GDC 2009 Day 3
Well GDC Day 3 went off with a bang. Well actually it was my alarm clock but close enough. I got up a bit late because there weren't any sessions I wished to go to this morning so I slept in. As soon as I got up I headed back to the career pavilion to check things out. This year is definitely a bit leaner than last for jobs, especially if you are going for an entry level position. Because of the layoffs there are a lot more people available with years of experience that can be gotten a lot quicker than training someone in an entry level job.
Hopefully next year will be better for the prospective graduates. If you are considering going into gaming, make sure your portfolio SHINES! The more quality products you have in there, the better! The indie scene has never been better either so getting help and getting advice is even easier than before. Trust me, I plan on getting my portfolio as filled as I can.
I also got a chance to meet with Billy Joe Cain who was lead designer for Wing Commander Prophecy. I LOVED the Wing Commander series and it was actually the first game I ever bought with my own money. Chris Roberts is around here somewhere as well so if I get a chance I'd like to talk to him as well. I also ran into one of the lead business department people for Stardock and complimented them on their DRM strategy which I love. Basically NO DRM really. Check out their Gamers' Bill of Rights, it should still be posted online. Stardock is also the company that published Ironclad's "Sins of a Solar Empire" which is just incredible (and just had an expansion pack released). GalCiv I and II are still games I play regularly.
Billy Cain had some great advice for me and anyone else going into gaming: do not forget your family or friends while you're making your game as they helped get you there and are the ones who will keep you sane. I'm hoping tomorrow I'll get a chance to run into some of the Relic guys to complement them on Dawn of War II. I got a SWEET poster at the THQ Career Expo booth. I also got some pictures for Jim of the Perfect World booth.
The Blizzard party was waaaay too packed for the size of the bar they rented. For that matter the THQ World Mixer was a LOT more packed than the 3rd floor of the W could hold. It was nice talking to the people there though and I'm definitely going to look at Flashpoint in Chicago as a school for later.
Well hopefully I'll have more to talk about tomorrow night! More Expo time in the morning and the Game Career Seminar as well. Its gonna be a busy and exciting day!
Peace!
Gerry