$20K to be awarded in first ever game jam for cats 8
by Frank Cifaldi [03.14.13]
Friskies maker Purina is sponsoring what we're pretty sure is the first event of its kind: a game jam in which teams compete to make the best game (or app!) aimed at the growing feline population of game players.
Console/PC, Social/Online, Smartphone/Tablet, Indie, Serious, Programming, Art, Audio, Design, Production

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The slow road to using games as online learning tools 10
by Gamasutra Community [03.11.13]
Author Jeannie Novak examines how, over the last decade, progress has been slow in creating a truly usable online learning experience -- and urges educators to take a page from games, and get educated in design.
Social/Online, Smartphone/Tablet, Serious, Design

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Video: Brian Moriarty's 'Apology for Roger Ebert' 53
by GDC Vault [02.27.13]
Beyond Zork and Loom creator and Worcester Polytechnic Institute professor Brian Moriarty delivers a defense of Roger Ebert's industry-stirring sentiment that "video games can never be art," given in this newly free video lecture from GDC 2011.
Console/PC, Social/Online, Smartphone/Tablet, Indie, Serious, Art, Design, Video

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Meeting with investors? Find out what they want 3
by Staff [02.25.13]
With GDC coming up, you might be heading into a meeting with a potential investor -- but do you really know what they look for in a developer? Digital Capital's W. Todd Tribell shares his perspective.
Console/PC, Social/Online, Smartphone/Tablet, Indie, Serious, Business/Marketing

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GDC 2013 adds 'Advocacy Track' talks on women in games, games' public image  
by GDC Staff [02.21.13]
GDC 2013 organizers have revealed new Advocacy Track talks for its March conference, including sessions on women in games, improving the public image of games, and writing more diverse game characters.
Console/PC, Social/Online, Smartphone/Tablet, Indie, Serious, Design, Business/Marketing

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Using SimCity to diagnose a real-life traffic problem 20
by Mike Rose [02.19.13]
Gamasutra UK editor Mike Rose fights against congested traffic in his hometown of Northenden, Manchester. So naturally, he recreated the traffic situation in SimCity to see what would happen.
Console/PC, Serious, Design

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GDC 2013 Education Summit adds curriculum 'deathmatch,' industry-academia collab panels  
by GDC Staff [02.18.13]
GDC 2013 organizers highlight three new talks for its Education Summit in the March conference, including a panel on commercial and educational collaboration and a "deathmatch" of game design curricula.
Console/PC, Social/Online, Smartphone/Tablet, Indie, Serious, Design, Business/Marketing

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Share your 'GDC Story' to win an All Access Pass to GDC 2013  
by GDC Staff [02.15.13]
GDC organizers have announced the 'My GDC Story' campaign, which asks past attendees to share their life-changing GDC experiences for a chance to win an All Access Pass to GDC 2013.
Console/PC, Social/Online, Smartphone/Tablet, Indie, Serious, Business/Marketing

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GDC 2013 adds NASA, Wii U, Dishonored, Journey, DayZ talks  
by GDC Staff [02.12.13]
With just a day until the early reg deadline, GDC 2013 has revealed talks from NASA on game/space crossover; Nintendo on Miiverse, HTML, and Javascript for Wii U; and lessons from designing DayZ, Journey and Dishonored.
Console/PC, Social/Online, Smartphone/Tablet, Indie, Serious, Programming, Design, Production

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Video: The 5 best - and 5 worst - ways to network for a game job 10
by GDC Vault Staff [02.08.13]
Hear the 5 best and worst practices on networking for jobs from now senior recruiter for Crystal Dynamics, Lindsey McQueeney, in this free lecture from the 2012 Game Developers Conference.
Console/PC, Social/Online, Smartphone/Tablet, Indie, Serious, Business/Marketing, Recruitment, Video

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The numbers are in: Here's what Americans spent on games in 2012 13
by Frank Cifaldi [02.05.13]
The $14.8 billion spent on software in 2012 was a 9 percent decline from 2011, but the difference is more than explained by a rough year for physical, retail games. Digital sales are doing just fine.
Console/PC, Social/Online, Smartphone/Tablet, Indie, Serious, Business/Marketing

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GDC Business Matchmaking service returns for All-Access GDC 2013 attendees  
by GDC Staff [02.05.13]
With just a week left for early registration to GDC 2013, organizers have opened its Business Matchmaking website, so All Access pass holders, GDC Play exhibitors and Expo exhibitors can set up onsite meetings with each other.
Console/PC, Social/Online, Smartphone/Tablet, Indie, Serious, Business/Marketing

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Blog: The benefits of cross-function game development 6
by Frank Cifaldi [01.25.13]
Moving to a truly cross-functional organization is a big leap for a game studio, as tearing down your old structures is never easy. But Hansoft's Samuel Rantaeskola says it may be worth it.
Console/PC, Social/Online, Smartphone/Tablet, Indie, Serious, Programming, Art, Audio, Design, Production

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Blog: Will Oculus Rift give politicians another new game to blame? 7
by Staff [01.24.13]
The Oculus Rift is well on its way to providing the first reasonable access to "virtual reality" in the home, but will its new level of immersion be fodder for more political backlash against violent games?
Console/PC, Indie, Serious, Design, Business/Marketing

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Unity conference goes on a world tour 2
by Frank Cifaldi [01.23.13]
The makers of the popular development platform Unity are ramping up their conference offerings, announcing that its popular Unite event will be touring the world with seven different events in 2013.
Console/PC, Social/Online, Smartphone/Tablet, Indie, Serious, Programming, Art, Audio, Design, Production, Business/Marketing

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Opinion: Yes, we need more research, and the industry should support it 98
by Cheryl K. Olson [01.18.13]
Researcher Cheryl Olson -- co-author of the popular book Grand Theft Childhood and an attendee at last week's meeting with Vice President Biden -- argues that further research could help the industry's PR problem.
Console/PC, Social/Online, Smartphone/Tablet, Indie, Serious, Business/Marketing, Exclusive

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GDC Play adds 'Best in Play' awards program for GDC 2013  
by GDC Staff [01.17.13]
GDC organizers are debuting a new 'Best in Play' awards for the emerging/independent developer showcase GDC Play during the March show in San Francisco, with 8 winners getting GDC 2014 passes.
Console/PC, Social/Online, Smartphone/Tablet, Indie, Serious, Business/Marketing

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Would games get a fair shake in Obama's gun control program? 33
by Frank Cifaldi [01.16.13]
President Obama is asking Congress to "fund research on the effects violent video games have on young minds," raising alarms that the study may not be objective. We spoke to game researchers to get their input.
Console/PC, Social/Online, Smartphone/Tablet, Indie, Serious, Business/Marketing, Exclusive

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Make more interesting game maps using molecule design 23
by Staff [01.16.13]
Learn how to make graphing theory work for your maps, with real examples from games including Borderlands and Fallout 3.
Console/PC, Social/Online, Smartphone/Tablet, Indie, Serious, Design, Exclusive

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Blog: What separates the enthusiast from the pro designer 29
by Staff [01.15.13]
According to Gameloft's Thomas Grove, a professional designer doesn't design for fun. A professional designer perfects a craft with rigorous daily practice.
Console/PC, Social/Online, Smartphone/Tablet, Indie, Serious, Design

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