WE’RE PROB NVENING ABLY ALL A G AND CO BOUT V ONFERRIN IDEO GA BOUT C MES ALSO A JournalThe IDLE THUMBS of Games Ultraboost Ad Est’d. 2004 TOUCHING THE INDUSTRY IN A PROVOCATIVE PLACE FUN FACTOR Sessions of Interest Former developers Game Developers Confer We read the program. sue 3D Realms Did you? Probably not. Read this instead. Computer game entreprenuers claim by Steve Gaynor and Chris Remo Duke Nukem copyright Countdown to Tears (A history of tears?) infringement Evolving Game Design: Today and Tomorrow, Eastern and Western Game Design by Chris Remo Two founders of long-defunct Goichi Suda a.k.a. SUDA51 Fumito Ueda British computer game developer Notable Industry Figure Skewered in Print Crumpetsoft Disk Systems have Emil Pagliarulo Mark MacDonald sued 3D Realms, claiming the lat- ter's hit game series Duke Nukem Wednesday, 10:30am - 11:30am infringes copyright of Crumpetsoft's Room 132, North Hall vintage game character, The Duke of industry session deemed completely unnewswor- Newcolmbe. Overview: What are the most impor- The character's first adventure, tant recent trends in modern game Yuan-Hao Chiang The Duke of Newcolmbe Finds Himself design? Where are games headed in the thy, insightful next few years? Drawing on their own in a Bit of a Spot, was the Walton-on- experiences as leading names in game the-Naze-based studio's thirty-sev- design, the panel will discuss their an- enth game title. Released in 1986 for swers to these questions, and how they the Amstrad CPC 6128, it features see them affecting the industry both in Japan and the West. its titular protagonist in a sidescroll- ing adventure of derring-do, pitting Eric Zimmerman trying really hard “Creating a session that combines icono- him against a wide array of ruffians, clastic Japanese designers Fumito Ueda GAME DEVELOPERS CONFER bounders, and cads for the glory of (Ico, Shadow of the Colossus) and Goichi the crown. The game was succeeded Suda (Killer7, No More Heroes) and by the release of 1988's somewhat Eric Zimmerman trying too hard accomplished Bethesda writer-designer Moscone Center to host industry notables, others Emil Pagliarulo (The Elder Scrolls IV: less fondly-remembered The Duke Oblivion, Fallout 3) seems inspired. Con- of Newcolmbe Versus the Radio-active sidering the broad spectrum of styles, set- As in many past years, a group of give you unparalleled context and insight sentations might be most worthy of my All these topics and more are cov- Time Mutants. Eric Zimmerman really trying tings, and gameplay exhibited across the video game developers is scheduled into the proceedings. Within these lavish time?" Look no further, sir, than to our ered by our expert columnists and re- Now, computer game entrepre- trio's games, there should be no shortage to gather at San Francisco's Moscone of contrasting opinions and design ap- pages, the discerning reader can expect handy "Recommended Sessions" fea- porters here within the gilded pages of neurs Arthur Pembrook and Bernard proaches.” -C.R. Center to discuss their craft and related to find only the most incisive commen- ture located slightly to the left of where the Journal. Harrington say Duke Nukem, who subjects. Programmers, artists, design- tary, indispensable recommendations, you're currently looking. He might also So please – kick back between ses- first appeared in the original Duke ers, and others are likely to derive great and unerringly up-to-the-moment news ask himself, "Is 'video games' one word, sions with your free turkey wrap and Nukem DOS game a full five years pleasure from the presentations, pan- items of concern to those entrenched in or two?" "How many Jäger shots should immerse yourself in the rich pages of after Newcolmbe's debut, is a clear Fault Tolerance: From Inten- els, and product exhibitions conducted the making of video game entertainment I take each time a presenter says 'proce- this fine publication. Then sally forth, and unlawful derivation of their own tionality to Improvisation at the Game Developers Conference products. dural?'" "What is immersion and how do aglow with the inner serenity that only dapper duke. In a joint statement re- skills learned at GDC not applied to actual game 2009 event from March 22 to 27. An attendee of the Game Develop- you make it?" "Are players creators, and the unique perspective of the Journal leased yesterday, Pembrook and Har- Clint Hocking And alongside GDC, the Idle ers Conference 2009 might reasonably if so how many types are there?" "Does can provide, the envy of your peers and rington called Nukem's virtual career, Thumbs Journal of Games is here to ask himself, "What design-focused pre- Hideo Kojima need an editor?" inferiors. which has now spanned nearly a doz- production Wednesday 10:30am - 11:30am en published games, a “reprehensible Room 2002, West Hall incursion upon our creative endeav- ors – indeed, upon the very honour Overview: Industry Desk Press Desk As a follow-up to the sec- and memory of Crumpetsoft's fine ond-highest rated talk of GDC 2006, this presentation looks at the specific compugraphical lineage.” challenges of designing game mechan- The co-founders took issue with ics that both allow and encourage play- Optimistic GDC veteran Industry session deemed a number of alleged similarities be- ers to play expressively, while opening tween the two dukes, at one point the door for them to accept small in- citing Nukem's catchphrase, “It's time Molyneux’s tree finally blossoms cremental failures and set-backs as an returns to conference unnewsworthy, inspiring engaging element that adds depth and to kick ass and chew bubblegum, and variety to dynamic play. I'm all out of gum,” and claiming it by Journal Staff many visionaries of the video game by Journal Staff coaxed tears from the sorrowful eyes of bears a striking – and potentially “Simply put, Clint Hocking's talks are medium gathered in one place?” he ng:moco co-founder Neil Young. "It's copyright-infringing – resemblance routinely the most thought-provoking Game development professional asked. A visibly-overwhelmed writer for a too bad he didn't dump on one of the to Newcolmbe's own signature quip, and engaging at GDC. A 'sequel' to his Brian Landman is attending his fourth “It's true; he always comes back to major video game blog was overheard consoles, though." excellent GDC 06 session is hard to re- “It's time to shoot grouse and take sist.” -S.G. straight Game Developers Conference, the office full of ideas,” a development complaining about the morning's key- TheJournal was unable to interview a snifter of port, and I'm all out of the Seattle-area designer told the Jour- colleague confirmed to the Journal, be- note, delivered by a major industry lu- those present, as those in attendance port.” nal today. fore adding that most GDC-gleaned minary, due to its lack of valuable link- were left so moved that they did not Speaking to the Journal immedi- Crysis determined to actually be a tech demo “I get really psyched up for this knowledge has traditionally made its generating news bytes. respond to outside stimuli. ately following the announcement of Spore: Fulfilling the Massively conference every year,” Landman said. way out of Landman-designed games "It's pretty cool that he successfully "I really wish they had brought a legal action, Harrington said the duo Single-Player Promise - How'd “Even just being around all these guys prior to their ship date, due to a com- tackled the topic of creating games with new build or gameplay trailer," the blog- failed to act within the first 18 years We Do? always completely opens my eyes to bination of rousing but vague topics, heretofore unseen emotional weight ger griped. He then disappeared into of Duke Nukem's existence because, new avenues of game design and im- marketing department-related budget- and resonance," the journalist said of the press room in an awestruck trance, due to their then-recent departure Caryl Shaw plementation.” ary decisions, and a deficit of legible the talk, which reportedly left designer commenting, "Boy, I'll never think from the games industry, they simply “Plus, where else can you see so session notes. Warren Spector in catatonic shock, and about games the same way again." Continued on page 3 Wednesday 10:30am - 11:30am Room 135, North Hall The Drafting Table Overview: This presentation will cover the specifics of working with the com- munity-created content in Spore during the first six months after ship. Topics include information on how the online systems in Spore both met expectations The Four Types of and were stretched in ways that weren't anticipated, how the team adjusted their systems, and the goals created in order to meet the needs of customers while trying to foster a sense of community and an atmosphere of creativity. Player/Creators “The volume and range of user-generated content seeded throughout Spore's servers by Bronstring "Marek" Bronstring between “creators” and “consumers” ended up surprising even its developers, and take those two groups into account, forcing them to go back and modify the User generated content is playing but what happens when we zoom in on systems themselves. How does one even an increasing role in gaming. Gamers the creators? Are they all the same? Ac- define degrees of success within such an unusual game design? Hopefully, pro- are not just able to customize aspects tually, not everyone wants to create in ducer Shaw will answer the session's title of the experience, but many games quite the same way.