Andrew Stapleton

Being Human

I recently came across a Microsoft Research report entitled “Being Human” which I thought was worth sharing with you. The report is a result of the “HCI 2020″ conference, held by Microsoft Research in Spain that aimed to answer the question “What will Human-Computer Interaction...

An Ernest Guide to Game Education

Posted by Andrew | Posted in Blogroll, conferences, industry | Posted on 20-02-2008

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At this years GDC, game designer and academic – Ernest Adams – presented his Ten Commandments of Game Development Education, during his IGDA keynote (there’s actually 11 as Adams starts with a ’0′ entry… who knew God was a programmer!). There are some gems of info here for those students attending game design and development courses at colleges and Universities (which seem to have exploded in the last few years), as well as for those academics maintaining and developing those courses.

All ye read and follow, lest the wrath of the Game God strip all thine experience points, and turn your combat pet into a tiny slug like creature!

Links
IGDA Education Keynote, GDC’08: http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=17446

Riccitiello on EA Studio Culture

Posted by Andrew | Posted in conferences, gaming, industry | Posted on 10-02-2008

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The DICE Summit is always full of interesting tid-bits of information, and I found the comments of EA CEO John Riccitiello – about an EA failure no-less – to be enticing. According to website Kotaku, Riccitiello’s presentation of Game Industry Economics 101, had some interesting points about how to *not* to stuff up an already great game studio buy having it consumed by a larger studio or publisher. Citing Bullfrog, Origin Systems, and Westwood Studios – in their own right some of the best development houses of all time – he admitted that “We at EA blew it” by turning such successful studios into failures.

I always find this issue interesting within the game industry, as there have been many occasions that a larger organisation – such as an EA, SONY or Microsoft – will buy out a smaller studio, on the promise that after the acquisition it will produce the same quality original product. For me the key issue here is one of culture. Once the smaller studio is usurped by the norms and practices of the larger one – along with is larger bureaucracy and hierarchical decision making – it appears to be uncommon that they can repeat previous successes. Rather, what seems to happen is that key people leave, and begin their own studio, creating with it their own culture.

Riccitiello explained that in the cases of studios such as Bullfrog, Origin Systems and Westwood the belief that EA and its studios could come together as one big happy family, with a one-culture-fits-all mentality didn’t work, and eventually talent was lost. The key reason? Because creative decisions were escalated to the upper echelon of the company and the creative contributors were “buried in layers of bureaucracy and policy.”

What does work, Riccitiello said, are what he called “city-state” teams, with strong leaders like the ones at Bioware, Maxis, DICE and Distinctive. Outside of EA, he pointed to Rockstar Games, Valve and Blizzard as strong examples of the kind of creatively independent models to follow. So what’s the lesson learned? In my view is the ability of the larger studio to recognise and embrace the unique culture of the smaller studio, and the need for the smaller studio to buy into the core vision of the larger one. In short find people who believe in your core vision, and let them lead their teams in their own unique way.

Links
DICE Summit : www.dicesummit.org
Kotaku Article:
http://kotaku.com/354350/riccitiello-on-how-not-to-blow-it-the-ea-way

Lego Brick Turns 50!

Posted by Andrew | Posted in play, toys | Posted on 02-02-2008

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It was with much interest this week I noted that the LEGO brick turned 50 years on Jan 28. The enduring nature of this toy is clearly visible to me everyday as a parent of two young children. It also demonstrates one of the guiding philosophies I hold vis a vis learning; namely that by “constructing” models and sharing them with others can help deepen the learning experience. Based on Piaget’s ‘genetic epistemology’, this is the philosophy of ‘constructionism’ developed by Seymour Papert at MIT’s Media Lab, out of which sprung the more recent LEGO MindStorms product (MindStorms was the title of Papert’s book).

For me, the elegance of the design of the LEGO brick lies in its simplicity and its potential for enjoyable play. Founded by Ole Kirk Christansen in Denmark in 1932, the origins of the name LEGO come from the Danish words “LEg” and “GOdt” (“play well”). The LEGO brick demonstrates the essence of good design in that it offers almost limitless possibilities for its use. (This is in the same way the spreadsheet “cell” has fundamentally altered the way people can use, manipulate and visualize data). I even recall the that level design in Metal Gear Solid 2 was assisted though the construction of LEGO levels!

In 1949 the first LEGO brick prototype was developed, and in January of 1958 the design we know today – a brick with a series of interlocking tubes – was introduced. The brick has remained relevant through franshises such as Bionicle, Technic, MindStorms plus it even has its own videogame franchise! The enduring and successful nature of the brick – already voted Toy of the Century – continues to make it a favortite choice of the young and the young at heart.

Links
50th Birthday of the LEGO Brick: http://parents.lego.com/Features/50th%20Birthday.aspx

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Being Human

An Ernest Guide to Game Education

Posted by Andrew | Posted in Blogroll, conferences, industry | Posted on 20-02-2008

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Riccitiello on EA Studio Culture

Posted by Andrew | Posted in conferences, gaming, industry | Posted on 10-02-2008

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Lego Brick Turns 50!

Posted by Andrew | Posted in play, toys | Posted on 02-02-2008

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