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Indie developer and Spry Fox CCO Daniel Cook is tired of seeing games that lift ideas from other titles. He believes too many studios focus their efforts on deriving their content from the industry's existing successes, rather than inventing new types of gameplay.
In a popular lecture at GDC 2012, he spoke out to change all that, urging developers to stop designing and start inventing. A video of that lecture is now available (above) for free, courtesy of the GDC Vault.
"I think of myself as an inventor. I think an inventor is a very honorable career to have, and it's not something you normally see," Cook says. "Usually you hear, 'I'm a game designer,' which means, 'I research other people's titles, and then I add my own +10 percent on top of that to make a market leader.'"
"Instead, let's be inventors!"
Simply click on the Play button above to start the video.
More Free Videos
In addition to Cook's lecture, the GDC Vault has added two additional free videos today, which cover mobile kids' games and the essentials of a good game trailer.
In "Guidelines for Successful Mobile Interactive Apps for Children," Carla Fisher of No Crusts Interactive reviews the key research and design principles behind developing interactive children's eBooks and mobile games. Along the way, she offers tips developers should keep in mind when trying to make an app accessible and appropriate for a young audience. [GDC Vault free video]
Elsewhere, Kert Gartner, an independent creator of indie game trailers, hosts "Trail-er Blazing: Creating the Trailers Your Game Deserves." Here, he runs through a number of tips that will help developers edit together their own trailers that effectively capture the essence of their game, and convince players to buy it in less than one minute. [GDC Vault free video]
These free videos join a host of other free and notable lectures already available on GDC Vault, including the classic game postmortems (Gauntlet, Harvest Moon and more) and track keynotes (from Blizzard, Plants Vs. Zombies creator George Fan, and more) from GDC 2012.
About the GDC Vault
In addition to all of this free content, the GDC Vault also offers more than 300 additional lecture videos and hundreds of slide collections from GDC 2012 for GDC Vault subscribers. GDC 2012 All Access pass holders already have full access to GDC Vault, and interested parties can apply for the individual subscription Beta 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 send an email to Gillian Crowley. In addition, current subscribers with access issues can contact GDC Vault admins.
Be sure to keep an eye on GDC Vault for even more free content, as GDC organizers will also archive videos, audio, and slides from upcoming 2012 events like GDC Europe, GDC Online, and GDC China. 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.
