Get hands-on guidance from game dev experts in GDC Summer's new Skill-Building Series

GDC Summer is coming up fast, and when this all-digital game industry event debuts in August there will be a new series of interactive sessions which promise to guide attendees through the practical steps of exemplary game dev work.

Each session in GDC Summer's new Skill-Building Series is designed to give you 45 minutes of hands-on instruction as a game industry expert walks you through a notable project and reviews the tools and techniques used to create the work.

In "Pixel Art and Animation in the Hi-Bit Age", for example, experienced game artist Tyriq Plummer (Catacomb Kids) will go over some techniques and best practices for approaching pixel art and animation for contemporary games.

He'll also explore some of the tools that are available to artists, and discuss some of the more innovative ways pixel art can be incorporated into games with a modern bent. If you're at all interested in pixel art or 2D game art, check it out!

Veteran game writer Susan O'Connor has also agreed to deliver a Skill-Building Series session on "Making The Designer-Writer Collaboration Work" that promises to be a must-see for anyone interested in the nuts and bolts of writing on a game project. 

After working on over 25 games, from indie to triple-A, O’Connor has learned a set of best practices that any team can use to get writers and designers moving in the same direction. Those who make time to attend her GDC Summer session will learn why the most useful question to ask about the game’s story isn’t about the story at all; you'll also learn how to read the player's (storytelling) mind, as well as how to identify which character doesn't care about the story - and which one thinks the narrative is a matter of life and death.

"How Game Studios Should Plan Fundraising - Learning Best Practices", by contrast, is a key opportunity to learn how investors look at and evaluate game investment opportunities. GFR Fund managing partner Teppei Tsutsui will give detailed advice on how the fundraising process works, and what you need to know to make it work for you.

Expect to get expert guidance on how to build your pitch, how to create a target list of potential investors and reach out to them, and how to best prepare for (and follow up after) each meeting on the way to hitting your fundraising goal. Don't miss it!

More details on these sessions and many more are available now in the GDC Summer session schedule, so take a look and register to attend if you haven't already!

For more details on GDC Summer, scheduled to take place virtually August 4th through the 6th, visit the show's official website, or subscribe to regular updates via Facebook, Twitter, or RSS.

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