GDC China debuts Valve, Bethesda level design day, first design talks

With GDC China 2012 just a few months away, the show has debuted the first sessions in its quickly expanding lineup. For this first update, show organizers have added a robust level design tutorial featuring developers from Bethesda, Valve, and The Fullbright Company, as well as game design talks from companies like EA Sports and Virtuos. These debut sessions -- along with the rest of GDC China -- will take place November 17-19 at the Shanghai International Convention Center in Shanghai, China, and will bring together the world's leading developers to share knowledge and ideas that will benefit the Asian game industry and beyond. The full details on GDC China's initial sessions are as follows: - First, the show will host the in-depth "Level Design Workshop," an interactive tutorial session examining the best practices for successful level design. During this session, Bethesda's Joel Burgess, Valve's Matthew Scott, and The Fullbright Company founder and Bioshock 2 designer Steve Gaynor will discuss fundamental principles such as layout, flow, pacing, and narrative, and will apply those concepts to a variety of game genres. - In the Design Track's "The Business of Art Direction: 7 Critical Precepts," EA Sports executive art director Rick Stringfellow will discuss some essential guidelines that can help developers better manage their production pipelines. He'll examine everything from "debugging difficult digital content to establishing new visual processes," and will give attendees the knowledge they'll need to streamline development for all types of games, platforms, and audiences. - Finally, Florian Dhesse of outsourcing house Virtuos will host "Improve Your Games' Quality by Managing Your Designers," offering tips to help Chinese studios lead and nurture their valuable game designers. Drawing from Virtuos' own experience working in China, the senior game design manager will outline the methods and tools studios will need to improve their products and better manage their game design staff. More information on these sessions is available on the Main Conference track pages on the official GDC China website. Those interested in attending this November's show can secure their pass now, as online registration is now open. As noted above, GDC China will take place November 17-19 at the Shanghai International Convention Center in Shanghai, China. Be sure to keep an eye out for even more updates on GDC China in the weeks ahead, as show organizers have plenty more to announce for the upcoming event. For all the latest information on GDC China, visit the show's official website, or subscribe to regular updates via Facebook, Twitter, or RSS.