Download - The Gaming Industry Presentation
The Gaming IndustryBy Brian Bovino
Alternate Reality Games
Alternate Reality Multiple Media
Uses clues through: Mobile phones Various online platforms
Often times, ARG winners get prize money
Used mostly to promote movies or television shows.
Everything you know about ARGs is WRONG argues that ARGs are too gimmicky
Is this an effective way to market?
Is it buzzworthy?
Would you play an ARG if it wasn’t associated to a movie or show?
Susan O’Connor on Game Writing
Games are becoming more cinematic
Publishers aren’t settling for bad writing anymore
“Dedicated” writers are being hired to work toward the cinematic goals
What does good writing do for a gaming experience?
Linear Gaming a Thing of the Past?
Clint Hocking argues that linear storytelling models are archaic
Games are becoming more interactive: Xbox 360’s Project
Natal Nintendo Wii Games like Heavy
Rain
What is a game that lacks a linear story? Non-Linear Game
Design Sandbox concept Branching Story
Lines
Is linear storytelling really outdated?
The Evolution of Game Writing Valve's Writers And The Creative
Process interviews the company’s writers and asks for their commentary on the industry
Variations in writing depends on the game: Re-playability Cinematic Experience
Publishers are staffing writers in-house consistency
Is good writing appropriate in all genres of gaming?
What other benefits do in-house writers give to game developing firms?
Game Developer’s Guild
Union for game developers
“Free agent” developers would join the guild guild would work with game producers to source their talent
Has the potential to bring the following to game production: Organization Security Standardization
Is standardization something the gaming industry needs?
Could sourcing from a guild could lead to lack of consistency on a project series?
The Birth of Social Scamming… [cough]…I mean Social Gaming
Social Games include: Mafia Wars Farmville Vampire Wars
Social Gaming companies like Zynga profit unethically
Use faster game progression as a bribe to profit through “in-game currency” and advertising
Rules have been put in place by Facebook to cut down scamming, but developers ignore them and Facebook doesn’t enforce them
However… Advertisers are benefiting
from social gaming The number of users
continue to multiply
Ethical or Unethical?
Reality Games: Unaware Participation
Companies are starting to use this as a promotional technique
Toyota’s YouOtherYou promotion
“Friend” gives Toyota (Prankster) contact information of the “Prankee”
Toyota then pranks the victim through emails, phone calls and text messages
“Friend” can track the prank in real time from his/her computer
The end of the prank results in a “Gotcha!” and somehow ties in Toyota’s new Matrix vehicle… many “prankees” were not happy at all.
Acceptable Promotion Technique?