5 Tips for Building your Gaming PC, Continued

Earlier this week, I wrote a blog post that outlined 3 things to consider when looking building your own gaming PC. Part 2 of this article covers the two remaining tips for constructing your PC and getting it up and running.

Part 4: Setup and construction of your PC. You’ve now picked out your parts; you have your core components unboxed and are ready to create the monster that will be your gaming PC. The most important first step that many people skip over is making sure all of their ordered parts work, specifically before you begin to put your parts into your case. It is extremely important to take this first step because it is much easier to test and swap out non-working parts before they are secured into your case. Important side note: make sure to ground yourself to avoid harming your computer parts with electrostatic discharge. In addition to this, anytime you are connecting or disconnecting parts, unplug your power supply from its electrical source, and ensure that the switch on the back is in the “off” position.

The next step is to connect your core components to your motherboard. This includes your processor, heatsink, video card, RAM, primary hard drive, and power supply. For your processor, make sure you read the instructions and set up your processor in the correct pin slots. Similarly, there are specific slots to put your RAM sticks in. All motherboards are different, so consult your included motherboard booklet to find the correct ones. For your PSU, make sure you run power to the 24-pin connector, and the 8-pin power connector to your mobo, as well as the power connectors on your graphics card.

With everything set up outside of your case, it will look something like what is picture above. In order to make sure your parts work, you will need to close a power circuit on your mother board. You can use the end of a screwdriver to do this, closing the circuit and connecting the two points on your motherboard panel titled “power switch.” I have included a picture here to show you what the two power pins look like in the mobo booklet as well as on the mobo itself, which are highlighted in red.

Note that there are only two pins you should be connecting, and the panel is located on the lower right corner of your motherboard. After you touch the metal end of a screwdriver to these two points, your computer should start up. You’ll notice the heatsink fan, PSU fan, and GPU fan all begin to spin, as well as various lights on your motherboard coming alive. If any of the fans are not spinning, turn everything off by flipping the switch on the back of your PSU and recheck the connection of your cables and parts.

Once you ensure that all of your parts are working, you should disconnect your entire out-of-case setup, except for the processor/heatsink, and begin to put your parts into your case, starting with the motherboard. Once the motherboard is in and secure, you can connect your PSU, GPU, RAM, hard drives, DVD drive, case fans, and case buttons to your motherboard. All motherboards differ from one another, so if you are unsure of where or how to connect a certain part, consult your motherboard user manual. Additionally, you can leave a comment on this article and I will do my best to address your concerns myself.

You’ll want to take your time in hooking everything up to ensure proper cable management. This will help prevent your parts from heating up and improve your case airflow. As often as you can, run your cables through the back panel of your case to reduce clutter around your core components. Once you have all of your parts in, put those case panels back on and hook up your mouse, keyboard, and monitor(s). Before you’re ready to game, there is one last step you need to take.

Part 5: Get your machine running. Once your computer is up and running, you’ll need to get all of your vital programs installed and running. For newer machines, you’ll want to install a 64-bit version of Windows. If you opted to get an SSD, make sure that you select to install the Windows OS on your SSD and not your internal hard drive. Once Windows is installed, you will be to install important drivers and BIOS. Your motherboard should come with a CD that has all of the software you need. Be wary of installing all of the software that is included on your disc, as some of the programs aren’t needed. All motherboard drivers differ, so if you’re unsure of what a specific driver does, Google your motherboard manufacturer with the driver name to find out more information. On top of your motherboard drivers, make sure to install the latest graphics drivers for whatever GPU you use. While your GPU may come with an installation disc, the driver in there will likely already be outdated. It’s also important to mention that if you are installer a newer graphics driver, you should completely remove the previous driver before installing the new one.

Once you have your important drivers installed, you can begin to put on software that will enhance your machine. For Antivirus software, I like to use Microsoft Security Essentials, as it is a low memory anti-virus that is free for Windows users and performs phenomenally. Additionally, you’ll want to install Malwareytes and Spybot: Search and Destroy. Both are great programs that should be run every two to four weeks to ensure that your computer stays spybot and malware free.

The other software you should put on your computer depend on your personal computing habits. When you are looking to install all of your software, unfortunately, it can be difficult finding all of the correct installers from each respective website. A great tool to use in order to easily install numerous software programs is Ninite. In a nutshell, Ninite is an installer aggregator: you select which programs you would like to install and Ninite then makes one simple installer, which will include everything you’ve chosen. Note that in order for your Ninite installer to work, you will need an internet connection.

Once your software is set up, it’s time to game! If you have any experience with gaming at all, you’re likely familiar with Valve and their gaming portal, Steam. If you aren’t, Steam is a one-stop-shop where you can buy, download, and play almost any PC game available. What’s great about Steam is that you can take your account with you anywhere, enabling you to log-in to your Steam account on any computer and download/play your games.

You are now a PC gamer; congratulations! Take solace in the fact that you can play almost anything, and at any point can upgrade your system to enable a better gaming experience. If you have any questions about setting up your PC or would like recommendations on parts to get, let me know in the comments.

Happy Gaming!

PAX: The Indie Game Developer’s E3 Expo

With millions of marketing dollars hard at work on games like Call of Duty and Mass Effect, do independent developers stand a chance? You bet! The games industry has reached an interesting period where consumers have begun to actively seek out indie games. Is it because traditional big-budget titles are sorely lacking in innovation? Are today’s indie gems fulfilling a need through their willingness to take risks with gripping, heartrending tales like Freebird Games’ To The Moon? Or is it simply because there are now popular trade shows like the Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) that let developers bring the games face-to-face with their target audience? It’s very likely a combination of the three, but PAX is the puzzle piece that has put the power directly in the hands of these indie studios.

According to the NPD, in Q4 2011 consumers spent $3.3 billion dollars in games outside of traditional boxed products. That includes “used games, game rentals, subscriptions, digital full-game downloads, social network games, downloadable content and mobile games,” and downloadable gaming plays a large role in this figure. Interestingly, SEGA, one of the larger publishers attending PAX East 2012, is showing eight titles at the show this year, including games like Jet Set Radio and Hell Yeah from smaller developers, while showcasing only one boxed retail game.

With a price tag of around $2,000 for 10’x20’ booth space and an attendance of about 70,000 at PAX East in 2011, PAX is the sweet spot for indie developers. At a show like this, not only can they meet their existing fans, but it’s also much easier to garner new fans, and even shake their hand, too. It’s hard not to feel special when given a chance to meet the actual creator of a game and offer feedback and encouragement. Attendees of a show like this are some of the most passionate fans, making PAX ideal for viral, word-of-mouth excitement.

Having attended PAX East since it originated in 2010, I’ve noticed a few trends – the ratio of big name studios to fresh new faces is almost 1:1, and nearly every booth location can be good real estate. A spot beside a booth like Rockstar Games may at first seem intimidating to a small developer, but with long lines wrapping around the booth, con-goers will quickly move on to the next shiny booth that catches their eye, willing to trade some play-time for feedback.

Traditional gaming expos like E3 cost developers hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars; journalists have limited time and resources to cover a slew of smaller titles that don’t generate the same attention as the AAA games. For these reasons and more, PAX has become an affordable, welcoming trade show that lets developers bring their games directly to the players. In fact, top-tier gaming press attend PAX to cover and discover the latest and greatest in indie gaming. It’s one of the few showcase opportunities where you’ll see indies honored right alongside their big-budget buddies.

TriplePoint will have a ground team at PAX East this year, manning booth #368 for Paradox Interactive and booths #548 and #448 for SEGA. Follow us on Twitter and send a shout-out if you see us or if you’d like to meet up!

Stephanie – @tigresaa | David – @dasupa1 | Dustin – @DustinBlackwell | Ryan – @ArrrMo

5 Tips for Building your Gaming PC

Launched by Pong 40 years ago, home gaming has become a staple in millions of households worldwide. Whether you’re a mobile, console, or PC gamer, the evolution of technology will continue to make all forms of gaming available to the masses. Newer, better technology will also become cheaper, which will enable a wider audience of gamers to really immerse themselves in their hobby of choice.

While the points can be argued until the end of time, I believe best way to really experience and immerse oneself into a game experience is through a PC. Contrary to popular belief, PC gaming is not dying, and PC gaming provides a more customizable experience in terms of settings, and ease of use. In addition to this, the graphical capabilities of PCs far outweigh those available on current (and most likely future) generation consoles.

Building a gaming PC is tough, with many different parts that are combined to breathe life into a gaming monster. Along with providing a sense of do-it-yourself satisfaction, building your own gaming PC is one of the most rewarding experiences for any hardcore gamer or technology enthusiast. Since there are many intricacies involved in creating that perfect gaming PC, I’ve created a list of 5 tips to help everyone, from budget buyers to PC aficionados, in making their perfect PC.

Step 1: Know your budget. There are a million different parts you can buy for your PC gaming machine, which makes for millions of different combinations. The great thing here is that building a machine on a budget is totally possible. I recently helped a friend build a mid-tier gaming machine for around $700, while on the flip side I built a top-of-the-line machine with literally the best parts I could buy via newegg.com just for fun. The cost? A cool $7,299.91. I did this just to prove how vast a difference there is with what you can build.

Another important thing to consider for your budget is whether or not you already have a mouse, keyboard, and monitor. A good gaming mouse and keyboard combo can cost around $120, and a single 23” LCD monitor will run you around $160, but these are one-time purchases that will last around 3-5 years or longer if cared for properly. When you are next upgrading your PC, you will likely continue to use the same mouse, keyboard, and display.

Step 2: Pick your pony (company). There are two companies that manufacture central processing units (CPUs): Intel (Integrated Electronics Corporation) and AMD (Advanced Micro Devices). Techradar has a great interview article that very thoroughly looks at the Intel vs. AMD debate. Personally, I have always gone with Intel processors, which are more expensive but are better for overclocking. AMD CPUs are great processors at a cheaper price than most comparable Intel CPUs. In the end, it usually comes down to personal preference and who has come out with the latest CPU. No matter which one you pick, make sure you pick the corresponding motherboard (mobo).

Just like CPUs, there are also two companies to choose from when looking at graphics processing units (GPUs a.k.a. video cards): NVIDIA and AMD. NVIDIA cards focus on providing a 3D gaming experience to gamers via additional hardware. While 3D can seem like a gimmick to some, I was extremely impressed by Batman: Arkham Asylum at this year’s GDC using NVIDIA 3D. NVIDIA also just released their Kepler series video cards, which currently beat out AMD’s 7990 series as the fastest video cards in the world and for the first time allow 3 independent displays to be run from one NVIDIA card. AMD cards, on the other hand, offer something called Eyefinity through their software, which allows gamers to plug 3 monitors into one card and get a 180-degree view of whatever game they choose to play. While setting up Eyefinity can be difficult, it provides a one-of-a-kind gaming experience that really immerses you into whatever you are playing. Flying a jet in Battlefield 3 and seeing an enemy flank me through the periphery of a side monitor was a jaw-dropping experience.

In the end, it comes down to personal preference and budget. Certain NVIDIA cards are cheaper than their AMD counterparts, and vice-versa. Remember, too, that if you want to fully utilize your video card, you will need 3 displays for your AMD card to run Eyefinity, and a 3D compatible 120Hz monitor for your NVIDIA card to run 3D.

Part 3: Pick your other parts. Since we have already covered CPUs and GPUs, we want to also look at other core components that make up computers. The most important part of a computer after the CPU and GPU is the Motherboard. As mentioned before, you’ll want to get a mobo that corresponds with your chosen CPU, be it Intel or AMD. Another thing to check is that your chosen mobo has the same socket number as your processor. For example, Intel has LGA 1155, 1156, and 1366 sockets, among others. If your CPU is an LGA 1155 socket, then you want to be sure your mobo supports an LGA 1155 socket. Other than that, ook at the SATA (Serial ATA) speed of your mobo. Most new boards will be SATA 3.0/SATA 6Gb/s. In very simple terms, the SATA number is the speed at which your hard drives will communicate with your motherboard and thus the rest of your computer. The higher the SATA Gb/s number, the faster things will run. Additionally, if you plan on using more than 1 GPU, make sure your mobo has enough PCI-e slots to run your GPUs. Asus and Gigabyte both make quality mother boards that are a great value.

Talking about SATA types brings us to the next vital part of your gaming PC: the hard drive. There are current two main types of hard drives, Internal Hard Drives and Solid State Drives (SSDs). Internal hard drives have moving parts, which can cause a lag when your computer performs certain operations. Internal drives are also relatively inexpensive, and are standard in most pre-built desktop computers and laptops. Solid State Drives have no moving parts, and thus much faster than internal hard drives. Most new ultrabooks (laptops that are extremely thin and fast, like the MacBook Air) come stock with SSD drives. Going from using an internal hard drive to an SSD is like night and day in terms of how much faster your computer speed and response rate will be.

My tip for building the best gaming PC is to buy a 60-120GB SSD to run your operating system (OS). This makes it so that all of the main tasks completed by your computer will be done much more quickly. Since you will be limited on space, you can then buy an internal hard drive to store your music, movies, and other large files. Make sure to get an SSD3 drive as they are the newest and fastest SSDs available.

When building your gaming PC, a big decision to make is what size case you want to have. The main difference between case sizes is not only size, but cable management and air flow. While significantly larger, full tower cases provide better airflow for your parts that are likely to become very hot, like your CPU and GPU. If you’ve got the space and extra funds, I always recommend getting a full tower case.

For power supplies (Power Supply Unit, PSU), there are a few things to consider. A regular PSU comes with all of the connection cables already attached, whereas a modular PSU comes with fewer cables attached, but enables the users to attach additional, included cables, should they need to. Newegg has a very handy Power Supply Calculator which you can use to figure out just how much power you need for your new system. There are a lot of cheaper PSUs that look nice but don’t perform well, so stick with brands like Cooler Master, NZXT , Thermaltake, and XFX to ensure you are getting a quality PSU. If you’re going to be running more than one video card or any additional cooling, it’s better to have a higher wattage for your power supply.

The last parts you need to complete your gaming PC are Random Access Memory (RAM) and a CD/DVD Drive. RAM is additional memory your computer uses to perform intensive tasks. If you plan on doing any heavy photo or video editing with your machine, I would recommend grabbing 12GB or 16GB of RAM to ensure a smooth experience. For gaming, 8GB of Corsair Dominator or Corsair Vengeance will do the trick. Make sure your RAM frequency is compatible with your chosen mother board to avoid an unnecessary headache. Additionally, if you ever opt to upgrade from 8GB to 16GB, make sure the second 8GB you buy is the same make and type of the first 8GB you bought.

While they are becoming more obsolete, for desktop PCs I think it’s still important to grab a CD/DVD reader/burner for when you do get the occasional physical copy of a game to install. In addition, it’s important to get an aftermarket CPU Fan (heatsink) or liquid cooling for your CPU if you plan on overclocking your PC. A heatsink is like a radiator for your CPU, and while all CPUs come with a stock heatsink, these cannot handle the massive heat generated from an overlocked PC. If you try to overclock your CPU without a heatsink or liquid cooling, you could damage and possibly ruin your CPU.

That’s it for steps 1 to 3. Check out the follow-up article with steps 4 and 5: how to assemble your PC and how to get yourself up and gaming.

Window-Shopping: Whether to Put Your Game in a Browser

You’re getting ready to unleash the best game ever upon the unsuspecting public. This game is addictive, clever, charming, challenging, and fun as hell. The design is coming together nicely, the art is jaw-dropping, and your focus testers love it – even your mom loves it, and she doesn’t even play video games. All anybody wants to know at this point is, when and where can I play this thing? So, what’s your answer – can they download it, or can they play it in their browser?

Before you answer, take a moment to consider the major differences between releasing a browser-based game and a dedicated, standalone application. Better yet, take a moment to consider how many differences don’t exist between the two as of recently. Browser games have come a long way since the Bejeweleds and Desktop Tower Defenses of the world first began to appear. Not only have programmers gotten more out of Flash, but new platforms like Unity, Silverlight, and HTML5 now allow for the kind of rich game visuals, animation, and sound that one would expect from standalone games. The Chrome Web Store, in fact, offers a browser version of Bastion – graphically and functionally identical to its Xbox and PC counterparts – that will run in one tab while you read this blog in another.

If browser games can deliver everything that non-browser games can, is there a difference at all? Why shouldn’t everybody go with the browser route, and all of the accessibility and compatibility that comes with it? The answer is because, as capable as the browser may be, it is still a platform that isn’t a perfect fit for every game. It’s an issue of presentation: not everybody wants to browse and play at the same time.

Think about the word “Browse.” Merriam-Webster defines browsing as the act of “looking over casually,” or “to skim through.” While most of us frequently use a Web Browser throughout our days with a bit more purpose or direction, the meaning still applies. How many tabs do you have open right now besides this one? Five? Ten? A few dozen? The modern browser user is accustomed to multi-tasking, frequently changing focus and giving each tab only as much attention as it absolutely needs.

Framing and presentation are an important part of an experience. You wouldn’t want to watch Schindler’s List or The Shawshank Redemption at a matinee full of laughing children, nor would you want to try to take in van Gogh’s Starry Night through a telescope. When you play a game in a browser tab, you’re engaging in casual gaming. This isn’t to say that browser games are inherently “casual games” –we’ve already established that browsers can deliver “hardcore” games like Bastion, or 3D MMOs like FusionFall, or games from any genre. It’s that you are playing the game casually, giving it half your attention, and allowing for perpetual interruptions from the rest of your desktop.

This is appropriate for any number of games: any title meant to be consumed in brief, bite-sized chunks of time, or any turn-based affair makes a perfect fit in a browser tab. Being able to flick over to a simple Facebook game like Solitaire Blitz or Triple Town, play for 90 seconds, and jump right back to another task is wonderfully convenient. There are even games which stray towards the “hardcore” side of the fence, with tricky gameplay and emphasis on immersion and difficulty, yet are broken up into discrete instances or turns. For the typical multi-tasker, these experiences are great diversions to keep open alongside their email and news feeds.

Other games, however, demand the full measure of their players’ attention. How is a game like Deus Ex expected to establish the suspense of stealth or the intensity of a firefight if the player keeps glancing up at his Twitter feed? Who would want someone on their Modern Warfare team who kept idling during the match in order to read a new round of Huffington Post articles? There is a reason these games typically run in a full-screen format. More than just idle diversions, these are experiences that are trying to establish stories, characters, and moods, and you’re doing them – and yourself – a disservice if you’re not paying attention.

Some may argue that many browser games, from the average Facebook farming facsimile to the aforementioned Bastion, also give players the option to run in full-screen. If that’s the case, however, then the entire question of presentation is rendered moot. If a game operates as a discreet, non-streaming download, and occupies your full attention when in use, then the only real differences are technical – is your delivery mechanism a browser, or some other digital distribution platform like Steam or Impulse? Which one will provide you with the biggest audience? Is your company able to build a game that fits into HTML5 or Unity, or will you have an easier time developing your own code structure?

As technology improves and these differences continue to evaporate, the question of presentation will remain as the deciding factor for your game. To those who still doubt the value of environment and framing, consider the famous experiment run by the Washington Post, involving world-renowned violinist Joshua Bell playing anonymously in a Metro Station, to the utter indifference of a thousand people. Now, imagine that you’re Joshua Bell, and the game you’ve crafted carries the majesty and spirit of Bach’s “Chaconne.” Do you present it in a proper symphony hall setting, or does your audience pass right by because it’s just one more bit of fluff in their busy day?

Organic Twitter Buzz Beats All

Organic vs. non-organic buzz – Celebrities (and ordinary players) create both types of buzz for Temple Run. Non-organically speaking, they simply tweet their score using the in-game prompt. Organically speaking, they go out of their way to create original content.

Free PR tip! All mobile games should have a social media sharing element integrated in some way because, put simply, people love to brag. Who better to broadcast your skills and high scores to than a horde of Twitter followers? If it’s quick and players don’t have to log out of the game to use it, players will be more likely post a score. Also, if they use the prepared message that’s auto generated, the product’s positioning is conveyed to an audience exactly as intended. This may then in turn lead to more organic conversations down the line and organic buzz gives more tangible, relatable validity.

Why is organic chatter is the best kind of chatter? Especially among celebrities with a fan following?

Celebrities use Twitter to inform their fans about everything – what they’re doing, where they’re going, when they’re performing, and most relevant here – what games they’re playing. Often times, they’re playing incredibly popular mobile games, Temple Run not being an exception. Temple Run has made waves with players through its viral features and “just one more run” gameplay and it’s an interesting case study to examine some of the celebrity chatter about it—just try and beat LeBron James or Mary J. Blige’s high score!

Celebs are starry-eyed when talking about Temple Run, and if you pay close attention, they’re “talking” about the game in two different ways: (1) non-organically reporting their score with the in-game prompt and (2) organically tweeting new content.

Non-organic (boring ole) buzz
Share

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I got 1,042,734 points while escaping from demon monkeys in Temple Run. Beat that! t.co/eD4FAOsj

Erin Sanders

Wed, Feb 01 2012 03:35:07

Reply Retweet
Share

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I got 7,740 points while escaping from demon monkeys in Temple Run. Beat that! t.co/1XwwxKAk

Mary J. Blige

Sun, Feb 12 2012 04:37:29

Reply Retweet
Reporting high scores to fans/followers is made possible with the tweet icon that presents itself after you’ve completed a temple run. The button makes it easy and quick to share your score with friends, which takes no effort as the tweet is auto-generated for the player with their score and a taunt inserted. The reach of a celebrity’s tweet is further extended when fans retweet to their followers, giving the game buzz legs and longevity. The tweet below from NBA star “King”LeBron James had 50 retweets and favorites. In addition, 3 million followers could equal 3 million potential impressions, and they may in turn also go download Temple Run.
Share

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I got 1,032,164 points while escaping from demon monkeys in Temple Run. Beat that! t.co/bRr0HnMx

LeBron James

Mon, Jan 23 2012 02:26:19

Reply Retweet
Though this type of social buzz is great, there is better…

Organic (from the horse’s mouth) buzz

Conversational chatter also exists among celebrity Temple Run players and it has even longer legs than auto-generated score updates. For example, soccer star Tom Cleverley’s tweet had 50 retweets and 27 favorites, and Wayne Rooney’s tweet had 50 for both forms of feedback.
Share

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Only gone and smashed 12.1 mil on temple run!

Tom Cleverley

Tue, Feb 28 2012 10:13:46

Reply Retweet
Share

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4.5 million on temple run. Pogba young @tomclevz23 and welbeck beat that.

Wayne Rooney

Mon, Feb 06 2012 14:47:05

Reply Retweet
Share

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Wow just got 12.5 million on temple run @tomclevz23

Wayne Rooney

Tue, Feb 07 2012 08:54:32

Reply Retweet
This kind of conversation is pure product promotion without sounding like it. (AKA: PR gold.) It’s actually integrated into the discussion and looks natural, not “in your face” promotional. Not only do celebrities challenge each other’s scores, they vent their frustrations about the game…
Share

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Man I am bad at temple run going to throw this phone at te wall

Henri Lansbury

Wed, Feb 29 2012 09:20:10

Reply Retweet
Their love…
Share

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Man I’m seriously addicted to #TempleRun #GameApp

LeBron James

Mon, Jan 16 2012 02:51:06

Reply Retweet
And they even use it as a pick up line…
Share

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Hey baby I broke 3 million on temple run wanna make out?

Vinny Guadagnino

Fri, Feb 10 2012 18:01:19

Reply Retweet
Temple Run social buzz isn’t exclusive to Twitter either, check out the Instagram photo above — think you can beat Justin Bieber’s high score?

Temple Run has made enough of an impact on these celebritiesthat they’ve actually gone out of their way to write original content about it -not just send out the preset tweet. You cantell this content is uniquely/organically from the celebrity because you can see where the tweetsoriginated. When tweets come from the in-app option, it says so. However, the original tweets (shown here) were sent via Blackberry, iPhone, Twitter, etc. Long story short, Temple Run is interesting enough to generate organic buzz among celebrities, and, whatever this is…
Share

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I done messed around and played Temple Run on the toilet and my legs went to sleep. Smh

Charlie Bell

Thu, Feb 23 2012 08:16:08

Reply Retweet
Organic buzz is important,especially when it comes from someone with a large following, but no matter the reach, it gives additional validity to the product you’re promoting without outright promoting it. It’s getting the product name out easily and when you have celebrities tweeting, their posts will most likely have legs, get “favorited” and retweeted many times over, exponentially increasing viral reach.

Thanks to Storify for making this blog post pop.

Imangi (Temple Run developer) is a TriplePoint client.

TUAW Previews Shadow Government iOS

“Shadow Government was probably the most fascinating game I saw at GDC.” – Mike Schramm, TUAW

Excerpted from Shadow Government tries to combine real-world policy with casual gameplay on 3/14/2012 for TriplePoint client, Playmatics

Play the news for yourself when Shadow Government launches on the iOS App Store later this year.

Steve Jobs vs. Ezio Auditore: On Leaving Behind What You Started

I think it is fair to say one of the biggest fears we all share is that we will be unable to finish what we started; that we will die before our dreams can ever come true. I know that fear is always at the back of my mind. When it was announced that Steve Jobs, age 56, passed away last year, I couldn’t help but wonder: in his final moments, was he satisfied with the state of Apple or at least satisfied with Apple’s current path of development as a company? Did he feel like he completed what he set out to do?

Those same thoughts rushed back in my head when I finished Assassin’s Creed: Revelations. For those not familiar with the series, one of the main protagonists, Ezio Auditore da Firenze, joins the Assassin brotherhood and leads it in the fight against the Templars and, of course, avenges the death of his father and brothers who were killed at the hands of the Templars. In Revelations, the last game in the series to feature him, Ezio Auditore, age 52, [SPOILER] moves on with his life and announces that he has done everything he could to leave his legacy:

“I have lived my life as best I could, not knowing its purpose but drawn forward like a moth to a distant moon.

“And here at last I discover a strange truth, that I am only a conduit for a message that eludes my understanding.

“Who are we? We have been so blessed to share our stories like this, to speak across centuries. Maybe you will answer all the questions I have asked. Maybe you will be the one who will make all this suffering worth something in the end.”

(Watch the speech.) [/SPOILER]

I always had immense respect for people who saw through everything they started through to the end, like people who start their own company and run it until the day they die, and friends of mine who started student groups in college and put all the sweat and blood they could into them until they graduated. But when I put Assassin’s Creed: Revelations down for the last time, I realized I have even more respect for people who can accept that seeing something through to the end is not possible, that our biggest fear—being unable to finish what one started—has indeed come true, and the only way around it is to gather all the strength within us to simply move on.

By their 50s, both Steve Jobs and Ezio Auditore da Firenze have left a legacy, one in technology and the other in the survival of freedom. Both gained some degree of a negative reputation by using questionable means towards their goal, one in his apparent treatment of colleagues and the other in the death of many. And both were only conduits for a message—a dream—that might not have been realized in their lifetime.

I believe that we can only take solace in one fact: when one has a dream so large in scope, perhaps there is no way for one individual to reach such a pinnacle, if it exists at all, in their lifetime. Perhaps the only dream or pinnacle one can hope to reach in a lifetime is the lifelong pursuit of it. If we each are already pursuing a dream then perhaps there is nothing left to be afraid of.

Attracting the Non-Gamer

Last week, while chatting around my kitchen table with a friend, she pulled out her phone and proceeded to play a round of Temple Run while we continued our conversation. Taking a cue from her, I whipped out my phone and began playing as well. And there we sat, talking as we individually played our games; eyes on our phones, concentration focused on not running into a tree or getting attacked by demon monkeys. As a non-gamer (I am reluctant to identify myself even as a casual gamer), this was an extremely unusual situation for me to be in. I have never connected with friends over Xbox LIVE or hung in on a Friday night playing Mario, but I am increasingly finding myself in situations where I am bonding and interacting with my friends over an iOS game.

I have never, ever, been a “gamer.” I may have dabbled with some Sims or Guitar Hero, but prior to installing Temple Run I had gone years without repeatedly playing any videogames. While a love of videogames was something I could conceptualize, comparing it to my love of books, it was never something that I personally experienced. I blame that on my horrible hand-eye coordination.

There are roughly 100,000 games currently available in the App Store. The mobile gaming market has grown exponentially in recent years, garnering attention from people who have never owned a console or handheld gaming device, but who own a smartphone. The smartphone has quickly captured a previously untapped market of gamers, getting Dad — who hasn’t played a video game since Centipede at the arcade — to spend spare moments slinging birds at pigs. Recently, the success of mobile gaming has even sparked discussion on the end of handheld devices.

As an iPhone owner for years, I still was never attracted to the games that entertained my friends, using my phone primarily for email and, well, phone calls. There was a gaming revolution occurring around me, but I was primarily immune to the draw of the game. What about Temple Run changed it all for me? As a self-proclaimed non-gamer, I base my addiction on its quick and consistent gameplay. I can pick it up on my two-minute subway ride or do back-to-back runs for an hour and it’s the same enjoyable game. Graphics are irrelevant to me. As someone who has never consistently experienced the almost life-like animation of certain console games, the visual gaming components are not high on my list of importance. Instead, it is the extremely simple, repetitive, yet exciting gameplay that keeps me starting up the only game I have on my iPhone. And small allusions to my childhood fictional idol — Indiana Jones — didn’t hurt at all.

Temple Run breaks taken while writing this blog post: 5

*Imangi, the studio behind Temple Run is a TriplePoint client.

The Gaming Culture Shock

Last semester, I was fortunate enough to have a once in a-life-time opportunity of studying abroad in Korea, my motherland. Born in Korea but having lived most of my life in the United States, I consider myself to be more aligned with American customs and lifestyle and as a gamer, I am well-cultured in American games. So on a trip to dabble in Soju, Korean rice wine, and explore my roots, one of my main goals of studying abroad was to also educate myself in the Korean gaming culture.

When considering the possibility of culture shock, one usually imagines having to adjust to a foreign country’s language, food, and other cultural practices. For example, many of my friends had trouble adjusting to Korea’s numerous delicacies. While most of them were already introduced to the basic Korean barbecue (Galbi, Bulgogi) many of my friends had trouble eating raw seafood, like live octopus legs that stick to your throat. Luckily, in my case, I had no problem with Korean food. However, I was unprepared for the major differences I would find in Korea’s gaming culture.

First, to understand Korean gaming culture, I found that we have to consider games not only as gaming commodities but also as sports. Like a sports team, professional gamers in Korea join teams that are sponsored by companies and becoming a professional gamer in Korea is more of a career choice. With tremendous support and sponsorship from entrepreneurs, professional gamers can earn a steady income. Therefore, it is common to see professional gamers promote their companies’ products or serve as spokespeople on television ads. It is also common to see the face of a professional gamer on consumer goods such as energy drinks, cup noodles or other snacks. Prominent Korean gamers acquire a huge fan base. When I was at a shopping mall observing a competition between two Starcraft gamers, I was astonished to see a group of girls cheering as if they had just seen the pop sensation, Justin Bieber.

E-Sports, also known as electronic sports, receive a lot of media coverage in Korea. While E-Sports compile of numerous video games, the Starcraft franchise draws the most coverage and fans. The Starcraft franchise is the most recognized game and product in Korea. Kids, teenagers, and adults of all ages know about this game not necessarily just because they have played them, but because Korea has a reputation to produce the best professional Starcraft players. With multiple TV channels dedicated to gaming, broadcasts of live or recorded Starcraft games are narrated by announcers and analyzed by game enthusiasts. Similar to John Madden and the NFL, announcers in Korea share the same enthusiasm and passion for E-sports. Moreover, announcers provide play by play commentaries, professional opinions, and in-depth critiques. Other programs include interviews, reality shows, and variety shows that star and feature professional gamers.

From my study abroad trip, I was surprised by the extent gaming was socially accepted and even applauded in Korea. Seeing that one can make a living by playing video games and getting a look at how mainstream media covers video games in depth, I realized that gaming in the United States is not as widely followed and celebrated. Professional games are celebrities in Korea. They have a strong fan base, reality TV shows, and media coverage that give recognition to their profession. Moreover, because professional gamers are seen on TV or on consumer goods, an average consumer can easily recognize a professional gamer. However, in the United States, gaming is still considered a leisure activity that does not fall in media’s agenda. It’s fair to say that E-Sports has a more tight-knit following in the United States rather than the mainstream following in Korea. Because narrated Starcraft games are almost never televised in the United States, fans rely on the internet as the primary way to find coverage of E-Sports. Moreover, the only people in the United States who watch E-Sports or recognize professional gamers are fans who actively seek and follow E-Sports. Because of the limited mainstream coverage, professional gamers in the United States do not receive the same recognition and fame as professional gamers in Korea. More or less, it seems almost impossible that we would see the face of a professional gamer on a cereal box or a soda can in the U.S.

GDC 2012: TriplePoint Client Preview

TriplePoint is bringing the heat to this year’s Game Developers Conference (GDC 2012). And by heat, I mean a menagerie of clients with cool games and gear. (Obviously.) People keep asking what we’re up to, and it’s no secret, so… OK, actually, there are some secrets. If I told you everything in this preview, what would be left for next week? Let’s just call this a sneak peek and get going already.

TriplePoint’s GDC 2012 client catalog:

In alphabetical order, because we love all our clients equally…

Frima (Multiplatform)

Frima Studio is flying in all the way from Quebec City Canada to tease a variety of titles in their original IP lineup including:

Lives & Death: A dark, adventure game in development with comic book legend Marv Wolfman for XBLA and PSN. A trailer, screenshots and concept art will be available.
Nun Attack: A tower offense game in development for iOS that puts the player in control of an elite squad of attack nuns. Extensive screenshots and character bios will be available.
A Space Shooter: A retro arcade style shoot em’ up available now for PSN, iOS, Android and Kindle Fire. Playable iPad demo available.

Frima’s booth will be located at Kiosk #10 inside of GDC Play. Contact zfuller (at) triplepointpr (dot) com for appointments.

Papo & Yo (PSN)

Papo & Yo, the PSN puzzle platformer already getting nods as one of 2012’s most anticipated titles, will be on the GDC show floor in Sony’s PSN section, showing a new gameplay demo. As Quico, a young boy, players travel through the surreal world of Papo & Yo with companions Lula, a robot, and Monster, a monster. Need assistance getting in on all this awesome? Contact joleary (at) triplepointpr (dot) com.

Paradox (PC)

Paradox Interactive is doing 2 cool things at GDC that you should know about. THE FIRST COOL THING: Showing off four indie games at the oh-so comfortable Paradox loft on O’Farrell and Powell, not far from the Moscone. Three titles being shown are unannounced; one of them is the new project from the Magicka development team. And they are:

A Game of Dwarves, from acclaimed independent developer Zeal Game Studio
Project “JFK” by Arrowhead Game Studios, creators of Magicka
Project “Revenge!” by Brazilian dev team Critical Studio
Project “Silverado” from Zeal Game Studio

THE SECOND COOL THING: Paradox is hosting a multiplayer event on Tuesday March 6th at 4pm! The game being shown is War of the Roses (from Paradox and Fatshark). It’s basically going to be a kick ass LAN party with beverages and what not. Think: Battlefield meets medieval combat. Want more details? Need some help? Hit up dmartinez (at) triplepointpr (dot) com.

RocketChicken (iOS)

Developers from RocketChicken are flying in from the great white north (or just Vancouver, if you prefer) to demo their new location-based ARG iPhone app at GDC next week. An ARG iOS app? Yup. It’s called CodeRunner and, in it, you get to be a badass spy. You get to interact with OTHER badass spies. You can to leave “dead drops” all around the real world (which can be physical or picture clues left via riddles). AND the game has incredible production value, from voice acting to video.

Furthermore, I think you should check this out because our content manager has been running around San Fran all week setting up geo-locations for the demos. I need him back, and you need this game. CodeRunner details are here. Contact pklugman (at) triplepointpr (dot) com for appointments.

Shadow Government (iOS)

Play the news, rule the world. That’s right, you heard me. Shadow Government is the brain child of Playmatics, one amazing development team and a heap of government data from the Millenium Institute. It’s a little hard to explain, which is why it’s great news that the game’s creators are giving a talk next week to tell YOU all about it. Meantime, read more here.

Shadow Government is a reality-based social game for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, and is set to enter closed beta next week. In addition to formal GDC talks by one of the Playmatics founders, Nick Fortungo, you can also catch the creators AND THE FIRST EVER PUBLIC DEMO at the Swiss Game Arcade on Tuesday evening. RSVP for that, stat. If you’re a reporter and you want to meet with the development team outside the Swissnex event, please contact kate (at) triplepointpr (dot) com.

Sketch Nation Studio (iOS)

This iPhone app is more than a game – it’s a toolkit that allows you to build your own games, then sell them for REAL MONEY on the ACTUAL APP STORE! Draw your game’s characters and scan them in, or create them using the in-app painting tools. Then create your game, whether it’s a shooter, free-runner, platformer, racing game, the sky is the limit! It’s totally free, and players can earn in-game currency by selling their hand-drawn assets in Sketch Nation Studio. For more info, please contact rjones (at) triplepointpr (dot) com.

SweetLabs (Pokki)

I said SweetLabs, not sweetbreads. This company is sweet nonetheless, and they’ll be showing off their new Pokki platform next week in the Intel booth (#1024 ) during show hours. Oh but THAT’S NOT ALL, friends. SweetLabs will also be hosting a panel on Tuesday as part of the Social & Online Games Summit (with Dan Hsu as moderator and execs from EA, Digital Chocolate and Kabam). During GDC, SweetLabs will also be announcing the winners of their $50K developer challenge, honoring top original game submissions. You can schedule a chat with SweetLabs co-founders by contacting dblackwell (at) triplepointpr (dot) com.

What does Pokki do? It brings awesome apps to your desktop. That’s what.

More, you want more detail? Oh alright. Pokki’s app platform is transforming the “desktop” experience with games from the likes of Kabam, EA and Digital Chocolate, in addition to other multimedia and communications apps. That means better discovery and increased engagement for game publishers through one-click access to content via desktop apps. Pokki enables developers to create full-featured desktop apps for Windows 7 using HTML5, which currently includes apps such as EA’s Madden NFL Superstars, Kabam’s The Godfather: Five Families, Rdio, Gmail, Facebook and Twitter.

Was your favorite TriplePoint client not on the list? It doesn’t mean they won’t be at GDC in some capacity next week. Maybe their stuff was simply TOO secret to talk about yet ;]

Couples Who Game Together Stay Together

There’s something you’re forgetting… What is it? It’s right there – on the tip of your tongue…are you getting that sinking feeling yet? Yep! It’s Valentine’s Day! We know some of you out there probably waited until the very last second to get your cards and gifts. You might be scrambling around like a crazed lunatic trying to think of the most romantic present possible for your loved ones. Chocolate? Jewelry? Flowers? Dinner at a fancy shmancy restaurant? What about something a bit more original? Perhaps sharing the satisfaction and experience of destroying some zombies or shooting down enemy forces with shotguns and sniper rifles could top the list this year!

We’ve all seen the viral videos of girlfriends taking a hammer to their boyfriends’ beloved PS3s or Xboxes. There’s a stereotype out there that video games are for little kids and people in serious relationships should have outgrown them. While it’s true that a handful of gamers may over-indulge in screen time, it is also true that a healthy and balanced level of gaming between couples can actually strengthen relationships!

In an issue of Women’s Health Magazine, LA-based social psychologist Susan K. Perry, PhD, stated, “Playing video games allows you to bond and learn how to problem-solve as a team.” Whether you’re teaming up against others or battling each other, video games are a great way for couples to spend time together and to develop mutual respect in a new dimension of their relationship.

Plus, it opens up a new world of gift-giving. Maybe your significant other will get really excited about an upcoming RPG, first-person shooter, or social game – all great gift opportunities! So, this Valentine’s Day, why not start a new tradition?

If you need some ideas for starters, here are a few games I’ve enjoyed playing in a team of two. They don’t exactly scream “hard-core gamer” but they are definitely ways to ease a newbie into gaming! Guitar Hero, Lego Star Wars or Harry Potter, Mario Kart, and Little Big Planet.

IndieCade: Video Games’ Sundance

Last week, in our lead-up to GDC, we advised visitors to makes some time to stop by the Independent Games Festival (IGF) Pavilion for a look at what’s happening in the world of experimental and original games. Maybe you’ll be too busy with other GDC duties, though, or maybe you just can’t make it out to San Francisco this year. Maybe you just need more indie gaming – a distinct possibility! That’s where IndieCade comes in.

IndieCade doesn’t make indie gaming part of a larger gathering – it is the gathering, happening October 4^th – 7^th in Los Angeles. The LA Times calls it “the video game industry’s Sundance.” You’ve got networking, workshops, awards, bastions of the scene (and maybe scenes from Bastion?), and a great big street fair full of games, all open to the public.

The door has just been opened for submissions, and IndieCade is looking to bring in the indies by the (humble) bundle: Any team that submits a game automatically receives a pass to the main festival, and an invitation to participate in “IndieXchange,” which is “a day long program offering practical workshops, networking opportunities and one-on-one meetings with art leaders, publishers and potential funders.” Games can be ready to ship, or can be works-in-progress.

Got a game you want others to play? Want to play some games made by others? Want to get in on a city-wide game of zombie tag? Check out the festival’s website and keep your October calendar clear.

Surviving GDC 2012

The 2012 Game Developers Conference (GDC) is still well over a month away, but the program is steadily coming together in anticipation of the big event. Speakers are being confirmed and added to the schedule, and a few sessions are now on the list.

Sorry, did I say “a few?” I meant “over four hundred.” With more speakers and sessions being added every day, there are now 400+ sessions for GDC attendees to consider during the five-day conference. Do you have room in your busy schedule to see Dave Theurer, creator of Missile Command, receiving the GDCA Pioneer Award? Or do you want to check out Sid Meier’s advice on game design? How will you choose between Tim Schafer and Cliff Bleszinski? The mind reels.

TriplePoint will be there, of course, growing intimately familiar with the three-block stretch between our San Francisco office and the Moscone Center. We always enjoy having so many of our clients, industry friends, and TPPR staff in town at the same time. If you’ll be there, we’d love to hear from you – feel free to drop us a line, even if you just want to drop by to say hello, or see which parties we’ll be attending.

Also, if you will be attending, whether this is your first GDC or your fifth, TriplePoint is happy to supply you with a few helpful GDC tips:

If you haven’t completed your registration, create a new tab and do it now. Early Bird pricing ends in less than a week.
Wear comfortable shoes. Yes, you’re going to be meeting titans of industry and valuable new business contacts, but you’re going to be doing so while on your feet for several hours at a time, walking the length of the convention center and waiting in lines. Find a good balance between style and sensibility.
Master the Elevator Pitch. You’ll be meeting a ton of people, and those people will have tons more people to meet. When you get the obligatory “What do you do?” opening, you need to have an answer in 30 seconds or less that gets someone interested in your game or business. The better an impression you’re able to make, right off the bat, the more memorable you’ll be. If you work on a mobile game, don’t be afraid to say “Let me show you” and pull out your phone.
Pace yourself at the parties. Five solid nights of open bars can be extremely tempting, but with sessions starting at 10:00 a.m., and keynotes as early as 9:00, don’t be that guy who paid $1,000 plus travel to sleep through the morning sessions. If you have a booth to run at the expo, don’t forget you’ll need to arrive even earlier to set up.
Not sure how to manage all of the sessions, as mentioned earlier? The GDC website has a great Schedule Builder that will help you organize all of your desired events into one jam-packed day planner. Good luck, by the way.
There are some great new games you can check out on the expo floor, especially in the IGF Pavilion. Just watch out for cameras when you’re playing, or you might be recorded while making a really stupid face.

See you at the show!

Gesturing Forward with SoftKinetic

Every year, the Consumer Electronics Show comes to Las Vegas and shines a spotlight on what we can all expect from new technology and the world’s innovators. For attendees, it’s a great chance to hear valuable insight from industry leaders, and go hands-on with all manner of new gadgetry — or, in the case of our clients at SoftKinetic, hands-off. SoftKinetic was on hand to showcase their latest advances in the growing field of gesture recognition technology — a field we’ve seen grow in gaming, through devices like the Wii, Kinect, and Move. It’s not hard to envision a future, as we continue to migrate from keyboards to touchscreens, where ease of interface continues to rise through smaller cameras and finer tracking software.

Our sister site, Frisky Mongoose, caught up with SoftKinetic for a brief Q&A about the technology that debuted at CES. Follow this link for insight from SoftKinetic’s Virgile Delporte.

Category: Games