Parents and Gaming

I just read a rather hum-drum article about how parents can keep up with the video games their kids play. The article starts like this:

Call it a generation gap or a digital divide, if you're a parent who is a little clueless about what video games are appropriate for your child, you are not alone.

Who are these parents who don't understand video games? I know I'm an unusual case, but seriously. EVERY SINGLE PARENT I KNOW PLAYS VIDEO GAMES, at least a little. Now, if you're a grandparent, you *might* be off the hook, though at 38 I'm technically old enough to be one of those myself (my kid is 7, so no worries.)

Video games turned to computer games in the 90's. Console games have remained essentially the same for the last decade. Mortal Kombat showed how violent games could be 18 years ago. Doom, the first modern 1st person shooter, appeared 15 years ago. Grand Theft Auto 2 is over 10 years old.

This isn't new people. The graphics are better, the stories are better, and the content is more complex. Not different, just evolved. Some really kick ass. Other suck. Some are appropriate for kids, some not so much. It's been this way for decades now.

How old are these kids we're worrying about? How old are their parents?

What's more likely is people writing articles about the "mysteries of gaming culture" don't get it. Media types understand the media, and little else (I understand gaming, and little else, I admit it.)

Just like the article says "Gaming is now an $18.8 billion part of the entertainment industry. You have to dig your head in the sand pretty deep to be ignorant of an industry as huge as gaming.

-Adam!!!

Little Brother, a novel

Buy it, or read it. I started it this morning and I finished it just now. Damn. Good. Book.

Edit (found this on Facebook)

Website:

http://tor-forge.com/littlebrother http://myspace.com/littlebrotherbook http://instructables.com/member/w1n5t0n/ http://tv.boingboing.net/cory-doctorow/

Company Overview:

Book Description: Marcus, a.k.a “w1n5t0n,” is only seventeen years old, but he figures he already knows how the system works–and how to work the system. Smart, fast, and wise to the ways of the networked world, he has no trouble outwitting his high school’s intrusive but clumsy surveillance systems. But his whole world changes when he and his friends find themselves caught in the aftermath of a major terrorist attack on San Francisco. In the wrong place at the wrong time, Marcus and his crew are apprehended by the Department of Homeland Security and whisked away to a secret prison where they’re mercilessly interrogated for days. When the DHS finally releases them, Marcus discovers that his city has become a police state where every citizen is treated like a potential terrorist. He knows that no one will believe his story, which leaves him only one option: to take down the DHS himself.

-Adam!!!

I am a Kong-o-phile (I hope Nightline isn't reading!)

From Boing Boing...

Nintendo Wall Stickers are so awesome...I can'd evin tippppe




-Adam!!!

I'd Buy That for a Dollar!

Based on what I've read, micropayments are beating out time-based subscriptions when it comes to effectively separating virtual world patrons from their money.

Is this because people prefer to pay via micropayments, even though a site that features them typically costs the user more, overall?

I believe the biggest hurdle in getting a person to pay real money for any sort of online service is that first payment. The smaller the request, the more likely somebody will bite, and once that credit card is on file (and the first transaction proved worthwhile) subsequent transactions come much more easily, with less concern on the part of the customer.

Is the subscription model less effective than micropayments...probably. Why? Because the initial cost for even a month (ourWorld's premium membership costs $6.99/month) is more than the minimum cost for many micropayment sites. What if there was a trial that players could purchase for $1? What if a promise of no additional charges was made, and kept?

Would it be worth the transaction costs of the 'trial' to get that customer's credit card on file? How much more likely would a customer be to subscribe after a successful and valuable $1 transaction? (Hint: A lot.)

Edit: In order for the $1 option to work, upgrading to a full subscription must be hyper-easy. Single click easy. Otherwise, much of the hurdle for subscription remains.

-Adam!!!

Hooking Up

Put teen girls and teen boys together in a virtual world setting and the first thing that happens is they start hooking up. I freely admit I was taken by surprise by the pervasiveness of this culture of virtual boyfriend/girlfriends. In ourWorld, you can enter any room at any time and there will probably be at least one person puttin' the virtual moves on another person (or more.) Some people seem to take this 'dating simulation' very seriously, while others quickly dismiss the 'dating' as nothing more than play-acting.

I'll tell you this much, the fighting over spurned virtual love seems sincere enough.

To what extent should this sort of thing be discouraged, tolerated, or promoted?

The only wrong answer is to merely tolerate the practice (the default response.)

If it's discouraged, you simply say "no dating" and be done with it. At first we were amused when we noticed Dizzywood.com had "no dating" in it's code of conduct. A few weeks later, I see exactly why it's there. I'm sure they're serious about enforcing the rule, too. This is ideal for sites aimed at younger kids. For the most part they aren't interested in dating, and the rule clarifies not only what is allowed, but makes it clear WHO is supposed to be on the site.

What about promoting dating? My concern (and parents, I'm sure) is that the dating sometimes turns into cyber-sex. I think providing dating 'tools' that are in-bounds taste and age-appropriate-wise, you'll minimize your users' desire to go beyond those bounds. If your users are interested in dating, let them date. Let the date system be fun, engaging, one-on-one, and end with a virtual kiss at the door (rather than a chat log that makes me want to wash off the ick with brillo pad.)

Either prevent it or shape it. Half-hearted strategies will provide a sub-optimal result.

Oh, and kids, don't type anything you don't want a fat 38 year old gamer nerd reading. (I wish I could get that message to every teenager in the world.)

-Adam!!!

Belgian Scientists w/ too much time on their hands.

I mean, seriously.

-Adam!!!

A Million Dollar Idea

What if:

A game site sold game downloads for $1 each.

The site also offered game developers a one million dollar prize for the first game that reached one million downloads (in addition to standard compensation, whatever that is.) If a developer can make something that one million people will pay a buck for, they get the money. Of course, the site's still making money off the other games, plus the money after the prize is awarded.

The real issue is figuring out what people will pay, and how much more you can sell with a really low price. It costs nearly the same to ship 1,000,000 copies of an online game as it does 50,000,000. Would 20x more people buy a $1 game as a $20? Popcap thinks the answer is no, but their dev costs are way higher than average.

What about flash/java games? There are plenty that are worth a buck, though perhaps not with all the free stuff out there. There's also a concern that something that costs $1 isn't worth as much as something that costs $20, even if a publisher can make the same amount with both pricing options.

Seth Godin recently touched on a similar issue regarding Ebooks, and I think the same model applies to online gaming.

-Adam!!!

Spore: You Rate Me and I'll Rate You Right Back!

Logged in Spore users are allowed to rate each other's creations, helping to ensure the cooler ones make their way to the top of the popularity mountain. With 600,000 creatures already uploaded in the last two days, I'm not concerned with mine getting noticed. What I am concerned about is the BAD rating one of my favorite creatures received! Any Spore fans reading this, please take a look at my creatures and give them a thumbs up if you like them.

Who would give this little cutie a thumbs down?

If you have creatures you'd like me to check out, just let me know. I promise no thumbs down if you do too!

-Adam!!!

S'more S'pore

Is it the best $10 I've ever spent? Not sure. It's far from the worst. I've got the full Creature Creator now, and it's easily $10 more fun than the trial version. You can see my creatures on my Spore Site. For some reason, only my Basilisk shows up on the Spore site of 400,000+creatures (in two days) and while I'm proud of Basi, my Rust Monster is probably a little cooler.




This little guy is doing his dance...



Awwww...cute!

-Adam!!!

Spoooooooooooooooooooooooooooore!

I've been waiting for this for quite a while. I'm extremely excited about Spore, and the Creature Creator Trial is a great taste of what's to come. I made this creature in about ten minutes. I've made four since downloading the demo a couple of hours ago. It's a lot of fun.


The Creature Creator made it simple to upload videos like to my YouTube account. As you might imagine, there's quite a few there already.

Update: I've added the Spore App in Facebook. I'm looking forward to it working (it really doesn't, yet.)

-Adam!!!

Who Are You?

When internet chat began, the only ID you had was your conversation partners' names. Nowadays, customizing avatars has gotten to the point where you can recognize other users' avatars based on their appearance, in addition to their always visible name.

What if a virtual world abandoned the default practice of automatically displaying a pre-defined name (made up, anyway), with the option of getting to know a person's name more like in the real world - Introductions and communication (asking!)?

What if YOU chose the names of the virtual people you interact with? What would be the difference? What if you could see the names other people chose for you...?

From a practical standpoint, the current system is probably the most efficient. People with nametags are generally more approachable than people without (Hi, my name is Scott!) but put in the context of a VW game where anonymity is desirable or part of the obstacles that must be overcome, it would be a cool way to set a site apart from everything else.

-XXXX!!!

Putting the amp in Champions

Cryptic, the fine folks who brought us City of Heroes/Villains, is working on the Champions MMORPG. As I've posted before, I can't wait.

Here's an Escapist Magazine interview with long-time Champs creator Mike Long. He seems really optimistic about the project, as am I!

Somebody needs to cut down on the spicy food

-Adam!!!

Wow! Gifts!

Last night, tongue firmly in cheek, I requested additional furniture for my SmallWorlds house, dedicated to The Big Lebowski. I was pleasantly surprised to get an Email today notifying me that I was given two virtual couches and a candle! Yeah!

The Dude is enjoying his new couches and candle

Thanks Joe Ninetytwo, I'll just slip the rent money under the door!

-Adam!!!

World of World of Warcraft

From The Onion, America's Finest News Source!

'Warcraft' Sequel Lets Gamers Play A Character Playing 'Warcraft'

I want World of Blogging, where I can play a blogger, but one that gets hits and comments!

-Adam

Rate Classic Games!

And why not? Choose from my list or add your own. Rate from best to least best (they're all great!)

Rate Classic Arcade Games on Squidoo.

Where does Donkey Kong rate?

If anyone votes, I'll post the results here, in a while.

-Adam!!!

It's the Economy, Stupid!

Economies of some sort or other have become a cornerstone of virtual worlds. It would not be out of place to define vw's by the inclusion of an economy activity of some sort, they are so pervasive.

Are they necessary? Maybe, maybe not. If I were a VC, I'd hesitate to invest in a vw that didn't feature one. A vw's economy usually dovetails nicely into profitability for the site, whether through subscriptions, micro-payments, or retail-tie ins (like Bella Sara and ToppsTown.) The earn-reward effect of money is too powerful, or too obvious, for most vw's to ignore.

A money free economy would be cool. Barter as the only form of transaction would be very entertaining within the correct setting (think desert island or caveman) You want that coconut, well, you better find out what Richard342 wants for it. The lighter? Is he insane?

Rather than the traditional capitalist model, I wonder if a communist model might work. What if everyone got an equal income based on contributions of the site's entire population. Would people contribute? I think they would in the context of an engaging game or game-world tailored to that model. How would people act in such a world?

The Dude's got no money in the Small Worlds beta.

It could be that I just ran out of money building my ourWorld shrine to the Big Lebowski and as it's a beta, there isn't an adequate way to earn more, yet. If anyone with a SmallWorlds account sees this, The Dude's Room could use a couch and some candles. Donations accepted!

It's the Economy...you know.

-Adam

B...B...B...Billion

Virtual Worlds will reach one billion users in 10 years.

OK, I'll buy that, but why?

In most measurable ways, virtual worlds are simply a new wrapper for chat and game rooms that have existed on the web for years? Sure, the new 3d interfaces look more like traditional video games (Sims, World of Warcraft, etc.) but those games aren't anything new, either. What's so new and interesting that somebody would predict a billion people will check them out?

Marketing - Virtual Worlds provide unique marketing opportunities. Smaller (or less aggressive) firms can buy sections or ads in existing independent worlds. They can sponsor games and memberships so users feel like the company is giving them something. More ambitious firms can build their own Virtual Worlds, and aggressively promote them. If going to coke.com means going to CokeWorld.com, that's a lot of people right there. Imagine Budweiser World...

Transformation of the Internet - There's a lot of talk regarding standards for virtual worlds so users can bounce from one to the other much like they bounce from one website to another now. If that happens, VW's will start to take over the role traditional websites have now, and that really would be a virtual world.

Getting It Right - There's a lot of VW's on the right track already. Once best practices are sorted out, the door will be wide open for anyone with a great idea to build a VW based on those practices plus established technology. I expect there to be at least some sort of standardized virtual world design tools before too long. It'll never be easy to build a VW, but if a designer doesn't have to reinvent the many wheels that make up a VW, what's left is manageable.

-Adam

Virtual World Retail - Toppstown

I don't mean virtual retail. I mean heading down to your local store retail. Retail, retail.

Toppstown is the latest VW in my bookmark list. Like Bella Sara, it's centered around trading cards. Despite my history with trading card games, I'm quite ignorant of sports trading cards. I may be learning about them soon. Now, new Topps trading cards come with codes that unlock virtual trading cards in Toppstown.

Not micro payments.
Not subscriptions.

No, purchase items at retail that increase functionality on the site. Conversely, the site directly adds value to the items purchased at retail. In Topps' case, items that they were ALREADY SELLING. Honestly, I think it's friggin' brilliant and I expect we'll be seeing a lot more VW's with revenue streams based on real world products. I mean, if you're going to be selling the product anyway, and you're going to have a website anyway, you might as well have the two working together. This is particularly true of collectible and entertainment products.

My clubhouse is pretty sad. I can play games to buy cooler stuff.

Codes come with packs of regular Topps baseball cards. These codes unlock packs of virtual baseball cards that can be played with and traded on the site. You get a free code when you sign up, so everyone has a few cards. Also, the cards provide updated stats for the players featured on them. How cool is that?

Toppstown looks to be a pretty modest site. Good for them. Keep costs down, make the thing do what it needs to do, and don't sabotage a good thing by breaking the bank. It's got some modest games, a super simple customizable avatar, a simple clubhouse (room decorating activity), and what appears to be a very robust virtual card trading tool. Assuming it works as intended, the trading tool is what makes the site shine for me.

You can always see your avatar, the code entry box, and the big button for the Virtual Binder. The designers made clear choices about what was really important and focused on those things.

I'm lukewarm about baseball, but Toppstown Football launches in July. That's what *I'm* talkin' about!

-Adam

Home-made Arcade Controls

My current hobby project is almost done. I'm sad that I screwed up the finish, which is why there are all those light blotches all over it. Even so, as my first woodworking project pretty much ever, it's totally satisfactory. My next one (and there will be a next one) will be much slicker.

The ultimate goal is to build my own arcade cabinet. I've got handy friends, so I'm sure I can do it, even with my feeble skills.

-Adam!!!

A Comment on Games

Almost all virtual worlds include games. Typically, playing the games is the avatar's 'job' and by doing so players can upgrade their visual representation with fancier looking avatars and fancier looking virtual living spaces. In essence, the players are buying status.

If this mechanic is the centerpiece of your VW's economy, for the love of pete, please make sure the games are fun.

Is it better to have games that use the player's personal avatar and are fully integrated into the world itself if they aren't fun? No.

Best: Fun games, fully integrated in the world.
Okay: Fun games that aren't directly connected to the virtual world.
Disaster: Un-Fun games, integrated or not.

-Adam!!!