TECHNOLOGY DISCUSSION --Web-based Casual Games

MOST OF OUR CUSTOMERS (In casual games) don't care about the technology of the game --Joshua Howard, Microsoft...."People don't buy TIVO because it runs on Linux" -- says Chris Melissinos, Sun...

CRYSTAL BALL TIME....

Moderator, Craig Fryar, Online Alchemy talks about -- how we develop onlne games to mirror player expectations from limited to large scale multi-player -- moving from 2 1/2 to 3D -- with decent frame rate. Fryar notes there is a transition to item sell & skill-based games....

Jay Moore, Head of Special Ops for THE STRATEGY GROUP repeats the famous quote that "Download is Dead" he's talking about more immersive space -- multiplayer space...web-based games catalyst for that...change the way we make games in the next decade -- the interaction.

SHIFT FROM GAME AS PRODUCT TO GAME AS MEDIA

...What's a game and what's media is blurring according to Atom's Williams he points to the Cheney game...Bush back-rub which he says some people would say are more like viral video than game-- but it is a game and you have to play it!

GAMES AS SNACKS!

Williams adds that influx of advertising in this space will influence what we think of as a game...more deeply immersive....much more light weight -- SNACKS...shelf life of 3 weeks and go away-- Dave WIlliams, Atom Entertainment..

WORLDWINNER's Cooper Moo-- says they no have all our tournaments closing more quickly...He notes that now when you go on and play warm-up game you play alone but his players told them -- they want to play against another player-- market is telling us -- what you guys do different is the interactive part.

BRAIN AGE --

Kids tell him it's amazing game..daughter trying to beat score in BRAIN AGE ..can't get her to do her homework but always playing BRAIN AGE....Chris Melissino from Sun explains.

500 Pieces of Nostalgia!

.Melissino explains.as gamers grew up and became resposible adults and have mortgage and kids...having accessible through Game Tap -- 500 pieces of nostalgia--

He adds -- I remember what the Arcade smelled like-it's really about people who want to play good games...He asks the audience --are you building a game that you want to play or that people want to play?...HABBO HOTEL. NEOPETS --83 million subscriber accounts...and no one sees as an opportunity? He urges the audience to determine what's going to be viable in the market and build your company....

Fewer and fewer doing everything!

"Two points I want to look in CRYSTAL Ball -- business models-- fewer and fewer portals will offer everything...see content push -- more business models and not sitting and talking about experimental" says Joshua Howard, Microsoft..

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"Challenge someone to game of cards on one device and then go to another-- take device with them...that's where Micosoft is going -- LIVE ANYWHERE...what's exciting new game experiences built for that market---new experiences in a connected environment...way beyond ...web is an important piece so are other aspects....

FINAL SLIDE -- CHALLENGES -- security issues, download times, portable play, IP protection, consolidation...from Fryar, the moderator

Moore from The Strategy Group says smaller developers don't know how to position themselves for acquisition...in early days it was the WILD WILD WEST -- now people putting barriers to entry....along with consolidation, comes 800 pound gorillas from larger publishers...

Williams-- "This is by far the most fragmented market I've worked with -- no dominant player in the value chain....great, very competitive market ...not a lot of established business models...that's why downloads have dominated...as bigger players come into the space-- watch for "try to purchase" and advertising models...we will see more predictive revenue streams....the good side of consolidation...

"I'm bullish" says Howard from Microsoft...I think someone with great content will find away....according to Melissinos...download times going away...NAPSTER proved the model to get free content...open up system to potential hackers...providing value to consumer -- present content more attractive than the pain it inflicts.

LIGHTENING ROUND -- rumors -- everyone is laughing...LOL...nope no one contributes...sorry readers -- no rumors!!!!!!!.

Q & A -- How important is it to game run in browser versus download client?

Williams says for free games it's really important to run in browser...only 10 percent or less download games there is a fear of download...not wanting to hassle with it...

Portability also issue says moderator Fryar.

IP QUESTION???

iP -- how is being challenged in the field..

Moo says to ask Hasbro--his firm worked with them to develop completely new game of Scrabble-- push the envelope -- play for cash online -- wasn't challenge-- was opportunity!....

GIVE IP TO PLAYER!

Sun's Melissinos says give IP to players-- SECOND LIFE...giving some ownership or sense of ownership to player....

Question --IF YOU GUYS HAD UNLIMITED AMOUNT OF $$$ -- what kind of company up and down the value chain...

Someone said they were starting this rumor PIXAR OF GAMES?????

Microsoft's Carbonate

Howard --I got Microsoft to fund Carbonate -- world class games that I and my kids can play...and they forget who made them.....

DATA CENTER IS KING

Melissino talked about the importance of the data center-- the biggst massive player game in world is Wall Street....want to build a great game and not worry about the network....

PHOSPHOR -- an example of web-based game-- FYI Phosphor - Rasterwerks

multiplayer first-person shooter in your web browser. www.rasterwerks.com/game/phosphor/beta1.asp - 8k - Cached

BLOGGER NOTE throughout the panel several of the experts mentioned the web-based game called Phosphor-- here's  a JPEG and a link to that game courtesy of wikipedia.com. Here's a quote I found onlne from Rafe Needleman from CNET about Phosphor -- FYI -- (note Needleman was not on the panel-- his comment is provided FYI only): "There's a not-bad shooter demo out there called Phosphor. It's a Flash application that runs in a browser. Users don't have to install anything; it's downloaded as needed from the host site."

Blogger note: closing now -- so don't lose his post.....live from the Austin Game Conference...Joyce Schwarz, emerging entertainment analyst on location....email me at joycecom@aol.com