Design @ Vance

Transparent digital bartering, the currency evolution of the future.

2011-07-15T11:14:00.000-07:00

When I first started listening to this excellent (as usual) planetmoney podcast I imagined writing up a post about undertaking a new 'gold digging game'. Basically, the peer-to-peer crowd-sourced processing program that allows you to acquire bitcoins by simply allowing the bitcoin system to borrow one's processing power to support the transferrence of bitcoins. The bitcoin trailer keyed me into this particular fantasy.

However, I was quickly dissuaded from my new 'heights of laziness' panning-for-gold hobby. According to the Planetmoney team- bitcoins have been so thoroughly mined that it may take 5 to 10 years using a 'normal' computer to find one.

An additional wet blanket was applied to my bitcoin dreams when the NPR reporters questioned an expert who all-but-assured them that in 3 to 5 years bitcoins would be all-but-dead. This expert sited the history of 'private currencies' and the fact that people are required by law to accept the all mighty dollar as payment for services. People cannot refuse to accept the dollar as payment. Good reasons to take stock (or not take up collecting bitcoins) in his verdict. However, I want to offer an additional reason. Bitcoin is founded on the idea that a digital-yet-private currency is something that people will find desirable. This is the assumption I find fallacy with. When people complain/lecture/debate about privacy issues in our new digital world I am reminded of this article by John Moe that begins: "Will privacy one day be just a blip in history? A quaint notion from another time?" I believe the answer is yes. Not only are we constantly forgoing our privacy to 'show off' and entertain each other (Foursquare/Twitter/Facebook) but soon the incentives to give up our privacy to save legal tender are going to extend beyond car insurance companies observing our driving habits. Furthermore, the next generation is growing up in a cultural eco-system that will never foster or value privacy. 6 year olds today, the adults of tomorrow will never have the same sense of privacy that your grandparents did and not even the same sense that today's 20 and 30-somethings do. I believe that fundamentally this is why a concept like bitcoin fails. It rests upon an antiquated cultural construct- privacy.

However, I do believe that there may be an evolution of marketplace exchanges that could make the 'get the government out of my money' Libertarians (another great Planetmoney article) very very happy. During the bitcoin story the Planetmoney team buys lunch at a Manhattan restaurant with bitcoins. Can you imagine a future where you could pay for lunch with WoW gold, or Facebook credits? In a world with augmented reality and without privacy you could instantly see that the entrepreneur/proprietor of your local falafel joint would consider it a deal to trade you today's lunch for a Giant Mammoth mount.

Gamafication Part 3

2011-06-16T13:29:00.000-07:00

One of the most important perspectives that education incorporate from game design is that games do not have morality. Specifically: the only morality of a game is that the player must be allowed to progress. When the game world in-and-of-itself impedes the player's progression disregards this golden rule, the game is "immoral". When one describes a game(or player within a game) as "being cheap" one is describing it as essentially immoral. The one excellent game that comes close to this experience in my opinion is Give up robot. A game that is delightfully evil in that the design of the game seems to want the player to fail. [This is an extremely difficult line to walk and I could do an entire post about how and why they pull this off gracefully.] An actually immoral game is one in which the player cannot win; a game or a player that changes the rules or steps out of previously defined constraints to pluck victory from the player's grasp. Deception between players within the rules of the game is certainly ok and encouraged. After all- games are 'pretend worlds' where we are encouraged to behave badly or experiment as we might not in the real world. Betraying someone with the constructs of a game is acceptable. However, everyone can agree that when someone 'cheats' and steps out of the rules that have been agreed upon, to impede progression or completion - that is immoral- that is cheating.

Aside: One might say that "Portal" is similar to "Give up robot" however, the Portal franchise is successful because of the dichotomy between the vehement espousal of the game's star "Glados" about not wanting the player to succeed and the painstakingly crafted tutorial-at-every-turn (which is the essence of an excellent puzzle game) game design and the delicious tension between the two.

As Randy Pausch once said to me (a distillation of something I already believed): 'If you disagree with someone- don't shut them up- let them talk. If they are really wrong they will eventually show it on their own.' Education about anything should learn to relax an agenda or a morality, and focus on the dissemination of the information; regardless of how you want the audience to act upon the information. At its best, education is entertainment and entertainment is at its best when it is grey, with multiple perspectives and without an agenda. It is easy to do a production of Macbeth where the audience hates Macbeth. A truly great production of Macbeth humanizes the title character to the point that the audience empathizes with him.

As an educator, forcing a student to solve in a problem in a certain way does not guarantee that the student will solve that problem in the same way in the future. It does not guarantee adoption. Math teachers are frequently guilty of this. 'Solve this problem in this way.' instead of 'Solve this problem in any way you know or discover.' Conversely, a good game designer knows that if a player is overcoming a obstacle with an unintended approach, it is the question or the obstacle that should be changed to elicit the desired action (i.e. use this weapon or take this path...) rather than the constraints. Players, like students, easily detect when constraints have been arbitrarily manipulated and will feel cheated- as if the person in a position of power has acted immorally, which they have.

Gamafication?

2011-06-03T20:00:00.000-07:00

When everything is "fun" and leverages operant-conditioning even your health, will anything stay actually fun?

3DS- thats cute.

2011-06-01T01:12:00.000-07:00

(Nothing insightful here.) Don't get me wrong- I like my 3DS. As augmented reality goes- 3DS is the most superior platform currently available. But when I am tilting the portable console back and forth to get the depth presentation correct I can't shake the feeling that one day our kids will look at it like coin operated movie machines: "You went to all that work to get 3D???! Wow!"

Crysis 2 haiku review!

2011-05-25T23:12:00.000-07:00

Derivative and
uninspired, this Crysis
was still beautiful.

Gamafication: Part 2 (Post panel entry)

2011-05-24T13:19:00.000-07:00

First off- Stop Being Lazy: A Brief Discussion of Gamafication was jolly good fun. James Portnow, Soctt Dodson and John Williamson were brilliant during our brief and impromtu discussion. My contribution began with some un-intended flattery of James's gamafication essay as presented on The Escapist. 'Gamafication is at its best when (as James described) the game constructs around the activity not only elicit the activity being rewarded but additional desired effects/actions.' If you take the 'gamafication of education' example of giving XP instead of grades and add bonuses that get applied to all students when individuals do well- students may help eachother learn the material. There were some really interesting questions from the audience as well. 'How do you 'package' gamafication?' This really helped me qualify why exactly we have seen so many lackluster implementations of gamafication. The easiest way to package gamafication is to merely add badges and points. After discussing briefly discussing the urinalfly. We concluded with 'who will get gamafication right first?' to which I responded definitively: marketing. The panel was split however 2 - 2 the other answer being education. While I hope that education will be the first to wield gamafication in a fully developed form I think that marketing will beat be the first, given the immediate monetary incentives.

Gamafication: Part 1

2011-05-23T12:40:00.000-07:00

Prelude: I suppose this was inevitable. I must now admit to being part of the problem concerning this gamification thing. I am now a panelist of "Stop Being Lazy: A Brief Discussion of Gamafication" @ Login Conference 2011. It is not that I am against "gamafication" in and of itself; it is more that I detest vauge and undefined buzz words that are bound to become bulletpoints for someone who knows nothing about making games.

As prelude to entering the hype cycle and participating in this panel I am going to chronicle my current thoughts about gamification: (Following the panel I'll also record any insights, innovations and interesting ideas garnered from the event in "part 2" of this post.)

Gamification is quite simply 'positive psychology + designated behavior"

Why is "gamification" or this concept finally coming up as mainstream? In a word? Zynga. In the post-Farmville world, business people (and others, but mostly business people) have realized that game designers might know a whole host of things about motivating people that are not typically applied to areas outside of games. Without Farmville, even with the biggest entertainment launch in history would not have garnered interest in the incentivisation techniques of Game Designers by the outside world. Why? The success of Modern Warfare and COD: Black ops can be dismissed as 'only applicable to gamers' but Farmville's audience of non-gamers proves that these techniques can be applied to anyone.

In a larger sense the world has begun to realized that game designers are the ultimate humanists- the ultimate empathists. Game designers assume that no one reads directions, that no one reads anything. That people do not act logically, they act humanly. When a game becomes entertainment (something that is not just art, but something that must have monetary success) game designers are charged with convincing and motivating people to do something that may be very complex- require a lot of time and effort to net them nothing that impacts their basic survival.

Electronic games, since the invention of the tutorial have been a hobby in the unique position of being able to teach people about the hobby without them having to read anything. We developed a means by which we were able to indoctirine people to our hobby more efficiently than any niche in human history. Alongside all of this we reinvented operant conditioning (as already perfected by Las Vegas and the 'games of chance industry') as a way of compelling people to reengage.

Farmville and Zynga made a ton of money, not on gamification but simply on operant conditioning and the business world has suddenly come to the conclusion that operant conditioning and game design or "gamafication" is the same thing. But this is nothing new. It is just that technolgy has positioned itself to not only make gamification more feasible but to also allow us to opt into a level of tracking that was previously unattainable. FitBit, Foursquare,NFC ect....

Finally one must realize that inherent in gamification and not simply operant conditioning is user 'buy in' or 'belief in a level of abstraction. The 'fasten safety belt' in a car is not gamification but the growing vine in the honda insight is; it asks and requires the player/user to give the reward some meeting before it works. Gamafication is the picture of a fly on the back of the urinal- it requires me to buy into, to accept your offer of a game.

Finally, gamification cannot outpace our knowledge of games themselves- it only works within an existing framework. Quite literally, I can only stretch education or marketing or greenpeace over a game framework I already know.

Here is a picture of me.

2011-04-28T20:56:00.000-07:00

Suitable for my submission to the Web 2.0 Expo

Foursquare + risk?

2011-04-25T14:45:00.000-07:00

Well.... kinda sorta. Here's the talk in Tagged.com's game design department today: A location check-in game in London. Playeres who are automatically shuffled into one of 4 teams (now that's a cool idea...) and fight to 'take over' locations in the city by checking in the most. Most interestingly- the game incentivises players to take more 'green' actions during their commute- rewarding them for getting out a few stops early and walking or shifting their commute to non-rush hour times.

Surprisingly, another POrtal 2 post...Super 8?

2011-04-24T11:13:00.000-07:00

Don't think I've seen this before, AAA game release with a beta for another upcoming AAA game? Everybody's doing it. (BTW if you have "Bulletstorm" it's time to play the Gears of War 3 multiplayer beta.) But here is further evidence that as (Will Wright says) all major forms of entertainment are merging. Portal 2 contains an interactive trailer for JJ Abrams "Super 8"! Portal + JJ Abrams flick?? Awesome.

Will Wright article

2011-04-22T20:02:00.000-07:00

I've only had the pleasure of seeing Will Wright speak in person once but this article gives you an idea of how mind blowing he can be- just sharing the thoughts from his head. Fun fact: what do game designers Vance Wallace and Will Wright have in common? Both attended Montessori method schools.

Portal 2

2011-04-19T11:26:00.000-07:00

So apparently Portal 2 is 'like the best game ever'. Stop reading this and go play it. (I'm Vance Wallace and I approve of this message.)

"Wii 2" to have touchscreen display controllers?

2011-04-15T13:03:00.000-07:00

I was just saying to the rest of the game design dept. here at Tagged.com what will Nintendo do with their next console? HD? More powerful? Not good enough. No media (all streaming) maybe. But todays rumors
make a lot of sense; with the rise of the tablet- most 'casual' people don't have this technology in their homes but they know about it- they want it.

Welcome to virtual reality

2011-04-13T11:32:00.000-07:00

Slice HD is the most real virtual experience that I have ever had. No shaders, head mounted displays, polygons or particle effects have ever created as visceral response as Slice HD. Shear genius.

Pencil 1.2 [it's free]

2011-04-11T23:04:00.000-07:00

Pencil 1.2 is an excellent tool for creating mock-ups for features or ful apps. I prefer Balsamiq- but for free, Pencil is great!

Good design is:

2011-04-04T16:00:00.000-07:00

Frequently, when I am being assaulted by the logic of metrics as the only way to do something I find myself thinking: 'what is good design?' 'why is it needed?' Here is one of my answers:
"Good design is at once teacher and servant."

ETC Recruiting Trip 2010

2011-03-24T19:03:00.000-07:00

I have finally gotten around to posting an unedited version of the presentation I gave at the ETC back in September. Brought to you by: Youtube Searchstories, Chromefastball, Prezi and Liz Adelman.

Launch Conference Entry 2

2011-03-24T14:49:00.000-07:00

Here is a clever trick to get people to come over to your booth at a conference:

1) Spot a conference goer who is on a vector to pass your booth and read their name tag.
2) As they get within handshake distance say "Hey! [insert their first name here]." and extend your hand.
3) Promptly introduce yourself.

Very arresting- it took me several seconds to realize I had been duped- but I was sufficiently impressed by the trick that I stayed to listen to the product spiel.

Launch Confrence entry 1

2011-02-23T16:39:00.000-08:00

A very cool idea in its own right! If you are at all interested in pitching ideas- and if you are a game designer or live in Bay Area you better be- you should be interested and viewing the live stream. (I'm sure most of these CEOs would kick my butt at CEOing but I know I would kick their butts at pitching.)

"Social Games" = Friends-as-resources Games

2011-02-18T16:23:00.000-08:00

Gotta say I definitely agree with Jonathan Blow (as quoted in this Slashdot post). As does Ian Bogost: "friends aren't really friends; they are mere resources..." (in social games). At Tagged, I aim to change that or more to the point- in social discovery the connection to a person can be a resource because it becomes an opportunity to actually be social.

Google's Social Network

2010-11-30T21:49:00.000-08:00

Today's news of Google's (almost!) acquisition of Groupon which is likely to become part of their social network (explicitly if not peripherally) seems to support their usual modus operandi for tackling their corporate rivals. 'Offer more utility.' When google wanted access to our emails and phone calls they offered us more useful and free flavors of each. Now that they want access to our social network they are going to make a more useful social network. Groupon plugged into a social network would do the same for achieving discounts in the real world that social games do for in game currency and advancement: "In social games, friends aren't really friends; they are mere resources. And not just resources for the player, but also for the game developer" (Ian Bogost) but it would also make groupon more useful. The real question is- will a truly more useful social network be a sweeter dish? What do you think?

This needed to be reposted.

2010-11-05T09:22:00.000-07:00

Joystiq 'reaction' to Fighters Uncaged. Quote:
"I'm not giving it a score because I think scoring a game after a half hour sets a bad precedent, and I'd rather eat a rain-soaked box of poison buttholes than ever play Fighters Uncaged again."
Kinect is certainly not impressing so far.

This is the coolest thing I've seen in a while....

2010-10-12T20:01:00.001-07:00

I hate to be an advert- but cool is cool. Social Networking+Music creators/appreciators | DONE RIGHT= www.soundcloud.com seems like this will be mostly dominated by the DJ scene that can share high quality tracks that they have mixed together to show them off. My favorite feature from the few minutes I've seen is the ability for users to comment 'in-line' with the wave form. Very cool.

The biggest barcode I have ever seen!

2010-10-08T12:49:00.000-07:00

In downtown SF. I tried to read it with my Droid but it didn't quite work :)

40 Foot Super Slide@ the airport!

2010-09-08T11:30:00.000-07:00

File this one under Gamepocalypse. The Singapore airport now houses the countries tallest slide! This is a pretty basic 'attraction' attached to utilitarian- transportation infrastructure but it does display the recent trend to imbue just about everything with a little more fun, a little more design. Check out the article page or just watch the cool fast motion build montage above.

Risks and Entertainment

2010-09-05T20:44:00.000-07:00

We all complain about the movie studios and record companies not taking enough risks. Of course when you are in the business of entertainment and not art- you must be risk adverse. Just like in life- you must be risk adverse. We should all treat ourselves like the movie studios and record companies we wish existed. Certainly we don't want them to be so risky they won't be around next year but we want them to be bold! Especially if you are in entertainment- be bold in your life decisions! Live a modest life, make a modest product! "Life is not a dress rehearsal" (or a pop album).

Password Triage

2010-09-04T20:04:00.000-07:00

Password Triage. The act of entering your 'secure' password on a site only to find out you must use your 'throwaway' password. Mentally the importance of the site has drifted in your head 'of course I would use the good password here!' Has this happened to anyone else?

Does Hawx2 have split screen multiplayer?

2010-09-03T16:43:00.000-07:00

NO. It does not. I hate it when it is difficult to find such simple information on the internet. If you are looking at this post hopefully you haven't suffered the same fate.

Some interesting questions for game design interviews.

2010-08-30T11:51:00.000-07:00

Use them to grill your next game design potential hire or use them to prepare for your next big interview. Found very few resources for this on the web.

"What is your favorite game----how would you improve it (create the sequel ect...)?"

"What is your design process?"
(Potentially make this 2 part:)
"What is your design process for creating something yourself?"
"What is your design process when working with a team?"
A follow up:
"Why is this your approach? What in your experience informs that decision?"

"What do you feel the game designers role is on a team?"

"What interest(s) do you have outside of games/game design that make you a good designer? Why?"

"What are some qualities of a good team member on a game dev. team/ what are negative qualities?
(Give examples of how you encountered these in the past, how you dealt with them, how you strive to exhibit the former more often than the latter.) "

On parenting and politics....

2010-08-24T19:51:00.001-07:00

(and to some extent systems game design)"...thats the scarse resource that a parent has...they don't have the attention to continually manage these things- whereas it seems the children have unlimited time to think about how to game the system....one of the things we the governments get into trouble on is that they come up with policies that they think are going to solve the whole problem but when it comes down to it, the policies need constant adjustment. It's actually an issue of management rather than just setting the parameters correctly."

-Harvard economist Joshua Gans on allowance, parenting, and politics Thanks planetmoney!

Hey I'm signed up for an innovative new game thing!

2010-08-24T14:30:00.000-07:00

http://www.empireavenue.com/

It's cool I think......

EAVB_NKJAZHWVXA

Gamefly Q

2010-05-18T16:34:00.000-07:00

Adding Demons Souls

Forza Motorsport 3

Way of the Samurai 3

The Conduit

Fight Night Round 4

Infamous

Red Faction: Guerrilla

Wanted: Weapons of Fate

Call of Duty World at War

Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts

FEAR

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2

Overlord

Super Mario Galaxy

Baten Kaitos: Origins

Tom Clancy's End War

Track Mania DS

FEAR 2

I hate gamefly.

WoW creating a stronger virual marketplace

2010-02-03T14:41:00.001-08:00

World of Warcraft is going to allow users to have "Premium Auction House" accounts. Conjecture is that users will have to pay for this feature. Looks like Blizzard is intent on encouraging the game to become even *more* of a virtual marketplace. Most interesting thing in this brief post to me is the creation of "Armory" and "Auction House" apps for Facebook and iPhone. Virtual goods DAY-TRADER!?!? Amazing.
Repost from Joystiq.

Fail.

2010-02-01T22:20:00.000-08:00

Repost from Kotaku.

Most badassery you will ever see with Legos.

2010-01-09T14:08:00.000-08:00

Wow- someone is seriously aiming at you.

Someone is trying to make a delivery to Grandma

2009-12-28T19:08:00.000-08:00

New Resident Evil 5 costumes.

Very interesting 'social-gaming' move by big FPS game Team Fortress 2

2009-12-11T18:34:00.000-08:00

Summary: [Players can choose classes whenever they respawn in the game, Valve has been updating these classes since the game's release.] The most recent update will involve the 'Soldier' and the 'Demoman' over the course of the next week- before the update is released whenever a player of one of the classes kills a player of the other class it counts as a 'vote' for that class to receive a special item that the other class WON'T receive.

Vote with your kills, players! It's certainly motivating me to return to the 'app' :) here is a link about it including the tally and all the fictional/narrative wrap that I dig.

Game Fly Q Open Source

2009-11-16T01:56:00.001-08:00

Adding: Forza Motorsport 3

Removing: Dagon Age Origins (Moved to actual Q)

Way of the Samurai 3

The Conduit

Fight Night Round 4

Infamous

Red Faction: Guerrilla

Wanted: Weapons of Fate

Afro Samurai

Call of Duty World at War

Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts

FEAR

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2

Overlord

Super Mario Galaxy

Baten Kaitos: Origins

Tom Clancy's End War

Track Mania DS

FEAR 2

*SIGH I hate gamefly.

MW2 shatters previous 24 hour sales record

2009-11-13T15:50:00.001-08:00

Crazy.

In case you forgot.

2009-11-08T22:36:00.000-08:00

I'm an awesome spokesperson. Just go to 3:01.

iPhone endless racing = awesome

2009-11-03T22:44:00.000-08:00

Yes this is a repost.

Gamefly Q (open source)

2009-11-03T13:28:00.000-08:00

Dragon Age Origins

Way of the Samurai 3

The Conduit

Fight Night Round 4

Infamous

Red Faction: Guerrilla

Wanted: Weapons of Fate

Afro Samurai

Call of Duty World at War

Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts

FEAR

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2

Overlord

Super Mario Galaxy

Baten Kaitos: Origins

Tom Clancy's End War

Track Mania DS

FEAR 2

Satisfying.

2009-10-29T18:03:00.000-07:00

The next time you are designing a game, or playing a game try this on, in stead of thinking: "What makes this fun?" think "What makes this satisfying?"

My almamater...smash brothers for charity

2009-10-24T00:08:00.000-07:00

Pretty darn cool. Yes, proof this blog has an agenda. When we see games used for good, we will post links.

DJ hero? Ok I'm excited

2009-10-22T13:02:00.000-07:00

This is where all of the hype and need-to-make-them-want-to-buy-it come together in a truly glorious way. I'm excited.

Want to get in the games industry?

2009-10-21T23:18:00.000-07:00

The all-wise and all-powerful Sid Meier lays down some down-to-earth and practical advice about working in games. Additionally you will find links to others who work with Sid in different disciplines with more specific advice. Here is the only knowledge I'll synthesize in this regard: "Don't be discouraged by a failure. It can be a positive experience. Failure is, in a sense, the highway to success, inasmuch as every discovery of what is false leads us to seek earnestly after what is true, and every fresh experience points out some form of error which we shall afterwards carefully avoid." -John Keats

You can now follow me on Twitter

2009-10-17T18:28:00.000-07:00

By: Twitter Buttons

Open Source Gamefly List

2009-10-15T16:46:00.000-07:00

Since Gamefly is at once a terrible rental service AND the only game in town- I have decided to move my Game Q here and game the system by only putting the things on the list that I want right NOW. *SIGH*

The Conduit

Fight Night Round 4

Infamous

Red Faction: Guerrilla

Wanted: Weapons of Fate

Afro Samurai

Call of Duty World at War

Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts

FEAR

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2

Overlord

Super Mario Galaxy

Baten Kaitos: Origins

Tom Clancy's End War

Track Mania DS

FEAR 2

Sesame Street is good design.

2009-09-20T23:22:00.000-07:00

I'm thinking that Sesame Street is good design. This deserves looking in to.

Can a bunch of Names sell a game

2009-09-20T17:01:00.000-07:00

link:

http://kotaku.com/5341853/can-a-bunch-of-names-sell-a-game

Korg stuff

2009-09-20T17:00:00.000-07:00

OMG Korg!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ufe61gZAqk

http://www.korgds10synthesizer.com/htm/demos.htm

Wowee wow

2009-09-17T11:50:00.000-07:00

Canabalt is a super cool flash game with a single button interface. For me currently it ishelping me to re-align my scope toward the social-platform gaming space. For you, it can be unadulterated awesome. =)

Existentialism

2009-09-16T23:43:00.000-07:00

If the virtual goods in a social game are real enough to garner actual money- at some point the real (or physiologically needed), and those things that literally embody our desires and fantasies and little more, stratophize. As the things that bring us pleasure become ever compassing will the things that we actually need become more mundane? There is only so much design thought to go around :) Think of the Matrix and the crew of the Nebakanezer- able to easily achieve any clothes/weapon/skill they want but forced to eat bowls of "runny snot" and dress in rags to keep their meat-bodies alive. Brings to mind the surrogates trailer. Furthermore, why do we delight in the depiction of actors (Bruce Willis or Will Smith for example) living lives of indestructibility? Because we believe (or want to believe) in the indestructibility of that which is crafted and designed by human hands. That which is made is literally much more real and immortal than that which is organic and biological (take film for example). Of course, imperfection will become desirable when perfection becomes the norm- but how long will the cycle of expansion and contraction take?

Wow. Best quiz on facebook yet!

2009-09-14T23:58:00.000-07:00

Represent.

The only 'reality TV' that I actually enjoy.

2009-09-04T00:18:00.000-07:00

(i.e. people behaving badly in real life) Is the major TF2 griefing provided by these jerks/geniuses.

SPP

2009-09-03T14:44:00.000-07:00

It is amazing to me- the degree to which (some) users of Super Poke Pets wish to tell stories. Take these images for example.

Two interesting pieces here

2009-09-02T15:38:00.000-07:00

One is that the portable market is twice as large as the HD one. Two is that it takes 3 times the amount of money invested in a games production to market it? This is definitely not sustainable. [Repost]

Testing. It makes us do some crazy things.

2009-09-02T13:51:00.000-07:00

Quote from the Fitbit blog: "For instance, I currently wear about 5 Fitbits simultaneously and the bug only hit hit 1 of them after 6 days of use." Ha ha, does this mean that he is 5 times as fit? I often describe game testing as having a 100 million page book that is constantly changing- and the game testers are the proof-readers. Seriously: finish the Fitbit. (I could muse here about the game like thoughts that may spring from precisely measuring things that one does in the real world but I'll wait till I get one of my own.)

Looks tastey

2009-09-01T15:25:00.000-07:00

Osmos Trailer from hemisphere games on Vimeo.

I can imagine this being serendipitously dreamy with a controller and my big screen HD TV I guess it'll have to remain constrained to the PC for now. Check the trailer :)

Craigslist?

2009-08-31T13:58:00.000-07:00

Hmm this may be an expansion of powers- but stick with me since we have already discussed acknowledged Social Networks as a platform for games. Check this article about the recognition of just how staggeringly important Craigslist is.

The server is too big.

2009-08-14T00:09:00.000-07:00

I definitely agree with the amazing one-man-show that is Eskil Steenberg and Love. It's something I've been considering for quite a while now. MMO servers are basically too Massive. To quote Steenberg: "In a game like World of Warcraft, with massive servers and thousands of players, it’s really hard for you to make any impression on the world...". I (and others) play games so that we/one can be the hero. Not so that we can be one of many- I get plenty of that in RL. Love sounds like it may be able to provide just that sort of experience. Additionally other FPS games risk the same folly. The bigger the population of a given game the smaller impact I can have personally. Check out Eskil Steenberg's full interview here.

Its a platform.

2009-08-13T23:40:00.000-07:00

I wish I wasn't just saying this because of new co-workers. But us vggs (video game gangstas) need to recognize that Facebook/MySpace/Hi5 and other social networking sites are gaming platforms. Also, Aaron Sorkin writes screenplay about facebook.

Clutter is the order of the day.

2009-08-12T17:05:00.000-07:00

As you can see in this Kotaku post about prominent Game Industry Professionals. Most as you can see are hopelessly cluttered. 'nuff said.

Is getting some new co-workers.

2009-08-09T12:18:00.000-07:00

They look like friendly enough chaps.

The greatest gaming magazine on the planet.

2009-08-05T15:47:00.000-07:00

It's called Amusement. Much better than the now-a-sellout "Play" or maybe it would be, if it was translated into English. Similarly gangsta is the following image.

doesn't bother with your fancy blog formatting.

2009-08-05T15:44:00.000-07:00

image.

Strict repost

2009-08-05T12:17:00.000-07:00

I just had to repost this OP/ED from Kotaku. When is a game not blamed for violence- even when it is integral part of an illegal assault? When its a board game. Specifically- Monopoly.

Video game + love = post

2009-07-27T20:12:00.000-07:00

OK ok, this is about a movie. But there was a sequel in video game format. Everyone should be viewing this trailer. Also, I should write more about how comic-con is becoming so huge.

Some random cool images and where to get them

2009-07-21T18:41:00.000-07:00

1. Sometimes I wonder if this is a TF2 blog.
2. Gamer girl- get over it?
3. Awwwwww

Digital Goods and Services

2009-07-20T11:53:00.000-07:00

I absolutely agree with Kristian Segerstrale's assertion that 'we’re in the first shift of a move from physical games and goods to digital ones' in this article. I have been thinking in this direction for the past couple months. 'from games as a product to games as a service... we already saw it with the transition from enterprise software to software as a service. For another, sales of console games are down 20% year-over-year according to NPD, while comScore says social gaming is up 20% year-over-year.' Perhaps I'm in the right 'opportunity' after all. Additionally, Playfish doesn't sound like a bad place to work AT ALL :)

Carcassonne everywhere?

2009-07-09T22:22:00.000-07:00

Ok so Carcassonne is on XBLA and 'coming soon' for DS. My question is, in who's best interests is it not to have Carcassonne for WiiWare,PSN,Steam, iPhone...everywhere? If you know- leave your thoughts in the comments.

Post with the least original content ever.

2009-07-02T06:55:00.001-07:00

Awwwwww. [Link to a fellow blogspot blog] TF2 RPG! Warms my cold and disillusioned heart. Also in cold disillusionment Brenda Brathwaite's Train. Amazing.

10 things great designers exhibit

2009-06-24T12:49:00.000-07:00

Made a prezi version of this 10 ten list from Gordon Walton for my game design class at AU. Enjoy.

[Job Accepted] ...

2009-06-22T21:13:00.000-07:00

There IS a difference between giving people what they like and giving people what they want.

[Contracted 26 days] Signing off?

2009-06-18T00:18:00.001-07:00

These may be my last two days in the gaming industry.

[Contracted 14 days] New constraints.

2009-06-04T00:06:00.000-07:00

Micro-transactions are just one of the new constraints that may be 'unshakeable' for game design in the near future as we attempt to increase the audience of the artform (necessary as development costs rise). However as we know: "There is no creativity without constraints." We may think that the newer constraints that we are faced with as designers may turn the artform over to buisnessmen and producers who only want to make money- HOWEVER the discovery channel's show "Time warp" introduced me to their new constraint- getting audience members to go to your website on-line. "For more information about the physics of catching arrows and diablos....(visit our website)" Perhaps new constraints aren't so bad? "Time Warp" is certatinly a show that lends itself to 'visit our website for more details' if shows like "Time Warp" are more commercially viable than their brain dead counterparts perhaps the new constraints are worthwhile and even complementary to growing the (in this case dying art form).

[Laid off 83 days] Not much more needs to be said.

2009-05-13T16:04:00.000-07:00

8,450 game industry employees have been let go since almost this time last year. If there is more to be said (especially in any positive way) it is said in the linked article.

[Laid off 50 days] TF 2 servers "fastrespawn" ARGH

2009-03-22T22:38:00.000-07:00

Still playing too much TF2. I refuse to play on servers that have "fast respawn" my god it just ruins the game. Death has no consequences on those servers it ruins the game. I know I sound like a stereotypical French diner that says you insult the chef if you add salt to your entree but....well maybe I am.

TF2 servers down and prediction

2009-02-24T01:11:00.000-08:00

All the TF2 servers are down right now! I assume installing the newest Valve update that will all some levels and the scout achievements let me also add to my prediction by saying that the new class will also have an ability to give other classes ammo.

[30 days laid off] Prediction!

2009-02-22T15:48:00.000-08:00

Been thinking and playing a lot of TF2 lately. (I unlocked all the weapons!!) I've had a lot of thoughts that have not been posted that should have but my latest thought has to be posted now!! I believe that the next TF2 class released will be a character that will be able to relieve the other characters of their weapons. For now, call them a 'martial artist' or ninja (probably not cause it would be confused with the spy). They start out without a weapon and can salvage or remove weapons from their opponents. Call them the 'trickster'.

Laid off buisness day [2]

2009-01-13T12:59:00.000-08:00

Been laid off for 2 work days now. Hopefully anyone I interview with has been following the company's debacle.

U.S. Army- hustlin'

2009-01-05T18:52:00.000-08:00

Bloody Brilliant. Maybe decades down the line there will be room for guys like me to rope in a new generation of conscripts.

Game of the Year: L4D

2009-01-05T17:06:00.001-08:00

Left 4 Dead

Why: I haven’t actually been startled in a game in a long time- Left 4 Dead genuinely startled me many times- in Campaign/Co-Op and multiplayer. Also it is rare that I truly care about in-game characters as much as the four survivors in L4D. Sure I feel empathy for the pathetic humans eeeking out an existence in Fallout 3 and I am genuinely excited when I get to shoot shit with the 4 stereotypes of GOW but I feel that the 4 of L4D are the most ‘human’ game characters I’ve interacted with in a while- partially because my relationships with them are so varied. They are compatriots when I am one of them- they are proxies for my real world friends in CO-OP/multiplayer. They are movie characters and targets when I play against them in multiplayer. I honestly try to save their lives. I also try to screw them and laugh maniacally when they are overwhelmed. Because of the varied ways you experience them they are truly ‘deep’ characters. Finally, who couldn’t love a game that achieves: “You and your friends live a zombie movie.”

How do you think they do it: Valve’s Half-Life 2 technology foundation is the reason they can do what they do. It’s certainly not the best looking stuff out there- but who cares! They do super cool stuff with it and no one has to buy a brand new computer. Also I think L4D has the best animation of any game I’ve ever seen.

Interview with me

2009-01-05T15:28:00.000-08:00

Creating a link to my interview and footage of "Virtually Fashionable" & Festival Arcadia.

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instructions:

Currently Playing: Far Cry 2

2008-12-13T14:25:00.000-08:00

The game's abstraction of an economy briefcases with diamonds in them is acceptable. Plus you get to think to yourself: "It's all about the clear stones." But the marking of the cases you've ALREADY FOUND on the map is really....stupid. Is that information that I would EVER need? No. The little case tracking device on my GPS doesn't locate cases that have already been found so there are no 'false positives' that the marks might help me avoid. I don't think the cases get 'refilled' and in the case that they do, just make them track able by my GPS again. What is really poor about this is that there is some really USEFUL information that could be put on the map- like the location of the last car that I drove. In a game where leaving your car and approaching quietly on foot is usually the dominant strategy, having an accurate representation of a potentially exit route post engagement would be really useful. I do like the ability to take any car you see around rather than having to worry about one specific car but sometimes I lose my ride and I need to know where it is rather than walking for miles on foot.

Moving the chains

2008-12-07T17:42:00.000-08:00

Metacritic rating. I don't really have a problem with critic ratings. Generally lets say 60% of critics have spot on things to say. At the very least a relevant criticism or two. However I do have a problem with the critiques in aggregate saying something huge about the success of your game. Somewhat, sales are a similarly inaccurate measure of how good a good is. But the shadowy number: Metacritic being attached to your game like a signature that theoretically screams its success or failure is just wrong. Its like the NFL's policy of measuring something that is meant to be an estimate- in this case an official's spot of the ball- with something that is absolute, in this case the 10 yard line chain.

It all starts with an autograph

2008-11-30T22:58:00.000-08:00

I think I have given autographs before-I was a 'professional actor'- but not as a game designer. This year though, I was acting as a spokesperson for Tomb Raider: Underworld at Festival Arcadia 2008 and a festival goer asked me to sign a poster for the game. I didn't really feel comfortable signing a poster for the game alone. SO I improvised. I signed the poster and drew an arrow from my name to the "Wii" symbol at the bottom of the poster. The Wii sku (in spite of its recent embarrassment) is something I have such a hand in that I don't mind taking a large portion of the credit for. I since thought to myself: 'you know what kind of people sign autographs? People who have blogs (or should have blogs).' & so we begin.