Got Game?

Acabo de recibir el ultimo numero de ACM que trae varios artículos sobre "la ciencia de juegos". Hace un tiempo que estado observando el tema de juegos ya que, desde mi punto de vista, van a jugar un rol fundamental en la próxima generación de software.

Una de las cosas que hice fue, contra viento y marea, acceder a comprar una XBox 360 para los crios. Obvio, que solo me dedique a ver las interfaces en las cuales hay un uso predominante de la famosa metafora focus+context.

Una ventaja tambien de andar por aca es que meses atras me fui a una charla de Tina Blaine (CMU) sobre el uso de juegos para colaboración y software social. Ando con poco tiempo para traducir mis apuntes de ese dia, asi que van en ingles.

We've heard the current trend that users want easy to use devices and applications, otherwise they go somewhere else. Now that the new generation is gadget addicted and Internet savvy, providers of products and services should design for those kinds of users. In this context, the idea of vendor locking is starting to go away. You try something and if you don't like it or it is difficult to use, somebody will make better soon.

I was expecting a bit more on the implications for traditional software design or enterprise software, but it wasn't covered. My conclusion is that as we started to see how mobile is taking more over current desktops, we should expect to see more "gaming-like" interfaces. An example she mentioned was touch technology that has been under research for sometime and also part of gaming. Now, thanks to Apple, the popularity of touch products is going up to the roof.

Notes:

- Social interaction and collaboration
. Technology should be the catalyst not the focus of the experience
. Start simple, add complexity as necessary. See Scott Snibbe's Central Mosaic

- Digital natives (kids)
. Increasing exposure and fluency in the language of computers, video games and Internet
. Ability to multi-task
. Kids are getting older younger (debate on this topic)

- Statistics
. $31-$56 billion by 2009 in games
. 60% of all Americans over 6, now plays video games
. 14% of kids under 3, now play video games
. Women make up 59% playing on mobile devices

- Games
. From Japanese arcade to the consumer market
. Evolution of community cultures: playing together but also competing
. Motivation of playing is also wining

- Survey of games (Guitar Hero, Wii revolution, etc.)

- Contexts of collaboration
. Focus
. Location
. Media
. Scalability
. Player interaction
. Learning curve
. Directed interaction
. Pathway to expert performance playability
. Level of physicality between players
. Improvisation

- Touch technology

- Enhancing player experience

- Inroads to new markets

Y que tiene que ver con software? Bien simple. La nueva generación no solo nació con la Web sino que esta acostumbrada a las interfaces de los juegos y no tienen miedo a explorar como funciona algo. Ahora piensen un poquito: cuando estos chicos entren en el mercado laboral, a donde van a ir a trabajar? A la vieja escuela basada en "desktop" o a una metáfora mas parecida a un juego? VCs: abriendo las billeteras ...