In a call back to my previous post regarding the Naughton article (see 2nd post) a recent article was brought to my attention on a podcast by the folks at GiantBomb.com on their weekly videogame centred news/review show, the Bombcast. The article in question can be found at http://www.newyorker.com/online/2010/08/09/100809on_audio_baker.
The article itself seemed to connect almost perfectly with the suggestion that the videogame industry and specifically journalism within it has become dominated by gamers who grew up voraciously consuming and appreciating video games before turning it into a profession. The Bombcast crew (found at http://www.giantbomb.com/) are essentially a group of friends who met and shared a mutual interest and professional impetus to cover videogames their own way after being hired independently by gamespot.com some years previous.
Having left to form their own site after some controversy over a game rating clashing with advertisers wishes (see http://kotaku.com/328244/gamespot-editor-fired-over-kane--lynch-review) the crew have since become highly respected in their own right as everymen who also have the knowledge and wherewithal to influence both the casual game fan and their parents it seems.
The idea that social media in a sense has spread a message and created a connection between father and son at this point that will allow them to share and communicate about their experiences with videogames and or the media associated with them. This instance creates the sense that the father, no doubt appreciating (and perhaps he still does) radio and the news shows and current affairs content growing up, has merged with the form that the son has learned to embrace though podcasts that are catered to his specific interests in the modern day. The connection being made through the form and then leading to this desire to share and understand the content.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Multiplayer Multipurposing
Just a small aside in regards to the mention in week 3 about Multiplayer gaming and chat/interaction within.
Much like that used to a 'useful' means within the fiction of NEW MODEL ARMY the idea of co-ordinating attacks and planning raids (ala World of Warcraft) is not the only purpose communication on the battlefield provides for. Marvel scribe Brian Michael Bendis during one of his lengthy Q and As (search for the Bendis Tapes) on the podcast Word Baloon (http://wordballoon.blogspot.com/ or via itunes) spoke lovingly of his time spent fragging his fellow Marvel writers at the game Call of Duty 5: World at War.
This was not the full extent of their interaction however as his friends list reads as a who's who of the top names at the company. His exclusive friends list gaming sessions filled with the likes of Matt Fraction (Iron Man writer), Ed Brubaker (Captain America and Xmen) and Rick Remender (Punisher War Journal). Not only do the gents run around shooting each other but the writer confessed their xbox live sessions became a perfect opportunity to 'break' or discuss story ideas and upcoming plotlines for their various characters.
The multiplayer arena becoming a story meeting of sorts for the companies top writers to privately bounce ideas back and forth along with a few digital bullets.
Much like that used to a 'useful' means within the fiction of NEW MODEL ARMY the idea of co-ordinating attacks and planning raids (ala World of Warcraft) is not the only purpose communication on the battlefield provides for. Marvel scribe Brian Michael Bendis during one of his lengthy Q and As (search for the Bendis Tapes) on the podcast Word Baloon (http://wordballoon.blogspot.com/ or via itunes) spoke lovingly of his time spent fragging his fellow Marvel writers at the game Call of Duty 5: World at War.
This was not the full extent of their interaction however as his friends list reads as a who's who of the top names at the company. His exclusive friends list gaming sessions filled with the likes of Matt Fraction (Iron Man writer), Ed Brubaker (Captain America and Xmen) and Rick Remender (Punisher War Journal). Not only do the gents run around shooting each other but the writer confessed their xbox live sessions became a perfect opportunity to 'break' or discuss story ideas and upcoming plotlines for their various characters.
The multiplayer arena becoming a story meeting of sorts for the companies top writers to privately bounce ideas back and forth along with a few digital bullets.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
NEW MODEL ARMY
Just finished reading a novel by Adam Roberts called NEW MODEL ARMY. The basic premise of the novel is that armies in the traditional feudal hierachy sense have become obsolete and as we follow the main character we find he is part of the wave of New Model Armies challenging the old guard in combat and ideology.
More information on the author and his work can be found at http://www.adamroberts.com/
The drive of the novel centres on the above conflict as it rages across a Great Briatin of the near future. How this relates to social media i hear you cry, well the New Model Army is essentially an army run and operated via a social network and the war is fought by a series of squads made up of people like you and I as opposed to the stiff regimented ranks of the military. The idea of uniformity in the visual sense is abandoned and replaced by a spiritual unity which thrives by way of the digital wiki with which the soldiers interact. The lead character is former military but that doesnt mean anyone can't join and essestially have a say in how the battle is fought.
The novel embraces the idea of a social network in the way one would interact with friends in a multiplayer game like CALL OF DUTY: MODERN WARFARE 2 and even the MassiveMultiplayerOnlineRolePlayingGame types of which World of Warcraft is the industry leader. Teams coming together and co-ordinating attack patterns against other teams or enemy AI via typed chat or bluetooth headset and voting and formulating patterns of attack and how to best defeat their digital enemy.
NMA transposes this idea into reality and has these mercenary like armies taking on Real world armies with the power of social networking as its greatest weapon. Every part of the network is a decision making weapon who can update the battlefield wiki (via an arm mounted digi pad) on the fly with instant pertinant tactical updates. These techniques succeed against the British army beacause the NMA is essentially making command decisions on the fly and without the confirmation of a general or superior offficer. If a particular event requires a large decision opposite views are put to a vote in order to maintain the pure democratic spirit of the Athenian Polis, which was for the people by the people, in the purest sense, but with the ladies this time as well.
end of PT.1
More information on the author and his work can be found at http://www.adamroberts.com/
The drive of the novel centres on the above conflict as it rages across a Great Briatin of the near future. How this relates to social media i hear you cry, well the New Model Army is essentially an army run and operated via a social network and the war is fought by a series of squads made up of people like you and I as opposed to the stiff regimented ranks of the military. The idea of uniformity in the visual sense is abandoned and replaced by a spiritual unity which thrives by way of the digital wiki with which the soldiers interact. The lead character is former military but that doesnt mean anyone can't join and essestially have a say in how the battle is fought.
The novel embraces the idea of a social network in the way one would interact with friends in a multiplayer game like CALL OF DUTY: MODERN WARFARE 2 and even the MassiveMultiplayerOnlineRolePlayingGame types of which World of Warcraft is the industry leader. Teams coming together and co-ordinating attack patterns against other teams or enemy AI via typed chat or bluetooth headset and voting and formulating patterns of attack and how to best defeat their digital enemy.
NMA transposes this idea into reality and has these mercenary like armies taking on Real world armies with the power of social networking as its greatest weapon. Every part of the network is a decision making weapon who can update the battlefield wiki (via an arm mounted digi pad) on the fly with instant pertinant tactical updates. These techniques succeed against the British army beacause the NMA is essentially making command decisions on the fly and without the confirmation of a general or superior offficer. If a particular event requires a large decision opposite views are put to a vote in order to maintain the pure democratic spirit of the Athenian Polis, which was for the people by the people, in the purest sense, but with the ladies this time as well.
end of PT.1
Sunday, August 8, 2010
RE: Blogging and the emerging media ecosystem by John Naughton
This article was interesting in the points it raised in relation to current peer to peer trends, but the quote that stood out reminded me of something and made me realise the seemingly disatnt origins of the sphere of influence expressed by the net a mere 13 years ago. "The net is making it much harder for companies to keep secrets" and as usual my brain connects this instance to Hollywood and how the movie making process has become an open gate for sites and various interested parties to gain access to a film as its greenlit, cast and designed well before its big screen debut.
Months before the film is due to come out, the costumes, effects and behind the scenes happenings have already been scrutinised, judged, disputed or rallied for. The most recent case in point (again ill connect it to something with which im familiar) has to do with the rival superhero films for the coming summer of 2011, GREEN LANTERN and THOR.
As mentioned earlier the 13 year ago equivalent and pretty much the first instance id experienced of unfiltered opinion came when Harry Knowles of www.aintitcool.com in 1997 reviewed and eviscerated an advance screening of the WB summer tentpole picture BATMAN & ROBIN. So savage was his review and uncensored in his disgust that i was at the time suprised and exhilarated by the existence of such an honest and outspoken voice. The review, while perhaps not affecting box office numbers, certainly had an effect via word of mouth and within the 'geek' community. The laughable nature of bat nipples and campy Schwarzenegger caused a widepsread disdain for the franchise and created enough badwill to lead Warner Brothers to go back to the drawing board, though the execs would never admit (and there is no proof of course) this reaction had any effect on such a decision. The subsequent Batman films have been much more focused on adhering to the core mechanics of the character accessing comic based storylines and tone in an effort to protect the 'geek' cred of Batman as an icon, while maintaining his cache as a merchandising figurehead.
Why i raise this example is because now the battle takes place as the film is in pre-production, during filming and in post when teasers and previews begin to leak forth. Though instead of an internet reviewer you don't know personally (whether you trust his opinions or not) you begin to hear disdain and reactions from people you do know and to some degree trust with the onset of web2 or peer to peer contact. Professionals are now often regular joes giving opinions via their own podcasts or twitter feeds from within the industry and are candid enough to break down 'spin' and 'press release discourse' with relative ease (see: GiantBomb.com); So it becomes easier to judge for oursleves what the product is and its value to us without needing to have it neatly packaged. "And when it does conventional PR news management techniques are ineffective", and they are increasingly becoming moreso. As when you place PR person up against your brother or best friend who are you going to trust when they both hold in their hands and present to you the same information.
Months before the film is due to come out, the costumes, effects and behind the scenes happenings have already been scrutinised, judged, disputed or rallied for. The most recent case in point (again ill connect it to something with which im familiar) has to do with the rival superhero films for the coming summer of 2011, GREEN LANTERN and THOR.
As mentioned earlier the 13 year ago equivalent and pretty much the first instance id experienced of unfiltered opinion came when Harry Knowles of www.aintitcool.com in 1997 reviewed and eviscerated an advance screening of the WB summer tentpole picture BATMAN & ROBIN. So savage was his review and uncensored in his disgust that i was at the time suprised and exhilarated by the existence of such an honest and outspoken voice. The review, while perhaps not affecting box office numbers, certainly had an effect via word of mouth and within the 'geek' community. The laughable nature of bat nipples and campy Schwarzenegger caused a widepsread disdain for the franchise and created enough badwill to lead Warner Brothers to go back to the drawing board, though the execs would never admit (and there is no proof of course) this reaction had any effect on such a decision. The subsequent Batman films have been much more focused on adhering to the core mechanics of the character accessing comic based storylines and tone in an effort to protect the 'geek' cred of Batman as an icon, while maintaining his cache as a merchandising figurehead.
Why i raise this example is because now the battle takes place as the film is in pre-production, during filming and in post when teasers and previews begin to leak forth. Though instead of an internet reviewer you don't know personally (whether you trust his opinions or not) you begin to hear disdain and reactions from people you do know and to some degree trust with the onset of web2 or peer to peer contact. Professionals are now often regular joes giving opinions via their own podcasts or twitter feeds from within the industry and are candid enough to break down 'spin' and 'press release discourse' with relative ease (see: GiantBomb.com); So it becomes easier to judge for oursleves what the product is and its value to us without needing to have it neatly packaged. "And when it does conventional PR news management techniques are ineffective", and they are increasingly becoming moreso. As when you place PR person up against your brother or best friend who are you going to trust when they both hold in their hands and present to you the same information.
Friday, August 6, 2010
FIRST
Yeah so welcome i guess. Looking forward to posting thoughts that occur alongside my media studies class for the time being, but im sure tangents will arise.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)