We're Shutting Down... And Going to GDC

Ever since I've been in the games industry, I've wished that come March, whichever company I'm working for at the moment, would shut down for a week and send everybody to GDC. I've been lucky enough to work for great companies that have sent lots of people, but never close to everybody (or at least everybody who wanted to go).

It's true that GDC isn't cheap, and once you add the costs of flights and hotels, it starts looking prohibitively expensive. Still, every year I go the result is the same: my head is binging with new ideas, I'm really excited to try new things, and I desperately need to pass out for 24 hours straight to catch up on sleep. How do you put a price tag on that? It definitely shows in my productivity when I come back, not to mention in the new ideas and contacts. I'm sure it more than pays over by itself in a couple of weeks (and keeps me one happy coder).

Now that I own my own company, I have no excuse for not doing what I wanted other companies to do. So this year, Power of Two Games is officially shutting down for the week and sending everybody to GDC. OK, so it's just two of us, but it's the sentiment that counts.

Not only that, but both Charles and I are both participating in panels. I'll be hanging out at the Independent Game Summit and participating in the Tuesday afternoon panel on the State of Indie Games. Come by and say hi. I'll probably be the only one wearing a loud orange, Power of Two Games t-shirt (not to be confused with the also loud orange but clearly not as classy t-shirt student volunteers are forced to wear.) While you're at it, check out some of my recommended sessions in the programming track.

Charles, very appropriately, is participating in a panel titled A Leap of Faith: When to Leave your Job and go Independent. He has a thing or two to say about that. Definitely a recommended session for all those of you thinking of striking on your own (yes, you know who you are!).

Incidentally, don't miss Charles' total rock star picture. Clearly, the whole Indie lifestyle thing has affected him quite deeply.  I have a ways (and a lot of hair) to get to that level of coolness though.