Monday, March 26, 2007

Game Developers Meet in San Francisco

This is not part of my Soapbox column, but it was my first news article!

Originally published March 15, 2007

Developers from all over the world flock to one central location each year to take part in the Game Developer's Conference, an event where developers of computer games and similar specialties can network and promote business opportunities.

This year's conference was held Wednesday in San Francisco.

"The career pavilion area was structured so that I could essentially speed-date with companies for information about job openings and their companies," said Greg Raab, a conference associate volunteer who is a senior at DigiPen Institute of Technology in Redmond, Wash.

The GDC began in a living room in San Jose and has moved between San Jose, Long Beach and Santa Clara over the years. This year it was held at the Moscone Center West in the SOMA district of San Francisco.

The event is open to developers of computer, console, mobile, arcade, online games and location-based entertainment.

Last year, the GDC attracted more than 12,500 attendees who drive the $13.5-billion industry. The conference allows members of the industry to attend more than 300 lectures, panels and tutorials.

"GDC is an opportunity for both new and old game developers to connect with game publishers," said Ludon Lee, who manages studio operations at D2C Games.

The large turnout, however, isn't always ideal.

"This year was too big; too sprawled out and the intimate feel was gone," said Daniel Boutros, founder of Gametao.

The seventh annual Game Developers Choice Awards, which is about peer recognition and rewarding innovation, was held Wednesday. Gears of War took the Best Game award among a list of games such as Okami, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Wii Sports and Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of Mario, Donkey Kong, The Legend of Zelda, Star Fox and many others received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his career-long accomplishments as a game designer.

Video Games Live, a unique form of entertainment that combines video games, live orchestra and vocals, ended the week-long conference. The event was created by Jack Wall and Tommy Tallarico, and featured music from some of the biggest video games in the last 20 years. Video Games Live was held at the Nob Hill Masonic Center and performed by Video Games Live orchestra and choir.

"This is how rich people play their video games," said Tallarico jokingly during a Frogger competition on stage while the orchestra played the music.

Koji Kondo, the highly-regarded composer for the Super Mario Brothers and The Legend of Zelda franchises made an appearance and performed a Super Mario Brothers medley on the piano for the audience.

Video Games Live has scheduled tour dates across the United States and has announced international dates.

The GDC is expected to return next year to San Francisco.

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