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Games on Demand

Been a while since I posted, and in that time things changed.

For one thing content is making a transition from physical media to on-demand digital delivery. What that means is that instead of buying a game or video by going to a store and purchasing a DVD, you purchase the content you want from an online source, with it delivered via the Internet straight to a storage device (Computer hard disk or game console).

Now this has massive potential, here are some points from an Industrial Engineers perspective:

Cost Reduction:

- No material needed, the industry will diverge from a product to a service industry.

- Logistics cost will decrease as content will be delivered via an online provider. This in turn will reduce actual costs by having one partner as opposed to working with 3PL and 4PL. It will also reduce overhead costs, and price fluctuations according to operational costs (i.e.fuel).

- Inventory will not be needed which saves warehouse costs.

- Manufacturing costs will be saved as physical materials are not used.

Revenue Increase:

- No lost sales, content will always be available.

- No commissions for distributors and retailers means more profit.

- Having the ability to directly access customer content means add-ons can be created and sold for extra revenue.

- Being able to send content through the Internet circumvents some taxes and duties (i.e. for example, customs duty is not collected)

Opportunities:

- Having no set up costs and multiple markets means that customised version of content can be created to increase sales in individual regions or amongst certain demographs (i.e. changing locales, attaining to sensitivities among ethnicity's and faiths)

- Having access to previously unattainable markets due to cost prohibitvness of shipping means increased sales potential.

- Being able to offer discounts in return for in-content advertisments.

Threats:

- Having one provider deliver content gives way to a monopoly.

- This also presents the problem regarding collective punishment (i.e. if another company releases offensive content, a GOV may decide to ban the entire service).

- Again, the problem of one provider means that if it experiences technical difficulties that may result in no sales until the problem is resolved.

- Shovelware overflow will cause quality content to be overlooked, as well as price selectivness among consumers (i.e. avoiding content over a certain price point).

Collecting Duds

I am still alive (barely). Been busy with a few Ergonomics and Industrial Design courses and may potentialy relauch in the neaaafaar future.

What I have also been doing is going back to video game roots. scavenging eBay for somewhat rare games of childhood past.

So I do my homework, I purchase a few SEGA Genesis sealed carts for a price a bit over what they were sold 20 years ago (inflation adjusted), and I had an idea, I purchased a lower priced game from the same seller for a test.

The carts arrive, I then proceed to unseal/open the cheap one to use as a quality sample for the rest of the lot...it looks repackaged, in fact I don't even think its an original cart.

I contact the seller, trying to resolve things in a civil manner (I'm not a GTA player). He disses me, I file a compliant, on and off, he then agreed to refund for the sealed lot and do a half refund for the opened one.

What annoyed me was the email he sent aftewords:

"I dont really understand why people get so upset if like the instruction booklet is bend or something like that. The only thing a gamecollector does with a game is put it in the shelf and look at it, i dont really understand the joy in that. And sometimes they take out the box and touch it and feel pleased with themself.
I mean people who collect cars take them out on big events show them to other people and stuff like that but all a gamecollector does is put the game in the bookshelf and thats about it.
So therefore i dont really unbderstand why it is so important that the instruction booklet must be perfect as i suppose you are not going to have like an game event for 100 000 people who are all going to look at your game? Or do you everytime you pass by that bookshelf with this game get upset and unhappy and think that this really ruin my day?

I only wonder." - end quote

I can see a point, but why are you charging 50x the price of a used game if that is your view?

Wii Gots a Problem

I admit I was one of those who rushed to buy a Wii on day one, I never thought of getting a PS3 or other 'next gen' m/c. The idea of entering into a new level of man-machine integration was exciting.

Suffice to say, 2 years later, I am utterly disappointed to the point of selling the system at a loss. Only 5 games held my attention and those could have easily been ported to the DS (one of them was - Trauma Center). The rest of my gaming experience came in the form of destroying my childhood memories of great games from yesteryear. I kept paying Wii points to realize that I either evolved to a higher form, or that I was easily amused as a child.

Either way, a system that gets one good game every three months is reminiscent of the NEOGEO. I fear that the best days of consoledom have ended with the Dreamcast.

No Objection to Phoenix on the iPod

Phoenix Wright was made for the one handed-on the go-save anywhere gaming platform of the iPod. In fact, I might be inclined to buy an iPod if Phoenix was released on it.

Advantages:
1- Episodic, can buy one episode at a time.
2- 320x240 screen is perfect for Phoenix.
3- Can play your own music in the boring parts.
4- Save anywhere.
5- Don’t need both hands to play.
6- You can store all the episodes on system, instead of swapping carts.
I am sure that it will sell a million in under a week, are you listening CAPCOM?

What you can do to make this a reality:
1- Leave a comment below.
2- Contact gaming websites like Joystiq or Kotaku and get them involved.

Until it is released, you should try the series on the Nintendo DS. It is the only series I can really recommend. And if you are looking for a Virtual Console game on the Wii, try Lords of Thunder, you can't go wrong there.

Karma

I’m not saying using UMDs will lead to the PSP downfall.
But the loading times, battery depletion, and vulnerability to scratches associated with UMDs, THAT will lead to the demise of the PSP.

KSA in KOF from SNK

‘The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match’ is coming out on the PS2 soon. It features 64 characters and online play.
It is also the first fighting game in history to feature a stage set in Saudi Arabia. I guess this is to be considered a late thank you on SNKs part (KSA is probably one of the top ten countries in sales from the NEOGEO era).

The Art of Buying

The Wii will get its first NeoGeo Virtual Console games in North America Today (Monday). Busy as I am, this deserves a comic.
I was one of those people who spent a large stake of my high school income on NeoGeo games. To fit it neatly in one equation:

6 months of allowance = 1 NeoGeo game

Now, 15 years later, I plan to buy ‘Art of Fighting’ for %4 of the price I paid for that very same game back then.
In 1992, $9 wouldn’t even buy you a NeoGeo game cover. I hope they come out with a NeoGeo themed Wii (with arcade stick) soon.

Link To Future Releases Page

Quick DIY Wii Wheel

With the advent of the Wii, a lot of companies started selling overpriced add-ons that can be easily made at home.

The Ogal is part of the traditional headdress worn by citizens of KSA, Kuwait, UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain. Its price varies but you can buy a cheap one for $5.

Time: 3 minutes

What you will need
1- Scotch tape
2- Piece of thin cardboard
3- Ogal
4- Wii remote

STEP ONE

STEP TWO

STEP THREE

WFGN: Season One

Recent Illustrations

I thought some people might get bored with just the comic updates. So what do you think?

Virtual Console Solutions

The Wii Virtual Console has great potential but some flaws. Among them is a controller that isn't in sync with the Wii's theme of compactness.

That is the reason I am not getting SNES or N64 games on the system. The Classic controller is terrible with that wire, and the Wavebird is too bulky.

Above is a concept design for a SNES and 2nd generation Genesis games (the NEO GEO one is obviously a joke), along with my previous design for the next Gameboy (special thanks for Zho on the extra button suggestion).

A Different Perspective

This is a little creative exercise I give my students.
The picture represents a store with an entrance and an exit. And parking spaces numbered 1 to 22.
The question is "What is the best parking space?"
The usual answer is:
- Any space between 7 and 16 would be best.
Here is where the creative part comes in.
'Make up a situation where there would be different optimal parking spaces'
Here are a few examples:
1) If you are buying something – The best place would be 16 or 17 because you are carrying something out of the store.
2) If the store is about to close – Spaces 6 or 7 to get in in time.
3) If you are over weight – Spaces 1 or 22 to walk more.

See if you can come up with something.

GameBoy OMEGA

Click on image for full resolution .

'Omega' means 'final', 'last', and 'the end'.

Although Nintendo clearly stated that the DS was NOT the next Gameboy. They still have not announced anything regarding the new system.
I am sure the success of the DS is one of the reasons, as they do not wish to take away any of the steam the system has accumulated. As well as the launch of the Wii come this November.
But Nintendo is known for their innovation, I should know. Ever since 1989 with the Original NES, I have owned (and enjoyed) every system the company produced, even the VirtualBoy.
So just a new iteration won't cut it, this product has to have a major innovation in the handheld scene. As well as be expandable and 'Future Proof'.
This is my humble gift to Nintendo, for all these years of entertainment.

And you can help too, I am taking in any serious alterations and concepts as well as ideas for modules, and I will rework the design January 2007.

I already have 2 extra modules in the works:
- A WarioWare 1 button + Gyroscope Module
- A Camera Phone Module

- - - - -

This Product is conceptual and not available on the market. It is not designed, endorsed or affiliated by Nintendo; The Gameboy trademark is registered to Nintendo.

The Daily Grind

A logo I created last year. You may also want to check out the interview the good people at Oman3D recently gave me. Be sure to check out their great site.

A Classic

Has it really been three years?
I sent this to a couple of companies a while back, they were impressed but wanted 'complete works', not just characters.
I have since been cured of overusing the color blue in my designs.

Digital Painting

Thanks to Jim S. for asking "where is the visual art?" I hope you like this.

Custom Tailored Tech

Here are a couple of designs I did to merge between attire and technology.



The first one is a rosary (called Sabha here) with a USB flash drive.

The second is a Ogal (used to keep the traditional head scarf secure) containing blue ice, for hot days and those public speaking sessions. The Shumaq (head scarf) would disperse the coolness evenly.

Medical Modeling

Here is an artificial hip I modeled in high resolution 3D for King Saud University for use in mechanical stress simulations.

Nintendo DS

This is a Nintendo DS redesign I did after joystiq.com posted a prize-less contest late 2005.