Evolution of the Game Chapter 2!

1. Evolution of the GameChapter 2! May 3, 2011

2. What makes a Video Game a Game? Three main categories of Computer Software Entertainment: • Audio/visual effects • Video Game • Digital Toy

3. Audio/Visual Effect • Audio  means something you hear. • Visual  means something you see. • Together, audio/visual effects are any entertainment that you can be seen and heard. • Examples: • Screen savers • Movies • Cut scenes • Presentations • This type of entertainment is simply enjoyed and has no user interface.

4. We have:

5. Experimental • New • Innovative • Few users • Not very popular • Just becoming popular

6. Mainstream • Is the Norm! • Many users • What we use today

7. Obsolete • Was popular • Few users • Replaced by something better

8. History???? • How has technolgy been linked to media experimentation and becoming obsolete? Let’s take a look at our History!

9. Ancient Times • Art!Was the NORM...it was popular...it was the Mainstream Media. • Examples: • Brilliant paintings • Sculptures • Architecture • Songs • Frescos

10. Ancient Times • Greeks Introduced Theater! • It was Experimental Media • Romans not use to Theater. • It was consider a fanciful activity • Little following • Not popular

11. Last Century • Experimental Media was the invention of Motion pictures! • Had no sound • Short films • People dancing • Baseball players hitting a ball • Children dancing

12. Last Century • Another experimental media is the RADIO! • Invented by individuals who wanted to talk to each other over distances. • Amateur radio operators built their own devices in their basement. • Very Expensive!

13. Radio became Mainstream! • As the cost of the technolgy for a Radio dropped people began to embrace the Radio! • People would gather around the family radio to listen to voice drama, rock and roll, Jazz sounds and lyrics, shows, plus much more.

14. The Television! • Began to show up in homes in the 1940’s • Shows were black and white • Just one or two shows a day • Television was in the experimental stage!

15. Television • Moving to Mainstream in the 1950’s • Rapidly becoming the preferred media of the day. • ½ households in America has a TV set. • TV Shows: • Flash Gordon • Father Knows Best • Rin Tin Tin • Dragnet • Zorro • Wonderful World of Disney

16. Current Times – Today! • Television is still Mainstream! • Moved from audio/visual entertainment to Interactive Entertainment Media! • Video Games!!!

17. Newer Technologies • Is the computer! • Was Experimental Technology • Few people using it • Very expensive • Not popular • Today  Mainstream! • You see a computer everywhere • Very, Very, Very Popular • Takes on many forms.

18. Computer • Opens a world of: • Movies • Games • Books • Magazines • Museum Art • Internet! • Plus much more....

19. What are Video Games? • Is an electronic software product that has all of the elements of a game. • It is played by combining a computer generated game evironment with a graphic display and a user interface.

20. What exactly is a game? • An activity organized by rules. • With an objective, goal, or victory condition. • In a game environment that enables play or pretending. Victory! Rules A Game? Game Envirnment

21. Game Play • Is what the player experience during the game as a result of the core machanics and structure of the game. • Includes: • Set of challenges and obstacles • The action a player can take to avoid and overcome those challenges or obstacles. • Everything the player does and how the game is played.

22. Today’s Video Game • Game play can exist in multiple gameplay modes. • Such as: • Multiplayer mode • Advanced mode • Easy mode • Quest mode • Online play mode • Changing characters with different skills

23. Graphic Display • This is where the game is shown. • It can be a: • Television • Computer Monitor • Hand-held device (Game-boy and/or cell phone) • Is a pinball machine a video game?

24. User Interface • Is any device used to input information from the player into the computer running the video game. • They are: • Game controllers (wireless, motion based controllers) • Keyboard • Mouse

25. Type of Games • Games can be put into different catagories: • Examples: • Action • Board/card/quiz • Educational • Fighting • Music/party • Puzzle • Role Playing • Shooter • Simulation • Sports • Stragtegy • Toy • Themes  are games that have similar characteristics

26. Digital Toy • Does not meet the criteria of a game. • Why? • Does not have a structured set of rules. • Has not objective or game play goal. • No challenge • No purpose for playing • No Victory condition • No points, no levels • No mission objectives

27. Marketing You Vido Game Step 1: You need to know your Theme! Step 2: Need to identify your target market. Step 3: Unique Selling Point

28. Marketing Your Video Game • Each theme has a certain number of followers. • These are your customers! • People who purchase a game in a certain them are likely to purchase more games in the same theme. • Need to identify your target market! • Tarket market  is the segment of the population on which you will focus your attention and resources to attract a buyer. • These are your potential customers.

29. Demographic Segregation • Use of characteristics, such as: • Age • Income • Gender • Helps determine the most likely potential customer.

30. Marketing Tools • Are any device or action that draws attention to your product. • TV commercials • E-mail blast • Product website • Free Trials or demos • Brochures • Game packaging • Billboards • Computer Screen Savers • Demonstrations • Booths at trade shows

31. Unique Selling Point • Is simply what your product offers that other products do not. • It can also help target potential customers.

32. Finish your Balloon Pop Game! • Call me when finished for credit.