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GDC09: Raph Koster kicks off Worlds in Motion Summit
Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2009 has begun and Massively is in the trenches to report on all the big announcements for the massively multiplayer online gaming industry, plus we have some great interviews lined up all week as well. Our GDC 2009 coverage begins with today's Worlds in Motion Summit, kicked off by Raph Koster, MMO and virtual worlds luminary. Koster's speech is short, essentially a quick review of the virtual worlds trends he's observed over the past year. It's important to see things in perspective, Koster points out, mentioning that virtual worlds have recently turned 30, and are now a far cry from their MUD origins. Hardcore, geeky stuff Koster says, and we've come a long way since then. "We've kind of arrived, haven't we?" Koster asks. "One half of American adults are gamers today, which is an incredible step."
Switched On: Walls for a "Life Without Walls"
Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. In October of 2006, I wrote a Switched On column entitled "Rebooting Retail in Redmond" in which I noted how much Microsoft's consumer business had changed since the days of the original microsoftSF store in Sony's Metreon. This was a world before Windows XP, before Zune, before rich touch interfaces on Windows Mobile devices, before Media Center, and before the original Xbox. I concluded that column by noting: Microsoft's consumer lineup today is far more compelling, sophisticated, media-rich and, with a growing group of hardware products, tactile than it was back in the 20th Century. The marketing strategy of Windows Vista -- with its various usage scenarios -- presents a nearly perfect foundation from which to structure showcase environments. The entertainment products that Microsoft wants to bring into the consumer's home would benefit from a home of their own. That argument will be even more relevant in 2010 as Windows 7 begins to roll out and Microsoft takes its "Life Without Walls" campaign to the next level by highlighting the integration of the desktop, the mobile phone and the Web. We are already seeing a sneak peek at this via the MyPhone service that Microsoft is rolling out for Windows Mobile. Microsoft stores will be in a unique position versus nearly every other physical direct technology channel. For while Microsoft certainly has its own consumer products such as Zune, Xbox 360, keyboards, mice and boxed copies of Windows and other software, a key charge of these establishments will be to highlight the promise of the digital lifestyle as powered by Microsoft in products produced by its partners or developers..
Wanted movie spawns "Fan Immersion Game"
That fabled beast, Convergence, draws closer every day. Proponents of this phenomenon believe that one of these days, all media will be intertwined -- you'll watch a movie online, see a product, click on it to launch its related website or download its video game tie-in -- that sort of thing. As the Internet matures, and Hollywood wises up, we'll see more of this happening.A step in this direction is the new "Fan Immersion Game" based on the Angelina Jolie action film Wanted. Developed by Stillfront AB, this is a web-based MMO in which players rise through the ranks of a fraternal order of assassins. Stillfront CEO Marco Ahlgren says in the press release "The concept of different fraternities of assassins lends itself perfectly to the design of a casual MMOG, and the unique objects ingrained in the property -- from ancient weapons to intricately woven hit orders -- are well-suited for a microtransaction model. The Wanted FIG provides an addictive game play experience for fans while generating online brand awareness leading up to the film release, and well beyond." Check out that marketing speak, wouldja? Decide for yourself if the game lives up to its own hype and we'll see you in the movie theaters.
Academic research on virtual worlds
It has been fascinating to see how the world and video games have changed in recent years. Video games have been a source of social and scientific research, some of which will be presented in an online conference next weekend. Some of the topics that will be covered in the three sessions include the economy, messages about the environment and future developments in the virtual world. A young lady from Yeditepe University in asked for help in collecting data for her thesis on the WoW Europe forums. The researcher, Tugce Tosya seeks to find out learn more about presence in computer games, and has chosen World of Warcraft as her population of choice. You can find her brief questionnaire online. I found it took about five minutes to complete and checks out against possible keyloggers or spyware. Any questions you have about the survey can be directed to her academic supervisor or the Information Systems & Technologies department. Good luck on your thesis Tugce, let me know if you need any help with analysis. We'd love to hear about other WoW-based projects.
Johnny Lee: Wii remote experimentation a happy accident
NWF: At the TED conference, you talked about the accessibility of the Wii and the projects you're working on, like the interactive whiteboard, the demonstration of head tracking, etc., and how that accessibility motivates you. What do you think this means for other people doing similar research, either formal or informal? Because it's so accessible, will we see similar projects? JL: I don't know. I guess if you consider the work I've done to be somewhat either motivational or inspirational, then sure. I think that would be great, to see more work like that. In general, I think there's always been room for the type of motivation that I've presented, coming up with really cheap solutions that may not necessarily provide 100% of the capabilities of some of the higher end options, but are good enough for a wider population, and as a result, it becomes attractive technology not because it's the best, but because it's the most accessible. And actually, it's probably less novel of an idea than some people might think. I've been reading a book called The Innovator's Dilemma by Clayton Christensen, and he introduced the concept of a disruptive technology, and for the most part, his definition of a disruptive technology sort of fits that description of a technology which may not necessarily provide the most outstanding performance but does have a much different price point and as a result becomes much more attractive. His book wasn't necessarily my inspiration, but I guess you could say I came to the same sort of conclusion on my own. It's been a motivator in my work, and if it's a motivator in other peoples' work, that would be great, but I don't necessarily see a reason why it would become more or less popular than it was before. NWF: Most of the other projects that we've seen that involve the Wii remote are just using it to play other games. Why do you think so many armchair developers and researchers are focusing on that aspect?JL: It's easy and obvious. I think it's sort of the most straightforward thing to do. If you have a controller that you can talk to, what else can you control? This input device has, for example, an accelerometer and an accelerometer is very good at detecting tilt, so you make something that needs tilt control, like a video game. I've also seen some projects which use it to detect the orientation of a screen, and they have a virtual ball that moves around. If it's good for detecting orientation when you rotate it, then people will start out by coming up with orientation-based ideas. It's sort of the first degree idea, and it's going to be the one people do first simply because it's the easiest. NWF: One of the other things you talked about at the TED conference was that people in schools were already using some of your ideas, like the interactive whiteboard. Do you think that any of these projects will suffer any sort of stigma when it comes to schools because they're affiliated with gaming? At its base, this is technology associated with gaming, because that's what you're using. JL: That's an interesting question; I haven't encountered that one before. My guess is that, if the technology provides an economically attractive solution, that bottom line will overcome the association with the gaming industry. In some circles, gaming technology is becoming so sophisticated that it's earning respect in more general technological appreciation circles, and people are taking games more seriously -- especially with this generation of kids who are growing up with video games and technology. Some educators would find the ability to somehow turn a gaming technology into an educational product very appealing, because you can maybe appeal to the children a little bit more. I think that, if there's an institution which says "we're not going to look at the Wii remote because it's a gaming technology," they're a little bit short-sighted, and they'll be in the minority in the coming years. NWF: I certainly agree with that! But on that same line of thought, do you think that a gaming console can help change the way society interacts with computers? JL: Yes! I think it's done so already. If you think about computing in general, it includes a wide variety of technology. Usually, when people say computers, they're thinking of something with a keyboard and a mouse, and maybe a web browser and a word processor on it. Computers include your phone, your microwave, and most living room devices like DVD players and stereos. I would argue that the video game console is in fact a computer, and in the circles that I run in, that's a relatively non-controversial concept. But the kind of activities people think about doing with a gaming console currently are limited to playing video games, and as a result, if it's not productive, people don't think it's really a useful computer. But in fact, the console is becoming a very, very powerful computing platform, and so for example, things like surfing the web become much more plausible in a console format, as does accessing on-demand video, as well as more sophisticated things like programming your digital video recorder. If you just think of this as a general computing platform, it's a channel into a wide variety of computing tasks. They may not have word processing, but it's no less computing for that. I think the game console tends to evolve a lot faster than the desktop computer, where people are really attached to the keyboard and mouse, and it's really hard to pitch a new input system that may not... well, the keyboard and mouse is so efficient that a new input system has to compete with that efficiency and cost, and thus it's always very difficult to work in that space. But in the gaming space, you can experiment with lots of different input technologies. NWF: There's so much convergence now with the gaming consoles -- they're doing so many things, like media centers, and those traditional computing functions -- and you can do so much beyond just playing games. Do you think that's connected to the kind of experimentation people are doing with the Wii remote and other consoles? Do you think that the one follows the other? Would people have thought of these things if gaming consoles weren't expanding the way that they are? JL: To some degree, I think the experimentation with the Wii remote is independent of the integration aspect of the platforms, largely because the integration of the all-in-one living room device is a corporate agenda, and the operating systems that allow the consoles to do that is not open. Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo all control that. The experimentation with the Wii remote, on the other hand, I think was an accident. Mostly because Nintendo did not necessarily intend to support open experimentation with the controller, and as a result ... I think everything done with the Wii remote was completely unintentional on Nintendo's part, and the fact that they did nothing to stop people has allowed a lot of exploration. The integration of the consoles and the experimentation with user interfaces with the Wii remote are somewhat independent of each other, though they deal with the same commercial domain of video game technology. < 1 2 3 4 >
Evergreen's Genius Navigator 365 mouse, for idiots
Evergreen's testing the limits of convergence this morning with their new ¥3,499 ($33) Genius Navigator 365 mouse. It's a 1600/800dpi laser mouse and you guessed it, a gamepad all wrapped up in a single package. Neither of which we suspect works as well as a pair of dedicated devices. Look, we may not approve of your choice for this mouse, but we'll fight to the death for your right to choose it. Ok, maybe not this time.
Japanese gamers really want their DSTV
As usual, it looks like Satoru Iwata knows exactly what consumers want -- at least, those in Japan. On the heels of his announcement of more planned features and non-gaming uses for the Nintendo DS, the TV tuner accessory hit the official Nintendo website for preorder today ... and it was so popular that the overloaded servers crashed and burned. Sounds like it may be time for Nintendo to let a few outside retailers take on some of that preorder burden, eh?
John Woo directing Ninja Gold film in conjunction with Warren Spector's game
John Woo will direct and produce the film-half of Ninja Gold, a multiformat project co-created with celebrated game creator Warren Spector. According to Woo's production partner Terrence Chang, the concept is based on ongoing factual accounts of the Yakuza and Russian mob stealing gold from South Africa. "The idea actually started with John Woo," Spector told Reuters, "He wanted to do something involving traditional ninjas in a modern-day setting, and the idea just resonated with me."The two components, the game and film, will be developed somewhat independently, while retaining similar elements that will provide a narrative link. In a departure from the norm, neither will be entirely based on the other -- think: convergence, like, totally. Though Spector has been credited as an executive producer of the film, he implied that Woo will be commanding the movie with little help from the game developers. Chang added that the film will be more reality-based (so no signature-Woo bullet ballets?), borrowing lightly from the fantastic elements of the game. Chang hopes that a script can be completed soon, so that production can begin next year. No timetable has been given for the game's development.As for Woo's other game-related project, Stranglehold, Chang suggested that a film adaptation was a strong possibility. "We would definitely bring Stranglehold to the big screen," Chang said. "We would like game titles to have all kinds of possibility. Having a movie made from them is certainly a major consideration for deciding on a title."
Michael Bay eager to put his 'world-class images' into games
Director Michael Bay is preparing to transform Digital Domain, his Hollywood special-effects house, into a full-scale, game-churning production studio, reports Los Angeles Times. Bay (Bad Boys, Armageddon) will channel the convergence between film and games through his very own first-person shooter, perhaps taking a cue from fellow cross-over director Steven Spielberg. Bay's project will be followed by as many as four additional games over the next two years, as Digital Domain's new owner, Florida investment group Wyndcrest Holdings, begins to pump nearly $100 million into the studio; in part, to purchase the equipment and bring on the talent necessary to compete in the games industry -- including chairs, hundreds of ergonomic chairs. Look for Digital Domain to also acquire several game firms later this year.As foreshadowed by the studio's "Mad World" Gears of War TV spot, Digital Domain won't be using game engines for just games. Also on the agenda will be a series of teen-targeted animated features, which will utilize machinima er, a "new" cost-effective animation method. Does Hollywood actually have anything to offer the games industry? Or are Bay & co. just hopping over the fence 'cause the grass smells greener? "I make world-class images," says Bay. "Why not put those images into a game?"
Brica's Viewart 1000 is the new jack of all trades
We should preface this one by pointing out the impossibly low $265 pricetag as a dead giveaway that the Brica Viewart 1000 can't possibly be as good as it sounds, but we'll humor you anyway. This palm-sized conglomerate purportedly acts as a DVR, media player, video camera, still camera (shown after the jump), a PC webcam, image viewer, MP3 player, radio tuner, audio recorder, text file viewer, and a handheld gaming system, and just in case this wasn't good enough, there's also support for a bevy of languages, a built-in calendar, seven EQ presets, PAL and NTSC compatibility, and a horde of cables are thrown in to get you connected. Oddly enough, you won't be doing a whole lot of video capturing on the meager 2.5GB (512MB of internal space plus a 2GB SD card) of included capacity, and the 2.5-inch backlit monitor could probably induce squinting, but when you're getting close to a dozen devices in a 3.5-ounce device, you should certainly expect a fair amount of shortcomings.[Via Gadgets-Weblog]
Sharp's AQUOS DV-ACV52 HD DVR handles DVD, HDV, and VHS
Sharp's HD DVR lineup has been steadily (albeit quietly) growing for a few years now, and while the company did loose five new offerings in the AQUOS DVR arena earlier this year, the multi-faceted DV-ACV52 has the stage all to itself now. Besides packing a built-in digital TV tuner, 250GB hard drive, and HDMI outputs, this convergence device allows playback and dubbing on a variety of formats including VHS, DVD, or DV / HDV via the i.Link FireWire connector. Other niceties include composite / S-Video outs, optical audio output, and the ability to record one OTA broadcast to the HDD while another goes straight to VHS / DVD. Sadly, we don't envision this Japanese-bound unit ever gracing US shores, but it will be making smiles across the sea next month for around $925.[Via MediaMentalism]
DS Daily: Convergence
Two nights past, during the Oscars, the first iPhone commercial aired (and promptly confused 80% of the United States, as nowhere in the commercial did it state the product name). The thing has some crazy features ... check out our blog overlord, Engadget, for details ... but it got us thinking. The whole "convergence" bandwagon has kind of tumbled off a cliff in recent years, but the iPhone certainly takes a step in the right direction. Will this paradigm of portable electronics ever be truly realized? Cellular phone gaming, in its current state, is absolutely horrendous. The PSP has some added features above and beyond gaming, but will a device ever come that can do everything really well? Well, prognosticators?
IEEE pushing 802.16m WiMAX to 1Gbps, hopes to converge with 4G
If there's one thing that we'll never be satisfied with, it's finding out just how many nanoseconds we can shave off our download times from year to year, and thankfully, the IEEE seems to get that. While it has certainly taken its sweet time with 802.11n, the task force has already voted to make 100G the next Ethernet speed, and now it's pushing to make WiMAX implementations even quicker. Reportedly announced at 3GSM, the IEEE has began working on a new version of the 802.16 standard, dubbed 802.16m, which "could push data transfer speeds up to 1Gbps while maintaining backwards compatibility with existing WiMAX radios." Potentially more interesting than cheering for speed boosts is the group's outright assurance that this protocol will meet the ITU's requirements for 4G, insinuating that it should be the token choice for further 4G developments. Nevertheless, the increased bandwidth is supposedly needed due to convergence between VoIP and various forms of multimedia (IPTV, streaming video, digital downloads, etc.), and however true that may be, some skeptics are still understandably doubting the whole "backwards compatibility" aspect. Still, the IEEE hopes to have this together by "the end of 2009," but considering the team's less-than-stellar track record in the deadline department, we're not holding our collective breath.[Via DailyWireless]
Sony exec breaks out big ideas in inaugural D.I.C.E. keynote
Convergence. Yeah, it's one of our favorite buzzwords too! However, when a well-positioned industry vet like Sony executive Yair Landau starts tossing it around, talking about blurring production lines between video games and movies, we take notice. Delivering the D.I.C.E. Summit's first ever keynote last night, as reported by GameSpot, Landau cited Sony Pictures' upcoming Ghost Rider movie as an example of a project that "combined all the specialties" of Sony Pictures Entertainment.Of course, the official movie-based game is being handled by 2K Games, so we're not quite all the way on convergence, but we get the idea. But the idea isn't new (or else it wouldn't be a very good buzzword, would it?). At last year's GDC, LucasArts and ILM delivered a case study on the convergence of games and film, detailing how they planned to leverage the unique skills of both divisions, with the next Indiana Jones being the first product of that collaboration. Maybe Sony will try something with that spy MMO Landau finished with ... but Activision's got Bond all tied up.
Hands-on with IPTV on Xbox 360
We had a chance to check out Microsoft's IPTV offering for Xbox 360, announced earlier this week during Bill Gates' CES keynote, and get answers to some of the questions that have been nagging at us since first hearing about the service. Though Microsoft hasn't announced any providers for the service yet, both AT&T and Verizon -- as well as fourteen other telcos around the world -- use Microsoft's IPTV middleware platform to provide television over fiber, so they seem like likely candidates when the service debuts holiday season '07.Of course, if you're considering the DVR functionality, the Xbox 360's anemic 20GB hard drive won't get you very far. A Microsoft rep said the file sizes are dependent not only on the resolution of the feed, but the compression used by the provider; however, one could probably assume that the Xbox Live Video Marketplace's videos would be roughly analogous in size. Regardless, we'd expect an update to the drive before IPTV launches. Because IPTV uses software, not a hardware tuner, to decode the signal, the number of streams that can be simultaneously recorded is limited solely by internet and hard drive bandwidth. In addition, IPTV is capable of offering more HD channels than other platforms, like cable or satellite. Because the service shares the same connection as your phone and internet connection, it can provide telco caller-ID and features like teleconferencing have "been discussed." Perhaps the biggest question we have is whether or not any of this functionality would (or could) be made available to gamers who don't (or can't) get IPTV service in their area. Microsoft isn't saying anything but, considering the small amount of consumers with fiber service to the home, we certainly hope so. Hands-on with IPTV on Xbox 360
Serious Games Summit: Henry Jenkins keynote
I'm here at the Serious Games Summit in Arlington, VA where the keyword of the keynote speech by MIT's Henry Jenkins was convergence. Not necessarily technological convergence -- that mythical, magical black box that will control your media and your life -- but a cultural convergence that allows a community to form a collective intelligence around a game, movie or TV show. The real appeal of media experiences today, Jenkins argued, is not necessarily the product itself, but the community that grows around it, the participatory culture that doesn't come in the box.Jenkins urged the serious games movement to keep this in mind when designing the educational and socially relevant games the conference is focused on. He challenged the diverse crowd of experts from the government, education, military, health and social change fields to create educational games that were less like a spelling bee (high on memorization, low on discussion and engagement) and more like Scrabble (high on experimentation, low on penalties for risk). Jenkins also echoed Will Wright's call for games that are interdisciplinary, that take on multiple agendas instead of just narrowly focusing on one subject.With the final part of his speech, Jenkins focused on specific projects trying to achieve these goals -- games like Revolution, a Neverwinter Nights mod that encourages students to role-play as a colonial patriot, and Labyrinth, an upcoming game that teaches math and logic skills on top of a search for a lost pet. Jenkins also acknowledged the challenges of getting these products out to market (some teachers refused to buy Revolution because of occult symbols in Neverwinter Nights, for instance), but seemed hopeful that companies could break through these barriers by joining together.
Speakers + lamp = the iLamp
Like it or not, one of the biggest gadget trends is towards "convergence" (whatever that means), so it's hardly a surprise to see home furnishing company Adesso attempt to combine a couple of speakers with a desk lamp: no prizes for guessing the product's name either -- the iLamp. The speakers connect to sound sources via a standard 3.5mm jack so non-iPod owners aren't excluded, although the built-in stand seems rather conveniently suited to the iPod's dimensions. Available in six different designs each with unique bulbs and wacky names (pictured is the "Rock On!" Architect lamp), the iLamp will set you back $89 -- a fair price to pay for convenience, or yet another iGimmick? You decide.[Via SciFi Tech]
The iPod suit, for slacking off at work
We've seen endless varieties of clothing designed to integrate with your iPod, and most of them do appear to offer either added functionality (see: all the jackets for gloved-hand control) or some modicum of security (see: Thomas Pink's shirt and tie). But a new set of duds from men's clothier Bagir -- appropriately named the iPod suit -- however, seems to be more of a solution that's looking for a problem. What make this suit so special are the soft, integrated buttons from Eleksen (creators of those fabric keyboards), which allow you to stealthily control your 'Pod from the inner lining -- because, you know, actually pulling out your DAP to change tracks during a board meeting is like totally gauche. Seriously, though, if you're really in a situation where you absolutely can't extract your iPod from its confines, it would seem that an in-line remote would work just as well -- and if you snatch up Apple's version, you even get an FM tuner to boot. Plus, if you're picking out your suits based on how high-tech they are and not how good they look, well, you've probably got more problems than the iPod suit can solve, anyway.
Nokia handset doubles as a Bluetooth mouse
Even casual readers of this publication know that we're always seeking out ways to add more functionality to our existing gadgets, so when we heard about an innovative modder who was able to turn his Nokia cellphone into a fully-functioning Bluetooth mouse, well, we knew that we were approaching convergence heaven. Inspired by Jani 'Japala' Pönkkö's LogiNoki hack (in which Jani embedded a Nokia LCD into a Logitech G3 mouse), "Pyrofer" decided to forgo the hardware modifications and instead write a Java code and corresponding Windows driver that would allow him to use his 6230i as an impromptu optical input device for when laptop trackpads and control nubbins just don't cut it. Since it's still in development, Pyrofer has yet to release his code to the public, and the Nokiamouse does indeed have some serious drawbacks; most notably, he has to hold the handset a fraction of a millimeter above the mousing surface -- which must contain distinct patterns, so no direct desktop operation -- in order for the camera's CCD to pick up enough usable light. Still, once he develops a proper Bluetooth HID for the phone to work on any BT-enabled notebook (there's also talk of a GPRS connection) -- as well as an interface for mirroring the PC's screen on the Nokia's display -- this sounds like it'll be one sweet project that could see some serious widespread adoption.[Thanks, Mike]
Evergreen's 3-in-1 USB egg
With three monitors and numerous peripherals crowding our workspace, we're always searching for ways to minimize desktop clutter, so Evergreen's new multi-functional "USB egg" showed some initial promise at first glance. Besides the unconventionally-designed speakers, you're also getting a card reader and USB hub -- not a bad way to shed one or two items from your desk. Like most things, however, the devil is in the details with this one: its speakers can only muster a 2-watt output (and forget about a subwoofer), the "hub" sports but two lonely USB ports, and the reader's got SD, CF, and MS cards covered, but where's the love for xD? No word yet on pricing or availability, but we'll go out on a limb and assume that this is an egg only a mother hen could love, anyway.
