Civilization. The evolution goes on.

Januar 24th, 2010 • Comments Games
Tags: Brands, Business, Civilization, Cool, Creativity, Future, Games, Gaming, Prediction, Social Gaming, Strategy

One of the most succesful computer games ever is about to reinvent itself completely. Sid Meier’s civilization is not only a brilliant computer game, it is also very flexible as it has found the way to consoles, iPhones and soon to Facebook. This is more than just an adaption. CIV is a highly complex strategy game, not necessarily dedicated to be played with simple interfaces. But it mastered this challenge and might soon redefine social gaming – in an unpredicted evolution in UX, marketing and gameplay.

I love Civilization. Chances are high that you played it. It can easily be labeled as one of the most addicitive pieces of entertainment ever. The rules:  you become the leader of a primitive tribe on a fictional continent (or real scenarios). Your job is to make this tribe flourish and to turn it from cavemen in 4000 B.C. into an advanced civilization ready for space conquest.

CIV has a 12% share of my teenage days as it made me play for days. Once you have built the Pyramids or declared War on this other tribe you could not stop anymore. And…the simple gaming principle did not rely on superior visual effects but on an outstanding and highly intelligent game. No two Civ matches were the same as the complex combination of environment, your people’s properties and your neighbours mixed up to a time-eating complex which you simply wanted to be the best in.

Read more »

Figures. The Gaming Industry.

Januar 19th, 2010 • Comments Business, Games, Trends
Tags: Business, Future, Games, Gaming, Strategy, Trends, visual, World

We all love Info visualizations. Similar to the ones by The Oat Meal this one explains us the wonderful world of video games. The gaming industry succeeded in becoming the #1 entertainment sector, to be at the forefront before music and movies. And even though there was a drop in video game sales in 2009, it’s quite impressive to see the industry recover.

Here are a couple of figures revolving around this industry. Don’t forget to check out the numbers behind the adult movie industry as well (thx to geekologie).

Faaaaarmville. The commerical is here (kind of).

Januar 11th, 2010 • Comments Games, Social
Tags: Ads, Facebook, Farmville, Funny, Games, Social Gaming, Spoof

As long as you still want to be able to have a relationship, work and stuff like that, you should not start certain things. Heroin for example, or World of Warcraft…or Faaaarmville. Zynga’s social gaming superstar attracts 72.9 million active users every month and was among the first superhits of a new gaming genre on social networks. Farmville was not the first but the most succesful social games…ending the careers and relationships of millions on the way to the top.

And now look what user generated content did for us. Faaaarmville – the commercial. 110% hilarity guaranteed (thx to Penn-Olson).

Gaming. The very, very, very cool new DJ Hero trailer.

Oktober 15th, 2009 • Comments Games
Tags: Cool, Funny, Games, Ideas, Lifestyle, Music, trailer, visual, We like

Okay, my next Wii purchase will be this: Activision’s DJ Hero is going to be launched on Oct 27th. And I just found this extremely groovy trailer from Visual FX studio Framestore, London. Looks like serious fun and a cool presentation (via Creativity Online).

Halo 3 ODST. Sometimes war is a video game.

September 23rd, 2009 • Comments Games, We like
Tags: Bungie, Creative, Games, Halo, Lifestyle, Microsoft, Motion, video, Viral, visual, We like

For years Halo is among the few Game titles which kept up a very high level of creative excellence in marketing communication. Almost two years after the third sequel from Halo was published, Halo 3: ODST got into stores. The first-person shooter video game, developed by Bungie and published by Microsoft, was released on the Xbox 360 exclusively on September 22, 2009. Players assume the roles of elite human United Nations Space Command soldiers known as Orbital Drop Shock Troopers (ODSTs) during the events of Halo 2 and Halo 3.

Now watch this trailer by Bungie, pulling the Gamer into a Halo sequel presented like a classic war movie. Stunning! (Thx to Fubiz)

Next step. Microsoft Project Natal.

Juni 7th, 2009 • Comments Allgemein
Tags: Games, Microsoft, Motion

Nice to see that my the mothership of my employer once in a while comes up with something completely new. Microsoft’s Project Natal is a new motion-capturing engine which was just presented at this year’s E3. It takes the Nintendo Wii concept to a new level. And all you need is a camera for your existing XBOX – not a new console.