The future of gaming, according to Stan Lee

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Video games are not only one of the greatest forms of entertainment, but will in future, become a key part of a single system – That’s the opinion of Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee.

Speaking to a BBC reporter at Activision’s impressive E3 event, the veteran comics publisher spoke very positively of video games.

“I love games, I’m no good at them myself, but I love to watch people play them and I love to watch people play the games.

And I think it’s one of the greatest methods of entertainment, and I think it’s only at the beginning now, it’s burgeoning, growing.

….There was a survey and it said the average age of game players now is mid 20s to mid 30s, it’s no longer just a kids thing and it’s a wonderful form of entertainment.

Because you’re seeing the story, but you’re participating in the story and what can be better than that?”

Stan Lee is certainly right about the growth of the games industry. It’s amazing to think how far it’s come in such a relatively short space of time – just compare how Super Mario Galaxy 2 on the Nintendo Wii looks compared to the first ever Super Mario Bros, released on the NES just over 20 years ago!

And with new innovations in recent years like motion controllers – including PlayStation Move and Microsoft’s Kinect –  and 3D gaming, in addition to ever  more photo-realistic graphics, who knows where the games industry will be in another 20 years time! The big name Games Designers, Games Developers, and Games Artist and Animators of the future – who could very well be current Train2Game students – could be revealing absolutely mind blowing new innovations at E3 2030! (In case you’ve somehow managed to miss the key events from the current E3 2010, you can catch up with developments here)

When asked about the future of video games by BBC reporter Daniel Emery, Stan Lee only sees great things:

“I think they’ll get better and better. I think the whole of entertainment is coming together, sort of homogenising.

You’re going to have comic books, you’re going to have cartoons, movies, television, video games and music.

They’re all becoming one thing and you’ll be able to watch it on your little telephone screen when you’re travelling, then everybody’s going to want the biggest TV set, bigger than his neighbour.

It’s incredible. Everybody wants the biggest TV set and the smallest little thing to watch it on, but everything will be on one screen eventually, including video games and everything else.”

If Stan Lee’s predictions do come to pass, it’s entirely possible that Train2Game course graduates could be designing games that will be accessible to anyone through a single multi-purpose entertainment system.  Are the first steps towards this already happening? Possibly, with OnLive going live tomorrow (Thursday 17th June) we could be seeing the future of gaming, but we’ll have to wait and see.

Of course, smart phones such as the iPhone already provide people with multiple forms of entertainment – including games – in one place, and as we’ve discussed previously on the Train2Game blog, the iPhone could give a Train2Game student their big break.

The video games industry has a very bright future, and as a Train2Game graduate, you could very well be a part of it. Do you think you could end up developing games for a home entertainment hub? As usual let us know here on this blog, or on the Train2Game Forum.

Sony E3 Press Conference – The key announcements

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Like  Microsoft’s presentation before it, Sony’s press conference not only saw key titles get release dates, but also full details on their own motion controller – the PlayStation Move.

In surprising – but welcome on this side of the Atlantic – twist, the PlayStation Move will be available in Europe on September 15th this year, four days before it’s released in the United States. The motion controller and PlayStation eye will be available in a bundle for €59.99 – a price in pounds sterling is yet to be revealed, but it’ll be much lower in cost than Microsoft’s Kinect.

Speaking at the E3 press conference, Sony President and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment of America Jack Tretton, added that 40 developers are currently working on Move titles. Hopefully some of these will be innovative games, and the type that Train2Game students – be they a Games Designer, Games Developer, or Games Artist & Animator – would be proud to work on.

In non-Move related news, several of the PlayStation 3’s flag ship titles we’re given release dates including the long awaited – and long delayed lest we forget! – Gran Turismo 5. The racer will be available in the USA from Novemer 2nd with a trailer revealing the Top Gear test track as one of the circuits. Jack Tretton also revealed that the game will be fully 3D compatible.

In other PlayStation 3 games news, Killzone 3 will be released in February 2011 – slightly earlier than thought, while it was announced there will be PS3 exclusive content for Assassin’s Creed’s Brotherhood, Medal of Honour and Dead Space 2. There were also new details about the much anticipated Little Big Planet 2.

However, perhaps the biggest surprise of the show so far, was that Valve’s Gabe Newell himself appeared on stage to announce that Portal 2 will be coming to the PlayStation 3. It’ll be connected to Valve’s powerful Steamworks service with the PlayStation 3 being the only system doing so. It represents a huge turnaround for Gabe Newell – previously one of Sony’s consoles biggest critics. While on stage he joked “I’d like to thank everyone at Sony for their hospitality and not repeatedly punching me in the face.”

So, that’s a quick round up of Sony’s E3 Press Conference? Are you impressed? If so what are you looking forward to? As usual, leave your comments here or on the Train2Game forum.

Microsoft E3 Press Conference – The key announcements

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Last night saw Microsoft present the first major presentation of E3, and boy did they deliver.  The press conference kicked off with Senior Vice President Don Mattrick saying that 2010 will be “a year of transformation” and will ‘transform the way you play games and connect to friends and family.’

Of course, Microsoft’s biggest claim to transforming the way we play – and perhaps design and develop games – comes with the introduction of the Kinect, the motion controller for the Xbox 360.

Kinect – the device formerly know as Project Natal – will be released in the United States on Thursday, November 4th with 15 exclusive title’s including the Rare developed Kinetic Sports. No European date has been announced yet, but it’s likely it’ll be some way behind the USA if it follows the pattern of the new Xbox 360 Slim. While the new console is ships in the United States today, it won’t be available this side of the Atlantic Ocean until July 16th.

Train2Game Game Designers, Game Developers and Game Artist & Animators will no doubt be encouraged by Microsoft’s Phil Spencer stating “Microsoft Games Studios is constantly looking to partner with talented new development partners.” Perhaps if you play your cards right, you could be developing games exclusively for the Xbox 360 in the years to come.

In addition to announcements about Kinect and the Xbox 360 Slim, a number of highly anticipated games were given release dates.  Peter Molyneux himself took to the stage in Los Angeles to reveal that Fable III will be available on October 26th this year. Meanwhile, Dead Space 2 executive producer Steve Papoutsis revealed that the horror sequel will be released on January 25th 2011.

These are just some of the many announcements made last night, and E3 isn’t even in full swing yet with Nintendo and Sony still to give presentations today at 5 p.m. and 8.pm. respectively – that’s the British times anyway!

So it’s over to you. Are you impressed by Microsoft’s announcements? If so, what are you most looking forward to? Kinect The Xbox 360 Slim? As usual, let us know either in the comments section below, or on the Train2Game Forum.

Discs vs Digital – Round 2

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Another big name has waded into the Discs vs Digital debate in the form of Namco Bandai VP of sales, marketing and publishing Olivier Comte.

You may remember that recently, SCEE President Andrew House acknowledged that games sold on discs in boxes are still popular but that digital content could possibly the way forward. His comments were discussed in great detail on the Train2Game Forum.

In an interview with MCV, Comte spoke about a number of subjects including the digital market. He questioned its relevance on consoles;

Today digital is a significant part of PC gaming. We are a Japanese company and Japanese companies are not known for PC titles. But we need to have a product on every platform – including PC – so in that sense digital will start to become more important for Namco Bandai. There is better margin and using a digital platform gives us direct access to the consumer.”

“But in terms of console, it is a little bit too early to say. The only real business model for digital on consoles is DLC because the consumer will always want to have the box because it is an expensive thing.”

He raises a good point about the contrasts between the digital markets of console and PC games. As mentioned in a previous blog, the PC has embraced the idea of digital distribution and downloadable content far more enthusiastically than the Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 has. The dominance of Steam in the digital distribution market has of course helped this along. Meanwhile, console owners prefer their games to some on a disc in a box.

So, while downloadable games may not be to the tastes of major distributors, it’s an ideal way for independent Games Designers, Games Developers, and Games Artists and Animators – like Train2Game students – to get their work out there.

This appears to have worked for independent studio Hello Games, who’ve just released their first production in form of Joe Danger on the PlayStation Network – and it’s had some very good reviews. We’ll have to wait and see if these positive reviews transform into downloads, but with a relatively low price it’s likely that many gamers will be tempted to try it out.

We’re not so willing to risk our money on something new if it costs £40 and doesn’t even come in a box. But this raises an important question for independent developers; do you save costs by releasing your first game as a digital download? Or do you sell it in a box which consumers can pick up on the shelf. Train2Game students, as producers, which medium would you prefer?

The iPhone 4G could provide a Train2Game student with their big break.

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June 24th 2010 is a big day for mobile video games, phone applications and Apple fans in general. Why? Because on that day the iPhone 4G is released, and not only will it continue to revolutionise mobile communication, but it’ll also continue to expand the opportunity for playing quality, well developed, video games on the iPhone.

The iPhone 4G will introduce a number of enhancements over previous models, including “improved camera system and battery life, as well as an updated version of the iOS operating system, designed to provide more flexibility for developers.”

That last bit is likely to be most appealing to Train2Game students, be they a Games Designer, Games Developer or a Games Artist & Animator, as the continued advancement of the iPhone technology means it’s easier than ever to get a video game published. Apple themselves say they approve 95% of Applications within a week.

iPhone games are getting more and more popular, especially with old classics such as Final Fantasy and Monkey Island now available for the handset. Twenty years ago you would have needed a state of the art games system in your room in order to play these. Nowadays you can enjoy these almost legendary titles wherever you are, be you on the train, at the park or *ahem* in the bathroom.

The choice and quality of games available for the iPhone can only improve, as according to Apple, “4G’s gaming applications will be superior to previous models due to the addition of a three-axis gyro, which will allow for a wider array of motion control options.”

Many of the biggest gaming news websites have already taken note of the potential of iPhone games, including GamesRadar who run an ‘Iphone game of the day’ feature’ which showcases a variety of games that people can easily go onto download from the iTunes store at generally low prices.

The advantage for developers – like the Train2Game students – is  iPhone games can be developed for a relatively small amount – and bought for as little as 59p – but if the game proves popular it can really jumpstart a career in the games industry. There are a number of tales out there about iPhone game developers who have been very successful through this medium. Perhaps a Train2Game student will one day a make a name for themselves in this way.

So, who’s excited about the iPhone 4G? And who’s ready to attempt to developer a game for it?

As usual all comments are appreciated. Either leave them here or on the Train2Game Forum.

Why aren’t you buying my games?

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So, let’s imagine that you’ve completed your Train2Game course and a small group of you have formed your own little independent studio with a Games Developer, a Games Designer and a Games Artist and Animator. You make a game, a great game that you feel is amazing, but due to the competitive market, your title doesn’t sell as well as you’d hoped. What do you do?

Give up? No, don’t be silly! When did Train2Game ever teach you to do that?

Work on another project and just hope that it sells a bit better? Hmmm, maybe.

Send out a questionnaire asking people why they’re not buying your games?

That last one sounds a bit farfetched doesn’t it? Well, not necessarily because that’s what one independent developer has done.

Positech Games is a UK-based one man games company run by Cliff ‘Cliffski’ Harris, who last year released a title called Gratuitous Space Battles which has generally received favourable reviews. Now in the name of self-improvement, Cliffski is asking ‘“Why didn’t you buy Gratuitous Space Battles?” He says:

“I am NOT complaining. I am NOT moaning about sales. I am NOT unhappy with sales, I am not whining or anything like it. I just like making games that people enjoy, and I don’t know why the people who didn’t buy it, didn’t buy it. I’d like to know. The answers may well make it a better game for everyone, if I fix those reasons (if they make sense). It will make the game attractive to current fence-sitters, better for current owners, and more sales for me and my cats.”

Anyone, including you – yes, you – can email Cliff and tell him why you didn’t buy his game. Responses so far range from ‘I have too many games to play’ to ‘I don’t like strategy games’ to even ‘Before reading this I’d never heard of your game’ Hopefully this information has been useful to Cliffksi and he’ll benefit from it as a independent developer.

However, it isn’t the first time he’s asked the general population on the Internet about issues relating to his games. Two years ago, Cliff asked ‘Why do people pirate my games?’ and the responses he got led to the removal of DRM from his games.

Positech games may be a tiny developer, but he has allowed the general gaming public to have a say on his company’s products and this has had had an impact on sales. This could be an important lesson to any Train2Game students trying to break into the industry – you need to listen to your audience – their attitude towards your games could essentially make or break them.

Would you consider asking people who haven’t played your game why they didn’t buy it?

Discs vs Digital

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Digital distribution of games might be becoming more popular, especially on PC, but according to Sony, “Disc based content is still very much what the consumer is used to and wants”

Speaking to the PlayStation blog about content delivery, SCEE President Andrew House acknowledged that while discs are still popular, improved technology is making digital downloads an increasingly attractive option.

“There has been a change in attitude and technology that is making digital delivery far more feasible and far more attractive. It is our job to ensure that consumers have the choice between the two where possible.

How this area will evolve, I can’t really say at this time, as we are relying on many things outside of our control, such as broadband speeds. Things are changing quickly and we have to make sure we are ready for those changes.”

So while discs remain the dominant force on consoles for now, it appears Sony will be keeping a close eye on how the ability to distribute digital content delivers in future. Indeed, only this week it was revealed that the PSP2 could be a download content only device.

However, at this moment in time it seems farfetched that a PlayStation 3 or an Xbox 360 could become completely download only. Industry analyst Michael Pachter even goes so far to say that there’s “No chance in hell” of this happening, and explained:

“PCs are probably about 95% connected to the internet but my guess is with the Xbox 360, it’s maybe two-thirds, with the PS3 it might be as high as 85%. And with the Wii my guess is it’s below 50% but probably closer to 35%, so it’s all the guys that are NOT connected that are going to keep games from ever being mandate downloadable.”

He raises a good point. Perhaps the PC market could become a fully digital industry at some point in future just due to the very nature of how a computer works. A brand new PC has a massive hard drive and this can easily be upgraded as time goes on in order to store more content. Consoles on the other hand have limited space. What would happen to a game that needed to be uninstalled to make room for a new one?

It’s this question that’s one of the main reasons that I personally prefer to buy my games on discs. I can access them any time I want just by picking them up off the shelf. It’d be an incredible hassle to constantly have to re-install older games I may want to go back to.

Of course, both the PlayStation Store and Xbox Live allow you to download smaller independent games – one a Train2Game student could develop – but even this can take a long time. It could therefore take most of a day to download and install, say a digital version of Red Dead Redemption onto a console.

Yes, I occasionally use digital distribution through Steam to download PC games, but at the end of the day, I still prefer to have physical copies available on my shelf not only for me to pick up and play whenever I want to, but also just to sit there and look nice in exactly the same way books or DVD’s would.

Digital distribution does have advantages, a cheaper price for the consumer and an easier way for an aspiring Games Developer, Games Designer or Games Artist to get their work out to the market. But personally, I believe that discs will be around for a long time yet.

How about you? Do you prefer to buy games as a physical disc in your hand? Or as a digital download? How do you think this will develop in future?

Real money or digital currency?

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With online gaming becoming an evermore-prevalent cornerstone of the games market, many developers are also turning to the Internet for publishing. As mentioned previously in this blog it’s Valve and their online digital distribution service Steam that are the current masters of this art – you pay your money you get your game.

Now many other developers are seriously looking at the prospect of online only publishing and this includes Realtime Worlds, the developer behind Crackdown and APB. The latter is an action orientated MMO which when purchased comes with 50 free hours of online play. After this, 20 more hours can be bought for £5.59 or if the player prefers they can buy a 30 day unlimited package for £7.99.

It’ll also be possible to buy this extra play time using an in game currency, RTW points, which can be bought in large amounts with real money or made through selling custom items to other players. In an interview with Develop, APB Lead Designer EJ Moreland said it’s a system that’ll also be implemented in the developers’ future titles.

““Realtime Worlds is transitioning from being a developer to being an online publisher, [and] RTW Points is going to be the currency for all of our games in the future.”

One of those games is a yet unannounced title and Moreland’s comments seem to suggest that the Dundee-based studio will be producing another online title.  Of course, through self-publishing a title online the Games Developers, Games Designers, and Games Artists cut out the middle man in the form of needing to cover the costs of physical discs and retail. This may very well be appealing to Train2Game students looking to break into the market.

However, one has to wonder if people will use the currency to buy extra playtime. Paying for RTW points with a debit card will take some time, then will the whole process have to be repeated in order to pay for the actual product? Though perhaps the use of RTW points will strengthen the APB community, and ultimately encourage them to play for longer – and thus pay for more content. Maybe players with large amounts of RTW points will play future titles too, seeing as they’ve already stocked up on the currency needed to buy it. We’ll see.

What do you think is the best system for a developer to use when publishing a game online? Real money or a specific type of in-game currency?

Ubisoft eye up 3D games

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As recently as six months ago, not a lot of people had an interest in 3D television. Then, on December 17 2009 a certain film called Avatar was released and suddenly 3D became the next big thing in the world of looking at screens.

Now it seems most big films that are released come with an option of seeing them in 3D and now you can even watch football in 3D if your local is one of the handful of pubs that are equipped to do this. As of last month, 3D televisions are now available to the average consumer…if they have £1,799 to spare that is.

Of course, the games industry was never going to pass up this growing opportunity, and now Ubisoft chief executive officer Yves Guillemot predicts that between 15 and 20 per cent of Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 games will support 3D in the next year. Ubisoft have already committed themselves to 3D with their release of Avatar: The Game which included optional 3D support. Other games including Batman: Arkham Asylum have had a 3D release, and even the upcoming 3DS will have a 3D function so it does indeed look like 3D will be the next ‘big thing’ Why, even just last week, Sony announced they’ll be releasing 3D patches for several PlayStation 3 games.

This makes the games industry an exciting place to be working right now and Train2Game student’s must be rubbing their hands with glee at all of the exciting gaming innovations, such as 3D,  they’ll be working on in the future. Perhaps one of them could go onto produce 4D games? Well, maybe …but the point is that the games industry is always changing, adapting and the prospect of entering it now as a Games Designer, Games Developer or Games Artist must be mouth-watering. Are you interested in going onto produce 3D games? Or would you rather stick to the conventional ‘2D’ versions?

Someone do me a favour though would you, and figure out a way to play 3D games without the need for the 3D glasses. I already have big enough spectacles of my own thanks.

Square Enix show even struggling developers can become hugely successful

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Square Enix must be a very happy publisher. Why? Only because their sales increased by 41.7% in the fiscal year ending in March 2010 compared to 2008-2009. The Japanese giant’s sales total for the 12 month period came to £1.5 billion, or 192.3 billion yen if you think that sounds more impressive.

Of course, the release of Final Fantasy XIII – the first game in the series for current generation of consoles – was a huge boost for Square Enix as millions of copies have been sold worldwide and it’s still performing strongly in the charts. The companies’ acquisition of British publisher Eidos last year also means that Square Enix will have taken a slice of the profits from the hugely successful Batman: Arkham Asylum along with a number of other titles.

So, 2009-2010 was a highly successful year for Square Enix, who with the Final Fantasy series have a history of well selling, successful games. However, things weren’t always so rosy for Square – as the developer was known before the merger with Enix in 2003.

Back in 1987 Square was still a small developer and despite some moderate success with previous titles, the company was flirting with bankruptcy.  They thought the game they had in production would be their last, so they called it Final Fantasy. Fortunately for Square this ‘Final’ Fantasy was a massive it and went onto spawn one of the biggest franchises in gaming – big enough to help contribute to making £1.5 billion!

Train2Game students can definitely take something from this tale. After all, the games industry can be a tough environment to forge a career in – just travel back in time and ask someone from Square Enix circa 1987! But perseverance is the key, keep pushing and keep doing the right things and it’s possible to overcome even the most daunting barriers. Do you think you can help produce the next massive franchise? Does your current project have that potential? Let us know.