The Game Love Affair

[StephenArdrey]

People often forget, that video games are a business as well as an art form. It's really easy as gamers, to forget that money has to be made in order for a game to be successful. While many would blame capitalism, it's business no matter where you go. You have to make money in order for a company to thrive and survive. Where the issue lies, is when you talk about the fairness of a business structure.

The battle field has became a little more even since digital distribution has came full circle. What still effects a game, is marketing and how to actually make money off of a title. It's not enough that a company makes money, you have to think about the future direction you can go with a product and keep it fresh for your consumers. All of this, takes money. Money to pay creative talent, money to produce, and money to distribute apropriately. Even while the physical product of a game is becoming less and less, there is still plenty of overhead, that needs to be covered before it's profitable.

The average instruction booklet for a game now is about 6 pages, this is considerably less than what it was in the 1990's and even in the last generation of gaming. Cutting of the printing cost considered, this still hasn't lowered the price of video games across the board. The reason being is that packaging is the least common denominator when actually budgeting for a product. While you don't have to pay for this in digital distribution, you still have to pay the delivery method so much for just carrying your product and allow them to profit as well.

Now, many people out there, know that they have seen greatest hits and reprint titles. These are usually released, after the company has made a profit off of the product or the products profitability has diminished. That's because everything has been paid for and all that's left is the packaging, distribution, and end place profitability. Yeah, this is the incredibly boring part of the entertainment industry but understanding this helps all of us understand the respective prices for merchandise or licenses.

The hardest part, is just getting the word out about your product. The promotional world is like being at a really crowded house party. You can see the really cute, clever, intelligent, girl chilling in the corner talking about the intrinsic value of pop culture and how it deginerates taste. Unfortionately, you are surrounded by vapid, shallow, dumb, chicks who can't shut up about their latest boob job or how they at one time blew Pauly D. On top of that, your buddy is trying to convince you to hook up with this one chick cause he knows that she has to be wild in bed. At the end of the night, you end up with some coked out bitch, pounding her head against your dash board, and crying about how her daddy didn't care.

That's the modern entertainment market. Everything that could possibly be good gets drowned out by things of lesser value, because of the noise of advertising. Now, remember this is coming from a guy who is currently working on getting a movie funded. It doesn't mean that you can't do it but you have to figure out how to navigate the house party. Often, you as the consumer have to seek out more from a game, movie, or music in order to get more.

How do you get to the cute girl in the back of the room?

Well, first step is to resist shallow impulses. Your friends may excell at telling you about how you need to own MW4 or whatever the fuck. Check it out for yourself first and then make a decision. Play with it a little and then make your decision based off of what you honestly like. There have been better FPS games released this year that weren't a MW3 or clone there of. Syndicate, was really unique in my opinion but I don't think it got as much buzz as it should have.

Second, walk past the whining bimbos and avoid staring directly at the tits. There is always some attention seeking whore of a game trying to get you to buy it because of graphics or some other dumbass reason. Just walk on by, at a real house party, this is how you end up with herpes or the crabs. In the gaming world, this is how you end up with 19 worthless copies of Madden and wondering why you haven't seen a good game in a decade.

Third, appreciate the different. I am preaching to the choir on this one. You wouldn't be on this site, if you didn't have an appreciation of the different. It takes more than flag waving in order to show your true love for something. You have to give and you only get what you give. People talk about how much they love a series of games and they want more but won't pay for a legit copy. Minus all the excuses, if you love it put a ring on it, other wise walk away.

That's your role in the business relationship but like all relationships, it works both ways. If that really cool chick, you picked up at the house party ten years ago, becomes a repulsive bitch you can't stand. It's ok to walk away, and remember the good old days. I did this with Sonic, Mario, Zelda, Metroid, and other games that just didn't expand beyond what their initial concept was. Postal, has done good by us to keep things fresh and offer a little kink when we need it.

I can't believe, the people I hear that say a franchise has became a drudge to play, but they still go back to it because of retro feelings. That's an abusive cycle and really, you need to meet that son-of-bitch at the door, then cut off his dick. The next problem, come from when people buy a brand and not a game.

Does EA actually make the best sports games? No, they don't, but they make you buy their games cause they own licenses for certain brands. If it's not good, then don't buy it. There is no need for Madden to have a new release every year. This could be done with a roster update that could be purchased online. The profitablity drops then and they know people are stupid enough to buy the new Madden every year for the roster updates.

I hate writing these rants somedays. I don't do reviews because I don't want you to end up with a game you hate based off of my taste. That's all a review is, a judgement call from one asshole, who isn't anymore educated about games than you are. Actually, a lot of these reviewers don't even play games. Often enough they have assitants and ghost writer's do their pieces for them. Basically, reviews are worthless.

I am just tired of how people can make judgement calls before they have been in someone's shoes. Pirates, think they are doing the world a favor by free distribution. Publishers, think they are doing the world a favor by fucking as many people as they can. Reviewers, think they are doing the same favor by sharing a narrow perspective of a game with the world. Then you have the creators who are some how lost in all of this because everyone else gets the lime light.

Is it better to be heard or to get paid? Is it better to have you game played or to have the million dollar house? Is it better to be seen or to have survive?

I don't think anyone does this thinking they will end up in a position, where flight attendants are fighting over who sucks their dick. You do it because you have a desire to create and be bold. The punk mentality to everything, but at the same time, you also have to be able to live. Ketchup and mustard sandwichs suck after about three days.

Go into your kitchen, and make about five of those. Eat them and tell me how much you like it. After doing that, tell me why should any creator have to, because pirates think they are doing a global service to everyone. Oh, yeah, they are taking on the big bad publishers.

No, the big guys have their paper. Who you are hurting are the companies undernieth so by all means, don't think you are doing anyone any favors when you upload or download copyrighted content. I know I went all over the place in this article, but piracy basically just pisses me off. When I come and fuck with your job and profitability, you can bitch about me. Until then, pay for the shit you love and forget all of the other crap out there.

I know I have shifted gear a lot, but that's what the business is now. You have murders coming in front of you and theives at your back. I wish it wasn't that way, but someone is always looking to keep their place on the mountain while others are looking to climb over you. Now, I am going to go have a Dr. Pepper and a shut the fuck up. Take care.

[SlimDurst]

People need to just stop whoring themselves to the game industries,for example,the new "battle duty" game came out,and people flock to to buy it when it is just a recycled rehash of the last one,same with all sports games,while the indie devs. are left penniless because everybody wants to be the same and have the exact same games as everyone else,but why?,because our generation is stupid and will buy anything with their favorite name brands slapped on it. I am huge a fan of big name companies like Rockstar Games and Valve. But that's becuase they actually make good games that people enjoy and just don't suck,this is my opinion of course,and according to everybody i know i like the stupidest games (Postal,Half-Life),movies (Postal,Jackass,Dirty Sanchez),and music (Limp Bizkit,Linkin Park).,but its shit like this that makes me unique,just like this company and many other indie developers,becuase you make games that people love and give the love back).enough pointless ranting and rambling like a retard for today,Postal is waiting for me.

[StephenArdrey]

People need to just stop whoring themselves to the game industries,for example,the new "battle duty" game came out,and people flock to to buy it when it is just a recycled rehash of the last one,same with all sports games,while the indie devs. are left penniless because everybody wants to be the same and have the exact same games as everyone else,but why?,because our generation is stupid and will buy anything with their favorite name brands slapped on it. I am huge a fan of big name companies like Rockstar Games and Valve. But that's becuase they actually make good games that people enjoy and just don't suck,this is my opinion of course,and according to everybody i know i like the stupidest games (Postal,Half-Life),movies (Postal,Jackass,Dirty Sanchez),and music (Limp Bizkit,Linkin Park).,but its shit like this that makes me unique,just like this company and many other indie developers,becuase you make games that people love and give the love back).enough pointless ranting and rambling like a retard for today,Postal is waiting for me.

That's basically what it's all about but there are a lot mroe intricacies than that. I can go on a long rant about the sociology of marketing and if you ever want to read that and how it effects indie development, then tell me.

[SlimDurst]

i would love to read more on that

[StephenArdrey]

i would love to read more on that

alright it will bve posted sometime tomorrow

[FaTony]

Here's my criteria for games that may be good:

• Metascore over 80
• Must have demo
• Must have real screenshots with all GUI/HUD enabled
• Released before 2007
• Cost less than 5$

Then after playing demo I usually decide whether it can be good or bad.