Sony and Microsoft are bringing the big guns to bear at the upcoming Game Developer's Conference, with a veritable slew of sponsored panels talking about some of the most interesting tech on PS4, Xbox One, Windows 10 and even mobile.
Sony will focus on PS4 GPU optimization, connected experiences and Morpheus, while the ever-present focus on indie development will materialize in a panel about Unity.
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GPU Debugging and Optimization Tools for PS4 (Presented by Sony)
Robert Srinivasiah | Senior Developer Support Engineer, Sony Computer Entertainment America
Location: Room 302, South Hall
Date: Monday, March 2
Time: 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Format: Sponsored Session
Track: Programming
Pass Type: All Access Pass, Audio Pass, Independent Games Summit Pass, Main Conference Pass, Summits, Tutorials & Bootcamps Pass - Get your pass now!
Vault Recording: Not Recorded
This sponsored session will give attendees an overview of the various GPU debugging and optimization tools offered to PlayStation®4 developers.
Takeaway
Attendees will gain a clear understanding of which GPU debugging and optimization tools are available to PlayStation®4 developers, and how they can be used to debug, profile, and best optimize their game on the platform.
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Creating Powerful Connected Experiences on PlayStation®4 (Presented by Sony)
Jon Webb | Senior Manager, Product Strategy, Sony Computer Entertainment America
Zev Solomon | Senior Engineer, Platform Services, Sony Computer Entertainment America
Location: Room 3003, West Hall
Date: Thursday, March 5
Time: 10:00am - 11:00am
Format: Sponsored Session
Track: Programming
Pass Type: All Access Pass, Audio Pass, Independent Games Summit Pass, Main Conference Pass, Summits, Tutorials & Bootcamps Pass - Get your pass now!
Vault Recording: Not Recorded
The PlayStation®4 is the best place to play because it is built from the ground up to allow players to find and access great gaming experiences faster and easier than ever before. The ability for players to share their gaming experiences with their friends is an important component to achieving this goal. In this talk, we will describe some of PS4's powerful social and community features and how you can build your games to take advantage of these features to provide new and unique user experiences. We will discuss best practices and showcase some examples of titles making use of these features today.
Takeaway
Attendees will learn how to design their games to take advantage of PlayStation®4's social and community features, enabling them to foster and grow the community around their game.
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Developing for Project Morpheus: An Update from PlayStation (Presented by Sony)
Chris Norden | Senior Staff Engineer, SCEI, Sony Computer Entertainment
Jed Ashforth | Senior Game Designer, Immersive Technology Group, Sony Computer Entertainment
Nicolas Doucet | Senior Producer, Japan Studio, Sony Computer Entertainment
Location: Room 2014, West Hall
Date: Wednesday, March 4
Time: 12:30pm - 1:30pm
Format: Sponsored Session
Track: Programming, Design
Pass Type: All Access Pass, Audio Pass, Independent Games Summit Pass, Main Conference Pass, Summits, Tutorials & Bootcamps Pass - Get your pass now!
Vault Recording: Not Recorded
Project Morpheus not only aims to bring Virtual Reality to PlayStation, but more importantly brings PlayStation to Virtual Reality. This session will focus on updates since last year's Project Morpheus GDC presentation, and will give developers new information about creative opportunities when designing VR experiences for PlayStation 4. Topics covered will include updated game design information, the use of PlayStation peripherals in VR, and the unique social experiences possible only with Project Morpheus.
Takeaway
Attendees will gain an understanding of the new and novel experiences that can be created when working with Virtual Reality on the PlayStation platform. This should enable developers to design VR game features and mechanics that embrace the unique opportunities available with the PlayStation ecosystem.
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Make Your Unity Games Shine on PlayStation® (Presented by Sony)
Ram Madhavan | Technical Account Manager, Sony Computer Entertainment America
Location: Room 3014, West Hall
Date: Wednesday, March 4
Time: 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Format: Sponsored Session
Track: Business, Marketing & Management
Pass Type: All Access Pass, Audio Pass, Independent Games Summit Pass, Main Conference Pass, Summits, Tutorials & Bootcamps Pass - Get your pass now!
Vault Recording: Not Recorded
This session will provide an update on the current state of PlayStation® from an Indie developer point of view and a high level overview of Unity support for PlayStation. We will share some key things to keep in mind when bringing your Unity game from other platforms and highlight PlayStation® 4 features and tools that can help make your game shine on the PlayStation®Store. This presentation is best suited for developers new to PlayStation or considering development of Unity titles for PlayStation.
Takeaway
PlayStation® is a viable Indie platform and it is very easy to bring over Unity games from other platforms. This session will provide a high level overview of Unity support for PlayStation, Interface, submission process and some key PlayStation social features that can help your game stand out in the PlayStation®Store.
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Microsoft will have a even higher amount of sponsored sessions, focusing on DirectX 12, Cloud technology, Windows 10, cross-platform multiplayer and more, without forgetting indie developers with ID@Xbox.
Xbox division head honcho Phil Spencer himself will be present, and will talk about game development across Xbox One and Windows 10.
The Future of Gaming Across the Microsoft Ecosystem: Creating Games Across Devices (Presented by Microsoft)
Phil Spencer | CVP, Xbox
Location: Room 2008, West Hall
Date: Wednesday, March 4
Time: 11:00am - 12:00pm
Format: Sponsored Session
Track: Production
Pass Type: All Access Pass, Audio Pass, Independent Games Summit Pass, Main Conference Pass, Summits, Tutorials & Bootcamps Pass - Get your pass now!
Vault Recording: Not Recorded
Phil Spencer, head of Xbox and gaming at Microsoft, will discuss easy ways developers can create unique games experiences for Xbox One and Windows 10 and what the future holds for creators making innovative game content for the Microsoft ecosystem.
Fable Legends: Cross-Device Gameplay with Xbox Live (Presented by Microsoft)
Raymond Arifianto | ., Microsoft
Julian Davis | ., Microsoft
Location: Room 2008, West Hall
Date: Thursday, March 5
Time: 12:45pm - 1:45pm
Format: Sponsored Session
Track: Programming
Pass Type: All Access Pass, Audio Pass, Independent Games Summit Pass, Main Conference Pass, Summits, Tutorials & Bootcamps Pass - Get your pass now!
Vault Recording: Not Recorded
Not only does Windows 10 bring the power of Xbox Live to PCs, it allows for experiences to cross all of your connected devices. This talk explores the design, implementation, and other considerations of Fable Legends in building a seamless cross-device gameplay experience between Xbox One and Windows 10 devices.
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Distributing Games Across Microsoft's Phone, PC, and Xbox Marketplace (Presented by Microsoft)
Ashish Babbar | Principal Group Program Manager, Microsoft
Location: Room 2008, West Hall
Date: Thursday, March 5
Time: 4:00pm - 5:00pm
Format: Sponsored Session
Track: Production, Programming
Pass Type: All Access Pass, Audio Pass, Independent Games Summit Pass, Main Conference Pass, Summits, Tutorials & Bootcamps Pass - Get your pass now!
Vault Recording: Not Recorded
Windows 10 is coming soon to a phone, PC, and Xbox near you -- and with it, a streamlined approach to distributing and merchandising your game on Microsoft's growing marketplace. Explore upcoming features that make publishing easier so you can reach more customers while increasing ROI.
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Developing Games for Windows 10 (Presented by Microsoft)
Don Box | Distinguished Engineer, Microsoft
Chris Tector | Software Architect, Turn 10 Studios
Location: Room 2008, West Hall
Date: Wednesday, March 4
Time: 12:30pm - 1:30pm
Format: Sponsored Session
Track: Programming
Pass Type: All Access Pass, Audio Pass, Independent Games Summit Pass, Main Conference Pass, Summits, Tutorials & Bootcamps Pass - Get your pass now!
Vault Recording: Not Recorded
The Windows 10 universal app platform is designed to enable game developers to create high performance games that can target the broadest range of devices with a single code base. Whether you're planning the next AAA blockbuster, or building a mobile mini-game in your basement, Windows provides flexibility and power that you need. This session will introduce Microsoft's latest game development tools, platform, services and ecosystem. Come see demonstrations, best practices and learn proven usage patterns that leverage DirectX and the WinRT APIs to target the Xbox and Windows ecosystem of devices.
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Developing with Xbox Live for Windows 10 (Presented by Microsoft)
Chris Charla | Director, ID@Xbox, Microsoft
Location: Room 2008, West Hall
Date: Thursday, March 5
Time: 10:00am - 11:00am
Format: Sponsored Session
Track: Production, Programming
Pass Type: All Access Pass, Audio Pass, Independent Games Summit Pass, Main Conference Pass, Summits, Tutorials & Bootcamps Pass - Get your pass now!
Vault Recording: Not Recorded
ID@Xbox is Microsoft's self-publishing program for independent developers on Xbox. This talk will give developers an overview of how the ID program will work in the future, as well as provide guidance on the opportunities for independent developers across the Microsoft ecosystem.
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New Opportunities for Independent Developers (Presented by Microsoft)
Chris Charla | Director, ID@Xbox, Microsoft
Location: Room 2008, West Hall
Date: Wednesday, March 4
Time: 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Format: Sponsored Session
Track: Production, Programming
Pass Type: All Access Pass, Audio Pass, Independent Games Summit Pass, Main Conference Pass, Summits, Tutorials & Bootcamps Pass - Get your pass now!
Vault Recording: Not Recorded
ID@Xbox is Microsoft's self-publishing program for independent developers on Xbox. This talk will give developers an overview of how the ID program will work in the future, as well as provide guidance on the opportunities for independent developers across the Microsoft ecosystem.
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Designing Games for a Windows Core World (Presented by Microsoft)
Todd Williams | Experience Design Lead, Microsoft
Shai Hinitz | Senior Program Manager, Microsoft
Location: Room 2008, West Hall
Date: Monday, March 2
Time: 11:15am - 12:15pm
Format: Sponsored Session
Track: Design
Pass Type: All Access Pass, Audio Pass, Independent Games Summit Pass, Main Conference Pass, Summits, Tutorials & Bootcamps Pass - Get your pass now!
Vault Recording: Not Recorded
How can your game take advantage of the broad reach of multiple form factors shipping with Windows 10, and provide the best experiences to your target audiences? Can a one-size-fits-all design approach succeed or should you tailor the experience to each device? We will discuss and demonstrate the design implications of Windows Core game development scenarios from casual to AAA games, as well as some common pitfalls with an appropriate checklist to mitigate concerns around legibility, input schemes and content density. This talk also examines user engagement expectations and how to map usability goals to user trends for each device.
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Best Practices for Leveraging Cloud-Based User Stats and Achievements in Xbox Live (Presented by Microsoft)
Cierra McDonald | Senior Program Manager, Microsoft
Location: Room 2008, West Hall
Date: Thursday, March 5
Time: 2:30pm - 3:30pm
Format: Sponsored Session
Track: Programming, Production
Pass Type: All Access Pass, Audio Pass, Independent Games Summit Pass, Main Conference Pass, Summits, Tutorials & Bootcamps Pass - Get your pass now!
Vault Recording: Not Recorded
Integrate your next-generation Windows 10 game with Xbox Live for cloud-powered experiences like Hero Stats, Achievements, and Leaderboards that can be updated independently from your game code. Surface the most engaging player stats from your game directly on Windows 10 and build powerful companion experiences through the Real-Time Activity service. Get tips on common configuration pitfalls, Xbox Live policy considerations, and how to avoid common failures during Certification.
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Advanced DirectX12 Graphics and Performance (Presented by Microsoft)
Max McMullen | Principal Development Lead, Microsoft
Location: Room 2008, West Hall
Date: Thursday, March 5
Time: 5:30pm - 6:30pm
Format: Sponsored Session
Track: Programming
Vault Recording: TBD
DirectX12 enables next generation games to deliver better performance with greater flexibility and control. This technical session goes deep into the DirectX12 APIs you can use to reduce CPU rendering overhead, manage GPU resource usage more efficiently, and express the most cutting-edge 3D graphics possible across the spectrum of Windows 10 devices. Whether you are building a game for the phone, PC, or Xbox - you don't want to miss this talk.
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Xbox Live Multiplayer: Introducing Services for Cross-Platform Matchmaking and Gameplay (Presented by Microsoft)
Ferdinand Schober | Software Development Engineer, Microsoft
Location: Room 2008, West Hall
Date: Thursday, March 5
Time: 11:30am - 12:30pm
Format: Sponsored Session
Track: Programming
Pass Type: All Access Pass, Audio Pass, Independent Games Summit Pass, Main Conference Pass, Summits, Tutorials & Bootcamps Pass - Get your pass now!
Vault Recording: Not Recorded
Windows 10 brings Xbox Live multiplayer functionality to all your connected devices. Use Xbox Live services and developer-facing APIs to match-make gamers across any Windows 10 device and create unique gameplay experiences.
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Better Power, Better Performance: Your Game on DirectX12 (Presented by Microsoft)
Bennett Sorbo | Program Manager, Microsoft
Location: Room 2008, West Hall
Date: Wednesday, March 4
Time: 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Format: Sponsored Session
Track: Programming
Pass Type: All Access Pass, Audio Pass, Independent Games Summit Pass, Main Conference Pass, Summits, Tutorials & Bootcamps Pass - Get your pass now!
Vault Recording: Not Recorded
Direct3D 12 enables new performance improvements for your game on Windows 10. Learn how to architect your game engine to best reduce CPU overhead, increase GPU efficiency, and improve frame-rate stability using the new Direct3D 12 API. Understand the fundamentals for building a fast-performing, efficient game engine on Direct3D 12 and where to find the best resources for diving deeper.
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PC Games for Windows 10 (Presented by Microsoft)
Chuck Walbourn | Software Design Engineer, Microsoft
Location: Room 2008, West Hall
Date: Friday, March 6
Time: 1:30pm - 2:30pm
Format: Sponsored Session
Track: Programming
Vault Recording: TBD
Windows 10 brings new features for developers targeting the phone, tablet and desktop PC gamers. In addition to DirectX 12 and improved access to modern features, there are better tools for developing, debugging, and profiling games. Learn how your new Windows PC games can take advantage of Windows 10 capabilities and get tips on making your current Windows games work great on Windows 10.
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Sustained Gaming Performance in Multi-Core Mobile Devices (Presented by Microsoft)
Iulian Calinov | Lead Program Manager, Microsoft
Location: Room 2008, West Hall
Date: Friday, March 6
Time: 11:30am - 12:00pm
Format: Sponsored Session
Track: Programming
Vault Recording: TBD
Modern mobile devices and smartphones are reaching the computing capabilities reserved until recently for desktop PCs. Windows 10 phones and tablets with 8 CPUs and very powerful GPUs are expected soon. Despite significant progress in reducing power consumption these devices are able to draw more power under sustained load than can be safely dissipated with current passive cooling technologies. Windows 10 and the hardware it runs on are designed to safely handle such situations, mostly by reducing the system performance - which could affect game-play negatively. Learn to counter this effect by designing games that achieve sustained thermal-to-quality tradeoffs in these systems.
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Interestingly, if you're interested in DirectX 12, AMD will host its own session about it.
DirectX 12: A New Meaning for Efficiency and Performance (Presented by AMD)
Dave Oldcorn | Software Engineering Fellow, AMD
Stephan Hodes | Developer Technology Engineer, AMD
Location: Room 2014, West Hall
Date: Thursday, March 5
Time: 11:30am - 12:30pm
Format: Sponsored Session
Track: Programming
Pass Type: All Access Pass, Audio Pass, Independent Games Summit Pass, Main Conference Pass, Summits, Tutorials & Bootcamps Pass - Get your pass now!
Vault Recording: Not Recorded
Direct3D 12 adds key new rendering features such as multiple queues for asynchronous compute and DMA, and the ultra-performance API both eliminates performance bottlenecks and enables new techniques. AMD will talk about the key interactions between the new D3D12 capabilities and AMD hardware and how to get the best from both. This session will include live demos.
Takeaway
The attendee will learn more about how to use the D3D12 API and see how the combination of D3D12 and AMD graphics brings console performance and features to the PC.
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One thing is for sure: this year's GDC has the potential to be one of the most interesting yet. Hopefully most of those sessions will be made publicly available either via videos, or at least through their presentation slides.
Of course you can expect DualShockers to cover any interesting material that will surface from GDC, which will be held in San Francisco between March 2nd and March 6th.