GDC Courses

Machine Learning for Optimal Matchmaking

Explore TrueMatch, a machine learning approach for optimizing matchmaking in real-time, balancing player skill, wait times, and other metrics for improved gaming experiences.

• YouTube
• 54 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Conference Talk

Game Server Performance on Tom Clancy's The Division 2

Explore technical challenges and solutions for game server performance in Tom Clancy's The Division 2, focusing on parallelization and multithreading techniques for improved efficiency.

• YouTube
• 37 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Conference Talk

The Kine Postmortem

Explore the journey of transforming a passion project into a multi-platform puzzle game, focusing on design goals, mechanics, and polish in game development.

• YouTube
• 32 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Conference Talk

Is Your Game Cross-Platform Ready?

Discover essential insights for developing cross-platform games, covering cross-play, cross-buy, account management, matchmaking, engine selection, networking, and release strategies.

• YouTube
• 31 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Conference Talk

Reading the Rules of Baba Is You

Explore the unique sentence-based rule system of puzzle game Baba Is You, its implementation, iterations, and challenges faced during development in this insightful talk by developer Arvi Teikari.

• YouTube
• 1 hour 4 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Conference Talk

Crafting a Tiny Open World - A Short Hike Postmortem

Explore game development insights as Adam Robinson-Yu shares his journey creating "A Short Hike," discussing design choices, technical solutions, and lessons learned in crafting a small open-world game.

• YouTube
• 31 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Conference Talk

Kill the Hero, Save the -Narrative- World

Explore techniques for writing ensemble casts in video games, comparing them to traditional hero narratives and discussing their potential to create richer, more diverse storytelling experiences.

• YouTube
• 31 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Conference Talk

Storytelling with Verbs - Integrating Gameplay and Narrative

Explore how common gameplay verbs shape narrative and player experience. Learn to integrate storytelling with mechanics for coherent, engaging game design across various genres and platforms.

• YouTube
• 22 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Conference Talk

Empires to Ages - Storytelling Lessons Learned in 14 Years at BioWare

Former BioWare creative director shares insights on integrating narrative in games, fostering cohesive storytelling, and collaborating effectively within development teams.

• YouTube
• 32 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Conference Talk

Plot and Parcel - Procedural Level Design in XCOM 2

Explore procedural level design in XCOM 2 with Firaxis Games' Brian Hess. Learn about the transition from handcrafted to procedural levels, challenges faced, and solutions implemented in this tactical strategy game.

• YouTube
• 50 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Conference Talk

Eos is Alive - The AI Systems of Final Fantasy XV

Explore Final Fantasy XV's innovative AI systems: AI Director, Meta AI, and Animation System. Learn how Square Enix optimized reusability and efficiency in game development.

• YouTube
• 30 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Conference Talk

Indexing and Iterating Design Space Permutations

Explore mathematical techniques for indexing and iterating design space permutations, focusing on perfect hash functions for efficient game state conversion and representation.

• YouTube
• 28 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Conference Talk

Performance and Memory Postmortem for Middle-earth - Shadow of War

Explore engineering strategies for achieving 30fps and optimizing memory in Middle-earth: Shadow of War, covering threading, rendering, and memory management techniques.

• YouTube
• 1 hour 9 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Conference Talk

Brain-Computer Interfaces - One Possible Future for How We Play

Explore the potential of Brain-Computer Interfaces in gaming, from physiological signal acquisition to adaptive gameplay and interface replacements, with insights on future applications and challenges.

• YouTube
• 1 hour
• Self-Paced
• Conference Talk

Exploring the Tech and Design of Noita

Dive into Noita's innovative physics engine, exploring falling sand simulations, destructible rigid bodies, and emergent gameplay in large continuous worlds.

• YouTube
• 31 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Conference Talk