GDC Courses

Battling Burnout - The Side Project Ritual

Discover how solo game development can combat burnout through a ritual-based approach, offering insights for creative rejuvenation and professional growth in the gaming industry.

• YouTube
• 43 minutes
• On-Demand
• Conference Talk

Lessons from Duolingo - How to Turn Good Intentions Into Good Numbers

Explore Duolingo's strategy for balancing education, entertainment, and profit while maintaining ethical values in language learning app development.

• YouTube
• 29 minutes
• On-Demand
• Conference Talk

Emotion in Game Design - A UX Perspective

Explore the scientific approach to emotion in game design and learn how to engage players through a UX mindset, enhancing player delight and overall gaming experience.

• YouTube
• 45 minutes
• On-Demand
• Conference Talk

Jumpstarting Your Creativity - From Hobbyist to Professional

Discover how setting a specific goal can transform your project completion rate, boosting productivity and turning hobbies into professional endeavors.

• YouTube
• 27 minutes
• On-Demand
• Conference Talk

Skill-Building Series - Pixel Art and Animation in the Hi-Bit Age

Explore techniques and best practices for pixel art and animation in modern games, including innovative tools and contemporary applications of this classic art style.

• YouTube
• 49 minutes
• On-Demand
• Conference Talk

Physical Animation in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

Explore how Respawn Entertainment blends physical simulation with authored animations to create high-fidelity character motion in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order.

• YouTube
• 30 minutes
• On-Demand
• Conference Talk

Taming the Chaos - Lessons in Project Management

Learn effective strategies for delivering successful games on time and within budget while maintaining team well-being. Gain insights into project management techniques for the game development industry.

• YouTube
• 44 minutes
• On-Demand
• Conference Talk

Mining Your Own Design - Crafting the Crafting System in Astroneer

Explore how System Era Softworks enhanced Astroneer's crafting system by analyzing existing design, making extensive changes without destabilizing gameplay, and deepening player engagement.

• YouTube
• 44 minutes
• On-Demand
• Conference Talk

Quad Mesh Simplification in Frostbite

Explore EA's procedural approach to generating quality level of detail for in-game models using Frostbite, enhancing visual fidelity and performance in game development.

• YouTube
• 28 minutes
• On-Demand
• Conference Talk

Extreme SIMD - Optimized Collision Detection in Titanfall

Discover advanced SIMD techniques for optimizing collision detection, as demonstrated by Respawn Entertainment's success in doubling the speed of Titanfall's already efficient code.

• YouTube
• 57 minutes
• On-Demand
• Conference Talk

Capturing Great Footage for Game Trailers

Learn professional techniques for capturing high-quality game footage to create compelling trailers from an experienced editor. Enhance your marketing skills and showcase your game effectively.

• YouTube
• 1 hour
• On-Demand
• Conference Talk

The Holy Grail of Multiplayer Level Design - Casual and Competitive Maps

Explore design processes for creating balanced multiplayer levels in team-based FPS games, focusing on both casual and competitive play in Paladins.

• YouTube
• 27 minutes
• On-Demand
• Conference Talk

Deep Learning - Beyond the Hype

Explore neural networks and reinforcement learning for game AI development, with insights on their potential and practical applications in the gaming industry.

• YouTube
• 55 minutes
• On-Demand
• Conference Talk

Expanding Animation and Design Capabilities in Post-Launch Battlefield 1

Explore how EA Dice enhanced Battlefield 1's animation systems post-launch, focusing on weapons and mounted soldiers to empower animators and designers with greater creative freedom.

• YouTube
• 58 minutes
• On-Demand
• Conference Talk

Designing for Non-Linear Story Discovery in Tacoma

Explore Fullbright's approach to non-linear storytelling in game design, drawing insights from Tacoma's development and learning techniques to enhance player-driven narrative exploration.

• YouTube
• 56 minutes
• On-Demand
• Conference Talk