DmC, Tomb Raider, Tearaway, ESRB talks headed to GDC 2013

GDC 2013 organizers are highlighting more notable talks for its March conference, including topics on Tearaway's tangibility, Tomb Raider and DmC reboots, the aftermath of the 'EA: The Human Story' open letter, and an international ratings system. All of these lectures take place during the Main Conference to be held March 27-29 during the Game Developers Conference at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, CA. Lead Designer Rex Crowle from LittleBigPlanet creator Media Molecule will speak about the challenges of creating a digital papercraft adventure for PS Vita in 'Building the Touchy-Feely World of Tearaway.' The developer seeks to expand creative gameplay with a new tangible craft aesthetic and by encouraging a creativity-loop outside of the game. Ninja Theory's visual art director Alessandro Taini will explore the re-imagining and rebooting of Capcom's famous franchise in 'The Art Direction of DmC Devil May Cry.' Taini will present work "from concept and inspiration, through to the 3D realization of the game's bright and bold art style." Elsewhere, Crystal Dynamics' Jonathan Hamel will share how Tomb Raider was rebooted in 'One with Lara: The Croft of Systems Design.' Hamel will share the specific strategy used to assess the game dynamics, which ensured that it added up to "an emotionally moving gameplay experience." In 'Global Ratings: A Unified Effort to Address the Global Needs of a Digital Marketplace,' speakers including the ESRB's Pat Vance will discuss how the system behind this effort will work, what its key benefits will be, and how it is positioned to become the future of game ratings. The full list of speakers includes Aaron Kornblum (Sr. Director, Interactive Entertainment Business [Xbox], Microsoft), Simon Little (Managing Director, PEGI S.A.), Patricia Vance (President, ESRB), and Rafael Vilela (Games, Apps and RPG Coordinator, Ministry of Justice of Brazil). Finally, IGDA will present 'The Right Side of the Ocean: EA_Spouse Then and Now' with the 'EA_Spouse' herself, Erin Hoffman, speaking about the effects of her Livejournal entry on how EA treated its employees. This session will look back on the discussions on work-life balance since 2004 and what it all might mean for the future. The schedule builder of GDC 2013 is available online for attendees to plan their week of can't-miss lectures and tutorials, including those just highlighted. GDC still offers over $100 discounts to select pass purchases made by March 20th, at 11:59pm EST, with prices increasing for onsite registration. GDC 2013 itself will take place March 25-29 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. For more information on GDC 2013, visit the show's official website, or subscribe to regular updates via Facebook, Twitter, or RSS. Gamasutra and GDC are sibling organizations under parent UBM Tech.