August 2012 Inside: Spatial Analytics: Go Beyond the Heat Map August 2012
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Audio Middleware the Essential Link from Studio to Game Design
AUDIONEXT B Y A LEX A N D E R B R A NDON Audio Middleware The Essential Link From Studio to Game Design hen I first played games such as Pac Man and GameCODA. The same is true of Renderware native audio Asteroids in the early ’80s, I was fascinated. tools. One caveat: Criterion is now owned by Electronic W While others saw a cute, beeping box, I saw Arts. The Renderware site was last updated in 2005, and something to be torn open and explored. How could many developers are scrambling to Unreal 3 due to un- these games create sounds I’d never heard before? Back certainty of Renderware’s future. Pity, it’s a pretty good then, it was transistors, followed by simple, solid-state engine. sound generators programmed with individual memory Streaming is supported, though it is not revealed how registers, machine code and dumb terminals. Now, things it is supported on next-gen consoles. What is nice is you are more complex. We’re no longer at the mercy of 8-bit, can specify whether you want a sound streamed or not or handing a sound to a programmer, and saying, “Put within CAGE Producer. GameCODA also provides the it in.” Today, game audio engineers have just as much ability to create ducking/mixing groups within CAGE. In power to create an exciting soundscape as anyone at code, this can also be taken advantage of using virtual Skywalker Ranch. (Well, okay, maybe not Randy Thom, voice channels. but close, right?) Other than SoundMAX (an older audio engine by But just as a single-channel strip on a Neve or SSL once Analog Devices and Staccato), GameCODA was the first baffled me, sound-bank manipulation can baffle your audio engine I’ve seen that uses matrix technology to average recording engineer. -
Will Sony╎s Fourth Playstation Lead to a Second Sony V. Universal?
WILL SONY’S FOURTH PLAYSTATION LEAD TO A SECOND SONY V. UNIVERSAL? † SETH ASCHER ABSTRACT Sony has included a “share” button on the next version of their popular PlayStation video game system. This feature is meant to allow players to record and share videos of their gameplay. This service shares similarities with the controversial “record” button that Sony included with its Betamax players over thirty years ago. The Betamax player was the subject of the landmark case Sony v. Universal, a foundational case for the modern application of copyright law to new technology. This Issue Brief examines how this “share” feature would fare under the framework laid out by Sony v. Universal and other evolutions in copyright law. INTRODUCTION On February 20, 2013, Sony announced their newest videogame system, predictably named the PlayStation 4.1 Chief among its new features is the share button displayed prominently on its controller.2 Microsoft’s newest offering also has a similar feature.3 Pressing the share button will allow a player to post images or videos of their gameplay to the internet, sharing them with their friends and complete strangers.4 The PlayStation 4 even buffers the last few minutes of gameplay so that a player can share their gameplay video after the fact.5 Sony’s intention is to provide an easy way for players to share images and videos online. Copyright © 2014 by Seth Ascher. † Duke University School of Law, J.D. 2014. 1 Video of the press announcement is available on numerous websites. E.g., Sony PlayStation 4 Press Conference, GAMESPOT (Feb. -
The Poetics of Reflection in Digital Games
© Copyright 2019 Terrence E. Schenold The Poetics of Reflection in Digital Games Terrence E. Schenold A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of Washington 2019 Reading Committee: Brian M. Reed, Chair Leroy F. Searle Phillip S. Thurtle Program Authorized to Offer Degree: English University of Washington Abstract The Poetics of Reflection in Digital Games Terrence E. Schenold Chair of the Supervisory Committee: Brian Reed, Professor English The Poetics of Reflection in Digital Games explores the complex relationship between digital games and the activity of reflection in the context of the contemporary media ecology. The general aim of the project is to create a critical perspective on digital games that recovers aesthetic concerns for game studies, thereby enabling new discussions of their significance as mediations of thought and perception. The arguments advanced about digital games draw on philosophical aesthetics, media theory, and game studies to develop a critical perspective on gameplay as an aesthetic experience, enabling analysis of how particular games strategically educe and organize reflective modes of thought and perception by design, and do so for the purposes of generating meaning and supporting expressive or artistic goals beyond amusement. The project also provides critical discussion of two important contexts relevant to understanding the significance of this poetic strategy in the field of digital games: the dynamics of the contemporary media ecology, and the technological and cultural forces informing game design thinking in the ludic century. The project begins with a critique of limiting conceptions of gameplay in game studies grounded in a close reading of Bethesda's Morrowind, arguing for a new a "phaneroscopical perspective" that accounts for the significance of a "noematic" layer in the gameplay experience that accounts for dynamics of player reflection on diegetic information and its integral relation to ergodic activity. -
Sony Corporation – Restructuring Continues, Problems Remain
BSTR/361 IBS Center for Management Research Sony Corporation – Restructuring Continues, Problems Remain This case was written by Indu P, under the direction of Vivek Gupta, IBS Center for Management Research. It was compiled from published sources, and is intended to be used as a basis for class discussion rather than to illustrate either effective or ineffective handling of a management situation. 2010, IBS Center for Management Research. All rights reserved. To order copies, call +91-08417-236667/68 or write to IBS Center for Management Research (ICMR), IFHE Campus, Donthanapally, Sankarapally Road, Hyderabad 501 504, Andhra Pradesh, India or email: [email protected] www.icmrindia.org BSTR/361 Sony Corporation – Restructuring Continues, Problems Remain “Seven out of eight years, Sony has failed to meet its own initial operating profit forecast. This is probably the worst track record amongst most major exporters. That means that either management is not able to anticipate challenges … or they fail on execution almost every time. Either way, it does not reflect well on Sony’s management.”1 - Atul Goyal, Analyst, CLSA2, in January 2009. SONY IN CRISIS, AGAIN In May 2009, Japan-based multinational conglomerate, Sony Corporation (Sony) announced that it posted its first full year operating loss since 1995, and only its second since 1958, for the fiscal year ending March 2009. Sony announced annual loss of ¥ 98.9 billion3, with annual sales going down by 12.9% to ¥ 7.73 trillion. Sony also warned that with consumers worldwide cutting back on spending in light of the recession, the losses could be to the extent of ¥ 120 billion for the year ending March 2010 (Refer to Exhibit IA for Sony‘s five year financial summary and Exhibit IB for operating loss by business segment). -
Playstation®4 Launches Across the United States
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PLAYSTATION®4 LAUNCHES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA With the PS4™system, Sony Computer Entertainment Welcomes Gamers to a New Era of Rich, Immersive Gameplay Experiences TOKYO, November 15, 2013 – Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) today launched PlayStation®4 (PS4™), a system built for gamers and inspired by developers. The PS4 system is now available in the United States and Canada at a suggested retail price of USD $399 and CAD $399, arriving with a lineup of over 20 first- and third-party games, including exclusive titles like Knack™ and Killzone: Shadow Fall™. In total, the PS4 system will have a library of over 30 games by the end of the year. *1 “Today’s launch of PS4 represents a milestone for all of us at PlayStation, our partners in the industry, and, most importantly, all of the PlayStation fans who live and breathe gaming every day,” said Andrew House, President and Group CEO, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. “With unprecedented power, deep social capabilities, and unique second screen features, PS4 demonstrates our unwavering commitment to delivering phenomenal play experiences that will shape the world of games for years to come.” The PS4 system enables game developers to realize their creative vision on a platform specifically tuned to their needs, making it easier to build huge, interactive worlds in smooth 1080p HD resolution.*2 Its supercharged PC architecture – including an enhanced Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) and 8GB of GDDR5 unified system memory – is designed to ease game creation and deliver a dramatic increase in the richness of content available on the platform. -
DESIGN-DRIVEN APPROACHES TOWARD MORE EXPRESSIVE STORYGAMES a Dissertation Submitted in Partial Satisfaction of the Requirements for the Degree Of
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SANTA CRUZ CHANGEFUL TALES: DESIGN-DRIVEN APPROACHES TOWARD MORE EXPRESSIVE STORYGAMES A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in COMPUTER SCIENCE by Aaron A. Reed June 2017 The Dissertation of Aaron A. Reed is approved: Noah Wardrip-Fruin, Chair Michael Mateas Michael Chemers Dean Tyrus Miller Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies Copyright c by Aaron A. Reed 2017 Table of Contents List of Figures viii List of Tables xii Abstract xiii Acknowledgments xv Introduction 1 1 Framework 15 1.1 Vocabulary . 15 1.1.1 Foundational terms . 15 1.1.2 Storygames . 18 1.1.2.1 Adventure as prototypical storygame . 19 1.1.2.2 What Isn't a Storygame? . 21 1.1.3 Expressive Input . 24 1.1.4 Why Fiction? . 27 1.2 A Framework for Storygame Discussion . 30 1.2.1 The Slipperiness of Genre . 30 1.2.2 Inputs, Events, and Actions . 31 1.2.3 Mechanics and Dynamics . 32 1.2.4 Operational Logics . 33 1.2.5 Narrative Mechanics . 34 1.2.6 Narrative Logics . 36 1.2.7 The Choice Graph: A Standard Narrative Logic . 38 2 The Adventure Game: An Existing Storygame Mode 44 2.1 Definition . 46 2.2 Eureka Stories . 56 2.3 The Adventure Triangle and its Flaws . 60 2.3.1 Instability . 65 iii 2.4 Blue Lacuna ................................. 66 2.5 Three Design Solutions . 69 2.5.1 The Witness ............................. 70 2.5.2 Firewatch ............................... 78 2.5.3 Her Story ............................... 86 2.6 A Technological Fix? . -
Art. Music. Games. Life. 16 09
ART. MUSIC. GAMES. LIFE. 16 09 03 Editor’s Letter 27 04 Disposed Media Gaming 06 Wishlist 07 BigLime 08 Freeware 09 Sonic Retrospective 10 Alexander Brandon 12 Deus Ex: Invisible War 20 14 Game Reviews Music 16 Kylie Showgirl Tour 18 Kylie Retrospective 20 Varsity Drag 22 Good/Bad: Radio 1 23 Doormat 25 Music Reviews Film & TV 32 27 Dexter 29 Film Reviews Comics 31 Death Of Captain Marvel 32 Blankets 34 Comic Reviews Gallery 36 Andrew Campbell 37 Matthew Plater 38 Laura Copeland 39 Next Issue… Publisher/Production Editor Tim Cheesman Editor Dan Thornton Deputy Editor Ian Moreno-Melgar Art Editor Andrew Campbell Sub Editor/Designer Rachel Wild Contributors Keith Andrew/Dan Gassis/Adam Parker/James Hamilton/Paul Blakeley/Andrew Revell Illustrators James Downing/Laura Copeland Cover Art Matthew Plater [© Disposable Media 2007. // All images and characters are retained by original company holding.] dm6/editor’s letter as some bloke once mumbled. “The times, they are You may have spotted a new name at the bottom of this a-changing” column, as I’ve stepped into the hefty shoes and legacy of former Editor Andrew Revell. But luckily, fans of ‘Rev’ will be happy to know he’s still contributing his prosaic genius, and now he actually gets time to sleep in between issues. If my undeserved promotion wasn’t enough, we’re also happy to announce a new bi-monthly schedule for DM. Natural disasters and Acts of God not withstanding. And if that isn’t enough to rock you to the very foundations of your soul, we’re also putting the finishing touches to a newDisposable Media website. -
Folha De Rosto ICS.Cdr
“For when established identities become outworn or unfinished ones threaten to remain incomplete, special crises compel men to wage holy wars, by the cruellest means, against those who seem to question or threaten their unsafe ideological bases.” Erik Erikson (1956), “The Problem of Ego Identity”, p. 114 “In games it’s very difficult to portray complex human relationships. Likewise, in movies you often flit between action in various scenes. That’s very difficult to do in games, as you generally play a single character: if you switch, it breaks immersion. The fact that most games are first-person shooters today makes that clear. Stories in which the player doesn’t inhabit the main character are difficult for games to handle.” Hideo Kojima Simon Parkin (2014), “Hideo Kojima: ‘Metal Gear questions US dominance of the world”, The Guardian iii AGRADECIMENTOS Por começar quero desde já agradecer o constante e imprescindível apoio, compreensão, atenção e orientação dos Professores Jean Rabot e Clara Simães, sem os quais este trabalho não teria a fruição completa e correta. Um enorme obrigado pelos meses de trabalho, reuniões, telefonemas, emails, conversas e oportunidades. Quero agradecer o apoio de família e amigos, em especial, Tia Bela, João, Teté, Ângela, Verxka, Elma, Silvana, Noëmie, Kalashnikov, Madrinha, Gaivota, Chacal, Rita, Lina, Tri, Bia, Quelinha, Fi, TS, Cinco de Sete, Daniel, Catarina, Professor Albertino, Professora Marques e Professora Abranches, tanto pelas forças de apoio moral e psicológico, pelas recomendações e conselhos de vida, e principalmente pela amizade e memórias ao longo desta batalha. Por último, mas não menos importante, quero agradecer a incessante confiança, companhia e aceitação do bom e do mau pela minha Twin, Safira, que nunca me abandonou em todo o processo desta investigação, do meu caminho académico e da conquista da vida e sonhos. -
The Post Infocom Text Adventure Collection
The Post Infocom Text Adventure Collection Many of us played and loved the text adventures produced by Infocom in the 1980’s. They were rich in story and puzzles, and contained some excellent writing. In the years since Infocom’s demise in 1989, there have been a lot of good games produced using the Z-Machine - the game format that Infocom was using. This gives us a chance to make these modern-day games run on the computers of the 80’s, like the Commodore 64. I decided to create a collection of Z-machine games for the C64, and this is it. All in all, it’s 31 games, released in 1993-2015. Each game has been put into its own directory, in which is also an empty disk for game saves and a file called AUTOSWAP.LST to make life easier for people using the SD2IEC diskdrive substitute. If you haven’t played text adventures before, or feel that you never got the hang of it, you should read the chapter How to play a text adventure. If you want more of a background on Infocom and the game format they used, you should read the chapter about The Zork Machine at the end of this document. There is also a chapter about the process of porting Z-machine games to the C64 and, finally, a chapter about writing your own games. I created this documentation as a PDF, so that you could easily print it out and keep it nearby if you’re enjoying the collection on a real C64. -
On Videogames: Representing Narrative in an Interactive Medium
September, 2015 On Videogames: Representing Narrative in an Interactive Medium. 'This thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy' Dawn Catherine Hazel Stobbart, Ba (Hons) MA Dawn Stobbart 1 Plagiarism Statement This project was written by me and in my own words, except for quotations from published and unpublished sources which are clearly indicated and acknowledged as such. I am conscious that the incorporation of material from other works or a paraphrase of such material without acknowledgement will be treated as plagiarism, subject to the custom and usage of the subject, according to the University Regulations on Conduct of Examinations. (Name) Dawn Catherine Stobbart (Signature) Dawn Stobbart 2 This thesis is formatted using the Chicago referencing system. Where possible I have collected screenshots from videogames as part of my primary playing experience, and all images should be attributed to the game designers and publishers. Dawn Stobbart 3 Acknowledgements There are a number of people who have been instrumental in the production of this thesis, and without whom I would not have made it to the end. Firstly, I would like to thank my supervisor, Professor Kamilla Elliott, for her continuous and unwavering support of my Ph.D study and related research, for her patience, motivation, and commitment. Her guidance helped me throughout all the time I have been researching and writing of this thesis. When I have faltered, she has been steadfast in my ability. I could not have imagined a better advisor and mentor. I would not be working in English if it were not for the support of my Secondary school teacher Mrs Lishman, who gave me a love of the written word. -
GAME DEVELOPERS a One-Of-A-Kind Game Concept, an Instantly Recognizable Character, a Clever Phrase— These Are All a Game Developer’S Most Valuable Assets
HOLLYWOOD >> REVIEWS ALIAS MAYA 6 * RTZEN RT/SHADER ISSUE AUGUST 2004 THE LEADING GAME INDUSTRY MAGAZINE >>SIGGRAPH 2004 >>DEVELOPER DEFENSE >>FAST RADIOSITY SNEAK PEEK: LEGAL TOOLS TO SPEEDING UP LIGHTMAPS DISCREET 3DS MAX 7 PROTECT YOUR I.P. WITH PIXEL SHADERS POSTMORTEM: THE CINEMATIC EFFECT OF ZOMBIE STUDIOS’ SHADOW OPS: RED MERCURY []CONTENTS AUGUST 2004 VOLUME 11, NUMBER 7 FEATURES 14 COPYRIGHT: THE BIG GUN FOR GAME DEVELOPERS A one-of-a-kind game concept, an instantly recognizable character, a clever phrase— these are all a game developer’s most valuable assets. To protect such intangible properties from pirates, you’ll need to bring out the big gun—copyright. Here’s some free advice from a lawyer. By S. Gregory Boyd 20 FAST RADIOSITY: USING PIXEL SHADERS 14 With the latest advances in hardware, GPU, 34 and graphics technology, it’s time to take another look at lightmapping, the divine art of illuminating a digital environment. By Brian Ramage 20 POSTMORTEM 30 FROM BUNGIE TO WIDELOAD, SEROPIAN’S BEAT GOES ON 34 THE CINEMATIC EFFECT OF ZOMBIE STUDIOS’ A decade ago, Alexander Seropian founded a SHADOW OPS: RED MERCURY one-man company called Bungie, the studio that would eventually give us MYTH, ONI, and How do you give a player that vicarious presence in an imaginary HALO. Now, after his departure from Bungie, environment—that “you-are-there” feeling that a good movie often gives? he’s trying to repeat history by starting a new Zombie’s answer was to adopt many of the standard movie production studio: Wideload Games. -
Foundations for Music-Based Games
Die approbierte Originalversion dieser Diplom-/Masterarbeit ist an der Hauptbibliothek der Technischen Universität Wien aufgestellt (http://www.ub.tuwien.ac.at). The approved original version of this diploma or master thesis is available at the main library of the Vienna University of Technology (http://www.ub.tuwien.ac.at/englweb/). MASTERARBEIT Foundations for Music-Based Games Ausgeführt am Institut für Gestaltungs- und Wirkungsforschung der Technischen Universität Wien unter der Anleitung von Ao.Univ.Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr.techn. Peter Purgathofer und Univ.Ass. Dipl.-Ing. Dr.techn. Martin Pichlmair durch Marc-Oliver Marschner Arndtstrasse 60/5a, A-1120 WIEN 01.02.2008 Abstract The goal of this document is to establish a foundation for the creation of music-based computer and video games. The first part is intended to give an overview of sound in video and computer games. It starts with a summary of the history of game sound, beginning with the arguably first documented game, Tennis for Two, and leading up to current developments in the field. Next I present a short introduction to audio, including descriptions of the basic properties of sound waves, as well as of the special characteristics of digital audio. I continue with a presentation of the possibilities of storing digital audio and a summary of the methods used to play back sound with an emphasis on the recreation of realistic environments and the positioning of sound sources in three dimensional space. The chapter is concluded with an overview of possible categorizations of game audio including a method to differentiate between music-based games.