August 30, 2004
Bush vs. Kerry Boxing
Amid swift boat ads and recalled military records, political discourse in the presidential campaign is getting equal parts ugly and personal. Instead of just listening to candidates trade verbal jabs at press events, though, Sorrent is inviting gamers to come to blows. Round one has begun for Bush Vs. Kerry Boxing, Sorrent new pugilist parody where Bush, Kerry, Edwards, and Chenery slug it out -- and results are posted on the 'net. Ten-percent of the proceeds of Bush is going to Rock the Vote, an organization dedicating to getting young people interested and involved in the political process.
Posted by richard ting at August 30, 2004, 04:52 PM
August 29, 2004
Redefining Games - How Academia is Reshaping Games of the Future
By Lauren Gonzalez
The history of electronic games, as relatively short as it may be, can already be divided into several distinct personalities. To the game developer, this body of history represents a list of successes and failures compounded by the belief that if only he or she would have had as much polygonal power in 1987 as exists today, the failures would be fewer. To the game-consuming public, the history is a dull lesson that drops off just short of the second-to-last game system actually owned. The future, to game players, is possibly more important than the past. To the collector, the electronic games history is a bible to be revered and a reference to be digested and divulged at classic game conventions. To the academic, this history is a disorganized, infantile beast--full of discrepancies and confusion--that's waiting to be collected, sorted, observed, tamed, and pushed into the realm of true innovation.
Each group, though driven by different motives, has something to offer the others. The game developer can teach the consumer what to expect in the coming months. The consumer can teach the academic about buying patterns and attention spans. The classics enthusiast can teach developers what makes a good game, regardless of era or trends. And academia can teach everyone a thing or two about what motivates a person to play games, why they are important, how we can make them better, and what we learn from them overall. Academia is also interested in collections, which benefits the developer, consumer, and classics enthusiasts fairly equally. Classic game fans archive too, but they usually do so for personal reasons and not for permanent public availability and accessibility. Furthermore, the academic archives less selectively, collecting all ideas, verbal history, written history, and digital history, which comprises a complete history quite unlike the conceptual history of electronic games currently available.
But there's a stigma attached to academia, particularly among game designers and game players. In a word, academia is "boring." GameSpot set out to challenge this notion by seeking some of the more compelling minds that are addressing game theory, which includes those who teach game studies and new media through universities, through thought-provoking games and Web sites, through art, and through community. The goal was to develop a State of the Union: Redefining Games: How Academia Is Reshaping Games of the Future. Because like it or not, electronic games are not babies anymore. They have been around long enough to stand on their own. So it's time for us to see what they're really made of so that we know what they'll become.
Posted by richard ting at August 29, 2004, 02:34 PM
August 28, 2004
The Gaming Industry Looks to the Ladies
When it comes to gaming, boys seem to get all the attention, but women are also playing. The gaming industry has yet to reel in the female demographic completely, but naturally, they are working on doing so, as will be explored at the upcoming Women’s Game Conference in Austin, Texas. As more women join the industry, more emotional games and consoles that promote social interaction are predicted to evolve. While the industry is undeniable male dominated at present, there are several gaming projects out there right now that are getting some buzz in the female gaming community:
Alter Life: Met with acclaim at E3, this MMPORG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) social activity game is a forum for players to make friends, form relationships and families. Fashion-forward avatars set the game apart from similar games such as The Sims.
Chickstop.com: This UK-based online gaming site is targeted to women, who as studies continue to show, are big fans of online gaming.
Karaoke Revolution: This game is brining the popular nightlife past time home where it is becoming a house party favorite.
PowerBabes: This multi-user chat game with four main characters, reportedly played by 50% of Danish teen girls, has big plans to become a more widely recognized title. Plans for a novel, a mobile phone game, a console game, and even a TV show are in the works.
Posted by richard ting at August 28, 2004, 12:08 PM
August 03, 2004
Advergames Provide Big-Time Brand Boosts For DaimlerChrysler
by Ross Fadner
Last week, Jeff Bell, VP of marketing for Chrysler/Jeep, demonstrated the positive effect of custom advergaming initiatives on Chrysler brand awareness during his keynote address at the Jupiter Media Advertising Forum in New York City. In fact, Bell revealed that in some instances, demonstrated interest led to actual sales.
One of the games--called "Race The Pros"--generated a 27.6 percent lift in Dodge brand awareness, as well as a 19.6 percent purchase intent and a 24.7 percent rise in overall brand awareness for DaimlerChrysler brands among users who played and downloaded the game. It was promoted online at MSN and FoxSports.com, as well as during certain Fox broadcasts on TV. WildTangent, which created the game, has built several other games for blue chip companies, and is currently working on Nike's Speed campaign.
"Our fastest-growing area by far is in the Internet," said Chrysler's Bell. "The great thing about the Web is you can take a risk, learn from it quickly, and move on." He added that the positive results from the gaming initiatives will result in more online spending from the automaker.
In his keynote address, Bell noted that "the future is such that all marketing will be interactive," and "integrating your brand into popular culture is absolutely vital." He added that Chrysler plans to begin marketing on the Internet outside of the auto category--to sports and tech sites, for example. DaimlerChrysler's other advergame initiatives include "Chrysler Golf" and "Jeep 4x4 Trail of Life." "Chrysler Golf" drew 124,732 registrants; each was required to give geographic as well as car preference information prior to playing. Bell said the result was a 33 percent lift in purchasing intent over the next six months.
The "Jeep 4x4 Trail of Life" game drew an even larger audience of 383,403 participants. Thirty-nine percent of those who played expressed interest in purchasing a Jeep vehicle. Bell said that Jeep sold more than 1,000 vehicles to people who had registered for the game in the last 18 months.
In his address, Bell noted the importance of being able to experience a brand's product--particularly in an industry such as automotive--and emphasized that advergaming provides consumers with a valuable combination of technology, popular culture, and brand interaction.
Posted by richard ting at August 03, 2004, 12:32 PM
August 02, 2004
A farewell to joysticks
Biofeedback, rhythm and brainwaves are the new game controls.
NEW YORK (CNN/Money) – I was cleaning out the closet this weekend when I ran across an old friend – my trusty Sidewinder force feedback joystick.
When I first picked it up in 1997, it was one of my most prized gaming possessions, bringing games like "Interstate 76" and the "Wing Commander" series to life. Saturday, I realized I hadn't given it a second thought in at least five years. Times change fast in the gaming world.
About the only people who still use joysticks today are flight simulator fans – an enthusiastic, but microscopic niche. Most gamers have moved on to gamepads and mouse/keyboard combinations.