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Create A LittleBigPlanet Level On Live Internet TV Show “Friday Night Gaming” This Friday!
ROSWELL, Georgia – January 21, 2009 – Are you in the Metro Atlanta area and want to show off your LittleBigPlanet design skills to the world? If you come to the Computer ArenA in Roswell, Georgia this Friday night (January 23rd) you might have that chance!

“Friday Night Gaming” is the newest Internet TV Show from All Games Radio’s Bobby Blackwolf which discusses the latest developments in the gaming industry with both a live and online audience, and has spent the last few weeks pitting people at the ArenA against the listeners in online games. This week, though, there is a twist to the challenge – live audience members will create a LittleBigPlanet level during the show, and the online audience will play that level throughout the week, attempting to get the high score before the following Friday.

The level design rules are as follows:
• Creation of the level using LBP’s tools will begin after a brief introduction segment at 8PM, and will last until either the end of the show (or 11PM if the show ends earlier). General ideas can be worked on before the show, but access to the game will not occur until after the show starts and the level must be completed in a three hour timespan.
• The only items and tools available will be those gotten from the first three stages (the Gardens) as well as from the tutorials on the Moon. This means no Metal Gear Solid add-on pack!
• A PlayStation Eye will be supplied.
• The level MUST use the race gates in some way and have a decent amount of score bubbles.
• The level must adhere to all content guidelines set forth by Sony Computer Entertainment America and Media Molecule.
Interested participants may email lbp@fnglive.net expressing their interest and plan on being at the Friday Night Gaming set at the Computer ArenA by 7:45PM at the latest. Interviews and introductions will occur on the air at the beginning of the show. The aim is to have four people designing the level at once, however if more than four arrive then people can switch out throughout the night. RSVP’ing is not manditory, but preferred.

Throughout the show, we will be talking about the latest news in gaming and several hot button issues. At the Computer ArenA, there is a mic at the front of the stage for the local audience to give their opinion on whatever we are talking about. For our online audience, there is both a chat room where comments are read as well as a toll free number for people to call in and interact. CC Gaming will also be back for the next edition of the popular “CC Gaming Hardware Spotlight” where consoles are taken apart, examined, and sometimes even fixed. Admission to the live show and interacting with the hosts and audience is ABSOLUTELY FREE!

After the show, the level will be put up on the PlayStation Network under the PSN ID “FNGaming” for viewers around the world to play. A competition will begin based on the 1 Player Score on this level, and will run until 5PM Eastern on Friday, January 30th. To enter the competition, people will have to both play the level and send a friend request to PSN ID “FNGaming”. The top score on the “1 Player” leaderboard at 5PM Eastern will be deemed the winner and will be notified over PSN. Prizes are still being determined, but Internet Fame is guaranteed!

About Friday Night Gaming:
Friday Night Gaming is a live Internet TV Show broadcasting from the Computer ArenA in Roswell, GA every Friday night from 8-11PM ET. The show features news and analysis of the latest in Video Games, featuring both the on-location audience as well as the online audience via chat room and phone calls. Recurring weekly segments include: “FNG Free Play” – live gameplay footage from either a recently released game or an online game being played by the audience; “CC Gaming Hardware Spotlight” – a live demonstration from CC Gaming (ccgamingonline.com) of the inner workings of gaming systems new and old, including how to repair them yourself; and (coming soon) a weekly on-location tournament with the finals being broadcast to the world with live color commentary. Watch live at video.FNGLive.net or listen live on All Games Radio at www.allgames.com. Hosted and produced by Bobby Blackwolf.
http://www.fnglive.net/

About Computer ArenA:
Computer ArenA is the Southeast’s largest gaming facility at 13,000 square feet and offers more than 50 PC and console LAN gaming stations, computer education classrooms, sales and services, and the Good Times Café. It is located at 10895 Alpharetta Highway in Roswell, GA.
http://www.computerarena.com/

About CC Gaming:
CC Gaming is a video game company that started in October of 2005 by the name Console Concepts. Mainly known for creating exciting and unique custom gaming consoles, CCG has offered up-to-date repairs on all video game systems, games, and damaged discs. Located in the Computer ArenA, CCG offers Buy-Sell-Trade of video games, console systems, disc repair, custom consoles, collectibles,accessories, Pro Gaming Gear, Tournaments, Events, and More! CCG carries all video game systems from Atari, Nintendo, N64, Sega, to all the latest systems like Playstation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii.
http://www.ccgamingonline.com/

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CARTOON NETWORK UNIVERSE™: FUSIONFALL™ Available to Play Starting Today

Cartoon Network New Media along with its development partner, Grigon Entertainment, announced today the launch of its AAA, browser-based massively multiplayer online game (MMOG), Cartoon Network Universe: FusionFall.

“We are excited to launch FusionFall, our most ambitious game to date from Cartoon Network,” said Paul Condolora, Senior Vice President, digital for Turner Broadcasting System Inc.’s Animation, Young Adults and Kids Media Group. “With ground-breaking game play and our international development with Grigon, FusionFall expands on our commitment to producing quality games. We know kids will enjoy teaming up with their favorite Cartoon Network characters in this new dynamic world.”

During the beta phase leading up to launch, more than 2.5 million accounts were created, with fans spending hours playing the game. FusionFall is supported by Unity Technology, which allows the game to be played in most Internet browsers on both Macs and PCs. Several safety features, including Crisp Thinking’s NetModerator technology, have also been incorporated into the game to provide a safe environment for kids.

“The response to FusionFall during our beta phase and sneak peek play weekends has been phenomenal,” said Chris Waldron, executive producer of FusionFall. “We’re thrilled to finally offer fans the opportunity to fully explore the Cartoon Network universe online with friends and family.”

FusionFall is an MMOG that takes all of the best Cartoon Network characters, re-imagines them in an anime-inspired style and sets them in dynamic new environments. Players create their own in-game avatars and battle alongside their favorite cartoon characters to save the world from an epic alien invasion. Players team up with friends and more than 50 characters from some of Cartoon Network’s most popular shows, including Ben 10 Alien Force, Dexter’s Laboratory, Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends, Ed, Edd’ n Eddy, The Powerpuff Girls, Kids Next Door, Samurai Jack, and many more, to restore order to the Cartoon Network universe.

The game mixes all the action of a 3-D console platform game and all the customization, character development and open-ended world exploration of an MMORPG (massively multi-player online role-playing game).

FusionFall is subscription-based but offers a robust free play area in the “Future Zone.” Subscription pricing starts at $5.95 per month, with a Family Plan that offers four connected accounts for $9.95 per month. Discounts for multi-month and yearly subscriptions are also offered at www.FusionFall.com.

Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and up, the Cartoon Network Universe: FusionFall Victory Pack Exclusive is also available in retail stores for $19.99 from Majesco. The Victory Pack Exclusive retail version of FusionFall is loaded with extras, including a four-month subscription to the online game, an in-depth game guide with details of all Nanos, monsters and adventure paths, and codes for two exclusive outfit and weapon sets only available in the Victory Pack.

About Cartoon Network New Media:

Cartoon Network New Media is responsible for the production of Cartoon Network’s popular Web sites, which include CartoonNetwork.com, ToonamiJetstream.com, Awesomehouseparty.com and FusionFall.com. These sites are some of the most popular entertainment sites in the world for kids, currently attracting an average of more than 6 million unique users each month in the United States (Nielsen Online). The top attraction is their roster of games, which drew nearly 2 billion game plays in 2008. In addition, Cartoon Network New Media is the creative force behind Cartoon Network’s video-on-demand offerings, interactive TV and mobile offerings, which include partnerships with such major carriers as Sprint, AT&T and Verizon.

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ATLANTA, Georgia – January 8, 2009 – Hi-Rez Studios™ announced today that players can now apply to participate in closed beta for Global Agenda™, an action massively multiplayer online game (MMOG) scheduled for release in late 2009. The closed beta is anticipated to begin in the second quarter of ‘09 and players can apply by visiting http://www.globalagendagame.com/
Global Agenda, built using Unreal® Engine 3, is set in a near future world of advanced technology and player-driven conflict. It features fast-paced ranged and close combat, RPG-style character progression, solo or cooperative team missions, and epic, competitive campaigns between player-created agencies.

“Our alpha testing has gone very well – in terms of game stability and, most importantly, very positive feedback from an active alpha community”, said Todd Harris, Executive Producer of Hi-Rez Studios. “Based on these results we are excited about aggressively growing the Global Agenda player community in Beta”

Features Intended for Closed Beta Include:

 Develop your agent – Create, extensively customize, and improve your agent character over the course of your career, complimenting your FPS skills with RPG-style progression and high-tech gear.
 Join with other agents – Engage in cooperative PvE missions to develop and refine your individual and team tactics
 Advance your agency – Join a player-created agency, compete in technology races for advanced equipment, and capture critical locations to increase your influence in the world.
 Compete in fast-paced PvP combat – Work with your allies to raid or capture enemy controlled facilities during objective-based missions. Equip yourself from a powerful array of weapons, armor, and strategic devices like triggered explosives, deployable turrets, stealth suits, holographic decoys, and remote control robots.
 Experience a dynamic, player-driven world – Agency leaders navigate through a global conflict of other player-run groups, striving to reach their goals first. Territory, resources, technology, and influence are all valuable commodities, with agencies engaging in politics, intrigue, and outright deception to control them.

About Hi-Rez Studios

Hi-Rez Studios, Inc. was established in 2005 to create exceptional online interactive entertainment and is located just outside of Atlanta, Georgia. For more information, visit www.hirezstudios.com.

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LIVE INTERNET TV BROADCAST FROM COMPUTER ARENA EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT

Friday Night Gaming is a new project from podcaster Bobby Blackwolf which will be a place where gamers can gather to discuss and play each other both online and in person. Utilizing techniques perfected in over three and a half years doing Live Internet Radio, audiences both around the world as well as locally will be able to interact and be a part of the party.

FNG will be a LIVE Internet TV show broadcasting from Computer ArenA in Roswell, GA every Friday night at 8PM ET/5PM PT. Video will be available on FNGLive.net and an Audio-only simulcast will be available on All Games Radio. Audio podcasts of each show will also be available through your favorite podcatcher.

BE A PART OF THE SHOW
Even if you can’t make it out to our broadcast location, you can be a part of the show online! Online viewers will be able to interact via our chat room as well as call in using a toll-free number for those in North America. For those outside North America, they can call in using free VOIP software Skype and calling “fridaynightgaming”.

CC GAMING HARDWARE SPOTLIGHT
FNG has teamed up with CC Gaming, a video game company that started in October of 2005 by the name Console Concepts. Mainly known for creating exciting and unique custom gaming consoles, CCG has offered up-to-date repairs on all video game systems, games, and damaged discs. Located in the Computer ArenA, CCG offers Buy-Sell-Trade of video games, console systems, disc repair, custom consoles, collectibles, accessories, Pro Gaming Gear, and More! CCG carries all video game systems from Atari, Nintendo, N64, Sega, to all the latest systems like Playstation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii.

Each week, CCG will bring either a game console or vintage collectible to describe on the air. In the case of game consoles, they will be taking one apart and describing what certain things do, as well as discuss remedies for repairs. At times, they will do a console repair live on stage, explaining the process!

Britt Stephens
Cell 404-932-3159

Computer ArenA
10895 Alpharetta Highway
Roswell, GA 30076
770-910-7951
www.ComputerArenA.com

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ATLANTA–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Entertainment Arts Research Inc. an Atlanta-based video game publisher and interactive entertainment virtual world developer founded in 2000 by Professor Joseph Saulter, today announced a multimillion dollar series A funding. EAR is in pre production on an original third person action thriller IP called Fire Wire District 22 driven by artistic creativity and advanced technology. EAR in partnership with Prototerra has created a virtual world for the Urban community to express the universal creativity embedded in the cultural experience. The EAR team aims to become the worldwide leader in video games that serve the African-American, Latin American, Asian and Caribbean markets by 2010. Currently there are only 2% African American in the video game industry and virtually no video game developers. Perfect time for the team at EAR Inc. to launch Twilight 22 Studio, a video game design and development studio poised to initiate an urban explosion that creates video games and virtual worlds for the $600,000,000 disposable income of the global urban community. EAR Inc. will be the primary provider of new creative channels of opportunity for the urban community to express their unique visions into the video game and the interactive entertainment marketplace, the crossover potential is enormous. The GDP of the African American will grow to 1.7 trillion dollars by 2010 add the Latin American GDP and you have a wealth initiative greater than the GDP of Canada. It is no longer a niche market. Some people get it some don’t those who do will realize new global streams of revenue. Our unique strategy includes opportunities for mergers, acquisitions, public stock offerings, and further rounds of financing to increase revenue growth and share holder value. This strategy significantly gives Entertainment Arts Research Inc. greater access to capital, enhancing our public image and market prestige. Strategic partnerships with industry leaders including but not limited to Vivendi, Microsoft, Sony, StormFront Studios, Stratagon Entertainment, Brash Entertainment. and Warner Bros. make for an exciting global product distribution system to increase international revenue streams.
EAR focuses on creating video games that have
• EAR World a 3D Virtual World for the Urban Community
• Unique stories or game-play that touch African-American, Latin American, Asian and Caribbean Life Styles
• Next generation home console market (Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, SonyPS3)
• Casual games for mobile use such as cell phones, PDAs or portable consoles (Motorola, Sony, Windows Mobile, Blackberry, PSP, Nintendo DS)
• Blockbuster titles with the power to change the cultural, philosophical or gaming landscape.
Joseph Saulter, CEO of Entertainment Arts Research, is the Chairman of the International Game Developers Associations’ Diversity Advisory Board and has been hosting a diversity roundtable at the Game Developers Conference for the past five years. Professor Saulter is also the author of the book “Introduction to Game Design and Development” published by McGraw-Hill. His relationship with Microsoft BGates Group, Sony, Vivendi, Warner Bros, Blizzard, Brash Entertainment, Softimage gives EAR a distinguished position in the industry. Joseph has put together a team of industry leaders in strategic marketing, financial mergers acquisitions and technical video game design and development. With over 30+ years in the entertainment industry, Mr. Saulters’ relationships are his most precious possessions. EAR Inc. will launch innovative revenue initiatives in Atlanta The Urban Video Game Academy for high school students an interactive technology video game design and development training facility. The Urban Video Game Academy has had a Harvard Case Study done on the program. Mr. Saulter is the co founder of UVGA. The mission of the Urban Video Game Academy (UVGA) is to better prepare students in disadvantaged areas for postsecondary education and technology careers by teaching them the fundamentals of video game design and development. Our mission has three basic components: to expose disadvantaged students to career opportunities in video game design and development, to educate them in how to create games, and to enhance learning in academic subjects, such as science, math and writing that are important in the video game development process. The firm is also working with Dr. Thomas Mensah on new initiatives an African American Theme Park, 3D Simulation and Government Defense Applications. Dr. Thomas Mensah is the chairman of Supercond Technology in Atlanta, Georgia. He holds several patents in Fiber Optics for his innovations and inventions. Dr. Mensah is a recognized leader in the development of advanced composite materials and “smart” structures, and is one of four scientists in the world to develop a mechanism for manufacturing fiber optics. His innovative processes have had a huge impact on the industry and the Internet.
For more information about Entertainment Arts Research or UVGA, please email info@ea-research.com or info@twilight22.com.

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Atari has revealed at CCP’s EVE Online Fanfest that it is teaming up with the developer to bring the MMO to retail. CCO’s VP of Sales talks about the marketing strategy.

Reykjavik, Iceland—At the close of its fifth annual EVE Online Fanfest, CCP Games announced to a crowd of 1,500 players from around the globe that on March 10, 2009 Atari will bring EVE Online to retailers around the globe. The Games for Windows PC DVD-ROM game will sell for between $40 and $50 and include all nine expansions of the science fiction massively multiplayer online (MMO) universe, as well as 60 days of paid subscription Game Time cards (a $30 value).

“The future of gaming is about network-centric gaming online,” said David Gardner, CEO of Atari on a taped video shown at the event. “CCP Games has done a great job of building up a subscription base of gamers around the globe. But most consumers today still get exposed to games through retail.”

This will mark the second time that EVE Online has gone to retail. The game originally launched in 2003 with Simon & Schuster Interactive distributing the sci-fi MMO, but after six months of slow sales, CCP Games bought back the distribution rights and switched to exclusive online distribution. That’s when the game really started to take off.

The game currently has 250,000 paying players around the globe (not including China, which runs on a separate universe and is handled through a partnership with Optic), and over 50,000 players using the free 14-day trial version. The game is currently available through EVEOnline.com and Steam.com.

The entire MMO game can be purchased and downloaded for $20, which includes 30 days of Game Time play (a $15 value). Every new expansion, including this week’s Quantum Rising (out November 11), is delivered to gamers free of charge. Magnus Berggson, vice president of sales, CCP Games, said that the time is now right to partner with Atari and bring EVE Online to retail.

“The average age of the Eve Online player – 27 years old – is older than most MMO gamers,” said Berggson. “Those types of players don’t go to the sites we’ve been advertising on with banner ads. They go to the store, like myself, and see what’s new out there. We’re predicting that we’ll be reaching a new set of players that we’re currently not reaching today with our online efforts.”

CCP Games will be working with Microsoft and Nvidia in conjunction with Atari for the retail launch. EVE Online will be certified for Games for Windows by launch. In addition, Berggson said his company will be announcing specific agreements with some of Nvidia’s big video card manufacturer partners around launch.

“We like working with partners like IBM, Nvidia and Steam,” said Berggson. “It always proves to be more successful when you work with somebody. Nvidia card manufacturers will have specific partnership arrangement programs that they can step into. This effort strengthens our retail offering because we can cross-promote between the cards and the retail version of the game in stores.”

CCP Games talked with a number of publishers and ultimately found the best fit with Atari in terms of how that publisher views online gaming and the direction they want to take EVE Online.

“We had the same vision of what we want to do in this online gaming arena,” said Bergsson. “As gamers, we love the Atari brand because we grew up with these games. And when we met with the new management, they have a fantastic group of people.”

Bergsson said CCP Games has been doing a lot of online banner advertising this year. Next year with retail, they will work with Atari on specific retail marketing.

“We did TV advertising this year as a test and we’re looking at possibly doing that next year as well with the retail launch,” said Bergsson. “The thing with us is that we track everything to death and TV is hard to track. The problem with TV advertising is you don’t know who you’re reaching and it’s very expensive. Normally a game company spends a lot of money for TV with ads at launch; Eve came out in 2003 so we don’t have the luxury of a launch.”

Each year, CCP Games releases two major expansions for EVE Online. The fall 2009 expansion will introduce space stations that players will be able to dock their ships at and socialize with other players. As a result, Bergsson said a refresh of the retail copy of EVE Online will be released in time for the 2009 holiday season with this new content on the DVD-ROM.

CCP Games develops EVE Online in Iceland and has marketing and development studios in Atlanta and Shanghai. A team of 300 are dedicated to creating new technology and game expansions for EVE Online in the Iceland studio.

EVE Online is the latest game in Atari’s 2009 turnaround effort, which includes releasing Ghostbusters: The Videogame across six consoles as well as Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC in the spring.

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Since the age of Pong and Space Wars, the video game business has resided primarily in California. Most of the domestic job opportunities in this now multibillion-dollar industry, much of which relies on actors doing voiceover and motion-capture work, are in Los Angeles, with smaller pockets of work in San Francisco and Silicon Valley, New York, and Texas.

Over the past few years, however, at least 13 states have introduced tax incentives to lure game developers away from the Golden State. According to the Entertainment Software Association, the video game industry generated nearly $19 billion in U.S. revenue in 2007 and outpaced the growth of the economy by more than four times between 2003 and 2006, sparking interest in states such as Georgia, Michigan, and Louisiana, where legislators hope to foster local businesses. Seven tax-incentive bills for game development were enacted on the state and local levels in 2007 alone, according to the ESA, while 27 pending bills were carried over to the 2008 legislative session.

The latter figure includes Michigan, which passed a multifaceted tax-incentive bill for film, TV, online video, and video game production in April 2008 — to date, the most generous of its kind in the United States. It offers film, TV, and game producers a tax credit of up to 42 percent if they use Michigan-based resources — including actors, studios, and crews. Anthony Wenson, chief developer for the Michigan Film Office, said the state’s film incentives are far more popular but that the game industry will catch on quickly.

“The video game industry is twice the size of the music and film industry,” said Wenson. “It will take a little adaptation, but once it takes hold, it could surpass the status of film incentives.”

A Growing Concern
In a few states, major game producers are putting down roots. Electronic Arts, the largest video game software publisher in the United States, with headquarters in Redwood City, Calif., opened a testing center in Baton Rouge after Louisiana introduced a 20 percent tax credit in 2005, according to Louisiana’s Economic Development Department. The incentive, which extends to film and TV production, offers additional credits to producers who hire Louisiana residents.

Earlier this year, Georgia added a 20 percent tax credit to its film, TV, video game, and animation incentives. (In the past, producers had received sales tax exemptions.) According to Bill Thompson, deputy commissioner of Georgia’s Film, Music & Digital Entertainment Office, the package comes with a support system, including a digital-entertainment liaison to help developers acclimate to Georgia.

“When I first came to this job, I realized we had incentives, but we weren’t really doing much to support it,” said Thompson. “Now we’ve made a big commitment to it, not only in the incentives we’ve created but also to have a staff dedicated solely to video games.” Thompson said that as a result of the incentives, two companies have set up U.S. headquarters in Atlanta: the China Development Corporation, an online and mobile game company based in Beijing, and Crowd Control Productions, an online game company based in Iceland. (Overseas companies are eligible for tax incentives as long as they spend their money in Georgia.)

Other states with notable new video game incentives include Connecticut, Maine, Hawaii, Rhode Island, and New Mexico. In 2007, Texas expanded its already substantial video game industry with a 5 percent cash grant for all in-state expenditures. All the tax incentives promote in-state spending, which includes money spent on talent. New York has substantial tax incentives for film, TV, and online video production, but none so far for video games. California has no tax incentives for video game production either.

Work on the Rise

Most of the tax-incentive legislation is too new to gauge its effect on actors who do voiceover and motion-capture work. But according to Mark Friedlander, national director of new media for the Screen Actors Guild, the introduction of technologically advanced games like the Grand Theft Auto and Halo series has made acting work for video games more prevalent. “The amount of information that can go into a game is much larger than it used to be,” he said. “That enables a richer game with more players and compelling sounds, which tend to require accomplished performances.”

Friedlander also noted that voiceover actors can work remotely, transmitting their performances from recording studios all over the world. “Performers will record in L.A. in a studio even though it’ll be directed by someone in Austin,” he said. “The states interact with one another, and tax incentives could possibly bring in new states.” Negotiations on a new contract covering video games, he said, will focus on “modernization and protecting the performers,” with the success of the video game industry in mind.

Stray From L.A.?

Though technology and incentives could increase video game opportunities for actors nationwide, Southern California is still the hub. William “Chip” Beaman is the voiceover and new-business manager at Soundelux Design Music Group, a Hollywood-based company that casts and records video games. Actors involved in the company’s productions can transmit their voiceover work from Soundelux studios in New York, London, and Singapore, but he prefers to work with actors face-to-face.

“To have an actor perform elsewhere without the benefit of our L.A. clients actually seeing them is not something the client would prefer,” said Beaman, whose company has worked on such games as Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots and God of War. “Not unless they really want the actor.”

Beaman said he had no designs on chasing tax incentives around the country. “Ninety-nine percent of the work we do is all L.A.-based, because everyone wants the Hollywood-level talent,” he said. “New York, Dallas, and Los Angeles are the biggest areas for voice talent, Hollywood being the largest.”

Voiceover actor Michael Bell, whose work can be heard on Metal Gear Solid 3 and Doom 3, said an actor who wants to pursue voiceovers and motion capture as a career should stay in Southern California for the time being: “I’m going to sound jingoistic, but although I’m sure there’s talent in North Carolina, Georgia, and other states, the perception is that there is so little…that is capable.”

However, Chris Stelly, executive director of film and television in the Louisiana Economic Development Department, is optimistic about the growth of acting work outside of Hollywood. “It is certainly likely that more actors will be hired for voiceover and motion-capture work in the future,” he said, “considering Louisiana has a growing video game and special effects industry, as well as a thriving film industry.”

Thompson said Georgia has every element necessary to build a solid reputation in the game industry: “This business is getting bigger and bigger, and it’s not going to stop. There’s no reason why we can’t be a part of it.”

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Global Agenda is currently in development and has not been publicly released. Hi-Rez Studios is evaluating applications for upcoming Alpha and Beta testing activities on an INVITATION ONLY BASIS. A highly limited number of spots are currently available, with more slots opening over the coming months. Alpha Testers will be asked to participate in scheduled Play Test events as well as assist with other activities, while giving candid and constructive feedback to the game developers.

Sign up on the website…

http://www.globalagendagame.com/

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Registration is now open for

Living Game Worlds IV – Interplay: Multiplayer Games and Virtual Worlds

December 1-2, 2008

Georgia Tech

Technology Square Research Building

85 5th Street, Atlanta, GA

Step in to the vanguard of digital gaming at Georgia Tech’s 4th annual Living Game Worlds symposium to be held December 1-2, 2008. Raph Koster and Chris Klaus headline this year’s conference which will showcase “InterPlay,” networked online play and the rapidly-growing domains of multiplayer games and virtual worlds. The symposium will also feature a pioneers panel including luminaries Richard Bartle, Brian Green, Chip Morningstar, Randy Farmer and Pavel Curtis. Also, don’t miss the chance to see the latest demos from Georgia Tech’s Digital Media Program, EGL, and GVU. Early registration ends October 31. Register now at http://gameworlds.gatech.edu

Media Inquiries: gameworlds-media@lists.gatech.edu
All other Inquiries: gameworlds@lists.gatech.edu

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Dr. Eyjolfur Gudmundsson, the Lead Economist at CCP, developer of EVE Online, talks about the impact of what’s essentially a real-world economy in a virtual world.

by Eyjolfur Gudmundsson, PH.D. on Tuesday, October 14, 2008

It has been over 30 years since online virtual worlds have started to emerge in the form of MUDs (Multi-User Dungeons). Over this time period several variants of virtual worlds have emerged, with each form having different opportunities and challenges for the developers.

Only in the last five years or so have virtual worlds attained the attention of the general media, where they are often simplistically categorized as virtual realities. The general media then often tries to measure or categorize these virtual realities by finding commonality with real life – trying to understand these new realities by comparing them to our daily lives, our own reality.

This often leads to misunderstandings about what virtual worlds really are. It is true that some virtual worlds are simply an extension of real life. One can even assert that the entire Internet is a virtual world where people come together to share information and to communicate with each other. However, the largest virtual worlds that are out there are worlds that offer you a different experience – giving the user the opportunity to participate in another world, another universe. This participation is just as rewarding and real as the experience that we have in our daily lives but these worlds are not and should not be reality. These worlds are the game worlds of the Internet – massively multiplayer online games or MMOs in short.

Maybe he can help America solve its financial crisis?

MMOs can be defined as closed worlds since they offer access to a fantasy or sci-fi environment that have no direct link to our real life. Hence, these alternate universes are an addition to our real life, not an extension, and they enhance and improve it.

EVE Online is a single shard universe that offers those who participate in that world a rewarding experience. One feature that is often highlighted as the most unique thing about EVE Online is the vibrant economy that thrives within it – often quoted as a realistic experience. Stating that the economy in EVE is realistic is wrong. The economy in EVE is actually just as real as our real life economies, by all measures and definition of economic value based on economic theory. This fact has great implications in terms of how to interpret information from economies in virtual worlds, and shows that economics must be used as a fundamental feature in the design and operation of these worlds.

What makes the economy in EVE real is the fact that without player production of spaceships, ammunition, modules and other items, there would be no EVE. Everything produced and consumed in EVE is based on players’ preferences and their valuation of those items. The players are real and hence their valuation is real.

These decisions evolve around production, trade, war and politics – the same ingredients that we have in all other societies created by mankind. EVE is therefore truly an alternate universe where people are making decisions that affect other people who participate in the same universe.

This level of complexity is only possible due to the single world (single shard) approach in the design of EVE Online. Everyone who participates in EVE Online is participating in the same world with almost a quarter of a million total subscribers and anywhere between 30,000 to 40,000 of them playing at any given time. Hence the action of one player has the potential to impact the virtual well-being of another player. Players are also dependent on each other for the production of goods and services that help you survive in the harsh environment of EVE. And the harsh environment leads to decisions that have real impact on your own well-being. In EVE you are always at risk of losing your ship, your training and items that you carry around with you. And even though it is possible to minimize the financial loss through insurance services, you still know that any action in EVE bears an element of risk. This results in different kinds of behavior amongst the players based on their own risk awareness. Hence, we have players that like to specialize in different professions within EVE ranging from industrial activities to fleet fights and even space piracy.

In 1776 Adam Smith wrote that in order to increase wealth, nations must focus on increasing specialization of the workforce and encourage the formation of markets and external trade activities. This same principle applies in a large-scale virtual world like EVE Online. The environment must be designed from the beginning with economic principles in mind. One of the reasons for the success of EVE Online is that the developers had a clear vision of a large player-driven economy. The initial design accommodated tools and structures that would allow for dynamic trade activities where the key to success would be information. This also meant that in the early stages of the game, before the player population reached a critical mass, a different management method of the market was needed than what is in place today. In the beginning, the developers had to be “hands on” with many aspects of the market, making sure that there was enough supply and demand for various items in the game. However, with the current population size the market has become completely player-driven. This means that the developers now approach the management of the economy with a laissez-faire attitude – only intervening if there are obvious game balance issues that must be addressed.

With such a different and diverse population of players within a single world, it becomes a challenge to make sure that the developer is able to communicate with the population about future development of the virtual world. But the single universe approach allows CCP, as developers of EVE, to approach this challenge in a very innovative and unique, yet classical way.

In order to make sure that CCP listens to the voices of those that participate in the EVE experience, a democratically-elected representative council of players was established earlier this year. This is the Council of Stellar Management (CSM). It has the obligation of bringing the most pressing issues from the community to CCP’s development team. There are nine representatives on this council and each term is six months. The first council will end its term this November. We at CCP have been very pleased with the communication with this new council and many of the issues that they have brought forward will impact the current and future development of EVE Online. The best measure for the success of the CSM is that preparations for the next elections are already under way.

Conclusion
EVE Online is an alternate experience that enhances the real life of those who participate in this world. It is a vast, complex universe that is designed as a sandbox and allows its participants to determine what kind of experience they will have within its confines. In the five years that this world has been in operation, it has really evolved to become a virtual society with all the same basic social structures that have been found in all societies created by mankind, such as a complex economic system that produces real economic value, territorial warfare and politics. Are we perhaps seeing the birth of the first virtual nation?

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