11 Games of the Future

11 Games of the Future

11 Games of the Future module overview…

1. Why Games? Spacewar! (1962) importance of studying games defining games Wittgenstein’s family resemblances DOOM II (1994) Civilization II (1996) Samorost 2 (2005)

2. Ban These Evil Games Manhunt (2003) moral panics rhetoric of the Daily Mail

4. Homo Ludens Huizinga centrality of play to human society/civilization  magic circle lusory attitude Michael Douglas in The Game (1997)

5. Pleasure, Pain and Play Fishy (2003) aesthetics (pleasure) of play reward (Poole) flow (Csikszentmihalyi) iteration (Atkins)

6. Unnatural Selection Max de Vries, Sony game development game success Heavenly Sword (2007)  games pitch

8. Digital Games and Learning John Knight digital games and learning constructivism  exploratory learning PeaceMaker (2007)

9. Sex, Lies and Videogames Ewan Kirkland, BCUC representation of female avatars gendered narratives gendered gameplay narratologists and ludologists  Grand Theft Auto (1997-) Canis Canem Edit (2006)

10. How to Cheat types of player relation to magic circle digital game cheating Pac-Man (1980) DeKoven’s new philosophy of game-playing

Summary many different theoretical approaches games from across history of the medium different aspects of playing the game games as a distinct medium and cultural form the future of the medium… Any Questions?

Predicting the Future Chris Crawford top game designer Atari in early 1980s boom time for games  many successful games: Eastern Front (1981)  Balance of Power (1985)

The Art of Computer Game Design The Art of Computer Game Design (1982) serious look at digital games: definitions, why play, genres, etc  still good 20 years on available free online (link on module website)

The Future of Computer Games final chapter: ‘The Future of Computer Games’ final paragraph… (NB 1982) 

Are We There Yet? game shops and book shops? game shops and music shops (HMV, Virgin)? software superstars, music stars, actors? game promotions = like films and CDs?  are we there yet? not quite

Games of the Future earlier in the chapter: claims for the future of games Crawford’s four points…

1. Fad of Fixture? early 1980s boom: go on forever?  past success no indication of the future “Bigger critters than Atari have bitten the dust” Atari bankrupt 1984  today’s boom more people playing, increasing sales set to continue? who knows

2. Technological Extrapolation ever better hardware? future = supercomputers, amazing graphics, etc  technology not the limitation, but artistic immaturity gameplay is what counts low spec games are still fine: Pac-man, Civilization II  today = new generation consoles: Xbox 360 (Microsoft), PS3 (Sony) increasingly realistic and immersive games? beware!

3. The Nature of Change two future tendencies in the games market:  mass market: homogeneity formulaic successful games that sell today: sequels, e.g. Tomb Raider VII clones, rip-offs, genres  creative independents: heterogeneity individual developers will produce little gems like independent films Samorost, Seiklus, Sissyfight 2000, Zombiepox, Façade

4. An Art Form games will be recognised as a serious art form minority “games-artists” will produce innovative games  an analogy for today and tomorrow…   games will mature…eventually Any Questions?

The Future of Digital Games Tom’s four predictions for future gaming Marshall McLuhan: “Never predict anything that hasn’t already happened” based on current trends and innovations…

1. New Hardware  more power = more realism more interesting = new kinds of hardware  EyeToy (2003)

1. New Hardware  Nintendo Wii Controller (2006) TV remote = wider appeal? motion sensors:sword light sabre baseball bat musical instrument orchestral baton dentist’s drill  future = new kindsof hardware

2. New Uses  games put to new uses  beyond entertainment and learning  e.g. Fizzees (Physical Electronic Energisers) virtual pet for kids = keep them healthy, etc wrist device user must act healthy: measures heart rate, speed, etc pet thrives with your own activity and exercise  Serious Games Initiative: health, education, simulation, training  future = new uses for games

3. Professional Gaming  several annual professional competitions national teams and individuals compete Counter-Strike, Quake 4, Fear  next month: CPL (Cyberathlete Professional League) World Tour (Italy, Sweden, USA, Australia and Brazil) total prizes: $500,000 Grand Prize Final: $300,000

3. Professional Gamers  some players are professionals Final Boss (Halo 2 team) contract: $1 million Tom ‘Tsquared’ Taylor (solo) contract: $250,000  spectators: at event and online from home  sci-fi blockbuster meets sporting event?  future = more professionals, more spectating

4. Players as Designers  players contributing game content gamer as designer (DeKoven)  e.g. Will Wright, creator of The Sims (2000) Spore (forthcoming 2007) bacterium > fish > reptile > mammal > self-conscious > civilization > space colonization designers create game environment players provide content: other creatures

4. Players as Designers  LittleBigPlanet (Sony PS3, forthcoming): 

Module Evaluation Forms  Module Evaluation Form (official) Module Evaluation Form (specific)

Further Reading  The Future of Digital Games: Crawford (1982, Ch7); Poole (2000, Ch10). Websites Fizzees: http://www.nestafuturelab.org/showcase/fizzees/fizzees.htm#projectarticle CPL: http://www.thecpl.com/ Spore: http://www.pqhp.com/cmp/gdctv/ Spore: http://spore.ea.com/ LittleBigPlanet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuoOosTdFiY&mode=related&search=LittleBigPlanet: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuoRp32W5l0LittleBigPlanet: http://www.gametrailers.com/player.php?id=17579&type=mov

11 Games of the Future