips.typepad.com/wonderland/2006/03/gdc_game_develo.html)
is pretty thorough.
### [](/space/GDC+2006#missed) Talks I missed
There were many more talks I wish I could have heard. Here are a few.
* [Ronald Moore](http://www.cmpevents.com/gd06/a.asp?option=G&V=3&id=449551)
on [Building a Better
Battlestar](http://www.cmpevents.com/gd06/a.asp?option=C&V=11&SessID=2784) (more
at [Gamasutra](http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20060329/waugh_01.shtml),
[Slashdot](http://games.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/03/22/2155224))
* The [game ethics and laws
panel](https://www.cmpevents.com/GD06/a.asp?option=C&V=11&SessID=1912) (more at
[GameSpot](http://www.gamespot.com/news/6146588.html),
[Gamasutra](http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20060324/duffy_01.shtml))
* [Localization and i18n in Final Fantasy
XI](http://www.cmpevents.com/gd06/a.asp?option=C&V=11&SessID=2683) (more at
[Gamasutra](http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20060324/woodard_01.shtml))
* [Test-driven
development](http://www.cmpevents.com/gd06/a.asp?option=C&V=11&SessID=1528) for
games (more at
[Gamasutra](http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20060322/duffy_01.shtml))
* [Hal Barwood](http://www.finitearts.com/Pages/biopage.htm) and [Noah
Falstein](http://www.theinspiracy.com/presiden.htm) of [The 400
Project](http://www.theinspiracy.com/400_project.htm) on [game design
rules](http://www.cmpevents.com/gd06/a.asp?option=C&V=11&SessID=1611) (more at
[Gamasutra](http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20060323/duffy_01.shtml))
* The [digital distribution
panel](http://www.cmpevents.com/gd06/a.asp?option=C&V=11&SessID=2518) (more at
[GameSpot](http://www.gamespot.com/news/6146660.html))
* [Implementing an Adaptive, Live Orchestral
Soundtrack](http://www.cmpevents.com/gd06/a.asp?option=C&V=11&SessID=1587)
* [Building the Open World - The Level Artists'
Conundrum](http://www.cmpevents.com/gd06/a.asp?option=C&V=11&SessID=2486)
* [Xbox Live Marketplace and Future
Directions](http://www.cmpevents.com/gd06/a.asp?option=C&V=11&SessID=2412),
which you already know I [think highly
of](/gallery/GDC+2005#allard).
...and a couple of games: [Crysis](http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/crysis/),
with its jaw-dropping good looks, and
[Dreamfall](http://www.gamespot.com/xbox/adventure/longestjourney2wt/news.html?sid=6146566),
sequel to The Longest Journey, [which I
loved](/space/2005-08-04).
### [](/space/GDC+2006#extra) Extracurriculars!
[](http://www.gamechoiceawards.com/gdca_6th.htm)[](http://igf.com/)[](http://www.gdconf.com/networking/VGL.htm)
One of my favorite parts of GDC every year is the extracurriculars - the awards
ceremonies, the booth crawls, the concerts, and the late nights drinking with
people all over the industry.
[](/space/GDC+2006#igf)
As expected, [Darwinia](http://darwinia.co.uk/) swept the [IGF](http://igf.com/)
awards (more at
[Gamasutra](http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=8643)), and
rightly so. It's really, really
cool.
[](/space/GDC+2006#choice_awards)
[Shadow of the
Colossus](http://www.us.playstation.com/Content/OGS/SCUS-97472/Site/) took home
Best Game and two other awards in the [Game Developer's Choice
awards](http://www.gamechoiceawards.com/gdca_6th.htm) (more at
[Gamasutra](http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=8642),
[Slashdot](http://games.slashdot.org/games/06/03/23/1512253.shtml)). [Guitar
Hero](http://www.guitarherogame.com/) and
[Nintendogs](http://www.nintendogs.com/) won awards as well.
[Adventure](http://www.rickadams.org/adventure/)'s creators were recognized as
"first penguins" for their role in gaming history, [Richard
Garriott](http://www.cmpevents.com/gd06/a.asp?option=G&V=3&id=104393) received a
lifetime achievement award, and [Chris Hecker](http://www.d6.com/users/checker/)
was recognized for his involvement in the
community.
[](/space/GDC+2006#concert)
Before going out Friday night, we went to the [Video Games Live
concert](http://www.gdconf.com/networking/VGL.htm), which featured music from
games past and present. (More at
[GameSpot](http://www.gamespot.com/news/6146686.html).) It was a _lot_ of fun,
even more than I expected.
I'd write a pithy conclusion here, but I'm too tired. See you at
[E3](http://e3expo.com/)!