Michaela Marsh G322 Video Games: November 2010

Thursday, 25 November 2010

Gaming and Real Violence Trend

It’s easy to claim that gaming violence has no correlation with real world violence, but those arguments are a bit hollow if you can’t provide data to corroborate; or even better, a fancy line graph.

The graph makes no direct claims towards a relationship between real world and gaming violence, though it’s interesting to see an inversely proportional trend of violent gaming releases and incidents of real crime.

For those doubting the graph’s figures, have a look at the data on which it was based: a relatively recent survey of national violent crime rates published by the U.S. Department of Justice.

Key Definitions

Proliferation
Definition: A rapid increase in the number of a certain type of product.

Use: There are a number of different gaming formats, each with their own unique qualities - PS3, 360, Wii, DS, PSP, 360 and PC - subsequently Rockstar have to adapt their GTA experience to suit the format. So the PS3, 360 and PC get complete the GTA 4 experience, the DS, PSP and phone get GTA: Chinatown Wars.

Technological convergence
Convergence of media occurs when multiple products come together to form one product with the advantages of all of them.

Use: The PlayStation3 is an example of media convergence as it is machine that not only plays game, but can be used to watch Blu-Rays, surf the internet and organise and display digital content such as photos and music.

Media Convergence
When old and new media intersect in such a way that the way in media producers and media consumers interact changes.

Use: The consumption of GTA 4 is a good example of media convergence as consumers have used both old and new media to alter the way in which they experience the game. For instance GTA fans have used the internet to create fansites and communities to share tips, stories and experiences about the game. They have also developed their own modifications and shared them over the internet.

Or when two different media types combine to create a new experience.

Use: GTA4 uses licensed tracks for the radio stations in the games combining videogames and popular music to create new realistic experience and environment.

Synergy
Definition: The interaction of two or more agents to ensure a larger effect than if they acted independently.

Use: Rockstar used synergy in their marketing by timing the release of the first trailer to coincide with the release the first GTA 4 magazine preview which was in the US games magazine Game Informer.

Viral Marketing
Definition: A marketing technique aiming at reproducing "word of mouth", usually on the internet and through existing social networks.

Use: Rockstar used viral marketing to increase awareness of GTA 4 by setting up spoof websites designed to be ‘discovered’ by GTA fans who would then spread the word.

Guerilla Marketing
Definition: The use of unconventional and low cost marketing strategies to raise awareness of a product.

Use: To promote GTA 4, Rockstar used Guerilla marketing, putting up ‘wanted posters’ over New York, stickers up on notice boards and commissioning works of graffiti that featured characters from the game.

Vertical Integration
Definition: Absorption into a single firm of several firms involved in all aspects of a product's manufacture from raw materials to distribution.

Use: Rockstar Games have become a vertically integrated company by buying developers they have previously worked with, such as DMA Design who became Rockstar North and Angel Studios who became Rockstar San Diego. By doing this Rockstar have control over development, funding and marketing of their products.

Third Party Game
A game made by a company that is completely independent from the manufacturers of the console that the game is played on.

Second Party Game
A game created exclusively for a specific console through a contract agreement with the console manufacturer. (The console manufacturer may own a percentage of the studio, but not enough to give it a controlling interest.)

First Party Game
A game created by the console manufacturers themselves or by a developer in which the console manufacturer has a controlling interest (over 51% of shares).

Game Engine
A game engine is a software system designed for the creation and development games.

Developer
The software developers who create the game.

Publisher
The company that funds, market and distribute games that they have developed internally or have commissioned or acquired from an independent games developer. (NB even though most publishers also develop games as well, they are referred to as ‘publishers’ to differentiate them from the companies that just develop games.)

Machinima
Derived from the words ‘machine’ and ‘cinema’, Machinima is art of filmmaking created by using real-time recording of computer games, virtual worlds or any already-existing 3D digital worlds.

Modding
Modding is a slang expression that is derived from the word "modify” and refers to the act of modifying a game to perform a function or to include content not originally conceived or intended by the designer, and then usually shared via the internet.

Sandbox Game
A game that allows the gamer to ignore the main objectives of the game (usually the Story Mission) and engage in other non-goal orientate activities.

Industry Structure - In Brief

THE GAMES INDUSTRY

Introduction
The games industry, once a niche form of interactive entertainment often dismissed as being for children or teenage boys, is now a multi-billion pound industry that rivals the film industry in terms of revenue and prestige.
Gaming was perceived as having ‘hobby culture’ (created by enthusiasts rather than big business) as recently as the 1970s so this is relatively young industry and the way it functions is constantly changing. The main reason for this is due to it being a technology led industry, and as software and hardware develops so does the framework around which games are created, sold and consumed.

Institutions
The games industry is made up of the following institutions:

Developers
Games are created by development studios comprised of software engineers, artists and programmers who write the code, create the structure and animate the game making them playable for gamers. It’s these developers that are perceived as the ‘talent’ in the industry.

Publishers
These are companies that are responsible for the marketing and distribution of the game.

Distributor
A distributor works with retailers (shops, online) to make product available for the consumers to purchase. In the games industry the Publisher usually handles the distribution.

Hardware manufacturers
While developers create software, other companies create the hardware that the games run on. In the games industry the major players are Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo who make the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii respectively. There are, however, many other types of hardware apart from consoles on which games can be played such as PC, phones and handhelds (DS, PSP).

Consumer
Or ‘the audience’ - anyone that buys, plays, downloads games.

Structure
Below is a basic illustration of how the videogames industry functions and the process in which games go from ‘concept to consumption’:

Key Stages Explained

Digitisation - turning analogue data/media/information into a digital format.

When discussing this in regards to videogames it must be pointed out that videogames are played they have always existed digital format as they can only be experience on digital-based technologies – computers, consoles etc.

However, the format for purchasing the games has change from analogue tapes to discs and downloads.

So if digitisation comes up in the exam here is what you could talk about.

Production

Games have always be digitally produced due to the nature of the media.
However, many games take information and turn it into digital format in production for example EA, who make FIFA, ‘motion capture’ athletes such as Wayne Rooney to animate their game. So they are turning physical movement into digital animation.
In GTA 4 however, they used Euphoria for the animation which didn’t require that process as it gave the skeleton of the characters realist AI (artificial intelligence) so it could react to collision etc.
Whole SDK (software development kits) can be downloaded now allowing anyone to make games (see – Lima Sky, Braid etc.)

Distribution

While games are traditionally bought on a digital format – i.e. discs – most consumer still have to purchase a physical product – case, disc, etc – however, as technology as improve in delivering digital information you can now download whole games.
E.g. GTA 4 could be downloading on release for the PC via Steam. The PS3 and 360 version are now available as a download but weren’t at first release.
They could DLC – Lost and the Damned, Ballad of Gay Tony.
Games can be downloaded from the Itunes for IPhone, IPod very quickly and easily making purchasing a game an easy transaction.
Services such as GaiKai and Onlive exploit this new delivery of digital information to allow games to be stream across the net.
SO WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES OF THAT? (changes, industry structure etc)

Marketing

Now advertising, films, audio can all be digitised and transferred over the internet or onto phones, and shared through social network sites very easily.
HOW HAS THAT AFFECTED INSTITUIONS MARKETING STRATEGIES.
(viral, synergy, specific websites, interacting directly with the consumer)

Consumption

Files, new creations, information, stories can now come in digitized form, therefore can all be created, accessed and shared easily.
HOW HAS THAT EFFECTED THE WAY GAMERS CAN CONSUMER/INTERACT WITH GAMES? (user generated content, fansites, spoof facebooks/twitter feeds, machinima, online games).