At GDC 2012, Journey and Way developer Chris Bell discussed the building blocks for friendships and positive interaction in online games. In this free session from GDC Vault, Bell took the audience through what he considered the rules of play that can weaken or strengthen a game, using opposing examples such as the often risque Chat Roulette and the tamed Telectroscope interactions in London and New York. He then touched on his first experience with MMOs in Final Fantasy XI, and ultimately his work with Journey and Way, which do away with text-based communication entirely. Also free from GDC Vault, Jenova Chen spoke at GDC 2013 on designing a new emotional experience in Journey.

About the GDC Vault

In addition to this presentation, the GDC Vault offers numerous other free videos, audio recordings, and slides from many of the recent GDC events, and the service offers even more members-only content for GDC Vault subscribers. Those who purchased All Access passes to events like GDC, GDC Europe, and GDC China already have full access to GDC Vault, and interested parties can apply for the individual subscriptions via a GDC Vault inquiry form. 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. More information on this option is available via an online demonstration, and interested parties can find out more here. In addition, current subscribers with access issues can contact GDC Vault admins. Be sure to keep an eye on GDC Vault for even more new content, as GDC organizers will also archive videos, audio, and slides from other events like GDC China and GDC 2013. To stay abreast of all the latest updates to GDC Vault, be sure to check out the news feed on the official GDC website, or subscribe to updates via Twitter, Facebook, or RSS. Gamasutra and GDC are sibling organizations under parent UBM Tech.