GDC 2013 reveals Indie Summit talks on crowdfunding, Retro/Grade, Molyjam

Game Developers Conference 2013 organizers have revealed new Summit talks for its March conference, with lectures on the Peter Molyneux parody turned international game jam, Retro/Grade creator's self-tortuous development cycle, and research on what works for Kickstarter. These talks are part of the Independent Games Summit, which is just one of eight Summits that will take place Monday, March 25 and Tuesday, March 26 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, CA during the first two days of GDC 2013. First in this highlight, Double Fine's Anna Kipnis will discuss the Peter Molyneux parodying Twitter account, @PeterMolydeux, and the international Molyjam game jam that came from it in 'Molyjam: How Twitter Jokes Can Save Video Games.' Kipnis believes these jams "are important to stave off creative stagnation in our industry" and will share how this one was invented, organized, and went viral so quickly. In 'Obsessive-Compulsive Development: A Postmortem of the Development of Retro/Grade,' Matt Gilgenbach of 24 Caret Games will share why it took him four years of "grueling crunch" to ship the 2009 IGF nominated title to PlayStation Network. Along with sharing the mistakes he learned from, he will discuss how his obsessive-compulsive disorder adversely affected the game and how others can approach indie development with the proper mindset. Finally, ICO Partners' CEO Thomas Bidaux will present his Kickstarter research in 'Crowdfunding for Indies: Real Numbers and Trends.' Bidaux, who helped Strike Suit Zero hit its Kickstarter target and has done empirical research into the platform, will pass on his findings from projects of all sizes, examining what works, what does not, and where crowdfunding is going. GDC representatives are also reminding that multi-tiered Summit sponsorships for GDC 2013 are still available, offering pre-event and on-site exposure for those interested in reaching developers and decision makers in targeted markets. For more information on these lectures or others in the show's growing lineup, check out GDC 2013's official Schedule Builder, which continues to add new talks every week. The deadline for discounted Early Bird passes, including a lower-priced Summits, Tutorials & Bootcamps Pass, is February 13th. GDC 2013 itself will take place March 25-29 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. For more information on GDC 2013 - part of UBM Tech, as is Gamasutra - visit the show's official website, or subscribe to regular updates via Facebook, Twitter, or RSS.