AGDC Notes

A few weeks back, I attended Austin Game Developer's Conference.  I enjoy going to these conferences, learning from others and getting a sense of what changes are afoot in our industry.  Any given talk may be hit or miss but there are always a few gems of information to be found in almost any presentation.

Here are my notes from a few sessions I found particularly enlightening or interesting.  Please be warned these are mostly stream of consciousness to capture the "flow" of the discussion -- salient points, key figures, and so on.  It certainly isn't intended to be a transcript.

World of Warcraft Operations: http://xemu.blogharbor.com/blog/_archives/2009/9/17/4324361.html

This was probably my single favorite talk of the show, despite it's somewhat dry nature compared to the usual World of Warcraft fare of loot, monsters, and the like.  I'm a huge process & tools geek, so it was very nice to get a peek behind the curtain.  Building and maintaining a large organization like this is a huge challenge, one that I think many people don't even realize exists.  The sheer scale of their operations is astonishing and only adds to the amazing accomplishments of the game.  

Laralyn McWilliams on Free Realms Design: http://xemu.blogharbor.com/blog/_archives/2009/9/18/4325350.html

One of the things I found most interesting about this talk was how alien the design process was to me.  I don't mean that in a bad way, rather the reverse: it was fascinating to see such a qualitative and analytical approach to game design decisions that traditionally come from the "gut", and I learned a great deal from it.  Game development is an intense fusion of science and art, but rarely have I seen the science part applied as deeply to the non-technical parts of the game.  This is an area I think we may see more of in the future as the audiences our games reach grow more broadly than the tastes & creative background of the people making them.

Sebastian de Halleux - Playfish: http://xemu.blogharbor.com/blog/_archives/2009/9/18/4325286.html

This talk was probably the most in tune with what I would describe as the "vibe" of the conference.  Namely, that alternative business models (micro-transactions, free-to-play, etc.) are becoming very relevant to modern game business.  It has been something on my radar for the success in Asian markets for a few years, but seeing it actually come to Western markets with dramatic numbers is a new development.  I'm not quite sure I buy into all the hype yet, but it is clear that this next phase of market evolution is only just beginning.  I'm excited by the idea that we may be moving past the "one size fits all" level of involvement between gamers and the people who make the games that they love.