A lot of voices in the market predict Android will outrun Apple in the future since it's an operating system available on all kinds of mobile phones (HTC, Samsung, etc.). One reason being that it is 'completely' open-source and developers will have less barriers to develop cool content. The future success however all depends on remarkable and relevant content...
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
GDC 2010: Billions, Save Them All Social Game Teaser
A cool teaser for a cool gameconcept thanks to innovative engine use.
Is this the future of social games on Facebook?
Book available!
My book 'Laat met je merk spelen' is currently available through managementboek.nl and www.bol.com
I have just started working on the international (English) version and I am looking for cool cases that I can use in the book.
Please help me and send your links to barthufen@brandnewgame.nl using the subject header 'Case for Book'.
Thanks so much for your support the past year and please feel free to visit www.laatmetjemerkspelen.nl for a free [Dutch] abstract from my book.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Sunday, June 20, 2010
E3: Live from Microsoft's Kinect and New Xbox 360 Unveiling
Microsoft Xbox Project Natal is renamed to Kinect!
adidas Originals - Star Wars™ Cantina 2010
Snoop Dogg with a light saber, before enjoying the soccer WC match... in Star Wars? What does this have to do with Adidas?
It's fun though...
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Nintendo 3DS Video Game, E3 2010: Live Demo Part I | Game Trailers & Videos | GameTrailers.com
Nintendo 3DS Video Game, E3 2010: Live Demo Part I | Game Trailers & Videos | GameTrailers.com
The future of 3D gaming on a handheld according to Nintendo. 3D gaming WITHOUT using 3D glasses!
It's the Nintendo 3DS
Monday, June 14, 2010
Project Natal: Meet Milo
Interesting presentation by Peter Molyneux on Microsoft Xbox's Project Natal
[14-12-2010 currently known as Kinect!].
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Joseph Pine II - Multiverse
I am meeting Joseph Pine tomorrow to discuss his new book about the Multiverse... Should be cool!
Friday, June 4, 2010
My presentation at Marcom10 - laat met je merk spelen! (A Brand New Playground)
This is the presentation I held yesterday at Marcom 2010 where I revealed some of the essence of my book - check it out!
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Pac-Man key learnings and the vision of Mr. Iwatani
A small introduction of Mr. Iwatani, he has been working for Bandai/Namco (we always say Namco/Bandai?) for 30 years as producer of more than 50 different games from Arcade games to Nintendo and PlayStation. He started teaching game-design at the University in 2007.
His first reply was: "Did you analyze Pac-Man"? With a big smile on his face. I told him I did, but I would rather hear the arguments from the creator of Pac-Man, than from myself, a guy that 'just' wrote a book about games as a marketing tool. He laughed and replied...
A good game needs to be really, really easy to understand.
If the goal of the game is not clear instantly, people will not play it. If you have to explain the rules through a demo or tutorial, people will be likely not to play it. If someone has to explain the rules to you, you will not want to play it...
Pac-Man is easy to understand, you know what to do as soon as the countdown hits 'GO!'
The game also contains many psychological elements in one environment. The labyrinth is always easy to comprehend and not too complex. Eating the cookies (the big dots) enables the player to eat the ghosts instead of the other way around, which makes the players feel good. Being able to escape through the side-doors gives a feeling of 'being able to escape'.
And finally, when Pac-Man gets caught by the ghosts, the game will be slightly easier for a short period of time. This encourages the player after 'failing'.
It surprised me that so many psychological elements were deliberately put in the game already 30 years ago when games were just emerging.
My second question was 'what IS the Pac-Man' character actually? Is he a moon, a pizza missing a slice or what? The answer to that question was: he is a nice - happy -guy that likes to eat. There were also variations in games where he could eat bad things like nuclear weapons.
The third question I asked was how Mr. Iwatani sees games as a marketing tool and he strongly believes that games will be around us in the future like water. It will be a common way of learning and interacting with appliances around us, without even noticing that we are playing games. Games will be applicable more and more in everyday life.
I was also happy that he believes that serious games are not a genre. There are just games and whether you think it's fun or serious depends on the user and purpose. But serious purposes can be achieved in a fun-way e.g. using games....
About the future of gaming, Mr. Iwatani notices that mobile phones will be the future platforms especially when they interact with real-life, for instance in Arcade halls where you could play a game on a big iPad kind of table using your iPhone, while meeting friends and playing with them. When you leave, you should still be able to influence on critical issues within the game (keeping your character alive, defending your base, managing your resources / cutting wood, or whatever), but when you come back after a week you can benefit from the efforts and activities you undertook while away from the Arcade hall using your iPhone.
I hope this all makes sense, because it is difficult to explain in plain text... I will elaborate on the future of gaming shortly!
Take care,
Bart
Pac-man inventor mr. Iwatani and me
Just had a great inspiring meeting with the inventor of Pac-Man!
More when I get back to write my editorial
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Summer school on social media, and the Digital Landscape
Hi All,
for all the Dutch people that are interested in Digital Interactive Branding and Games as a Marketing tool in particular:
Come visit my presentation at Marcom 2010 upcoming Thursday at 16.00 hours. I will reveal a few insights of my book, which is about to be released, and present the best game-cases that I've seen the past year.
If you can't come - no worries. I will also present during the Marketing Online Summerschool on August 25th at the beach in Bloemendaal. This program is more extensive and I will have 2,5 hours instead of 25 minutes at Marcom. This workshop offers much more of course.
Hope to sea (see) you there!
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