I'm fortunate to be part of a generation that grew up with video games. Many young gamers today have the same opportunity only with much more advanced games and consoles. In an industry that's really only been around for 30 years, there has been significant leaps in the technology--especially within the past decade. Here's an example of how gaming has evolved: Back in the 80s and early 90s computers were run on an operating system called DOS (disk operating system). From here you could run all of your computer's programs, including games. Games, as well as other programs, were on floppy disks which you could insert into the computer's modem and access. Now-a-days on either computers or on gaming consoles, video games are available in a variety of medium--the main two being disks in the form of CD, DVD, or BluRay format; or in a purely digital capacity. As a comparison to the memory taken up by games, Space Quest (a well-known DOS game) takes up 688 Kilobytes of memory or 688,000 bytes; whereas Infamous for the PS3 takes up 7 Gigabytes or roughly 7,000,000 bytes of information. And there is roughly a 20 year gap between the games. Ergo, within the last 2 decades the size of the average video game has exponentially grown tenfold. The popularity of gaming has also been on the rise since the turn of the millenium. This can be attributed to the increased availablity of games and their consoles. Everyone can be a gamer: grandparents, adults, teens, even young children. It is a fantastic world to live in.
But I'm rambling. When I was younger I was introduced to gaming through DOS. I would play Oregon Trail at school, Lemmings in my summer computer camp, and others at home or with friends. Of course this was long before the boon in gaming that came with the mid 90s--when the console wars began; and I didn't truly become (what I would call) a gamer until after Sony released the PlayStation. But I still have my roots in DOS computer games. Recently I've been pouring over the internet searching for programs and peripherals to download and play some of the old DOS games that began my interest in games. Finally my search has come to fruition and I have been granted access to many titles including but not limited to: The Elder Scrolls, the (in)famous Sierra games like the Space Quest and King's Quest series, and one of my favorite DOS games of all time--Scorched Earth. Having complete access to these games has given me a thought bubble--"I can do DOS Let's Plays now!" And I have every intention to follow through with that. I haven't yet decided if I'm going to have them as part of the Power On series or just as their own entity, but they will get done. Games that are not practical to do LPs of, I will still try to play and get footage to use for review purposes. I am excited about this. So be on the look out for the first DOS Let's Play (hopefully soon) when Beanie Plays: Space Quest!
Showing posts with label opinions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label opinions. Show all posts
Friday, June 17, 2011
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Updates Again
A Note from the Random Ninja:
Things are in the works which I hope will increase the audience of Power On and the number of visitors to this blog. As the 2-year anniversary draws closer, I like to keep my head held high and take pride in myself for doing this. Even though my viewer total has been rather low, I like to think that somewhere out there someone watches my insane ramblings and cares about my viewpoint of games and movies. I've had several compliments from some readers--mainly through email--but the sentiment is the same no matter the outlet. As I have stated in previous "UPDATE" posts, Power On will be continued for another "season" but will return to it's initial "review" roots rather than be just spoof videos. I plan to coordinate with my partner Kyle (of Muzak Corner) to work on the reviews and the storyline as the episodes move on. Of course, the season finale of Power On needs to come first. I am working on that as fast as I can; however, there are several factors that attribute to its tardiness. Chief among them being commitments to my local community theatre troupe. Along with being an avid gamer and outspoken opinionist of pop-media--or at least I am in my fantasies--I am an actor, writer, and director with my local theatre. This particular season, I have been involved with almost every production. This summer I am directing for the children' summer program called Fairy Tales, which is like a theatre summer camp.
Couple that with my home life, trying to find a job, and trying to plan my own wedding (sorry girls, I'm spoken for) it leaves little time to produce videos on a regular basis. Do not fret, as I am diligently working on videos.
Bad Anime Night will be reworked to fit into season 2 of Power On rather than be a stand alone episode. The finale of season one is 3/4 finished and some work is still being done with its production. Production has already begun with season 2, this is to avoid a situation where I will fall as behind as I am now. A lot of the problem is that the original season had no creative direction until halfway through. When I began I was just a small voice in a large pond. While my voice is still small, my viewer average has been steadily growing (though not as quickly as I would like it to be.)
More videos not related to Power On are in the works as well. Many of them have been on the back burner for a good 2 years--at least--however, they are on the way. I will also try to get more text reviews done as the summer goes on. I'm sure that people will be looking for reviews of the summer blockbuster movies, and I've already fallen behind by not reviewing PotC4, Thor, and The Hangover: Part 2. But you might be able to see my comments on Spoony's website about them. And unlike usual I will end with a list of definite videos and or text reviews I will do. They are not in a particular order, so don't go expecting them like this.
Top 10 video game heroes
Top 10 video game villains
Top 10 video games
Top 10 turncoats in popular media (games, movies, tv shows)
Top 10 characters from (movies and tv)
Top 10 movies
Perfect Blue--review
Bad Anime Night--a review of Defenders of Space
a review of a cheesy kung fu movie (haven't decided on movie yet)
Top 10 songs in video games
Top 10 music moments in games (these are specific moments which may or may not relate to above list)
A look at Metal Storm NES Game
Lets Play: Shadow of the Colossus (will most likely be in 16 or 17 parts due to game length.
Lets Play: Metal Gear (MSX, 1987)
Things are in the works which I hope will increase the audience of Power On and the number of visitors to this blog. As the 2-year anniversary draws closer, I like to keep my head held high and take pride in myself for doing this. Even though my viewer total has been rather low, I like to think that somewhere out there someone watches my insane ramblings and cares about my viewpoint of games and movies. I've had several compliments from some readers--mainly through email--but the sentiment is the same no matter the outlet. As I have stated in previous "UPDATE" posts, Power On will be continued for another "season" but will return to it's initial "review" roots rather than be just spoof videos. I plan to coordinate with my partner Kyle (of Muzak Corner) to work on the reviews and the storyline as the episodes move on. Of course, the season finale of Power On needs to come first. I am working on that as fast as I can; however, there are several factors that attribute to its tardiness. Chief among them being commitments to my local community theatre troupe. Along with being an avid gamer and outspoken opinionist of pop-media--or at least I am in my fantasies--I am an actor, writer, and director with my local theatre. This particular season, I have been involved with almost every production. This summer I am directing for the children' summer program called Fairy Tales, which is like a theatre summer camp.
Couple that with my home life, trying to find a job, and trying to plan my own wedding (sorry girls, I'm spoken for) it leaves little time to produce videos on a regular basis. Do not fret, as I am diligently working on videos.
Bad Anime Night will be reworked to fit into season 2 of Power On rather than be a stand alone episode. The finale of season one is 3/4 finished and some work is still being done with its production. Production has already begun with season 2, this is to avoid a situation where I will fall as behind as I am now. A lot of the problem is that the original season had no creative direction until halfway through. When I began I was just a small voice in a large pond. While my voice is still small, my viewer average has been steadily growing (though not as quickly as I would like it to be.)
More videos not related to Power On are in the works as well. Many of them have been on the back burner for a good 2 years--at least--however, they are on the way. I will also try to get more text reviews done as the summer goes on. I'm sure that people will be looking for reviews of the summer blockbuster movies, and I've already fallen behind by not reviewing PotC4, Thor, and The Hangover: Part 2. But you might be able to see my comments on Spoony's website about them. And unlike usual I will end with a list of definite videos and or text reviews I will do. They are not in a particular order, so don't go expecting them like this.
Top 10 video game heroes
Top 10 video game villains
Top 10 video games
Top 10 turncoats in popular media (games, movies, tv shows)
Top 10 characters from (movies and tv)
Top 10 movies
Perfect Blue--review
Bad Anime Night--a review of Defenders of Space
a review of a cheesy kung fu movie (haven't decided on movie yet)
Top 10 songs in video games
Top 10 music moments in games (these are specific moments which may or may not relate to above list)
A look at Metal Storm NES Game
Lets Play: Shadow of the Colossus (will most likely be in 16 or 17 parts due to game length.
Lets Play: Metal Gear (MSX, 1987)
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Pre-Order Bonuses
Within the past few years, a trend has cropped up in gaming. That being offering bonus SWAG (Souvenirs, Wearables, and Gifts) when you pre-order a video game or related media from either a game retailer or online. Many being something that you will eventually be able to purchase separately if you really must have it. There are a few however, that you can only get this way.
There are different types of pre-order bonuses with games. Sometimes the pre-order is a new quest or adventure for your hero. The most common is an in-game item or costume that is only available with said pre-order. In truth, after a period of time, some of these become available to purchase over the respective networks of the consoles. However, my favorite type is the SWAG. These are physical items that you get when pre-ordering your game - usually t-shirts with an image from the game or the company's logo; but they can range from stickers, posters and bandannas, to concept art books and soundtracks - giving you something to show off at conventions or gatherings of your fellow gamers.
But why are pre-order bonuses so prevalent? Some speculate that it is an incentive to entice more people to buy the game. But is this so? Do more people buy games when there is SWAG involved?
For the most part I would agree - especially with the American consumer. Free anything is always desired no matter what it is. However, does the SWAG go one step further and draw in an entirely different audience who may not have been interested in that game? Non-gaming culture seems to think of all gamers alike - that we all like all types of games. This is not so. There are many casual gamers who only play the big names once in a blue moon because they saw a cool trailer or add in a magazine; there are hardcore gamers who's lives revolve around video game release dates; and there are many levels in between. I myself would fall in the middle but lean toward the hardcore category. I love games, but there are only a few genres that I actually like. The same can be said for many gamers out there.
There are dozens if not hundreds of different types of games, and not every gamer may be interested in them all. Games range from easy children's games to sadistically difficult adult games. There are puzzle games, strategy games, shooter games, sports games, and a wide array of adventure type games - just to name a few. For me, I enjoy games that require you to think - puzzle, strategy, etc. I also enjoy the mindless shooter every now-and-then, as well as adventure games. On the other hand, I'm less likely to find myself playing a fighting game, or a racing game. They just don't appeal to me, likewise with sport games. And I'm sure the avid sport game player won't be seen playing the cerebral mind games. I'm not saying people who play sport games aren't intelligent, I'm simply saying that it may not be their cup of tea.
My point being that it is unlikely that simply adding a pre-order bonus to a game will draw in a new audience. For an example, the new Mortal Kombat game has an in-game pre-order bonus where you can have Scorpion's "Old School" costume from the original game. While that sounds cool, it does not entice me to buy the game. As I said, I don't normally play fighting games; and the pre-order bonus is not enough to get me to start. On the other hand, would a SWAG bonus prompt me to pre-order a game I was already going to buy? For me, that's a difficult question. I prefer to pre-order games to begin with because it guarantees me a copy come release day. This decision is not affected by the fact a game may have a SWAG or in-game bonus. However, when I find out a game has such, I will get it. But what really entices me is whether a game has a limited edition version. Normally those come with SWAG and goodies as well. Combine that with a pre-order bonus and I am in heaven.
So, the final verdict: Do pre-order bonuses increase sales of games? Yes, people are more likely to pre-order games if there is an incentive, and the prospect of getting something free that other people wont have is very appealing to consumers. Do pre-orders expand the game's audience? Possibly, for me not necessarily, but for others it may. Sometimes it's good to try out new games and see if you like them, but that's what Blockbuster and GameFly are for. Don't go wasting nearly $70 of your money for a game you don't know if you'll even like. Of course you can always trade them in at GameStop. Allons-y, and happy gaming, all.
Random Ninja Attack, March 2011, Eric Hesselberg
But why are pre-order bonuses so prevalent? Some speculate that it is an incentive to entice more people to buy the game. But is this so? Do more people buy games when there is SWAG involved?
For the most part I would agree - especially with the American consumer. Free anything is always desired no matter what it is. However, does the SWAG go one step further and draw in an entirely different audience who may not have been interested in that game? Non-gaming culture seems to think of all gamers alike - that we all like all types of games. This is not so. There are many casual gamers who only play the big names once in a blue moon because they saw a cool trailer or add in a magazine; there are hardcore gamers who's lives revolve around video game release dates; and there are many levels in between. I myself would fall in the middle but lean toward the hardcore category. I love games, but there are only a few genres that I actually like. The same can be said for many gamers out there.
There are dozens if not hundreds of different types of games, and not every gamer may be interested in them all. Games range from easy children's games to sadistically difficult adult games. There are puzzle games, strategy games, shooter games, sports games, and a wide array of adventure type games - just to name a few. For me, I enjoy games that require you to think - puzzle, strategy, etc. I also enjoy the mindless shooter every now-and-then, as well as adventure games. On the other hand, I'm less likely to find myself playing a fighting game, or a racing game. They just don't appeal to me, likewise with sport games. And I'm sure the avid sport game player won't be seen playing the cerebral mind games. I'm not saying people who play sport games aren't intelligent, I'm simply saying that it may not be their cup of tea.
My point being that it is unlikely that simply adding a pre-order bonus to a game will draw in a new audience. For an example, the new Mortal Kombat game has an in-game pre-order bonus where you can have Scorpion's "Old School" costume from the original game. While that sounds cool, it does not entice me to buy the game. As I said, I don't normally play fighting games; and the pre-order bonus is not enough to get me to start. On the other hand, would a SWAG bonus prompt me to pre-order a game I was already going to buy? For me, that's a difficult question. I prefer to pre-order games to begin with because it guarantees me a copy come release day. This decision is not affected by the fact a game may have a SWAG or in-game bonus. However, when I find out a game has such, I will get it. But what really entices me is whether a game has a limited edition version. Normally those come with SWAG and goodies as well. Combine that with a pre-order bonus and I am in heaven.
So, the final verdict: Do pre-order bonuses increase sales of games? Yes, people are more likely to pre-order games if there is an incentive, and the prospect of getting something free that other people wont have is very appealing to consumers. Do pre-orders expand the game's audience? Possibly, for me not necessarily, but for others it may. Sometimes it's good to try out new games and see if you like them, but that's what Blockbuster and GameFly are for. Don't go wasting nearly $70 of your money for a game you don't know if you'll even like. Of course you can always trade them in at GameStop. Allons-y, and happy gaming, all.
Random Ninja Attack, March 2011, Eric Hesselberg
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