Sharan Volin

Well, I'm sitting here at GDC and things are just about over now and I have a little time so I figured I'd post from here. It's been a nice past few days. The classic pass wasn't cheap, but it is really nice to walk into panels without worrying about what badge I have;). I think I'll do this again next year, or maybe try for a press pass if I can find time to start writing for Game Developer/Gamasutra.

It was HUGE this year, with over 13,000 people, 2 expo halls, and a separate, very big, career pavilion. I think I wound up with 8-9 free t-shirts and assorted other goodies. If I had been looking for work this would have been a great year for it!

It was so huge that it was tough to run into people, so people I knew were here I either never found or ran into only once or twice the entire time. We did see a couple of people from work and had dinner with them the past couple of nights.

There were some interesting panels, including a couple of really good ones by people from Harmonix (it really is a shame they're in Boston, and I'd never consider moving back to the northeast. The past 3 days here in San Francisco has been too close to winter for me as it is;). I'm actually glad I decided NOT to go to NY next week for spring break, since I suspect it's even colder there.)

I'm glad next week is spring break, since we just found out we have to go into work tomorrow. Oh, well. The money will help!

Well, I made it back from NY and spent 2 days in L.A. before I headed up here to San Jose, where I'm sitting right now in the Women's Group gathering at the IGDA booth at the Game Developer's Conference. It's mostly just a bunch of people standing around talking, so I thought I'd post here:). Before I went to a roundtable on how to attract women into the games industry. They talk about that a lot, but I think they can really look at science fiction fandom as an example. It'll probably be a gradual process (you really can't force something like that), and it really does take the right types of women.

Yesterday there was a really fascinating keynote address by Ron Moore about Battlestar Galactica and how he took the old series and adapted it for the new one. He obviously put a LOT of thought into what elements he kept and what he changed and why. And it worked, too, since it's a pretty damn good show! I still have to watch the last couple of episodes of this season. They actually showed one scene I haven't seen yet, but it was something I pretty much saw coming anyway.

It really seems to be womens day here, since tonight Microsoft have its annual "women in games" party. Now if only they wouldn't keep turning me down for their scholarship! Not that I really want to have to do an internship with them up in Washington, but USC is damn expensive so if they'd pay a full year's tuition it would seriously help!

Last night I went to the Independent Games Festival/Game Developers Choice awards, which was cool, but I have to say, Guitar Hero was robbed of Game of the Year;). Shadow of the Colossus won. Guitar Hero did win an innovation award, best audio, and the company won the Maverick award. Nintendogs won Best Technology (and another innovation award). And it was cool to see the 2 creators of the original Adventure win a "First Penguin" awards, and Richard Garriott (Lord British), creator of the Ultima games, won a Lifetime Achievement award.

NY was fun, BTW. The second John Wetton show was also great, although he was in a rush to leave at the end so I didn't really get a chance to talk to him. I also got to see an old friend Beth (she goes by Liz now), which was great! I knew her from high school (one of the few people from there I actually want to stay in touch with). She started bringing me to Rocky Horror every week during my senior year.

Well, I'm going to go back and see if I can actually get into any of these conversations:). If nothing else, costikyan is here.