Brian's presentation on the gaming industry.

1. By Brian Bovino The Gaming Industry

2. Alternate Reality Games Alternate Reality Multiple Media Uses clues through: Mobile phones Various online platforms Often times, ARG winners get prize money Used mostly to promote movies or television shows. Everything you know about ARGs is WRONG argues that ARGs are too gimmicky Is this an effective way to market? Is it buzzworthy? Would you play an ARG if it wasn’t associated to a movie or show?

3. Susan O’Connor on Game Writing Games are becoming more cinematic Publishers aren’t settling for bad writing anymore “Dedicated” writers are being hired to work toward the cinematic goals What does good writing do for a gaming experience?

4. Linear Gaming a Thing of the Past? Clint Hocking argues that linear storytelling models are archaic Games are becoming more interactive: Xbox 360’s Project Natal Nintendo Wii Games like Heavy Rain What is a game that lacks a linear story? Non-Linear Game Design Sandbox concept Branching Story Lines Is linear storytelling really outdated?

5. The Evolution of Game Writing Valve's Writers And The Creative Process interviews the company’s writers and asks for their commentary on the industry Variations in writing depends on the game: Re-playability Cinematic Experience Publishers are staffing writers in-house  consistency Is good writing appropriate in all genres of gaming? What other benefits do in-house writers give to game developing firms?

6. Game Developer’s Guild Union for game developers “Free agent” developers would join the guild  guild would work with game producers to source their talent Has the potential to bring the following to game production: Organization Security Standardization Is standardization something the gaming industry needs? Could sourcing from a guild could lead to lack of consistency on a project series?

7. The Birth of Social Scamming… [cough]…I mean Social Gaming Social Games include: Mafia Wars Farmville Vampire Wars Social Gaming companies like Zynga profit unethically Use faster game progression as a bribe to profit through “in-game currency” and advertising Rules have been put in place by Facebook to cut down scamming, but developers ignore them and Facebook doesn’t enforce them However… Advertisers are benefiting from social gaming The number of users continue to multiply Ethical or Unethical?

8. Reality Games: Unaware Participation Companies are starting to use this as a promotional technique Toyota’s YouOtherYou promotion “Friend” gives Toyota (Prankster) contact information of the “Prankee” Toyota then pranks the victim through emails, phone calls and text messages “Friend” can track the prank in real time from his/her computer The end of the prank results in a “Gotcha!” and somehow ties in Toyota’s new Matrix vehicle… many “prankees” were not happy at all. Acceptable Promotion Technique?