I have neglected my blog at the first test of my commitment - no set project over the Christmas period.
Now, as generous as this sounds, I have a feeling it is the tutors way of sussing out who is really committed to this course, and who is merely toeing the line so to speak.
In my literary explorations this, and last week I have found a couple of exciting articles in this months GamesTM issue - 117. (Games TM, 2011)
Will Wright (creator of SimCity) plans to launch his own social network based 'game' which is structured around a gamified reality.
This 'game' (I use the term loosely) is set to encourage players to give up personal information about themselves and indeed their friends and family in return for 'in-game benefits'. Wright call this "getting them on our side", them being consumers, and I am not as yet sure what "our side" is referring to just yet.
Whilst a new game release from the genius that is Will Wright is an exciting prospect, I cant stop myself from worrying that the ability to 'sell' information on your friends and family seemingly without their consent to be a little sinister. I doubt that such valuable information would be limited to just 'harmless advertising' over a period of time.
Another exciting prospect for the year ahead is the "Next Generation of Console Gaming" (Games TM, 2011) which is set to be unveiled over the course of 2012. I have heard from several different sources that Microsoft is well prepared for this release date and that their previous excursions (the Xbox360) were mere preparations for what is yet to come. Sony do not seem to be so confident, having once been the sole contender in the console market for hardcore gamers (PS2), I do feel that their late release of the PS3 (in competition with the earlier release of the 360) and their lame attempt at combating the Kinect with their bizarrely designed PlaystationMove hardware shows a company desperately playing catch up to Microsoft, not a company seriously contending them.
Granted, there was a very large price difference between the two consoles due to the PS3's using better quality hardware like blue tooth rather than infrared, and a blue-ray player built in. When I speak to fellow gamers, one comment keeps being thrown back at me; "Well at least on a Playstation you don't have to pay for Online Access, you have to pay for XboxLive and I think that's a Rip!"
My answer to those people is this simple fact: "The money I have shelled out on XboxLive since purchase 2 and a half years ago, still does not even come close to the extra money I would have paid HAD I bought a PS3 instead." £39.99 a year for a subscription giving you unlimited access to online content, a server which has not been hacked at least twice in the past year, access to the XboxLiveArcade with connections to your Facebook, Twitter and MSN accounts does not seem like such a tall order to me.
Now I am not saying that Sony are not a hugely successful company, with stellar quality hardware in their PS3's, and a very very large devoted fanbase to boot. I am simply commenting on how I see a lack of aggressive marketing and strategy at play within their company. I would like to see them break the next gaming barrier for a change instead of the Wii or the Kinect. Come on Playstation - win me over again!
Games, TM, 2011. Will Wright wants you to join his HiveMind. Games TM Issue No.117, 01 December. 12.
www.gamestm.co.uk
Now, as generous as this sounds, I have a feeling it is the tutors way of sussing out who is really committed to this course, and who is merely toeing the line so to speak.
In my literary explorations this, and last week I have found a couple of exciting articles in this months GamesTM issue - 117. (Games TM, 2011)
Will Wright (creator of SimCity) plans to launch his own social network based 'game' which is structured around a gamified reality.
This 'game' (I use the term loosely) is set to encourage players to give up personal information about themselves and indeed their friends and family in return for 'in-game benefits'. Wright call this "getting them on our side", them being consumers, and I am not as yet sure what "our side" is referring to just yet.
Whilst a new game release from the genius that is Will Wright is an exciting prospect, I cant stop myself from worrying that the ability to 'sell' information on your friends and family seemingly without their consent to be a little sinister. I doubt that such valuable information would be limited to just 'harmless advertising' over a period of time.
Another exciting prospect for the year ahead is the "Next Generation of Console Gaming" (Games TM, 2011) which is set to be unveiled over the course of 2012. I have heard from several different sources that Microsoft is well prepared for this release date and that their previous excursions (the Xbox360) were mere preparations for what is yet to come. Sony do not seem to be so confident, having once been the sole contender in the console market for hardcore gamers (PS2), I do feel that their late release of the PS3 (in competition with the earlier release of the 360) and their lame attempt at combating the Kinect with their bizarrely designed PlaystationMove hardware shows a company desperately playing catch up to Microsoft, not a company seriously contending them.
Granted, there was a very large price difference between the two consoles due to the PS3's using better quality hardware like blue tooth rather than infrared, and a blue-ray player built in. When I speak to fellow gamers, one comment keeps being thrown back at me; "Well at least on a Playstation you don't have to pay for Online Access, you have to pay for XboxLive and I think that's a Rip!"
My answer to those people is this simple fact: "The money I have shelled out on XboxLive since purchase 2 and a half years ago, still does not even come close to the extra money I would have paid HAD I bought a PS3 instead." £39.99 a year for a subscription giving you unlimited access to online content, a server which has not been hacked at least twice in the past year, access to the XboxLiveArcade with connections to your Facebook, Twitter and MSN accounts does not seem like such a tall order to me.
Now I am not saying that Sony are not a hugely successful company, with stellar quality hardware in their PS3's, and a very very large devoted fanbase to boot. I am simply commenting on how I see a lack of aggressive marketing and strategy at play within their company. I would like to see them break the next gaming barrier for a change instead of the Wii or the Kinect. Come on Playstation - win me over again!
Games, TM, 2011. Will Wright wants you to join his HiveMind. Games TM Issue No.117, 01 December. 12.
www.gamestm.co.uk
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