"Best Design Book... EVER!"

I Found a book about information design that is a must have for any design student. It would be an invaluable source of information for anyone in 505. It costs about $40 at Borders, but you can get it for a lot less on Amazon. For the link, click here.

The Information Design Handbook
by Jenn + Ken Visocky O'Grady

Cryptic Studios

During the course of my research I encountered a video interview with someone who works at Cryptic Studios. He talks about Cryptic's philosophy and what they look for in applicants. They also hire a lot of people without experience.

They're probably not hiring many people this time of the year, but it never hurts to become familiar with a company you're interested in working at. Cryptic Studios is located at:

980 University Avenue
Los Gatos, CA 95032
(408) 399-1969

web site: http://www.crypticstudios.com/

Midterm Submit

MIDTERM PRESENTATION SUBMIT

VISITOR FEEDBACK

Feel free to express any questions, comments or experiences regarding the Game Developers' Conference or other conferences/expos - especially if it involves the cost of attending. Leave your name, email, and/or website so you can be given proper credit in the report.

Game Industry Conferences & Expos Survey

Click Here to take survey

Survey Q Ideas

1. How often do you attend conferences or expos related to the video game industry?

• Never
• 1 per year
• 2 per year
• 3 or more per year

2. How often do you attend the Game Developer's Conference?

• Never
• I've attended 1 or 2 times
• I've attended 3 or more times
• I attend every year

3. Is cost a factor in deciding whether to attend conferences or expos?

• Yes
• No
  

4. How did you find out about the Game Developer's Conference? (check all that apply)

• Friends
• Online (ex: videos, forums, blogs, podcasts)
  
• Magazine/Newspaper
• TV
• Work
• School (Instructor/colleague)
• Other __________________________________________

5. Do you work in the video game industry (professionally)?

• Yes
• No

If YES, what do you do? ___________________________________________________

6. If employed, does your employer cover the cost of attending conferences and expos?

• Yes
• No
  

7. In your opinion, what is the biggest benefit of the GDC?

• Testing upcoming games
• Seeing new technology and peripherals
• Hearing the latest industry news
• Networking with industry professionals

Experts

Yuzo Watanabe & Tobin Coziahr

Co-creators of the independent video game review podcast NoobToob. They live and work locally in San Francisco and attend various conferences and expos nationwide, including the SFGDC.

email
Yuzo: yuzo@noobtoob.com
Tobin: tobin@noobtoob.com

website
http://www.noobtoob.com/

____________________________________________________
Jane Veeder

Professor at San Francisco State University in the Design & Industry program.

email: jveeder@sfsu.edu

____________________________________________________
Joseph Sapp

IDGA Community Liaison.

joda -at- igda -dot- org

Revised PERT

Revised Timeline

Revised Final P/P Statement

Problem:
The Game Developers Conference in San Francisco is a great way for inexperienced industry professionals to network with major designers and developers, however, it is expensive to attend.

Purpose:
The purpose of this study was to research and design a more accessible way of distributing information about discounts and free passes to the Game Developer's Conference for students and professionals new to the industry.

P/P Statement Proposals [v3.0]

Problem:
Parents in San Francisco believe that the video games their children (age 6‐10) play need to be more conducive to their academic development.

Purpose:
The purpose of this study was to research what qualities of video games work as an educational tool, and how to integrate these qualities into a design that parents approve of.

_______________________________________________________

The Game Developers Conference in San Francisco is a great way for inexperienced industry professionals to network with major designers and developers, but it is expensive to attend and get to.

Purpose:
The purpose of this study was to research and design a virtual alternative to the San Francisco Game Developers Conference that is inexpensive and widely available to professionals new to the industry.

_______________________________________________________

Problem:
San Francisco MUNI needs more accessible route signage at bus stops along the 38 Geary lines for tourists and locals who find it difficult to plan their travels across the city.

Purpose:
The purpose of this study was to develop a clear, interactive, and automated system of signage to guide MUNI riders around the city of San Francisco.

Inspirations

I have found that I tend to view the world a little differently than most people. I often see the parts that make up the whole rather than the whole itself, which is why I believe that photography interests me so much. Nature is a major influence for me and I love photography that shows nature's beauty both large and small. I enjoy going out and capturing this in my photography.

Macro photograph I took at Sutro Park, SF.

Photo I took of the Golden Gate Bridge from the Marin Headlands

Ansel Adams had a similar eye to mine, which is why I have always enjoyed his photographs.








Two Photographs by Ansel Adams

A Little About Myself

Chris Selig
I am a senior at San Francisco State University. My Major is Industrial Design with an emphasis on Visual Communication. My passion in life is video games, and to a certain degree, interactive media in general. Ever since the first time I pressed the "A" button and made Mario jump, I knew that this was something special. I have been an avid gamer ever since. When I play games that are designed with a focus on art and story I sincerely feel that this craft of creating whole worlds and characters that people interact with is something that I want to do. I have also always had an interest in photography, digital art, 3d design, and graphic design, and to combine these interests with my passion would be a dream come true.

There are certain influences in my life that have guided me towards this particular path. First of which is my Dad. He is a computer engineer, a UC Berkley graduate, and the CEO of a small company in Silicon Valley. Because of his work, I was always around computers growing up, which has contributed to the fact that I am quite comfortable and competent with them. My best friend's Dad has also been a major influence to me. He is a successful graphic designer and digital artist. He first introduced me to the process of creating art on a computer (both 2d and 3d). When I was young I would spend hours rendering 3d nature scenes using two programs he gave me called Vistapro and Bryce.

Whether economic, social, or racial, video games are a medium that cross many barriers. People all around the world play all the same games, connect with the same characters, and learn the same stories. In fact, people around the world play games with and against one another no matter how far apart they may be. My aspirations in life are simple: I want to design video games that entertain, educate and inspire people around the world.

If I had to choose six words to describe myself they would be:

1. Demiurgic
2. Assertive
3. Loyal
4. Exuberant
   
5. Resourceful
   
6. Sensitive