great presentation on the present and future of gaming
Hey all,
this is both an informative and entertaining presentation by Jesse Schell.. He goes through the most unexpected gaming developments over the last few years, especially flash-based games. Then he tries to conclude what they have in common, and what this means for future gaming experiences.. hope you enjoy it.. it was a real eye opener for me:
http://g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/702668/DICE-2010-Video-Design-Outside-The-Box.html
this is both an informative and entertaining presentation by Jesse Schell.. He goes through the most unexpected gaming developments over the last few years, especially flash-based games. Then he tries to conclude what they have in common, and what this means for future gaming experiences.. hope you enjoy it.. it was a real eye opener for me:
http://g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/702668/DICE-2010-Video-Design-Outside-The-Box.html
Replies
While I was less interested in his views of the far future (because those are never right), the beginning of his presentation and how social gaming is developing really struck a cord with me because I have a job where clients continuously tell me to make them an awesome viral social game that will market their product and get the community excited. Facebook applications are the big thing right now, and are becoming an important part of a lot of online advertising campaigns.
Social gaming like club penguin and mafia wars and farmville are a shocking phenomenon.. Who could have even imagined it would make that kind of money. Millions and millions for these extremely simple concepts that are gaining mass appeal just because of how they're hooked into social sites. AAA games often don't make this kind of money.
So what do you guys feel about this, and how this could affect the big budget games that most of us are more interested in? Why are simple flash games hooked up in more sophisticated ways to social networks than AAA games? How could this change?
I don't know I'm just wrong and weird I guess.
Life as an RPG is scary to me.
really interesting though, I hope things don't get to the same place he's thinking they will, but I see how there could be plenty of interesting oportunities
I think that i such kind of system there would be even more suicides of people being extremely stressed out because of the constant judgment.
Point are a great idea but i wouldn't want every step of my life being graded.
* The sudden success of Guitar Hero, the milking it for all it's worth phase, and the just as sudden decline of expensive peripheral based rhythm games.
* The Wii winning the console wars, by appealing to the elderly and the very young, while sacrificing storage, DLC, HD, game demos, videos, online play, and winning based on skill level.
* Webkins. Get them spending when they're young.
* The incredible popularity and misuse of Xbox Achievements. You can earn achievement points by sitting through some of the most unbearable aspects of the game. Sometimes without pressinga a single button. Simply start the game. Good job. Some designers used them to provide more challenges.
* Mafia Wars...and the dozens of other game invitations you're still trying to block from your friends that spend too much time on facebook.
*And my own point. iPhone apps. Good luck getting an app to succeed within the 100,000 mediocre and often insecure programs you have to dig through to find anything.
The point of all of this is simple. The term "gamer" is dead. Everyone is a "gamer" of sorts. We've reached a point where graphics aren't as profitable as the demographic that can be reached in new game design ideas and new control schemes.
But still, we don't like invasive advertisements. We don't want a game that controls us, especially when it's a game created by designers and psychologist working for the government and large corporations. We're in that game too much as it is, and trying to find our way out before it becomes the point system from Demolition Man. Points can become an indication of social status...and be taken away as easily as they're given. Consequences instead of rewards. Look how it is already. Earn points on your driver's license...it's gone. Low credit score...no privileges for you. Playing the McDonald's Monopoly game? Say goodbye to your health.
Human beings want freedom of choice. Balance. Use technology to get a clearer perspective on what is real in the world. The future of gaming is education from virtual hands on experience. I did like the part about the new grading system.
End of blog post.
(In my worst austrian accent)
Damnit Cohaagen! Give these people their air!
Here is your sub zero. NOW! PLAIN Zero!
Cool video. Mad respect. Really like hearing those Carnegie Melon dudes talk.
Younger people appear to not really give a shit about that anymore.
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i like how he was objective most of the time.. he doesn't necessarily hate what's going on; just stating where he thinks things will go..
and my favorite part was when he was talking about authenticity and how because we've been deprived from reality, we're trying to latch on to any part of it..
on a related note.. if you feel like making some achievements this game is full of them
Maybe old people and little kids find earning points for no reason compelling, but the reality is that games have been moving away from meaningless point/stat/loot grinding for ages-- anyone with any taste in games at all hates that stuff unless they are totally OCD.
The people who are playing these games are so fickle, you can bet your bottom dollar that in a year Farmville and anything like it will be as played out as Beanie Babies.
The speech was very interesting though and it does give alot of food for thought. The points system in schools, I remember reading that somewhere and it sounded so awesome.
There should be global points, If X country give X amount of aid to a developing country, then 100 points for X country! But if Y country decides to fire nukes at global database... well then, -70,000 points for Y country!