You'll know if you're going to GDC 2015.
You'd have known for several months so you've probably been frantic with planning meetings, prepping game builds, and buying business cards.
If it isn't your first time going to GDC then you know what to expect.
But for those that haven't been before, it's probably lingering over you like a question mark moving at a million miles per hour. What is GDC all about? What do you do there? What's it like?
For those of you who fall into that category, don't fret.
We've asked our Indie Mavens if they're going, what they like about GDC, and what they plan on doing. Maybe you'll learn something from them. We asked them:
"Are you going to GDC and if so what do you expect to get out of attending - networking, learning from the talks, finding collaborators etc?
And if not, why not?"
Going!
While most say you should have one most important goal for GDC, I feel like it will put me in the right mindset to talk with people, realise what I was doing wrong, and what I did right.
I hope to meet publishers/advertisers. Whatever can get traffic to a game. Also, watch others play my game.
Last, but not least, San Francisco is awesome, and I'll be pushing on burritos a lot, while I can.
The connections I've made [at GDC] always made a huge difference long term.Richard Perrin
Sadly missing GDC next week for pretty boring practical reasons - moving house when it's running.
GDC is my favourite event to attend as a developer.
I don't tend to go panels any more as I can watch those when I'm back home, on the GDC Vault.
I prefer to use my time there for networking, game jams, partying that kind of thing. I don't often do that much business there but the connections I've made out there have always made a huge difference long term.
Compared to an event like PAX which is pretty much all business for me, GDC tends to be more like a developer holiday, I find. Though, obviously, everyone gets something different out of it.
I'm going! I'm actually attending GDC for the first half of the week, then flying over to Boston for PAX East for the second half, so quite a busy week!
For GDC specifically, I'm going for two main reasons.
First off, I'm due to give two talks, one on digital sales data for indies, and another on YouTubers and Twitch livestreamers. Both should be rather interesting, since I've collected together a whole bunch of information that hasn't been public before.
But my other main reason for going is talking to the press about our upcoming games, and talking to promising indie studios about possible collaboration. Finding those indie gems that no-one else has spotted yet is always super fun at GDC.
(This entire answer was a massive pack of lies, obviously - the sole reason I'm going is for the parties)
Yes, I'm going! I'm super excited, because two games I'm working on are IGF nominated. It's pretty crazy.
Bounden is nominated for the Nuovo Award at the IGF, as well as the Innovation Award at the GDC Awards. Interloper is an upcoming strategy game I'm working on, and it's a Student Showcase winner.
I also hope to show a lot of people Jelly Reef, which will be the last Game Oven game. It hasn't been played by a lot of people yet, so I am very curious how people will respond to it.
I'll mostly hang out at the IGF Pavilion, meet other developers, talk to press and hope to see a few presentations.
Oh, and play indie games - I really want to drop by the Megabooth and the Alt.Ctrl. expo. Looking forward to good food and nice parties!
Going! This will be my second time attending. Last year's was a rush!
I'm looking forward to learning a great deal from as many IGS and Advocacy track talks I can attend, being offered new perspectives and playing new games and talking with amazing developers.
Maybe a few meetings here and there as well.
Reconnecting with friends from across the world is also always a thrill, as the prospect of making new ones!
Oh and burritos! As many burritos as I can manage.
I'll be attending.
It's a tough show to miss, and the best opportunity to meet with potential collaborators and business partners.
I've been to many GDCs at this point, but it's still a thrill to meet with old friends and catch up with developers that aren't in your immediate area.
I'm going just to see the Yars' Revenge post mortem.
