everything

I am not sure if it is just me but I go through phases of writing alot on various blogs and then not writing any for ages. There is the stock response of I have been busy and now let me tell you what I have been doing. However what I really think it is, is that we as people are always learning and testing naturally we are curious and looking for new things to experience. These events are generally so different and diverse that they make you challenge your thoughts about many things. This then leads to the fact that you are not immediately able to articulate exactly what you think about the new learning and then what value that learning has.

So this last year there have been a load of experiences that have in many ways changed my thinking about a lot of issues. So for those that are interested I am listing a few issues that have stirred these changes:

- good businesses evolve and become more experienced.
- the only way you can get better is through testing and prototyping.
- i am not good at anything :-)
- owning is wrong but there is something nice about it.
- being social is a lot of effort, but saying yes is way better than staying at home.
- ideas are really not that new. making them happen is HARD.
- you are always going to meet someone who you can't have a conversation with.
- people love people, why else would you day on day cram yourself into the smallest places to get to work.
- one man occupancy cars in the morning should be band.
- every so often there will be an amazing tv advert that gets things just right.
- street games really, really, really create amazing life changing experiences for the players.

I think that is about it. I am going to try and write about all of these as soon as I get a chance. IS there any one in particular people would like to hear about first?

Blast Theory exhibition

This weekend me and Allie went to Exeter to have a look at the Blast Theory exhibition. After twenty years Blast Theory have created some great projects. The exhibition covered five of their best from stampede to can you see me know. It's the first time I have been to Exeter and it's a bit bigger than I thought so there were to delight of Allie some vintage shops to have a look in (she recommends them to anyone if you go there).



Anyway back to the exhibition. I am not going through all of the pieces but basically I loved them. I think there is something about Blast Theories work that they have done everything you want to do. They inspire you to go out and try something which I think can only be a testament of the pieces. I also really liked the way it was exhibited in Space X. I think what was also really interesting is looking back at how technology has allowed them to do new things but fundamentally the artistic nature and idea of what they were seems to have been there right from the start.



I think the thing that most stood out from the projects shown was the idea of the individual experience. Which for me personally is an ongoing issue with us trying to create games that have narrative and a mass participation nature yet feel individual. And above that again can make them to be sustainable. There is always going to be a debate about how games and story do or do not work together. And games such as everwake for us are experiments to see how this can work. slipping between technology and the physical. And this is what I felt Blast Theory was really investigating in an exciting way.

So that was it, a great day a bit cold but brilliant day. And then just as we decided to go home we chanced upon the sixth blast theory experience of the day. While walking around the museum in Exeter we saw the below. Allie had in the back of her mind that she had seen the name and we decided to give the number a ring. And we were taken through a very different tour of the museum.

Coming of age

While the game itself is still very much the lowest common denominator of a game, the basic shoot'em up. Does the trailer now begin to recognise it's plight? is this an very poignant moment of realisation? will the shoot'em up always be successful? Who knows.

But it is nice that the producers have begun to provide some form of humour instead of the mainstream movie trailer. Hey maybe it was just a blip!!!!

playARK - christmas game

We have a great christmas game in store for people. If you are interested you can find out more and buy tickets at http://jokulfrosti.eventbrite.com/

everwake part 2

Well this week it begins. All over again. The plan was to have a break, however recent events have pushed part 2 of everwake forward. I am personally really looking forward into developing the second story of everwake and most importantly how we can get the game at the heart of it all. I think I have always wanted to use everwake as a huge experiment in terms of pervasive gaming. Trying to serialise it like you do with tv shows such as LOST. But I think for a game this is harder. How can people be kept abreast of what has happened up to that date and then not feel out of the loop? Well that's the challenge, plus seeing where and if there should be online content for the game.

But before that, I think it maybe time to put on a seasonal game for all of you guys getting a few withdrawal symptoms. We should be announcing it this week so keep your eyes peeled.

when are you role playing? and when are you just being you?

The pervasive game genre, is an interesting paradox for me and one I have been wrestling with for the last year or so. What I am struggling with it the idea of role play and being yourself.

For me I really got interested in pervasive games because in my mind you did not 'play a character' you were just yourself within the rules of the game given to you. But the more and more I get involved in this there are as ever more shades of grey than there is grey shades. So is there a difference? are there pervasive games that you can be yourself in? and are there games that you have to be a character, and are both of these pervasive games?

So lets go through it and see why I have been thinking about this recently.

Last summer myself and Allie were lucky enough to get to London for the groundbreaking game Conspiracy for Good The game was created by Tim Kring of Heroes fame. The game itself was huge encompassing four weekends around London town. NOKIA sponsored the game and so there was a load of technology involved in the game. For such a big game I was a bit disappointed by it, but I think now a year or so later, I am wondering if it was because I was given a 'fake' character name with certain character traits. So in essence we were asked to roleplay a character. During the game I think there was always an element of detachment, and I wonder now if it was because of the role play element.

In contrast something like 2.8 hours later where you are merely yourself and are asked to interact with the world as yourself feels real and immersive. I am still not sure. Yet it seems like it maybe a mix of both. i.e. the game itself needs to be something you get into so then maybe roleplay doesn't matter? and you have to believe in the story.

Allie's 31st

After last years birthday I thought the another treasure hunt was in order so Allie could go out and find out clues for her birthday. You hopefully get an idea from the image above as to the game. Very fun making it.