#Gdc and a professional#

Partying is fun, but don’t forget why you’re at GDC.If you plan well, you won’t have to pay for a single drink for the entire week.Especially advertising companies or official trade organisations tend to organise “everybody is welcome” parties. Check Facebook groups or unofficial GDC websites for a list of parties. Most of these parties require pre-registration which will open a few weeks before the conference.

Sometimes it seems that game industry conferences are all about parties.

There is also a separate Career floor where you can see which companies are hiring. This is a good place to see what kind of services companies are offering, or which new games and hardware are coming out soon.

Visit the Expo floor when there are no lectures you want to attend.These contacts might prove very valuable in growing your network and career. We all love games and we’re all there to learn and meet people. Waiting in line for the coffee, at a party, the person sitting next to you before a lecture starts, etc. Don’t be shy to talk to people when there’s an opportunity.Your time at trade shows is limited and precious. If the lecture turns out disappointing, then don’t be shy to walk out to see something else. Plan in advance which ones seem useful to attend. The program of talks and lectures is so packed it’s impossible to see everything.Things to bring: A bottle of water, mints, some snacks like a granola bar, a US phone charger or a backup battery, pen&paper for taking notes during the lectures, your business cards!.Bring your comfortable shoes, because the best way to get around downtown is to walk.Prices vary from $25 to $50 for a one-way trip downtown, depending if you share or not. You can grab a taxi, Uber or Lyft as an alternative.If you have accommodation downtown you can probably walk from the BART station. The stop closest to the Moscone Convention Center is Powell St Station. The BART goes directly to the city center. You can buy a one-way ticket or a multi-use Clipper card. The cheapest way to get from the airport to the city is by taking a BART train.Some of the hostels mentioned above border on the Tenderloin area. Make sure to avoid the Tenderloin and Civic Center area as much as possible, since this is an area with lots of homeless people hanging on the streets. San Francisco is a relatively small city and easy to get around, but it has some dodgy areas where you don’t want to walk alone at night. If you plan to book an AirBnB, be careful in which area you book. If you happen to know someone who is attending as well, try to team up to save some costs. If these are booked up, check the rates and reviews of alternatives on. Check out the Orange Hostel near Union Square or the Downtown or City Center HI ( ). And with San Francisco rapidly becoming one of the most expensive cities in the world, hotels are definitely not cheap. The most important thing is BOOK EARLY! With over 30,000 attendants to GDC the hotels around the city fill up fast. She is willing to share that information.

#Gdc and a professional#

Martine Spaans has lots of experience visiting professional game events around the globe and she knows San Francisco like the back of her hand. If you are attending GDC, please make sure you read the following tips.