Video: How to function as a depressed, solo game developer

Courtesy of the GDC Vault is a free lecture given at the Game Developers Conference 2011 on minimizing depression's adverse effects and maximizing productivity and creativity. Developer Michael Todd suggests those who work solo or remotely and are prone to depression need to be proactive about the work they select. Finding projects that are highly rewarding, suit your needs, and match your abilities will help keep you inspired and productive. Some tips he offers are to get other people to play your game and to discuss online or in person its potential flaws, instead of trying to work through development alone. He also says to play demos to realign your reality with what games are currently offering. Additionally, he suggests for self-evaluation and motivation that carefully track how much time you spend on work is better than merely estimating. Session Name: Turning Depression into Inspiration Speaker(s): Michael Todd Company Name(s): then Spyeart.com, now Michael Todd Games Track / Format: Independent Games Summit

About the GDC Vault

In addition to this presentation, the GDC Vault offers numerous other free videos, audio recordings, and slides from many of the recent GDC events, and the service offers even more members-only content for GDC Vault subscribers. Those who purchased All Access passes to events like GDC, GDC Europe, and GDC China already have full access to GDC Vault, and interested parties can apply for the individual subscriptions 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 find out more here. In addition, current subscribers with access issues can contact GDC Vault admins. Be sure to keep an eye on GDC Vault for even more new content, as GDC organizers will also archive videos, audio, and slides from other events like GDC China and GDC 2013. 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.