"Level Design Workshop: How to Light a Level" at GDC 2018

Hey there. I'll be returning to GDC in 2018 with a talk called "How to Light a Level"... Here's the blurb:

Lighting is traditionally one of the most computationally expensive parts of game rendering, as well as one of the most crucial design tools for setting mood and readability in a game world. And yet, level designers and environment artists often lack the language and theory to collaborate effectively on lighting design. What does light do for games, and how can developers use lighting to facilitate certain experience goals for games? This session begins with a brief cultural history of lighting, before moving on to an overview of practical lighting design theory as well as various case studies.

I'll be presenting alongside many other amazing folks as part of the Level Design Workshop, run by Joel Burgess, Matthias Worch, Clint Hocking, and Lisa Brown.

This year, the roster includes:

• "Designing for Non-Linear Story Discovery in 'Tacoma'" with Steve Gaynor and Nina Freeman (Fullbright Company)
• "The Holy Grail of Multiplayer Level Design: Maps for Casual and Competitive Play" with Andrew Yoder (Hi-Rez Studios)
• "Invisible Intuition: Player Guidance from Blockmesh to Final Level Design" with David Shaver (Naughty Dog)
• "Procedural Regeneration: Matching the World to the Player" with Heather Robertson (Heather Flowers)
• "Reimagining Level Design for 'God of War'" with Rob Davis (Sony)

We're basically a "tutorial" mini-track that, I believe, will run all-day on Tuesday. Traditionally, we also do portfolio reviews during the lunch break. If you'll be around, come check us out. (And if you won't be at GDC this year: it's fun, but don't worry, you really aren't missing that much.)