There's a common stereotype in game development: designers have a tricky time collaborating with programmers, and vice versa.

At GDC 2014, former Blizzard dev Brian Schwab took the stage to posit that there's a grain or two of truth to this stereotype -- and to offer practical advice on how designers and coders can work together more effectively.

It was an interesting session because it addressed the overall goal of unity with these two groups and how this can be achieved by thinking ahead of time, prioritizing the iterative work that needs to happen and creating workable pipelines for this work to happen in.

Of course, it also delved into the ups and downs of being a technical designer (a sort of "hybrid class") and what designers and programmers gain by trusting each other once the boundaries separating them are broken through better understanding.

If you missed it back in 2014, don't skip your chance to now watch it for free on the official GDC YouTube channel!

About the GDC Vault

In addition to this presentation, the GDC Vault and its new YouTube channel offers numerous other free videos, audio recordings, and slides from many of the recent Game Developers Conference events, and the service offers even more members-only content for GDC Vault subscribers.

Those who purchased All Access passes to recent events like GDC, GDC Europe, and GDC Next already have full access to GDC Vault, and interested parties can apply for the individual subscription via a GDC Vault subscription page. Group subscriptions are also available: game-related schools and development studios who sign up for GDC Vault Studio Subscriptions can receive access for their entire office or company by contacting staff via the GDC Vault group subscription page. Finally, current subscribers with access issues can contact GDC Vault technical support.

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