My name is Madalynn Winters, and I am a Collaborative Design major with a focus in narrative design and scriptwriting! I am in my final semester of college and set to graduate in the Spring of 2026! Last year, in 2025, I was chosen by Shocker Studios to attend the Game Developer’s Conference held in San Francisco, California!
The Game Developer’s Conference - also known as GDC - is one of the biggest events in the game design world. A variety of people, ranging from students to seasoned game design veterans, gather to discuss and generate ideas for the future of game design. There are many benefits of attending GDC, a major one being networking with people working in the industry. Additionally, you are able to receive advice or new ideas from likeminded people. Comparing and discussing work with other creators will push you to be a better creator yourself.
I wanted to attend GDC to experience what life inside of the game design world is really like. A major goal of mine was to speak to people in the narrative field to get their perspective on my work and ask for advice on internships and getting a job. My biggest takeaway from GDC is this: just keep creating. As long as you keep doing the thing you love, you will see improvement over time. Someone out there is going to love what you do. Artists that understand the creative process will appreciate all of the effort you have put into your work.
The most memorable panel I attended was Crafting Relatable Characters. My goal as a narrative designer is to connect with audiences through my characters and the stories that they tell. This panel taught me how to do just that by showing me how to create empathy between my characters and the audience. Another panel I enjoyed was Storytelling and Texturing in Silent Hill 2. It was so fascinating to see how the narrative impacts certain design choices from start to finish on a super popular name!
Whenever I wasn’t attending the convention, I would go explore San Francisco with my friends! My favorite activity that we did was going to Japan Town! While we were there, we had sushi, looked at all of the Miku figures in the shops, had some crepes, and went to a karaoke bar!
Overall, GDC was an amazing opportunity that taught me so much! I was able to grow as an artist and make unforgettable memories with my friends!
