TODO + background on use of gamification + related theories, especially serious games + asks the right questions, including 'which gaming technique(s) toTODO + background on use of gamification + related theories, especially serious games + asks the right questions, including 'which gaming technique(s) to use for a particular learning objective/player type/player skill level/etc.?' - the author spend most of the time on computer-based gamification - many assumptions and unproven claims, rapaciously about effectiveness of one technique or another. in particular, Knapp favors narrative, complex story, and role-playing. how would one teach Computer Organization or Java Programming 101 focusing on these, one can only speculate... - the chapter by Nathan Kapp and to some extent also the other 'invited chapters' are rather weak, unacademic, and chaotic...more
Valve's Handbook for New Employees is a wonderful company work statement in an extremely competitive industry (computers, software design and engineerValve's Handbook for New Employees is a wonderful company work statement in an extremely competitive industry (computers, software design and engineering, entertainment software, computer and video games). Valve is a leader of the PC gaming industry, with its own excellent games (Half-Life, Portal), great support for modders (Counter-Strike) and the indie community, and innovations in the gaming industry as a whole (esp. distribution channels such as Steam for PC games). With this booklet, Valve presents a refreshing statement of how big business in creative industries can be organized. The main message is that a flat organization, carefully managed and with a focus on top individuals who may be friends or rel, can deliver excellent results. A must-read for startups in the gaming industry....more
Gamers at Work is a collection of interviews with top people from the video and computer gaming industry. The interviews are loosely structured aroundGamers at Work is a collection of interviews with top people from the video and computer gaming industry. The interviews are loosely structured around the establishment and challenges of gaming studios, the creative processes, and the struggle to remain afloat as the industry changes.
I really loved this book. The people interviewed here are usually heads of game studios or leads of the creative part of the business, but otherwise span a broad range of interests, backgrounds, and capability. There are many excellent interviews, including of: Wild Bill Stealy (the business side of MicroProse); Tony Goodman (the process guy at Ensemble Corp/Studios and Robot Entertainment); Feargus Urquhart (great interview on processes, Interplay/Fallout, etc.); John Smedley (EverQuest); Lorne Lanning (a bit shambolic but overall great stuff, Oddworld); Tobi Saulnier (client-centric game developer); and Christopher Weaver (Bethesda Softworks, The Elder Scrolls + professor at MIT).
Here are a few things I've learned: * The gaming industry is only for people who love games. The high risk and relatively low return of this hit-driven market are otherwise not worth the personal investment. * The size of a sustainable studio is 40-50 people, with 3-5 production pipelines active at all times. Anything above 100 people is bound to crash as the industry twists and turns. * Gaming studios must consider all possible valorization channels, including leveraging their technology in serious gaming and technical simulators, and doing games that extend somebody else's franchise. * Intellectual Property (IP) really counts. Building and populating entire worlds is preferable to creating small games that are independent of each other. * Building strong portfolios and strong IP protect a studio from poor contracts from publishers. * The game designers and producers rarely win as much as publishers and other channel owners. * Publishers and distributors have a stranglehold on industry and even creativity: their choice decides the going of the industry. * Indie gaming is tough, running a studio is tougher. Giants like EA and Sony Online Entertainment produce mostly games in long franchise lines. * etc. etc. etc.
Overall, a must-read for anyone interested in the gaming industry, especially wannabe indie game developers....more
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