GDC 2011 starts tomorrow.

I'm of two minds about attending the Game Developers Conference with a press pass; on the one hand, it's literally an awesome show. Sitting in on talks like "Lay of the Land: Smarter AI Through Influence Maps" last year left me in awe of how brilliant these guys (alas, the majority are men) have to be when it comes to recreating reality. Only the best and brightest in the industry attend (GDC isn't cheap) and after sitting in on their discussions for a few days last year, I came to understand that they were essentially attempting to duplicate divine genesis on a yearly basis; the math, art and sheer magic required to render a believable virtual world is mind-blowing.

It's important for journalists and critics to get a glimpse of that creative process, to sit quietly in the back corner and try to keep up while the smart kids speak. I'm thankful that GDC affords us that luxury, but I'm also concerned that rising notoriety is causing the conference to devolve into another trade show. Press events and exclusive demos are springing up throughout the week, and I worry that will be to the detriment of the developers in attendance. Worse, it's our fault; journalists have pushed to get access for years, and where we go the PR professionals follow.

I love attending GDC because the atmosphere is so quiet, informal and off the record; I worry that my presence pollutes that atmosphere.