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Insights from GamesBeat2011, Part 2: HTML5 & Cloud Games

September 8th, 2011 by Eunielle
Will cloud games/cloud consoles open up a new door to the next level of game industry?

Will cloud games/cloud consoles open up a new door to the next level of game industry?

As the second part of the serial post on Games Beat 2011, the emerging HTML5 and cloud games will be covered today. The technologies are often referred as solutions for an easy approach toward cross-platform games.

Let’s start with the famous quote of Trip Hawkins to developers, which caught a number of audiences’ ears in Games Beat 2011:

Go cross-platform, lower the cost of acquiring customers, maximize their monetization, and cooperate.

Similar to the previous post, I’ll give you a quick summary with relevant quotes from the conference.


A) An Upcoming Era of HTML5 and Cloud/Streaming Games to Ease the Power-Game between Developers and Platform Owners

    • html5Trip Hawkins, Chief Executive of Digital Chocolate
      “Browser, supported by technologies such as HTML5, could set the serf(game developers) free.”
    • Steve Perlman, CEO of OnLive
      “Game-streaming technology would impact mobile by resolving concerns about piracy of games. … Game-streaming could restore profitability for many games if mobile publishers adopt it.”
    • Rob Wyatt, Chief Scientist of Otoy
      “Cloud consoles, or game streaming technology could liberate games from the platforms …. Cloud games could run on any platform, get rid of piracy, and prevent platform owners from extracting exorbitant royalty fees.”

B) New technologies still being tested for stability and utility

    • The question about data caps come along with cloud/streaming games.
    • Native support, unaccessible by a browser app in HTML5 format, is often required for advanced features of certain devices/platforms.
    • Debates on whether HTML5 is the solution for making games that can be created once and run on multiple platforms have yet to be answered.

Paprikan Insights:

  • The ability to use one technology stack to launch a title on multiple platforms will be a hot topic for the near future as developers figure out their distribution strategy.
  • HTML5 is currently being seen by many as the leading technology to lead the cross-platform movement. Facebook’s Spartan project is tackling this issue as well. Though all eyes are on HTML5, there are still many questions about its technical capability/stability and there has yet to be a feature-robust game in the market that has reached critical mass.
  • Having well invested into advanced technologies will definitely be required for growth in the future of the gaming industry, which will lead the collaboration between companies with different strengths.

Here are today’s time-killers for you: hot HTML5 games.

http://agent8ball.com/

http://www.benjoffe.com/code/games/torus/

For more information on OnLive:

http://venturebeat.com/2011/08/27/onlive-deus-ex-review/

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Insights from GamesBeat2011, Part 1: Social Mobile Games

August 30th, 2011 by Eunielle

GamesBeat2011, taken from VentureBeat.com

GamesBeat2011, taken from VentureBeat.com

Games Beat 2011, held in San Francisco last month, highlighted the opportunity of social-mobile gaming — that can be even labeled as a shift to rather new mobile market as well. Today’s and the next post will give you a brief summary of the 2-day conference, separated in two parts: talks on mobile games first and about the emerging HTML5 and cloud games later.

In this post, for a better at-a-glance note, I’ll rearrange quotes/discussions from the speakers/pannel into A)bright signals and B)the remaining risks in mobile.

A) Bright Signals in Mobile

  • A “yet” good place for social game makers to start, considering a Z-giant firmly settling down on Facebook
    • Tim Chang, a partner at Norwest Venture Partners [investor in Playdom & Ngmoco]
      “Mobile gaming is a good place for developers to start, rather than social, since Zynga dominates Facebook. HTML5 and cloud-based gaming are also emerging to change the rules in the industry.”

  • Successful cases proving the market for greater profits and opportunities
    • Wibe Wagemans, the Hummingbird of Rovio, publisher of Angry Birds
      “Angry Birds has been downloaded more than 200 million times.”
      “Angry Birds is the third-most-copied brand in China, behind Disney and Hello Kitty. …. We even found out we have two fans in North Korea.”

  • Well-knowns making a market expansion to and/or within mobile sector
    • EA’s Pop Cap acquisition at $750MM+
      by EA’s official announcement when the conference was going
    • CrowdStar taking mobile as one of its major markets
      by Peter Relan, the CEO of CrowdStar
    • DeNA’s preparation to launch Mobage in the Western markets, using Ngmoco’s ngcore technology to target the smartphone market
      by Neil Young, the CEO of Ngmoco and an officer at DeNA

  • Rise of tablet and cross-platform games boosting traditional games market to move to mobile sector or partner with other companies in mobile
    Angry Birds, picture taken from Rovio official site

    Angry Birds, picture taken from Rovio official site

B) Remaining Risks in Mobile

  • Distribution challenge for greater market share
  • Critical issue of mobile discovery
    • Even high quality games can see difficulty in distribution due to the massive number of new app releases. A number of new emerging platforms are trying to address this issue.
  • Relatively short attention spans
    • Consistent content updates and serial releases of new titles needed.

Lucky Apps to be Featured! - apple appstore

Lucky Apps to be Featured! - apple appstore

Paprikan Insights:

  • Platform convergence continues to be a strong longer-term strategic focus across the gaming industry as incumbents continue testing the waters to deliver a fluid game experience across all platforms.
  • Giants in the social games space have demonstrated that the web and mobile space present a large chasm. Success on one platform does not mean success on others!
  • Paprika Lab will continue to focus on web social games but sees a careful but aggressive approach to their mobile strategy in the near future.

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Paprika Lab, inc. supports young, talented student programmers!

June 11th, 2010 by Eunielle

Paprika Lab supported the 1st Mobile Software Contest @ SNU.

As mobile applications market gets a huge spotlight in Korea, the leading university, SNU(Seoul National University), organized an event titled “Mobile Software Contest” to promote students to participate in the actual market and gain the real experience in the field. Paprika Lab, inc. as one of the supporters — as you can see above, global corporations backed it as well as Paprika Lab — took part and met many talented students with brilliant ideas.

Of 11 teams selected from the 1st round among 65 in total, 8 teams won the prize ranged from AR mapping to image recording. It was a good chance to see the future of applied IT field with a full of passionate young developers. Hope to hear about events like this to socially connect the smart seeds with the real industry. Details on the winning teams will be on the next post !

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We’re Living in the Future - Part 2

January 19th, 2010 by Eunielle

Communications.

We communicated, communicate and will communicate, but the only difference between times is a tool or means for communications. From direct conversations to signals like Morse code and to the most significant invention of Bell, the telephone, human beings have strived to have better communication tools and methods than ever. Finally, modern technology has made it come true to talk with and simultaneously see people in different nations through a small device called cellphone. The cellphone now opens a new door to the world of smart phone, as a powerful communication means and an efficient tool for a number of genius applications. Beside the phones, computers and the internet also play a leading role in today’s telecommunications.

Video-Calls and the Internet-Phone

Grandpa, could you imagine video-calls with your cellphone??

Grandpa, could you imagine video-calls with your cellphone??

It was quite complicated to make a video call even in late 1990s. They had to use the special video phone that was equipped with a small camera and a wide screen. However, it’s now very easy and simple if your cellphone comes with a camera in it: just tap a button like a voice call! — Don’t worry, a built-in camera has become the default item for cellphones lately. Additionally, the technology expands to daily gadgets. For example, LG is launching its new TV with HD video call available. Actually the internet has contributed a lot to this because only with its help the development of gadgets with built-in telecommunication tools can come true.

Plus, there’s the internet phone that you can use without worries about heavy bills. The type of phone like the Skype’s is now very common and the quality is amazing — you may not recognize whether one’s using the internet phone or not. However, for the people who don’t have that specially designed phone, there’s still a chance to make an international call via the internet connection. Various internet chatting services are available and messengers like MSN offer video chatting mode. The better is that this technology is being used for many purposes rather than only for daily conversations between friends or family.

Now, you can see and talk with your friend with your cellphone.

Now, you can see and talk with your friend with your cellphone.

While you are away, you can check on your pet at home on the internet.

While you are away, you can check on your pet at home on the internet.

Thanks to the convenient and non-regionally-restraining telecommunication method, doctors can diagnose their patients anywhere with computer, friends living in different cities or countries can discuss the result of football game, those who miss their pets back home can say hello to them. What a wonderful world!! And it’s not over yet. From this, yes, from the innovation in communication media, all the remaining fields have gained new momentum in their own way. All right, see you on the next post about changes in the entertainment!

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Happy New Year!!!

January 12th, 2010 by Eunielle
Boxing day is a holiday?!

Boxing day is a holiday?!

A long waiting line of shoppers on Boxing day

A long waiting line of shoppers on Boxing day

The war-like boxing day and shopping-spree season have ended, finally. With tons of season’s greetings, the new year 2010 has begun — yeah, happy new year to you! But don’t forget big up-coming events in February: St. Valentine’s Day and Korean New Year’s Day, Seollal(Lunatic new year’s day). So, save your money for the next sprees. Otherwise, you’ll be broke… LOL.

By the way, did you make your new year’s resolution for 2010? Paprika Lab did! Curious about it? Ok, I’ll tell you what: launching our game successfully in global market! Yes, we’re targeting the whole world for our big project and doing our best everyday to meet the goal. Guess what? You’ll see what it is this year and we all expect it to be a big hit to reward our efforts :)

Stay tuned to see its huge launch together!

+ Coming up the second article of the “We’re Living in the Future” series.

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We’re Living in the Future - Part 1

November 19th, 2009 by Eunielle

The year of 2010 is coming up, but the number 2010 still seems quite strange and feels so far away. About 20 years ago, I used to watch TV animation series titled “2020 Wonder Kiddy” — see pics below. At that time, people thought the year 2020 as a far and whole new future even though it was just 30-something years away. I also thought, like characters in the animation, people in 2020 will be like astronauts traveling universe, wearing a big bowl-like helmet-mask to avoid breathing in polluted air and living in cities full of strange buildings and vehicles.

2020 Wonder Kiddy

2020 Wonder Kiddy

A Doctor and an Officer

A Doctor and an Officer

The Princess

The Princess

But now, 2020 being just 10 years away, I don’t think these pictures will come true in a near future. Well, it doesn’t mean that everything does and will remain unchanged. Actually, lots of new devices, media and technologies are appearing these days, day by day, year by year. The difference is we are still human beings just like in the past — what was expected back then are ET-type people walking around with a big, bald head and electronic equipments implanted into their body or skin.

Among the changes we’ve been facing recently, the most significant one is that of media resulted from technological advances. Ranged from communications to learning and entertainment, new media are now playing crucial roles and forming huge markets over the world, boosting new industries. Those were not available in 80s or 90s, and even they couldn’t come up with the ideas for those new ways of living. Over the next 3 parts, starting from the changes in communications media, we will look at all the three fields above - communications, entertainment and education. So, stay tuned! :)

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Details Win, When It Comes to Customer Relations

November 4th, 2009 by Eunielle

Being simple is the best approach in the modern world. The thing is, it is not the case for customer relations and a good brand image at least.

Today, I wanna share a pic with you. A man impressed by unexpected kindness of a cosmetic shop has left a favorable note on a web site with strong recommendation. Here is the pic from his post — a hand-written thank-you note from a sales assistant of the shop.

A Hand-Written Thank-you Note

The post can be a good starting point to think about the importance of details we usually miss unconsciously. A glass of soda on the house, a quick note saying “thank you” — even the handwriting is barely readable, a mint with a smiling face printed on after a hours-taking journey on bus and so on can be some of the examples. Those can touch the customers’ emotions and attract an additional glance at your company or products — you know, how difficult to draw one’s attention. Simple and strait-forward policy on customer relations can avoid any misreading or confusion between staff, but there should be flexibility or creativity regarding a surprise factor for customers or clients to emotionally bond with the brand they consume, or at least to make them smile for a while.

Many companies make good products nowadays, but still, the number of those which pay careful attention to even one final detail is comparatively small. For example, when goods of an online shopping mall are packed, some owners are just finishing them up, quickly applying ugly wide tapes on the packaging, while others are adding a short thank-you note for their customers with a specially-made ribbon, perhaps the shop’s name or logo printed on, tied and curled at the end.

Interestingly, as we’re living in this tech-oriented, fact-filled world, our thirst for sharing warmth or a light sense of humor grows. So, when people face this small unexpected joy from others, they tend to talk about it at any possible moment, not to say they love the joy itself. Problems are you never know what details will be happily surprising and perfectly work before you experience one. Mirror yourself and think of what you wanted from other services; that might be the first step for effective customer relations. If you can deliver fine details of your services or work to others, you’ve just made your loyal group by the huge virality of heart-felt impressions.

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We’ve Gotten Refreshed!

October 27th, 2009 by Eunielle

Paprika on a trip

We, Paprikans, had a workshop last week; it was more like an excursion, though. Along the west coast of Korea, we enjoyed driving and special treats! Because prawns are the best in this season as well as hickory shad, we took the advantage of coastal area.

One of our crew conducted a session on communication from his former experience in a management consulting firm. It was very meaningful for us to think about “Paprikan Style”. Celebration on newly joining members and a mind-refreshing walk in a special garden, so called an arboretum, gave us a chance to enhance the team spirit.

Now that we’ve all had full energy recharged thanks to the fresh air, great sceneries and inspiring talks, it’s time to breathe the positive atmosphere into our work!

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Chemistry: an Essential Key to Integration

October 20th, 2009 by Eunielle

Chemistry of Love

Love chemistry. I’m a bit obsessed with it, so whenever I start seeing somebody, I ask myself, “Is there chemistry between him and me?” And then, I answer myself like this: I don’t have to ask about the chemistry — I should’ve just felt the way! My long-term relationship, therefore, is mostly based on the magical string that I share with the person; some say it’s attraction, some that it’s personality, but I will say it’s chemistry.

Likewise, team chemistry, which can be delivered by group-culture or DNAs of the team, means a lot not only for team-projects or sports but also for a healthy emotional attachment to one’s work or workplace. Not surprisingly, having and sharing organization chemistry is a key to integrate all the members into a group and to lead them to be of loyalty. To put it another way, if you are suffering from a-minute-before-big-fight mood in your workplace, try to find some common interests or hobbies so as to build chemistry together. Of course, chemistry is not the thing that you can make on purpose, but still giving it a shot is always better than just looking at it with your arms folded.

Group Characteristics

So, unlike a conventional job interview, many corporations now include unique questions that show their culture to find out whether there’s chemistry between the candidate and the company. Well, here are my questions for you: “Are you fun? Do you enjoy your life with challenging games and a variety of people?” If your answer is “YES”, you are definitely a PAPRIKAN! LOL

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How smart are you?

October 13th, 2009 by Eunielle

Is your cellphone or car smart? What do you think of as a smart phone? How about a smart car?

#1

Not only have human beings been evolving, but IQ of man-made items is getting higher - there’s no doubt if those things were humans, they all would be a member of MENSA, haha.

The number of smart phone users has jumped sharply year after year and cars with high technologies like a distance brake-control system - ITS of Toyota has made it available - are being released eagerly.

customized iPhone

However, if you are not smart enough to understand and control all the functions, the tables will be turned on you! As soon as you give your control up, the device won’t make any difference from conventional ones. What does this mean? - people have made state-of-the-art utilities but the utilities lead a new trend, and, furthermore, if one cannot follow the new trend he or she would be much less likely to succeed in their career or market. At a moment that this happens, a vicious circle begins!!

#2

In accordance with its artifacts, businesses are also employing super clever strategies to stand out in the market. The first step out of the realm of intelligent gadgets has been made by “quick-to-adopt-any-effective-utility” publicity agents. For example, smart phone users are now one of the largest markets to promote a company’s new invention. Accordingly, PR directors are busy twitting or texting short messages on the Internet.

advertising_pr09

Car industry is also not an exception. High-performance braking or accelerating systems are being taken for granted, so the market needs more! They develop and advertise their new systems not only in terms of the performance but in terms of environmental friendliness - reducing “carbon wheelprints”, using biodegradable materials for parts and so on.  Plus, intelligence is a must to be on top of the list. You can name your car “the best car ever” only when it has magical power to foresee traffic lights ahead or to avoid a crash controlling a whole driving system.

#3

Well, the devices themselves seem to be enough to function well. Yet, these smart devices need innovative new platforms or systems to run, which, in turns, stimulates further developments in broader industry. For example, the iPhone boosted a variety of application-wares like our iPhone-based game, “HenHouse: Count attack“ :) Yeah, a new technology brings us a first-shown-in-the-world product, the product brings about a totally unexpected wave, the wave vibrates the public and business, the business starts making money out of it and that sparks another technological development! This is another CIRCLE, not vicious but actually very positive and productive!

Be well prepared before you get fooled by trend-setting technologies - you know, you can make either positive or vicious circle ;)

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