TEAM Ling - Live, Informative, Non-Cost and Genuine! Games That Sell!
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TEAM LinG - Live, Informative, Non-cost and Genuine! Games That Sell! Mark H. Walker Wordware Publishing, Inc. TEAM LinG - Live, Informative, Non-cost and Genuine! Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Walker, Mark (Mark H.) Games that sell! / by Mark H. Walker. p. cm. Includes index. ISBN 1-55622-950-X (pbk.) 1. Video games—Marketing. 2. Video games—Evaluation. I. Title. GV1469.3.W43 2003 794.8--dc21 2003010229 CIP © 2003, Wordware Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved 2320 Los Rios Boulevard Plano, Texas 75074 No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without permission in writing from Wordware Publishing, Inc. Printed in the United States of America ISBN 1-55622-950-X 10987654321 0306 Screen images and concept art from Warcraft® III: Reign of Chaos™, StarCraft™, and Diablo II™ courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment®. All screen shots and game titles used in this book remain the property of their respective publishers. All brand names and product names mentioned in this book are trademarks or service marks of their respective companies. Any omission or misuse (of any kind) of service marks or trademarks should not be regarded as intent to infringe on the property of others. The publisher recognizes and respects all marks used by companies, manufacturers, and developers as a means to distinguish their products. This book is sold as is, without warranty of any kind, either express or implied, respecting the con- tents of this book and any disks or programs that may accompany it, including but not limited to implied warranties for the book’s quality, performance, merchantability, or fitness for any particular purpose. Neither Wordware Publishing, Inc. nor its dealers or distributors shall be liable to the pur- chaser or any other person or entity with respect to any liability, loss, or damage caused or alleged to have been caused directly or indirectly by this book. All inquiries for volume purchases of this book should be addressed to Wordware Publishing, Inc., at the above address. Telephone inquiries may be made by calling: (972) 423-0090 TEAM LinG - Live, Informative, Non-cost and Genuine! Dedication To development teams the world over. Putting smiles on faces is never a trivial pursuit. v TEAM LinG - Live, Informative, Non-cost and Genuine! This page intentionally left blank. TEAM LinG - Live, Informative, Non-cost and Genuine! Contents Acknowledgments ...............xiii Introduction ..................xvi About the Author ...............xviii Chapter 1 What Makes Games Sell ..........1 Topic ......................2 Quality .....................3 Marketing and Public Relations .........3 Range of Appeal ................3 Cool Factor...................4 The Final Topic .................4 Part One: Topic—Setting the Stage Chapter 2 Game Genres................7 Genres .....................9 Action ...................9 Strategy..................10 Adventure ................11 Role-Playing Games............12 Sports ..................12 Simulations ................13 Puzzle or Classic Games..........13 Console Games..............13 So, What’s the Point? .............14 And the Winner Is… ..............15 Chapter 3 Licensing and Franchising .........17 To License or Not To License ..........19 To Franchise or Not to Franchise ........20 What the Industry Says about Franchises and Licenses .................21 The Final License ...............22 vii TEAM LinG - Live, Informative, Non-cost and Genuine! Contents ························ Chapter 4 Topic—Your Gaming World, Cool or Not . 23 Thinking with Your Heart ............24 Tradition Says .................26 Find the Golden Nugget ............27 Insiders Talk ..................27 Cool Factor ..................28 The Final Topic ................30 Part Two: Quality Chapter 5 Ambience .................33 Graphics ...................34 Audio .....................38 Physical Stimuli ................39 The Last Ambience...............39 Chapter 6 Story....................41 Who Needs Story? ...............41 Why Not? ...................44 Making the Story................45 Write It Down ...............45 Conflict ..................46 The Right Tool for the Job .........47 The Final Word ................47 Chapter 7 Documentation and Strategy Guides . 49 User Manuals .................51 The Writer ................51 The Strategy Guide ..............52 The Last Manual ................54 Chapter 8 Playing the Game—The Fun Factor ....55 When Is Fun, Fun? ...............55 Fun Is as Fun Does...............61 Part Three: Marketing and Public Relations Chapter 9 Public Relations—A Primer ........65 Building a Theme ...............65 Creating a Buzz ................66 Involve the Press ................67 The Last Review ................69 Chapter 10 Marketing the Product...........71 Public Relations ................71 Know the Game..............72 viii TEAM LinG - Live, Informative, Non-cost and Genuine! ·························Contents Know Your Public Relations Representative . 72 Know Your Editor .............73 Screen Shots ...............73 Demonstrate the Game ..........73 Marketing ...................74 Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) . 75 The Final Advertisement ............76 Part Four: Range of Appeal and Cool Factor Chapter 11 Range of Appeal..............79 Scalability ...................80 Technology ..................80 Switch Hitting and Cross Breeding .......83 Part Five: Been There and Back— A Few Games That Have Sold and Some That Haven’t Chapter 12 Empire Earth: Put One Up for PR .....87 Quality ....................88 Topic .....................92 Genre ..................93 Game Play ..................93 Cool Factor ..................95 Marketing and Public Relations .........96 Summary ...................98 Chapter 13 Max Payne: Cool Cash ...........99 Quality ...................101 Topic.....................102 Genre..................103 Game Play..................104 Cool Factor .................105 Marketing and Public Relations ........105 Summary ..................106 Chapter 14 Diablo II: Quality Counts .........107 Quality ...................107 Topic.....................111 Genre..................112 Game Play..................113 Cool Factor .................114 Marketing and Public Relations ........116 Summary ..................119 ix TEAM LinG - Live, Informative, Non-cost and Genuine! Contents ························ Chapter 15 Harry Potter: The Movie Sells the Game ................121 Quality ...................123 Topic.....................125 Game Play..................125 Cool Factor .................128 Marketing and Public Relations ........128 Summary ..................131 Chapter 16 Sim Theme Park: An Amusement Park in Your Home ............133 Quality ...................134 Topic.....................137 Game Play..................139 Cool Factor .................141 Marketing and Public Relations ........142 Summary ..................145 Chapter 17 RollerCoaster Tycoon: Hey, Mikey LikesIt!..................147 Quality ...................148 Topic.....................149 Game Play..................152 Cool Factor .................154 Marketing and Public Relations ........156 Summary ..................159 Chapter 18 The Sims: Everyone’s Favorite Game . 161 Quality ...................163 Topic.....................165 Game Play..................167 Cool Factor .................168 Marketing and Public Relations ........170 Summary ..................173 Chapter 19 Age of Empires II: Good, Semi- Historical Fun ..............175 Quality ...................177 Topic.....................178 Game Play..................181 Cool Factor .................183 Marketing and Public Relations ........185 Summary ..................188 x TEAM LinG - Live, Informative, Non-cost and Genuine! ·························Contents Chapter 20 Games That Should Have Sold but Didn’t ................189 Poor Public Relations .............190 Lack of Distribution ..............190 Poor Press ..................192 Poor Timing .................192 A Few That Should Have, But Didn’t ......193 Ground Control (Sierra) .........193 101: The Airborne Invasion of Normandy (GT Interactive) ........193 Grand Prix Legends (Sierra) .......194 The Final Sale ................194 Part Six: Speaking Out Chapter 21 Insiders Speak Out ............197 Jason Bell, Senior Vice President of Creative Development, Infogrames, Inc. ....197 Bonnie James, Editor, Electric Playground (www.elecplay.com)..............198 Ben Smith, Former Marketing Manager of CDV Software America ...........198 Mark Barrett, Level and Scenario Design, Voice Acting and Directing, and Story .....199 Kelly Ekins, Public Relations Associate, Strategy First .................202 Jeff Vitous, Director of Partnership Development, The Wargamer (www.thewargamer.com) ...........205 Christina Ginger, Director of Communications, Strategy First .................207 Pro Sotos, Producer, Disciples and Disciples II . 209 Dan Clarke, Owner, Gaming Nexus (www.gamingnexus.com) ...........211 Jim Werbaneth, Publisher, Line of Departure, Designer of Inchon and Britain Stands Alone . 213 The Final Question ..............214 Chapter 22 Fans Speak Out .............215 The Questions ................216 What Influences Your Gaming Purchases the Most? (Select up to Two.) . 216 xi TEAM LinG - Live, Informative, Non-cost and Genuine! Contents ························ Do You Believe the Publisher (Infogrames, EA, etc.) or the Developer (Blizzard, etc.) has a Greater Impact on How Good the Game Is? ...........218