I didn't have the opportunity to attend GDC - the Game Developers Conference - this year, which was unfortunate. Being located in Norway means that I'm outside the industry loop, and even though Oslo has many benefits (it's not just expensive and cold), location isn't necessarily one of them. Which means that, outside of E3 (which is all work-work-work anyway), I don't often get to mingle and mix with fellow developers. GDC is a great place to meet up, hang out, and learn from your peers. And there were certainly talks that I would have liked to attend; Tim Schafer's Adventures in Character Design in particular. I have loads of respect for 'Tim' (since we haven't been introduced, I hesitate to use his first name without 'indicating' 'ironic' 'distance'), and he's probably the funniest game designer around. Day of the Tentacle is also The Best Game Ever Made. It would have been a treat to sit in on his talk, but alas, sometimes Oslo is so very, very far from California.

Weather: Spring has hit like a laser-guided missile, and Oslo has been liberated from its icy prison. It's been awfully beautiful these past few days, and we now have six months of Pretty Good Weather to look forward to. If it weren't for the remaining six months of the year, I'd be happy. For now, I'll just appreciate the long, sunny days, and try to ignore the fact that snowfall in April isn't all that rare.

During the next month (or so) I'll try and post some pictures from my Japan trip. We met this nice gentleman while strolling through a park just north of Shibuya on a slightly chilly Sunday:



This street was lined with bands and musicians competing for people's attention. Some enjoyed a certain degree of success, while others sang bravely to a crowd of none. The quality of the music was mixed, to say the least, but points for enthusiasm and sheer bravery - when you can't hit a single note, kudos for standing up and singing in public. I'll post a few more pictures of these up-and-coming pop stars tomorrow.  ¶ 23:08