Don't fall asleep this time, Shu

“How do you cope with being badgered on Twitter by irritated fans 24/7?” That’s probably what we’d ask Sony Worldwide Studios suit Shuhei Yoshida given half the chance – and you’ll have an opportunity to pit your own queries to the popular president as part of the upcoming PlayStation Experience event in Las Vegas.

One of the twenty confirmed panels for the fan event will see the abovementioned executive joined by Scott Rohde and Adam Boyes in a no-holds barred question and answer session. If you’ve ever wondered which of the trio of executives is the most ticklish, then now’s your chance to put your curiosity to rest.

In reality, while this discussion is certain to prompt some silliness, there are a lot of fascinating panels also on the itinerary. Naughty Dog, for example, will be discussing how it rendered Nathan Drake’s amazing Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End character model, while The Last of Us’ lead writer Neil Druckmann will be joined by Double Fine boss Tim Schafer to talk storytelling.

It honestly sounds brilliant, so it’s a shame that Sony’s only committing to “certain parts” being livestreamed – we’d like to see it all. Either way, whether you’re going to the event or not, we’ve listed all of the panels and their descriptions below. Let us know which ones you’re most interested in – and what questions you’d pose to Shuhei Yoshida in the comments section.

PlayStation Experience Panels

Actors and Their Voices: Casting Characters
Story, Voice-Over, and Performance Capture bring PlayStation games to life. See how it works, from the casting calls, to directing sessions, to the final product. PLUS: a live voice-over session where attendees can recreate scenes from God of War and The Last of Us! Featuring voice-over actors from The Last of Us – Ashley Johnson and Troy Baker, and more panelists to be announced soon.

Choice Matters – A Telltale Games Panel
Telltale Games is at the forefront of the renaissance of adventure games. They gave us the award-winning The Walking Dead and The Wolf Among Us, and now bring us two new series: Game of Thrones, and Tales from the Borderlands. Their games are about making choices, and then living with the consequences. In this special panel, YOU will choose the questions, determining the fate of a small band of plucky Telltale crew members, as they discuss the past, present, and future of Telltale and adventure games.

Far Cry 4: From the Developer’s Mind to the Gamer’s Imagination
Get a rare behind the scenes look at how Far Cry 4 came to life, and an exclusive peek at what’s coming next. Watch our panelists discuss building the open world Kyrat to be the ultimate “Anecdote Factory” and see some fan-created moments that were so amazing they even surprised the developers.

God of War Retrospective
Join Santa Monica Studio’s legendary team of one of PlayStation’s most iconic franchises as they talk about the original development and inspiration behind God of War and the creation of Kratos and his origins. Hear never-before-told stories and kick-off the 10-year anniversary of God of War. Panelists to be announced soon.

Good vs Evil in F2P Game Design
PlayStation Free-to-Play developers take the stage to discuss their approach on game design, and how they keep their games fair, balanced and NOT pay to win.

How to Become a Game Designer (or How to Consider It)
It’s the first job every gamer wants (or at least thinks they want). Learn from game industry veterans what it takes to become a Game Designer and what it really means to design a game. Join an unflinching conversation about the labor of love that is game design. Featuring Doug Holder (Game Designer, Naughty Dog), Quentin Cobb (Game Designer, Naughty Dog), Parker Hamilton (Game Designer, SuckerPunch), Ramone Russell (Game Designer, San Diego Studios), and Massimo Guarini (Game Designer, Ovosonico).

Inside the Dev Studio
World Wide Studios longtime members who have been a part of creating some of the greatest signature franchises that defined PlayStation eras – The Last of Us, God of War, LittleBigPlanet, Gran Turismo, Killzone, MLB The Show – talk about the history of the gaming industry, the rise and fall of concepts, and tell incredible behind the scenes stories. Featuring Neil Druckmann (Naughty Dog), Cory Barlog (Sony Santa Monica), Nathan Fox (SuckerPunch), Pete Smight (Sony Xdev), Dylan Cuthbert (Q-Games), and moderated by Scott Rohde (SCEA WWS).

It Came to Japan! Working in the Japanese Game Industry
Find out what it takes to work in the gaming industry in Japan. Developers come together to chat about working in Japan and how to get started in the industry there. Featuring Jake Kazdal (17-Bit), Dylan Cuthbert (Q-Games), Massimo Guarini (Ovosonico), and Brad Douglas (SCEI).

LittleBigPlanet Retrospective
What did it take to bring LittleBigPlanet to the next generation of consoles? Learn about how Sumo Digital brought new ideas and concepts to the franchise and find out what’s next for Sackboy and friends.

Music Magic: How Your Favorite Game Soundtracks are Made
Music provides emotional depth, kineticism, and tone for PlayStation games. Listen and learn as SCEA Music Supervisors and Composers take you through their unique and varied musical scores. PLUS: An exclusive debut from the score for The Order: 1886. Panelists and special guests to be announced soon.

Modeling Nathan Drake: Bringing an Iconic Character to the PS4
Discover the process of making iconic treasure hunter, Nathan Drake, come to life for the PS4. From concept art to 3D model to the trailer you watched at E3 2014, go behind-the-scenes to learn how characters are built the Naughty Dog way. Featuring Frank Tzeng, Yibing Jiang, Colin Thomas, Ryan Trowbridge, and Ashley Swidowski.

Naughty Dog 30th Anniversary
The creative minds behind Crash Bandicoot, Jak and Daxter, Uncharted, and The Last of Us have prepared a full-length 30th anniversary video detailing the history of Naughty Dog.

Pick Up and Slay: The Journey of Diablo III to PlayStation 4
Join key developers behind Diablo III: Reaper of Souls – Ultimate Evil Edition as they discuss bringing a beloved PC classic to PlayStation 4 and what lies in store for the future. The team will discuss the challenges they faced, the origins of the Nemesis system, and how the PS4 version of the game influenced and evolved the PC version of Reaper of Souls.

Prototype to Product from Santa Monica External Development
Indie developers showcase inspirational prototypes behind their games and the process of evolving such prototypes to the final product that we all enjoy on PlayStation. Panelists to be announced soon.

Putting the Plus Plus in N++
The Metanet Software team talk about what it takes to make a modern platformer and everything that makes N++ special, including the level editor and the ability for players to make and share their own levels.

Salt and Sanctuary: A Love of Darkness
Why make videogames? This is a question we get asked a lot, and the most crucial answer at the heart of everything comes down to one simple fact: we, like you, are massive fans. Take a journey with us through years of studio history and videogame culture as we celebrate those of us bold, brave, and fearless enough to let their creative works be driven by pure, exuberant fandom.

Story Time
It’s time to get intimate. Participate in an AMA (Ask Me Anything) with some of the leaders of PlayStation. Featuring Shuhei “Shu” Yoshida, Adam Boyes, and Scott Rohde.

Storytelling in Video Games – An Ever Evolving Model
Some of World Wide Studios’s biggest storytellers come together to discuss the different angles each comes from when approaching how to tell a story and how to connect with the audience. Featuring Neil Druckmann (Naughty Dog), Tim Schafer (Double Fine), Rex Crowle (Media Molecule), Ru Weerasuriya (Ready at Dawn), and Until Dawn Creative Director, Raul (Tequila Works).

The Art of Creating Surprise & Discovery in Games
True to its name, the panelists and topic of conversation in this panel will be total surprises! Fans will definitely want to stay tuned to find out what’s in store here.

The Last of Us Multiplayer: An Inside Look
Come get an inside look into the development of The Last of Us Multiplayer. Learn how the team solved challenges like making stealth work in a competitive third-person shooter, building the latest DLC, and how new add-ons are conceived, produced, and balanced. Featuring Erin Daly (Lead Multiplayer Designer), Quentin Cobb (Game Designer), Elisabetta Silli (Game Designer), Robert Ryan (Game Designer), and Anthony Newman (Game Designer).

[source blog.us.playstation.com]