GreatBritishProducer

The state of videogame writing. And meaning. from Guardian Unlimited.

I liked this reply ... nice to see the debate being picke up by the like of esquire.

Link: The state of videogame writing. And meaning. from Guardian Unlimited: Gamesblog.

The lack of quality criticism in the world of games is due to the usual hangups about appearing to over-intellectualise a new media in front of the old guard. Let's face it, writing a serious essay on the post modern themes of MGS, or the complex blend of fabula and syuzhet in a final fantasy, will draw you weapons grade criticism before your work is even read. Really ambitious writers dont want to touch a cultural ghetto like games while their peers, mentors, and potential employers, think the whole phenomena is just a noisome offshoot of the toy industry. If it's going to get any better, games writing must begin to transcend the review as consumer testing and advice model, and take on the big issues that all other art criticism embraces. But it won't be easy... just to show how far we have to go, look at the total column inches afforded games in the printed Guardian the last two weeks. Compare it with the space allocated to cinema alone. Or theatre. Or opera. Or contempory dance. Perhaps the Guardian of all british media should be the first to take it more seriously? Posted by M33nan on June 20, 2006 10:28 AM.

Cameo

'A fictional crossover occurs when two or more otherwise separated fictionalcharacters, stories, settings, universes, or media meet and interact with each other'.

I've been interested in this subject since the release of Kingdom Hearts. Kingdom Hearts featured a gallery of Disney characters who featured alongside original Square Enix characters, these include Donald Duck, Tarzan, The Beast and Aladdin among others. There are numerous other examples, and many more than I knew before writing this article.

Wikipedia cites several reasons for fictional crossover:

• To establish a unified continuity and a 'universe' for the works of a particular author / production company;

• To explore a particular 'what-if' scenario devised by the author / production company;

• To promote and market other works produced by a particular author / production company by including them in a particular piece of work (especially if the works being included and marketed are a spin-off of the original work, which may not be as successful or well-known as the original);

• To reference / homage / parody an existing piece of work, regardless of ownership.

So why am I writing about this? I am wondering why, as an industry we don't utilise the technique more often. Is it arrogance? Is it complacency? Is it boredom? Is it a lack of confidence? Is it design pressure? Is it insecurity? Is it greed?

So how could developers benefit from fictional crossovers? I propose a few below:

1. To provide credence to new IP, especially when a developer attempts to develop in a new genre, beyond the product which established the company.
2. Support a new IP with familiar IP, with a goal to improve investment confidence
3. Re-use of assets which we consistently fail to utilise beyond single products
4. An alternate revenue model
5. Maintain public brand awareness for the product your character featured in as well as you as a developer
6. Support new directions in design for your characters and their universe

I'm sure reader could come up with additional reasons - I'd be interested in what they are. Its important to note that it does not necessarily have to be characters; it could be locations, unique weapons, vehicles and abilities.

I'm confident things are changing, but developers continue to create unique assets and fail to capitalise on previous development. Yes, some are doing this with tech; the fact is that it is now common knowledge that development teams who have a stable code-base on which to iterate may be the developers who are sustainable. Why do you think Microsoft are investing in XNA? Why do you think library support was so important for PS2, without the libraries many development teams struggled to develop for this platform. And consider GTA; would it have been possible to turn around a sequel so quickly if it wasn't for the game logic system being re-used and the engine developed in Renderware?

Fictional crossover is an alternative to an asset based method ... and a valid one, especially within the same production house; its about time publishers started working with their existing IP as well as searching for the holy grail of a blockbuster license.

Game advertising in question!

Link: MCV: TV ad 'lies' face ban.

“People have always used CGI sequences to advertise games, and I’ve never seen it as a massive problem,” stated Uber Agency director Richard Benjamin.

The issues raised are not surprising; essentially even watchdogs who pass video game content for viewing are ignorant of industry mechanics. I have experience of this when I worked with he VSC several years back.

What I'm interested in, is whether or not greater awareness by watchdogs will inadvertently balance the scales of competition for those teams whose products could not compete on production values; which is what CGI really demonstrates.

Why is it console cycles iterate around a five year cycle? It is the graphics. Things will look better; more power will allow artistic freedom, will allow photorealism and even improve the game play (clearly confused with game experience).

The Playstation was supposed to deliver on all of the above promises. It did, on the level of artistic freedom, but that's because artists are adept at working with a medium to communicate effectively to a viewer/user. For the uninitiated, CGI was sold as 'the game' and this opinion divided the industry. One group would proclaim using CGI and not game footage was 'cheating'; the other revelled in CGI, especially when it was delivered in narrative form (Final Fantasy) to realise characters and game worlds. This second group were indifferent about CGI in advertising.

Forward several years and the industry continues to adopt the practice; with EA being a prolific advocate. EA conveniently becomes a target and is commonly cited by players as using money in this way to gain a market advantage. However, it was Activison's Call Of Duty series that was put on a pedestal for bad behaviour. The conspirator in me would guess it was EA who made the calls due to the threat on the Medal Of Honour series..

As for the future, can the use of CGI be measured accurately to determine how much an affect on consumer buying it has actually had and possibly continues to have? If graphics turn out to be less important than developers and marketers think they are, will this lead to a hardware plateau and video game industry stability and improved competition? And what affect could it have on the recognition of the medium itself?

All we can do is wait.

Publisher who? Episodic development.

Link: Game Tycoon?Blog Archive ? In Defense of Episodic Content.

I have posted a lengthy comment here; I'm looking forward to any comments. Below is an extract:

Is this death to the publishers? Not at all; but they will need to adapt. They will need to offer alternate funding solutions; some could break the business up to offer product solutions which a developer may or may not sign into. They can develop the retail relationship to support the new direction. They can invest in developer technology, as opposed to stealing it via way of contract.

Safe play? Then, 'ask about games'!

'ask about games' is a reader friendly site that aims to educate any parent who may be concerned or un-aware of the video game industry, its codes and practices.

It provides some comforting advice as well as a glossary, genre definitions and industry outline among other. Below is an extract on SAFE PLAY.

Based on the results of various research reports, ELSPA advises you to observe the following safe game play guidelines:

• Play in a well lit room
• Take regular breaks
• Do not play for hours on end
• Play the full distance possible from the screen – the minimum recommended distance is six feet
• Stop playing should you feel unwell and,
  if symptoms persist, consult a doctor

Is it possible for my child to become addicted to games?

People play games because they enjoy them; and some people enjoy them more than others. A casual book reader will read books as part of their daily activities, and may well exercise or socialise. A person who absolutely loves books may be blinkered to everything else that goes on around them (the same goes for people who watch too many movies, or too much TV). Games playing is simply another daily activity that gives people pleasure. If they don't enjoy the games, they won't play them. If they do, they may play them occasionally, or as much as possible. Playing computer and video games is not a physical addiction.

Can computer games cause epilepsy?

No. The Consumer Safety Unit of the Department of Trade and Industry, together with the National Epilepsy Society has carried out exhaustive study into this area which found that epilepsy cannot be caused by playing computer games.

The report has shown that a small number of people, who already have Photosensitive Epilepsy could discover their condition by playing games. They could discover it the same way from watching television, or disco lights, or light flickering through trees. The numbers involved are so tiny that experts are happy to say that video games pose no risk to children.

When playing computer games for a long time, I get a really bad headache. What is this caused by?

You are playing for too long or sat too close to the television or in a poorly lit room.

Will computer games affect my child’s behaviour?

Research undertaken by ULTRALAB at the Anglia Polytechnic has shown that children can very clearly distinguish the difference between violence in computer games and the types of violence they hear about on the news. Computer games have been in the home for over 20 years, and there has not been one proven case of them causing children to become violent.

Can playing computer games cause DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis)?

Studies suggest that any situation in which someone spends hours sitting in one place can increase the risk of a DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis). This can happen with any stationary leisure activity, including watching television, listening to music or reading a book.  ELSPA advises you to:

• Take regular breaks to move around and stimulate blood flow through your extremities
  Not play for hours on end
  Stop playing should you feel unwell and consult a doctor

What, if any, are the health risks/side effects posed to regular gamers?

Neurologically there has been no evidence of a biological addiction to games, and therefore the industry argues that games should not be judged separately from any other leisure activity that brings people enjoyment. For example, a casual book reader will read books as part of his or her daily activities while balancing a number of other pursuits. At the same time, an avid book reader, or television viewer, music lover, film buff or keen video gamer, may choose to engage with that activity more than any other. As with these other hobbies, the industry emphasises that playing with interactive software is one of a selection of daily activities which gives people pleasure.

Game Innovation - A History

Everyone in the industry should link to this, and contribute. Most valuable as an academic tool, it should eventually function as a source for design. What am I talking about?

www.gameinnovation.org

Its an open wiki that aims to catalogue every video and computer game innovation. Below are extracts concerning cutscenes, and the first application of melee attack on its own button:

Pac-Man is the first game to use cinematic sequences called "cutscenes" between the different levels. After clearing a few levels, the player would be treated to short clips of Pac Man and the four ghosts moving around the screen, completely outside the player's control. http://www.gameinnovation.org/index.php/Cutscenes

Halo is the first FPS to place the melee action on its own button. This innovation allowed Players instant access to their three types of attacks (main weapon, grenades, melees) at all times. Previous FPSes had required the Player to switch to a dedicated melee weapon. http://www.gameinnovation.org/index.php/Dedicated_Melee_Button_%28in_an_FPS%29

Do you agree? Do you know better? What are you waiting for ... go and post!

Real world example of alternate finance model

Link: Games * Design * Art * Culture.

In other words, they've landed project finance, rather than equity finance. That is, they aren't selling a piece of their company to investors; they're selling a share of future revenues from a particular project. This is a common model in independent film, and it has some advantages from an investment perspective: You get your money out in a shorter timeframe (1-2 years) than you do when investing in a company (liquidity event in 5 years, typically). Both sorts of investments are risky, of course, but the shorter time frame is a positive for some people.

I've posted a comment on the site.

Microsoft in Japan

Link: The Magic Box: International Videogame News.

Microsoft will release a Xbox 360 Blue Limited Edition in Japan on April 27, 2006, which will be bundled with EA's 2006 FIFA World Cup. The bundle will include the Xbox 360 console, FIFA faceplate and 2006 FIFA World Cup; only 10,000 units will be manufactured.

I don't get this. The Xbox 360 has sold less than one tenth of what it has sold in he UK and the US, yet Microsoft choose to create a Limited Edition Console more suitable to the UK/European market. I'm not disputing the popularity of football in Japan but face some truths Microsoft ... one of which is that the Xbox 360 will follow the same path of the Xbox in Japan. If investment is necessary them apply it in the right area , such as the 360 Marketplace; not in Limited Edition HW bundles with a product and publisher which lacks success in Japan.

The Marketplace reference is in light of this news courtesy of gamesindustry.biz: Interestingly, Japan has turned out to be the strongest territory in the world per capita in terms of Xbox Live Marketplace downloads, with 520,000 content downloads reported over an installed base of just 123,000 units.

So, Microsoft, look at the big picture and invest in the Marketplace for Japan ... who knows, if you do it right you could become the household version of DoCoMo's i-mode. 

The Console Transition: A Publisher's Perspective ... no surprises

Link: The Console Transition: A Publisher's Perspective - Thanks to Businessweek

Is it me, or am I the only reader to conclude this articles tone is condescending when considering the firm finger of responsibility is being pointed at everything other than the publisher?

The cost of development on new generation platforms (excluding hand-held) will rise; but they should remain at the conservative end of £5-8 million GBP (Great British Pounds). But lets not jump to conclusions. The risk of investment is greatly reduced considering projects have to be approved or 'green lit' by publishers, and until a publisher has confidence in a product development cost will rarely exceed £150,000 if the developer is clever in approach. Financial help can be found in the form of grants – http://www.dti.gov.uk/r-d/.

Publishers hold developers to ransom because of the single business model they force upon developers. I am aghast to read Geoghegan circumventing responsibility and placing it on the market, the retailer and the developer; “The net effect will be publishers trying to create more blockbuster titles (because that's the only business model that will cover a publisher's next-gen development cost), or stretch genre boundaries to appeal to a wider audience”.

Geoghegan offers no answers, or alternatives; the only perceived solution is for 'code warriors' to rise up and be counted. How about creating the product conditions to support such action ... why does such action have to be a result of market anarchy?!

Newsweek, Alex Ward, five-year cycle

A quick post I hope to follow up later:

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/11786177/site/newsweek

Newsweek speculates on the five-year itch of console development. EA in the guise of Alex Ward, hints at how developers, through design, can help retain users who have one eye firmly set on the next big thing.