Long time no update...

Last couple weeks have been crazy with the prep for GDC, GDC itself, and getting ready for sabbatical.

I haven't had time to update until now, but am now doing so in style, beside a ski slope with a little apres ski beverage at my side and a fire going in the fireplace. Ahh...

GDC was great. Particularly busy one for me this year, with Intel having a big push around dual-core processing, a press event I helped put together, a class I gave, and a talk I gave at the IGDA Quality of Life summit. Plus Game Gems 5 was coming out!

As usual, there were WAY more things out of GDC than I could cover in a single entry here. If there was one large trend that permeated the whole conference, it was that I partook of more 'People & Process' discussions than any other GDC I attended. More than graphics discussions, believe it or not! It seems that the industry's growing pains have hit kind of a breaking point. The IGDA QoL summit was clearly an illustration of this.

Highlights of GDC for me:

• Intel Party! That we had one was surprising enough. That Les Claypool played was great too. That it all went off without a hitch was the best part.
• Chris & Jen's post GDC get-together was great. Good eats. Good conversation
• Warren Spector saying that his favorite game design from the Indy Game Jam was "funnyman" - The one I designed and that Dean Macri implemented.
• Lulu's post GDC party was awesome. Thanks for the invite Robin!
• Countless conversations with friends and collegues.
• My IGDA QoL summit talk got lots of complements.

But alas, GDC is over, and with it, my sabbatical began. I'm off work until late May. And I've kicked it off with a few days of skiing at Big White.

Our place is RIGHT on a ski run, which is SOOO excellent. View from the hot tub is of snow covered pines and starry skies. I have *got* to find a way to make the other 51 weeks of the year like this one.

Day 1 of skiing was awesome. It snowed for the past day and a half here, so was plenty of fresh powder on the ground. Friends Pete & Jen showed up for day 2 & 3 of skiing. It snowed on and off so visibility was limited but the snow was fabulous.

Day 4 was spectacular. Great snow, no crowds, clear blue skies.

Day 5 was a day off. Ooof! My aching thighs! We needed to stock up on groceries anyhow, so we drove into town. I've been practicing my BBQ-fu while here, and needed another chicken and some steaks to sacrifice.

Now waiting up for friends Adam & Stacey to arrive (late tonight!). Then 3 more days of snowboarding before heading home. Hope my thighs hold out!

I'll post pix after getting back.

Kim's Cardinal Rules of Conference Capitalization

Plenty of people (e.g. 1, 2) have been posting about their GDC attendance, how there's too much to do, too much to see, too much overlap. I've been fretting about the same thing... but not too much. Why? Because after /*curmudgeon tone on*/ a decade of GDC attendance /*curmudgeon tone off*/, I've learned that:

1. The best meeting you'll have is one that wasn't scheduled.
2. The best class you'll attend is one you didn't plan to.
3. The best demo you'll see is one you didn't expect to.
4. The best conversation you'll have will be one that occurs when you skip a session you planned to attend

Not that you shouldn't plan. By all means, do, but don't sweat it too much :-)

That being said, if you are new to the conference, this is a pretty good article to help you with your planning.

GPG5 finally arrives

It's thick, shiny, and available now!




Get yours today!

You know your tech is too trendy when...

like we didn't already know the iPod had reached trend-icon status, this is clear proof.



In other news, the apocalypse is clearly upon us. Make your peace with your higher power (grumble).

Get me a bucket of melted butter and a bib!

This article about Bubba the 22 pound lobster is pretty funny. But 90% of it's "funniness" comes from the line:

[following a line on PETA trying to save the lobster]

"Another group calling itself People For Eating Tasty Animals reportedly..."