The "General Games Chat" forum, which includes Retro Game Reviews, has been archived and is now read-only. You cannot post here or create a new thread or review on this forum.
Ok lets just get straight to the point. Could games be used to sell products, or at least advertise them more? Ok you probably have no idea what I am on about so I will try to describe what I mean in more detail. The best way to sell anything these days is to advertise, it may be on TV, in newspapers, magazines, on the radio or on the Internet. But what about in games? I don't really think this has been done much before, maybe the odd coke machine here and there but not as much as some would expect.
Why should they do it then? Children will want something if they see it and it appeals to them, advertising aimed at kids is growing as companies realise that children will ask their parents to buy them something they want. Also adults will buy something that appeals to them, but if they don't know about it then they are unlikely to buy it.
So what are the benefits from it? Well companies could pay to have their product included in the game or an advertisement of some sort somewhere in the game, the extra money the developers make could be used to improve the game or used to make more games. There is a small problem in that if they do make extra money it may be kept and not used to improve games. They could have adverts at the end of the game or products being used by the main character. Some examples could be:
Football games could have adverts round the side of the pitch which rotate like the real-life ones (the only problem is people have to be able to read them and developers may focus on the adverts a little too much which could cause other aspects of the game to suffer.
Games like resident evil, tomb raider and many others could use different products throughout and call them by their name rather than the category they fall into, i.e. you could have certain food products that can be used to improve health.
This could make games feel more realistic (that's the way most games seem to be heading) as you can use products that you can see and buy in real life. Another good choice could be clothing, the clothes the character wear in the game could be available to buy in shops, i.e. Levis could allow their jeans and denim jackets to be used in the game as advertising. Or maybe other accessories like sunglasses, footwear, bags. There is a wide range of things that could be included. Graphics have improved a lot and its now a lot easier to show real life objects in games, also the amount of space available on disks could allow extras like these in the game without spoiling the graphics or the game-play.
Crazy taxi is one of the only games that I can think of off the top of my head that featured brand names like Levis, Tower records, Fila etc and in a way this made the game feel a little more like real life by using names we all know. But in a way it didn't really advertise them as much as they could.
I wouldn't mind an option on some of the game DVD' s that show some of the up-coming games soon to be released from that developer or advertisements for peripherals for the console the game is used on.
But could there be a downside to adverts in games? Maybe that's why we don't see them being used already. As I mentioned before some developers may concentrate more on making adverts more visible that they don't focus enough on the game itself. Or they could use loads of adverts and that could spoil the game, I know that I don't like watching lots of adverts on TV and the ones that pop up on the internet annoy me a lot, I just close them down without reading them. So maybe the adverts could spoil the game. People could become annoyed with them which may cause them to get rid of the game and not buy future games from the developer.
In this day and age music is an important part of any game and a lot of top bands are being used on soundtracks to games which not only makes the music that little bit better but also advertises the bands featured and may lead to sales of their albums. Whatever way you look at it all companies are out to make a profit and do this any way they can, this is another way for companies to make money and to be honest I am surprised that in an Industry as large as the games and consoles one that we don't see more advertising by other companies in games.
It depends on how you look at it whether you think it could be a good idea or not. I think it would be good if the money the developers received went to improving the game and future games and not just kept as a profit. Also only if the adverts were used after you finish playing or dotted throughout the game (like an odd coke machine here or the name of a company on posters) but didn't interfere with the game. So what are your views, would you like to see adverts in games? Would it be a good idea to use them?
Ok so that's that bit out the way lets now have a look at the way that most games are made.
For the first bit we see how games are made. The second bit is supposed to be humorous and what happens behind the scenes with making games.
Here is how I think most games are made. Some may disagree.
Step 1 - The Idea
All games start as an idea, here what type of game it's going to be is decided. Will it be sport, FPS, simulation, action adventure? Also whom the game is intended for has to be worked out too. Will it be young children, teenagers, adults or all age groups? If the idea is good it will then be turned into a game. Not all ideas that are made into games are original. Many are very similar to past ideas.
Step 2 - Idea into reality
Once the idea has been thought through thoroughly. Advice is then given by the programmers who will then create the game. If they can't get it to work then the game will be scrapped. Some people still decide to go through with the idea if the programmers say it won't work. These games usually turn out different to the original idea. For the ones the programmers like and can make the idea is then worked on to create a game worth selling.
Step 3 - Creating the game
By far the hardest and longest part of making a game. Here everything is done. From graphics, game play, sounds, cheats built in. Everything you see and do and more is put onto the disk from here. The programmers are like chefs, the take all the ingredients for the game and make something worth all the hassle, a decent game. Sometimes things are left out as they are to hard to program into the game or they spoil the original idea. People to provide voices, artists, music composers all have an input to making the game at this stage. The work here is sometimes done by more than one company, for example one company could concentrate on the gaming engine, another on the levels and characters and another on the main story of the game.
Step 4 - Testing
Before mass production starts the game has to be tested so that bugs can be found and fixed and all the little problems can be ironed out for the final version. Testers have to work hard as any missed bug or faults could cause the game to fail when it is released. Many people sign up to get the chance to be beta-testers. Give some a chance to see what the game is like and how it could be improved.
Step 5 - Mass Production
After all the bugs are fixed and everyone is happy with the final version the game is created and reproduced for selling. Here the master copy is copied and the game is created. This is what you get in your box. This is the final copy of the game.
Step 6 - Packaging
Packaging for the game is then decided. Some would say this isn't really important as it's the game that matters but developers do think about this quite a lot. Something that stands out and is a little different is usually best. Also the instruction manual and any extras are created and boxed with the game.
Step 7 - Shipping
After everything is finalised the game is shipped. Some of the extremely popular games are so highly demanded that sometimes there aren't enough to meet demand. Japan usually gets games first, then USA and then Europe. That just seems to be the way it has always been. It is also something which annoys me as surely it doesn't take that long to convert the game to PAL? Also the British market is one of the fastest growing and maybe it is about time the developers recognised this and changed things.
Step 8 - Advertising
This is like the final piece of the puzzle, if people know the game is good they will buy it. Most developers offer some information during production to the most popular magazines. This lets people know when it will be out and how good it will be. Advertising can be done on TV. The Internet, the radio and in magazines and newspapers. If the games good it will sell millions of copies
Which will surely please all involved with its creation. This is linked with the first part of this post in that it is an area which could be used in the game to advertise other products by the developer or companies who would pay for their products to be seen in the game.
Most average games cost around $3 Million to make with some of the more popular well known ones costing a lot more. But with a market worth around $32 Million you can see why all this effort and money is worthwhile. (Prices are in $ as my keyboard is acting up!)
Right so that's the serious bit. Now lets go behind the scenes and see what it's really like. This isn't serious so don't believe a word of it.
Step 1 - The idea
Usually lots of people sitting round a table throwing ideas at each other. The drunk at the end usually has the best ones but gets ignored as he smells of rum. Thousands of ideas could be passed around with only the best few being picked. After they decide some fall asleep and others sit and play games. On some occasions paper aeroplanes are made and thrown at the fat individual who then chases the culprit round the table until they become tired. If no idea is found then sometimes they use another developers idea and change it a little, not fair at all but developers like to play dirty.
Step 2 - Idea into reality
The idea is then talked over with the nerds….err.. I mean programmers. If they like it and have the skills and abilities to make the idea a decent game then it gets the go-ahead. If it's rubbish or too hard then the nerds open a can of whoop-ass on the person who brought the idea to them. The truth is that most of the nerds are 6ft tall, 300lb, wrestling fans who are built like the side of a house and can give out quite a beating when faced with someone who fails to meet a certain standard of intellect. The programmers (nerds) then sit around computers trying to make the basics idea into a full game that is possible to be created.
Step 3 - Creating the game
Painstakingly long this stage. Programmers bug each other as they fail to meet deadline after deadline. The best bit is when had been actors come in to do the voices. Most of them come in drunk, if so the programmers beat them with large sticks until they learn their lesson. All elements of the game are put in and a few hidden extras get added too by the programmers. Unfortunately for tomb raider fans they never seem to answer all the letters by putting in coding to remove Lara's clothing. As with most jobs some people are better at it than others, the best programmers make the best games and usually the best games sell more. They don't actually take as long to make as we all think, well they wouldn't if those nerdy programmers didn't watch so much star trek and Buffy while they should be working.
The sounds are also important in making the atmosphere of the game better. Experts on all areas work alongside the programmers to make it as complete as they can. It is at this point that some developers think on other ideas they can sell at the same time as the game, merchandise that increases sales of the game and also gives them extra cash. Developers do get a lot of money, they do spend a lot when making games but there is always a substantial profit at the end which goes to buying star trek memorabilia for the programmers office and gold platter name plates for the important rich guys.
Step 4 - Testing
Here is where the so-called "ordinary" people get involved. Usually more nerds except these nerds are the small younger geeky looking ones with the thick black glasses. They get a small demo of the game to try out, they then give feedback to the developers. Usually along the lines of "Its real good, do you make star trek games?" or "it needs more work, make it more like (insert decent game)." If they make the second comment the programmers sometimes get a little violent and are put in jail for a while (the real reason why some games get delayed). Changes are made if required. Sometimes the programmers can't be bothered as they are busy watching star trek or playing chess so they just say its finished to save all the extra work that is required to improve it.
Step 5 - Mass Production
The master copy is taken and copied over and over again. Mass production is easy. An old man gets paid quite a lot to sit on his rear watching a game copy. It is as boring as it sounds but someone has to do it. Ok so the computer does it, the old man is there just to switch it off and on each day.
Step 6 - Packaging
It isn't as planned as most think. Certain information is always required like age ratings and developers details. Usually someone in the art department bit gets picked on and made to make a box design. It doesn't matter if its good or not it will get used, as nobody else really likes doing this job. The newer boxes are plastic like DVD cases to avoid them breaking and damaging the disks when dropped. Now they can throw them around and play games like Frisbee before they are boxed for shipping.
Step 7 - Shipping
Not much can be said here either. Games go into boxes and get shipped to the countries that sell them. Then put into lorries that take them to shops. Most important shops get them earlier than release dates so they can be sent out on the day set for their release. Rich companies may choose to send their product by plane.
Step 8 - Advertising
The developer makes adverts for TV, magazines. Something that catches the eye and makes people want to buy it. Reviews in magazines help. Sometimes a little "bung" to the magazine will ensure a decent review and a well-advertised article. Also give them a demo to test during the making and your sorted. I haven't seen many celebs trying to advertise them for developers, maybe in the future though. Something that brainwashes young children and kind of hypnotises them into purchasing their game usually works.
Oh yeah and before I go I do apologise for the length of the post but I got bored and that's that. : )
Why should they do it then? Children will want something if they see it and it appeals to them, advertising aimed at kids is growing as companies realise that children will ask their parents to buy them something they want. Also adults will buy something that appeals to them, but if they don't know about it then they are unlikely to buy it.
So what are the benefits from it? Well companies could pay to have their product included in the game or an advertisement of some sort somewhere in the game, the extra money the developers make could be used to improve the game or used to make more games. There is a small problem in that if they do make extra money it may be kept and not used to improve games. They could have adverts at the end of the game or products being used by the main character. Some examples could be:
Football games could have adverts round the side of the pitch which rotate like the real-life ones (the only problem is people have to be able to read them and developers may focus on the adverts a little too much which could cause other aspects of the game to suffer.
Games like resident evil, tomb raider and many others could use different products throughout and call them by their name rather than the category they fall into, i.e. you could have certain food products that can be used to improve health.
This could make games feel more realistic (that's the way most games seem to be heading) as you can use products that you can see and buy in real life. Another good choice could be clothing, the clothes the character wear in the game could be available to buy in shops, i.e. Levis could allow their jeans and denim jackets to be used in the game as advertising. Or maybe other accessories like sunglasses, footwear, bags. There is a wide range of things that could be included. Graphics have improved a lot and its now a lot easier to show real life objects in games, also the amount of space available on disks could allow extras like these in the game without spoiling the graphics or the game-play.
Crazy taxi is one of the only games that I can think of off the top of my head that featured brand names like Levis, Tower records, Fila etc and in a way this made the game feel a little more like real life by using names we all know. But in a way it didn't really advertise them as much as they could.
I wouldn't mind an option on some of the game DVD' s that show some of the up-coming games soon to be released from that developer or advertisements for peripherals for the console the game is used on.
But could there be a downside to adverts in games? Maybe that's why we don't see them being used already. As I mentioned before some developers may concentrate more on making adverts more visible that they don't focus enough on the game itself. Or they could use loads of adverts and that could spoil the game, I know that I don't like watching lots of adverts on TV and the ones that pop up on the internet annoy me a lot, I just close them down without reading them. So maybe the adverts could spoil the game. People could become annoyed with them which may cause them to get rid of the game and not buy future games from the developer.
In this day and age music is an important part of any game and a lot of top bands are being used on soundtracks to games which not only makes the music that little bit better but also advertises the bands featured and may lead to sales of their albums. Whatever way you look at it all companies are out to make a profit and do this any way they can, this is another way for companies to make money and to be honest I am surprised that in an Industry as large as the games and consoles one that we don't see more advertising by other companies in games.
It depends on how you look at it whether you think it could be a good idea or not. I think it would be good if the money the developers received went to improving the game and future games and not just kept as a profit. Also only if the adverts were used after you finish playing or dotted throughout the game (like an odd coke machine here or the name of a company on posters) but didn't interfere with the game. So what are your views, would you like to see adverts in games? Would it be a good idea to use them?
Ok so that's that bit out the way lets now have a look at the way that most games are made.
For the first bit we see how games are made. The second bit is supposed to be humorous and what happens behind the scenes with making games.
Here is how I think most games are made. Some may disagree.
Step 1 - The Idea
All games start as an idea, here what type of game it's going to be is decided. Will it be sport, FPS, simulation, action adventure? Also whom the game is intended for has to be worked out too. Will it be young children, teenagers, adults or all age groups? If the idea is good it will then be turned into a game. Not all ideas that are made into games are original. Many are very similar to past ideas.
Step 2 - Idea into reality
Once the idea has been thought through thoroughly. Advice is then given by the programmers who will then create the game. If they can't get it to work then the game will be scrapped. Some people still decide to go through with the idea if the programmers say it won't work. These games usually turn out different to the original idea. For the ones the programmers like and can make the idea is then worked on to create a game worth selling.
Step 3 - Creating the game
By far the hardest and longest part of making a game. Here everything is done. From graphics, game play, sounds, cheats built in. Everything you see and do and more is put onto the disk from here. The programmers are like chefs, the take all the ingredients for the game and make something worth all the hassle, a decent game. Sometimes things are left out as they are to hard to program into the game or they spoil the original idea. People to provide voices, artists, music composers all have an input to making the game at this stage. The work here is sometimes done by more than one company, for example one company could concentrate on the gaming engine, another on the levels and characters and another on the main story of the game.
Step 4 - Testing
Before mass production starts the game has to be tested so that bugs can be found and fixed and all the little problems can be ironed out for the final version. Testers have to work hard as any missed bug or faults could cause the game to fail when it is released. Many people sign up to get the chance to be beta-testers. Give some a chance to see what the game is like and how it could be improved.
Step 5 - Mass Production
After all the bugs are fixed and everyone is happy with the final version the game is created and reproduced for selling. Here the master copy is copied and the game is created. This is what you get in your box. This is the final copy of the game.
Step 6 - Packaging
Packaging for the game is then decided. Some would say this isn't really important as it's the game that matters but developers do think about this quite a lot. Something that stands out and is a little different is usually best. Also the instruction manual and any extras are created and boxed with the game.
Step 7 - Shipping
After everything is finalised the game is shipped. Some of the extremely popular games are so highly demanded that sometimes there aren't enough to meet demand. Japan usually gets games first, then USA and then Europe. That just seems to be the way it has always been. It is also something which annoys me as surely it doesn't take that long to convert the game to PAL? Also the British market is one of the fastest growing and maybe it is about time the developers recognised this and changed things.
Step 8 - Advertising
This is like the final piece of the puzzle, if people know the game is good they will buy it. Most developers offer some information during production to the most popular magazines. This lets people know when it will be out and how good it will be. Advertising can be done on TV. The Internet, the radio and in magazines and newspapers. If the games good it will sell millions of copies
Which will surely please all involved with its creation. This is linked with the first part of this post in that it is an area which could be used in the game to advertise other products by the developer or companies who would pay for their products to be seen in the game.
Most average games cost around $3 Million to make with some of the more popular well known ones costing a lot more. But with a market worth around $32 Million you can see why all this effort and money is worthwhile. (Prices are in $ as my keyboard is acting up!)
Right so that's the serious bit. Now lets go behind the scenes and see what it's really like. This isn't serious so don't believe a word of it.
Step 1 - The idea
Usually lots of people sitting round a table throwing ideas at each other. The drunk at the end usually has the best ones but gets ignored as he smells of rum. Thousands of ideas could be passed around with only the best few being picked. After they decide some fall asleep and others sit and play games. On some occasions paper aeroplanes are made and thrown at the fat individual who then chases the culprit round the table until they become tired. If no idea is found then sometimes they use another developers idea and change it a little, not fair at all but developers like to play dirty.
Step 2 - Idea into reality
The idea is then talked over with the nerds….err.. I mean programmers. If they like it and have the skills and abilities to make the idea a decent game then it gets the go-ahead. If it's rubbish or too hard then the nerds open a can of whoop-ass on the person who brought the idea to them. The truth is that most of the nerds are 6ft tall, 300lb, wrestling fans who are built like the side of a house and can give out quite a beating when faced with someone who fails to meet a certain standard of intellect. The programmers (nerds) then sit around computers trying to make the basics idea into a full game that is possible to be created.
Step 3 - Creating the game
Painstakingly long this stage. Programmers bug each other as they fail to meet deadline after deadline. The best bit is when had been actors come in to do the voices. Most of them come in drunk, if so the programmers beat them with large sticks until they learn their lesson. All elements of the game are put in and a few hidden extras get added too by the programmers. Unfortunately for tomb raider fans they never seem to answer all the letters by putting in coding to remove Lara's clothing. As with most jobs some people are better at it than others, the best programmers make the best games and usually the best games sell more. They don't actually take as long to make as we all think, well they wouldn't if those nerdy programmers didn't watch so much star trek and Buffy while they should be working.
The sounds are also important in making the atmosphere of the game better. Experts on all areas work alongside the programmers to make it as complete as they can. It is at this point that some developers think on other ideas they can sell at the same time as the game, merchandise that increases sales of the game and also gives them extra cash. Developers do get a lot of money, they do spend a lot when making games but there is always a substantial profit at the end which goes to buying star trek memorabilia for the programmers office and gold platter name plates for the important rich guys.
Step 4 - Testing
Here is where the so-called "ordinary" people get involved. Usually more nerds except these nerds are the small younger geeky looking ones with the thick black glasses. They get a small demo of the game to try out, they then give feedback to the developers. Usually along the lines of "Its real good, do you make star trek games?" or "it needs more work, make it more like (insert decent game)." If they make the second comment the programmers sometimes get a little violent and are put in jail for a while (the real reason why some games get delayed). Changes are made if required. Sometimes the programmers can't be bothered as they are busy watching star trek or playing chess so they just say its finished to save all the extra work that is required to improve it.
Step 5 - Mass Production
The master copy is taken and copied over and over again. Mass production is easy. An old man gets paid quite a lot to sit on his rear watching a game copy. It is as boring as it sounds but someone has to do it. Ok so the computer does it, the old man is there just to switch it off and on each day.
Step 6 - Packaging
It isn't as planned as most think. Certain information is always required like age ratings and developers details. Usually someone in the art department bit gets picked on and made to make a box design. It doesn't matter if its good or not it will get used, as nobody else really likes doing this job. The newer boxes are plastic like DVD cases to avoid them breaking and damaging the disks when dropped. Now they can throw them around and play games like Frisbee before they are boxed for shipping.
Step 7 - Shipping
Not much can be said here either. Games go into boxes and get shipped to the countries that sell them. Then put into lorries that take them to shops. Most important shops get them earlier than release dates so they can be sent out on the day set for their release. Rich companies may choose to send their product by plane.
Step 8 - Advertising
The developer makes adverts for TV, magazines. Something that catches the eye and makes people want to buy it. Reviews in magazines help. Sometimes a little "bung" to the magazine will ensure a decent review and a well-advertised article. Also give them a demo to test during the making and your sorted. I haven't seen many celebs trying to advertise them for developers, maybe in the future though. Something that brainwashes young children and kind of hypnotises them into purchasing their game usually works.
Oh yeah and before I go I do apologise for the length of the post but I got bored and that's that. : )
Well done on the GAD mate... getting quite a few lately ain't ya.
To be honest i hadn't read it till it won but its a great post! Congrats!
To be honest i hadn't read it till it won but its a great post! Congrats!
Ok lets just get straight to the point. Could games be used to sell products, or at least advertise them more? Ok you probably have no idea what I am on about so I will try to describe what I mean in more detail. The best way to sell anything these days is to advertise, it may be on TV, in newspapers, magazines, on the radio or on the Internet. But what about in games? I don't really think this has been done much before, maybe the odd coke machine here and there but not as much as some would expect.
Why should they do it then? Children will want something if they see it and it appeals to them, advertising aimed at kids is growing as companies realise that children will ask their parents to buy them something they want. Also adults will buy something that appeals to them, but if they don't know about it then they are unlikely to buy it.
So what are the benefits from it? Well companies could pay to have their product included in the game or an advertisement of some sort somewhere in the game, the extra money the developers make could be used to improve the game or used to make more games. There is a small problem in that if they do make extra money it may be kept and not used to improve games. They could have adverts at the end of the game or products being used by the main character. Some examples could be:
Football games could have adverts round the side of the pitch which rotate like the real-life ones (the only problem is people have to be able to read them and developers may focus on the adverts a little too much which could cause other aspects of the game to suffer.
Games like resident evil, tomb raider and many others could use different products throughout and call them by their name rather than the category they fall into, i.e. you could have certain food products that can be used to improve health.
This could make games feel more realistic (that's the way most games seem to be heading) as you can use products that you can see and buy in real life. Another good choice could be clothing, the clothes the character wear in the game could be available to buy in shops, i.e. Levis could allow their jeans and denim jackets to be used in the game as advertising. Or maybe other accessories like sunglasses, footwear, bags. There is a wide range of things that could be included. Graphics have improved a lot and its now a lot easier to show real life objects in games, also the amount of space available on disks could allow extras like these in the game without spoiling the graphics or the game-play.
Crazy taxi is one of the only games that I can think of off the top of my head that featured brand names like Levis, Tower records, Fila etc and in a way this made the game feel a little more like real life by using names we all know. But in a way it didn't really advertise them as much as they could.
I wouldn't mind an option on some of the game DVD' s that show some of the up-coming games soon to be released from that developer or advertisements for peripherals for the console the game is used on.
But could there be a downside to adverts in games? Maybe that's why we don't see them being used already. As I mentioned before some developers may concentrate more on making adverts more visible that they don't focus enough on the game itself. Or they could use loads of adverts and that could spoil the game, I know that I don't like watching lots of adverts on TV and the ones that pop up on the internet annoy me a lot, I just close them down without reading them. So maybe the adverts could spoil the game. People could become annoyed with them which may cause them to get rid of the game and not buy future games from the developer.
In this day and age music is an important part of any game and a lot of top bands are being used on soundtracks to games which not only makes the music that little bit better but also advertises the bands featured and may lead to sales of their albums. Whatever way you look at it all companies are out to make a profit and do this any way they can, this is another way for companies to make money and to be honest I am surprised that in an Industry as large as the games and consoles one that we don't see more advertising by other companies in games.
It depends on how you look at it whether you think it could be a good idea or not. I think it would be good if the money the developers received went to improving the game and future games and not just kept as a profit. Also only if the adverts were used after you finish playing or dotted throughout the game (like an odd coke machine here or the name of a company on posters) but didn't interfere with the game. So what are your views, would you like to see adverts in games? Would it be a good idea to use them?
Ok so that's that bit out the way lets now have a look at the way that most games are made.
For the first bit we see how games are made. The second bit is supposed to be humorous and what happens behind the scenes with making games.
Here is how I think most games are made. Some may disagree.
Step 1 - The Idea
All games start as an idea, here what type of game it's going to be is decided. Will it be sport, FPS, simulation, action adventure? Also whom the game is intended for has to be worked out too. Will it be young children, teenagers, adults or all age groups? If the idea is good it will then be turned into a game. Not all ideas that are made into games are original. Many are very similar to past ideas.
Step 2 - Idea into reality
Once the idea has been thought through thoroughly. Advice is then given by the programmers who will then create the game. If they can't get it to work then the game will be scrapped. Some people still decide to go through with the idea if the programmers say it won't work. These games usually turn out different to the original idea. For the ones the programmers like and can make the idea is then worked on to create a game worth selling.
Step 3 - Creating the game
By far the hardest and longest part of making a game. Here everything is done. From graphics, game play, sounds, cheats built in. Everything you see and do and more is put onto the disk from here. The programmers are like chefs, the take all the ingredients for the game and make something worth all the hassle, a decent game. Sometimes things are left out as they are to hard to program into the game or they spoil the original idea. People to provide voices, artists, music composers all have an input to making the game at this stage. The work here is sometimes done by more than one company, for example one company could concentrate on the gaming engine, another on the levels and characters and another on the main story of the game.
Step 4 - Testing
Before mass production starts the game has to be tested so that bugs can be found and fixed and all the little problems can be ironed out for the final version. Testers have to work hard as any missed bug or faults could cause the game to fail when it is released. Many people sign up to get the chance to be beta-testers. Give some a chance to see what the game is like and how it could be improved.
Step 5 - Mass Production
After all the bugs are fixed and everyone is happy with the final version the game is created and reproduced for selling. Here the master copy is copied and the game is created. This is what you get in your box. This is the final copy of the game.
Step 6 - Packaging
Packaging for the game is then decided. Some would say this isn't really important as it's the game that matters but developers do think about this quite a lot. Something that stands out and is a little different is usually best. Also the instruction manual and any extras are created and boxed with the game.
Step 7 - Shipping
After everything is finalised the game is shipped. Some of the extremely popular games are so highly demanded that sometimes there aren't enough to meet demand. Japan usually gets games first, then USA and then Europe. That just seems to be the way it has always been. It is also something which annoys me as surely it doesn't take that long to convert the game to PAL? Also the British market is one of the fastest growing and maybe it is about time the developers recognised this and changed things.
Step 8 - Advertising
This is like the final piece of the puzzle, if people know the game is good they will buy it. Most developers offer some information during production to the most popular magazines. This lets people know when it will be out and how good it will be. Advertising can be done on TV. The Internet, the radio and in magazines and newspapers. If the games good it will sell millions of copies
Which will surely please all involved with its creation. This is linked with the first part of this post in that it is an area which could be used in the game to advertise other products by the developer or companies who would pay for their products to be seen in the game.
Most average games cost around $3 Million to make with some of the more popular well known ones costing a lot more. But with a market worth around $32 Million you can see why all this effort and money is worthwhile. (Prices are in $ as my keyboard is acting up!)
Right so that's the serious bit. Now lets go behind the scenes and see what it's really like. This isn't serious so don't believe a word of it.
Step 1 - The idea
Usually lots of people sitting round a table throwing ideas at each other. The drunk at the end usually has the best ones but gets ignored as he smells of rum. Thousands of ideas could be passed around with only the best few being picked. After they decide some fall asleep and others sit and play games. On some occasions paper aeroplanes are made and thrown at the fat individual who then chases the culprit round the table until they become tired. If no idea is found then sometimes they use another developers idea and change it a little, not fair at all but developers like to play dirty.
Step 2 - Idea into reality
The idea is then talked over with the nerds….err.. I mean programmers. If they like it and have the skills and abilities to make the idea a decent game then it gets the go-ahead. If it's rubbish or too hard then the nerds open a can of whoop-ass on the person who brought the idea to them. The truth is that most of the nerds are 6ft tall, 300lb, wrestling fans who are built like the side of a house and can give out quite a beating when faced with someone who fails to meet a certain standard of intellect. The programmers (nerds) then sit around computers trying to make the basics idea into a full game that is possible to be created.
Step 3 - Creating the game
Painstakingly long this stage. Programmers bug each other as they fail to meet deadline after deadline. The best bit is when had been actors come in to do the voices. Most of them come in drunk, if so the programmers beat them with large sticks until they learn their lesson. All elements of the game are put in and a few hidden extras get added too by the programmers. Unfortunately for tomb raider fans they never seem to answer all the letters by putting in coding to remove Lara's clothing. As with most jobs some people are better at it than others, the best programmers make the best games and usually the best games sell more. They don't actually take as long to make as we all think, well they wouldn't if those nerdy programmers didn't watch so much star trek and Buffy while they should be working.
The sounds are also important in making the atmosphere of the game better. Experts on all areas work alongside the programmers to make it as complete as they can. It is at this point that some developers think on other ideas they can sell at the same time as the game, merchandise that increases sales of the game and also gives them extra cash. Developers do get a lot of money, they do spend a lot when making games but there is always a substantial profit at the end which goes to buying star trek memorabilia for the programmers office and gold platter name plates for the important rich guys.
Step 4 - Testing
Here is where the so-called "ordinary" people get involved. Usually more nerds except these nerds are the small younger geeky looking ones with the thick black glasses. They get a small demo of the game to try out, they then give feedback to the developers. Usually along the lines of "Its real good, do you make star trek games?" or "it needs more work, make it more like (insert decent game)." If they make the second comment the programmers sometimes get a little violent and are put in jail for a while (the real reason why some games get delayed). Changes are made if required. Sometimes the programmers can't be bothered as they are busy watching star trek or playing chess so they just say its finished to save all the extra work that is required to improve it.
Step 5 - Mass Production
The master copy is taken and copied over and over again. Mass production is easy. An old man gets paid quite a lot to sit on his rear watching a game copy. It is as boring as it sounds but someone has to do it. Ok so the computer does it, the old man is there just to switch it off and on each day.
Step 6 - Packaging
It isn't as planned as most think. Certain information is always required like age ratings and developers details. Usually someone in the art department bit gets picked on and made to make a box design. It doesn't matter if its good or not it will get used, as nobody else really likes doing this job. The newer boxes are plastic like DVD cases to avoid them breaking and damaging the disks when dropped. Now they can throw them around and play games like Frisbee before they are boxed for shipping.
Step 7 - Shipping
Not much can be said here either. Games go into boxes and get shipped to the countries that sell them. Then put into lorries that take them to shops. Most important shops get them earlier than release dates so they can be sent out on the day set for their release. Rich companies may choose to send their product by plane.
Step 8 - Advertising
The developer makes adverts for TV, magazines. Something that catches the eye and makes people want to buy it. Reviews in magazines help. Sometimes a little "bung" to the magazine will ensure a decent review and a well-advertised article. Also give them a demo to test during the making and your sorted. I haven't seen many celebs trying to advertise them for developers, maybe in the future though. Something that brainwashes young children and kind of hypnotises them into purchasing their game usually works.
Oh yeah and before I go I do apologise for the length of the post but I got bored and that's that. : )
Why should they do it then? Children will want something if they see it and it appeals to them, advertising aimed at kids is growing as companies realise that children will ask their parents to buy them something they want. Also adults will buy something that appeals to them, but if they don't know about it then they are unlikely to buy it.
So what are the benefits from it? Well companies could pay to have their product included in the game or an advertisement of some sort somewhere in the game, the extra money the developers make could be used to improve the game or used to make more games. There is a small problem in that if they do make extra money it may be kept and not used to improve games. They could have adverts at the end of the game or products being used by the main character. Some examples could be:
Football games could have adverts round the side of the pitch which rotate like the real-life ones (the only problem is people have to be able to read them and developers may focus on the adverts a little too much which could cause other aspects of the game to suffer.
Games like resident evil, tomb raider and many others could use different products throughout and call them by their name rather than the category they fall into, i.e. you could have certain food products that can be used to improve health.
This could make games feel more realistic (that's the way most games seem to be heading) as you can use products that you can see and buy in real life. Another good choice could be clothing, the clothes the character wear in the game could be available to buy in shops, i.e. Levis could allow their jeans and denim jackets to be used in the game as advertising. Or maybe other accessories like sunglasses, footwear, bags. There is a wide range of things that could be included. Graphics have improved a lot and its now a lot easier to show real life objects in games, also the amount of space available on disks could allow extras like these in the game without spoiling the graphics or the game-play.
Crazy taxi is one of the only games that I can think of off the top of my head that featured brand names like Levis, Tower records, Fila etc and in a way this made the game feel a little more like real life by using names we all know. But in a way it didn't really advertise them as much as they could.
I wouldn't mind an option on some of the game DVD' s that show some of the up-coming games soon to be released from that developer or advertisements for peripherals for the console the game is used on.
But could there be a downside to adverts in games? Maybe that's why we don't see them being used already. As I mentioned before some developers may concentrate more on making adverts more visible that they don't focus enough on the game itself. Or they could use loads of adverts and that could spoil the game, I know that I don't like watching lots of adverts on TV and the ones that pop up on the internet annoy me a lot, I just close them down without reading them. So maybe the adverts could spoil the game. People could become annoyed with them which may cause them to get rid of the game and not buy future games from the developer.
In this day and age music is an important part of any game and a lot of top bands are being used on soundtracks to games which not only makes the music that little bit better but also advertises the bands featured and may lead to sales of their albums. Whatever way you look at it all companies are out to make a profit and do this any way they can, this is another way for companies to make money and to be honest I am surprised that in an Industry as large as the games and consoles one that we don't see more advertising by other companies in games.
It depends on how you look at it whether you think it could be a good idea or not. I think it would be good if the money the developers received went to improving the game and future games and not just kept as a profit. Also only if the adverts were used after you finish playing or dotted throughout the game (like an odd coke machine here or the name of a company on posters) but didn't interfere with the game. So what are your views, would you like to see adverts in games? Would it be a good idea to use them?
Ok so that's that bit out the way lets now have a look at the way that most games are made.
For the first bit we see how games are made. The second bit is supposed to be humorous and what happens behind the scenes with making games.
Here is how I think most games are made. Some may disagree.
Step 1 - The Idea
All games start as an idea, here what type of game it's going to be is decided. Will it be sport, FPS, simulation, action adventure? Also whom the game is intended for has to be worked out too. Will it be young children, teenagers, adults or all age groups? If the idea is good it will then be turned into a game. Not all ideas that are made into games are original. Many are very similar to past ideas.
Step 2 - Idea into reality
Once the idea has been thought through thoroughly. Advice is then given by the programmers who will then create the game. If they can't get it to work then the game will be scrapped. Some people still decide to go through with the idea if the programmers say it won't work. These games usually turn out different to the original idea. For the ones the programmers like and can make the idea is then worked on to create a game worth selling.
Step 3 - Creating the game
By far the hardest and longest part of making a game. Here everything is done. From graphics, game play, sounds, cheats built in. Everything you see and do and more is put onto the disk from here. The programmers are like chefs, the take all the ingredients for the game and make something worth all the hassle, a decent game. Sometimes things are left out as they are to hard to program into the game or they spoil the original idea. People to provide voices, artists, music composers all have an input to making the game at this stage. The work here is sometimes done by more than one company, for example one company could concentrate on the gaming engine, another on the levels and characters and another on the main story of the game.
Step 4 - Testing
Before mass production starts the game has to be tested so that bugs can be found and fixed and all the little problems can be ironed out for the final version. Testers have to work hard as any missed bug or faults could cause the game to fail when it is released. Many people sign up to get the chance to be beta-testers. Give some a chance to see what the game is like and how it could be improved.
Step 5 - Mass Production
After all the bugs are fixed and everyone is happy with the final version the game is created and reproduced for selling. Here the master copy is copied and the game is created. This is what you get in your box. This is the final copy of the game.
Step 6 - Packaging
Packaging for the game is then decided. Some would say this isn't really important as it's the game that matters but developers do think about this quite a lot. Something that stands out and is a little different is usually best. Also the instruction manual and any extras are created and boxed with the game.
Step 7 - Shipping
After everything is finalised the game is shipped. Some of the extremely popular games are so highly demanded that sometimes there aren't enough to meet demand. Japan usually gets games first, then USA and then Europe. That just seems to be the way it has always been. It is also something which annoys me as surely it doesn't take that long to convert the game to PAL? Also the British market is one of the fastest growing and maybe it is about time the developers recognised this and changed things.
Step 8 - Advertising
This is like the final piece of the puzzle, if people know the game is good they will buy it. Most developers offer some information during production to the most popular magazines. This lets people know when it will be out and how good it will be. Advertising can be done on TV. The Internet, the radio and in magazines and newspapers. If the games good it will sell millions of copies
Which will surely please all involved with its creation. This is linked with the first part of this post in that it is an area which could be used in the game to advertise other products by the developer or companies who would pay for their products to be seen in the game.
Most average games cost around $3 Million to make with some of the more popular well known ones costing a lot more. But with a market worth around $32 Million you can see why all this effort and money is worthwhile. (Prices are in $ as my keyboard is acting up!)
Right so that's the serious bit. Now lets go behind the scenes and see what it's really like. This isn't serious so don't believe a word of it.
Step 1 - The idea
Usually lots of people sitting round a table throwing ideas at each other. The drunk at the end usually has the best ones but gets ignored as he smells of rum. Thousands of ideas could be passed around with only the best few being picked. After they decide some fall asleep and others sit and play games. On some occasions paper aeroplanes are made and thrown at the fat individual who then chases the culprit round the table until they become tired. If no idea is found then sometimes they use another developers idea and change it a little, not fair at all but developers like to play dirty.
Step 2 - Idea into reality
The idea is then talked over with the nerds….err.. I mean programmers. If they like it and have the skills and abilities to make the idea a decent game then it gets the go-ahead. If it's rubbish or too hard then the nerds open a can of whoop-ass on the person who brought the idea to them. The truth is that most of the nerds are 6ft tall, 300lb, wrestling fans who are built like the side of a house and can give out quite a beating when faced with someone who fails to meet a certain standard of intellect. The programmers (nerds) then sit around computers trying to make the basics idea into a full game that is possible to be created.
Step 3 - Creating the game
Painstakingly long this stage. Programmers bug each other as they fail to meet deadline after deadline. The best bit is when had been actors come in to do the voices. Most of them come in drunk, if so the programmers beat them with large sticks until they learn their lesson. All elements of the game are put in and a few hidden extras get added too by the programmers. Unfortunately for tomb raider fans they never seem to answer all the letters by putting in coding to remove Lara's clothing. As with most jobs some people are better at it than others, the best programmers make the best games and usually the best games sell more. They don't actually take as long to make as we all think, well they wouldn't if those nerdy programmers didn't watch so much star trek and Buffy while they should be working.
The sounds are also important in making the atmosphere of the game better. Experts on all areas work alongside the programmers to make it as complete as they can. It is at this point that some developers think on other ideas they can sell at the same time as the game, merchandise that increases sales of the game and also gives them extra cash. Developers do get a lot of money, they do spend a lot when making games but there is always a substantial profit at the end which goes to buying star trek memorabilia for the programmers office and gold platter name plates for the important rich guys.
Step 4 - Testing
Here is where the so-called "ordinary" people get involved. Usually more nerds except these nerds are the small younger geeky looking ones with the thick black glasses. They get a small demo of the game to try out, they then give feedback to the developers. Usually along the lines of "Its real good, do you make star trek games?" or "it needs more work, make it more like (insert decent game)." If they make the second comment the programmers sometimes get a little violent and are put in jail for a while (the real reason why some games get delayed). Changes are made if required. Sometimes the programmers can't be bothered as they are busy watching star trek or playing chess so they just say its finished to save all the extra work that is required to improve it.
Step 5 - Mass Production
The master copy is taken and copied over and over again. Mass production is easy. An old man gets paid quite a lot to sit on his rear watching a game copy. It is as boring as it sounds but someone has to do it. Ok so the computer does it, the old man is there just to switch it off and on each day.
Step 6 - Packaging
It isn't as planned as most think. Certain information is always required like age ratings and developers details. Usually someone in the art department bit gets picked on and made to make a box design. It doesn't matter if its good or not it will get used, as nobody else really likes doing this job. The newer boxes are plastic like DVD cases to avoid them breaking and damaging the disks when dropped. Now they can throw them around and play games like Frisbee before they are boxed for shipping.
Step 7 - Shipping
Not much can be said here either. Games go into boxes and get shipped to the countries that sell them. Then put into lorries that take them to shops. Most important shops get them earlier than release dates so they can be sent out on the day set for their release. Rich companies may choose to send their product by plane.
Step 8 - Advertising
The developer makes adverts for TV, magazines. Something that catches the eye and makes people want to buy it. Reviews in magazines help. Sometimes a little "bung" to the magazine will ensure a decent review and a well-advertised article. Also give them a demo to test during the making and your sorted. I haven't seen many celebs trying to advertise them for developers, maybe in the future though. Something that brainwashes young children and kind of hypnotises them into purchasing their game usually works.
Oh yeah and before I go I do apologise for the length of the post but I got bored and that's that. : )