Innovation

The gaming industry has been making more and more innovations every day. The online gaming industry is beginning to infiltrate many aspects of our daily lives and using it for progress. This week I want to look at some a market innovation that is catching on fast

Most industries would not first think about playing games to gain business, but the gaming industry is moving on the opportunity to advance sales in other departments. Recently the restaurant industry moved onto the online gaming industry to help sales.

Nrn.com says, "Del Taco and Qdoba Mexican Grill are two of the latest chains using proprietary or licensed games to hook consumers and their dollars. The respective online games and the menu promotions they support have associated Facebook.com and Twitter.com social networking pages and activities, as well." They are using gaming online games as incentives for buying their food. This gives the gamer incentive to eat their products by giving them extra objects and playing time in the game itself.

Nrn.com states, "At 500-plus-unit Del Taco, the chain has partnered with game producer Atari to offer patrons free playing time on the beta test site for the new Star Trek Online game. The personal computer version of that so-called massively multiplayer online, or MMO, game developed by Cryptic Studios is set to formally launch on Feb. 2."

"Del Taco has linked the game with its extra large, 44-ounce Macho soft drink, which typically sells for $1.89, and its combo-meals. Customers who make a qualifying purchase from through Feb. 16 receive a plastic collectible Star Trek cup with a peel-off activation code that can be entered at the chain’s www.startrekonline.com/deltaco microsite to receive 48 hours of free online game play."

The players by buying the food from the restaurant will gain playing time, and unlockables in the game. This is a great way to advertise the game, while getting business for the restaurant. Both Atari and Del Taco gain from the agreement, and so do gamers if they are interested in the game it will allow them to have a more interesting gaming experience. Many other restaurants have recently tested out online games for promotion as well.

These innovations change how we even eat fast food. I will be watching to see if other restaurants move on the gaming industry and begin to incorporate game into their promotional advertising.

Online games part of menu promos
http://www.nrn.com/breakingNews.aspx?id=378742&menuid=1368

Coding, Coding, Coding.

Today in class I actually got to start coding. I really didn't have that much time to really dive into the game, but got a few things accomplished. Got some more movement, and some hit recognition with vegetables that peep hit.

I am looking forward to actually seeing some results in the game, and I don't think it will be long before it comes. The thing I am not looking forward to is some of the more difficult coding problems. I am not looking forward to coding each of the vegetables and foods to be able to move independently around the screen. Creating a movement pattern for all of the objects will be difficult for me. Having a way for them to move around, and then move close as you approach.

I also am not sure how to transition between levels, and adding in info screens. Transitions will be difficult to do. Making all of the buttons go to the right thing. I hope to be able to make it run smoothly as to not hinder the gaming experience.

Local Music, Fo Realz!

I have always enjoyed music. Music is a passion of mine. Whether playing or listening, I love music. So that is why it was a natural topic for my website for Computer Mediated. Not only will I have music in my topic, but local music. I want to have a website that consolidates information about bands in the area. This will be a way for people to find out where the next shows are, find out the latest updates on local bands.

I want to be able to get in touch with the bands, and give them a way to get the word out. A way for people to find all the information in one place.

Gaming to The Masses

In today's society, just about everyone can play an online game. Kids start at a very early age to play games. Online games make it even more accessible for the masses to play games.

That is why I want to have my topic for the semester be online games. Over the years I have played numerous online games. Whether they are complicated problem solving games, or just simple point and click shooters. There are numerous online games that are free as very easy to access so that just about anyone can can play.


Online games allow people to interact together at any time. They are fun, involving, and dynamic. The games are ever changing, always giving the gamer something to play. The online gaming industry has changed how people play games. Gaming just isn't after school with little Jimmy from down the street anymore, now it can be with any number of people all over the world, whenever you want to play.

Online gaming revenue is only going up these days. Usa Today said "Last year, online players in the USA spent more than $1 billion on virtual goods, and they're expected to spend $1.6 billion this year, according to market research firm Inside Network." They say a growing trend with games is to have free play, but then online upgrades that are just one time fees. You can buy extra items that will in turn make the game play more enjoyable.

Not only is the United States spending more, so is China. China Daily states, "The market scale of online games in China reached 25.8 billion yuan ($3.7 billion) in 2009, a 39.5 percent increase over the previous year, a white paper on online game development released by the Ministry of Culture (MOC) said on Monday." Jumping 39.5% in a year is no small amount! The article also mentions that China produces 361 major online games, which 115 of those were new to 2009.

As you can see, online games aren't just something middle school boys do after school, but a tremendous industry that is only growing. New jobs are continually being formed. It is exciting to be able to learn the framework by which a lot of these games are made.

'Microtransactions' add up for free online games:
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/gaming/2010-01-19-games19_ST_N.htm

Online Game market expands to 25.8b yuan in China:
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2010-01/19/content_9341668.htm

Flash Games

I am pretty excited about this new semester. I quite enjoyed the game design class, and wanted to jump more into the Flash aspects of the class. When I heard about this class, I added it as fast as I can. It will give me more of an opportunity to work more with Adobe Flash.

For this class, I expect to be able to be more competent with flash. I want to be able to work with the software, and be confident with it. It will be cool to learn new things about flash, and to be able to figure things out more readily by myself. To know the software enough to solve problems with the code on my own.

I want to be able to create a fully functional game, that is enjoyable and innovative. It will be a lot of work, but I know that it can be done. I look forward to what I can learn, and what can be accomplished.