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http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1764&Itemid=2&limit=1&limitstart=2

Cliff Bleszinski, Lead designer, Epic Games
Chris Charla, Executive producer of development, Foundation 9 Entertainment.
Erik Gloersen, President, Climax's LA studio
John Rowe, CEO and president, High Moon Studios
Randy Pitchford,President, Gearbox Software
Samantha Ryan, President, Monolith Productions.
Todd Hollenshead, CEO, id Software
Jason Della Rocca, executive director, International Game Developers Association

The Importance of New Ideas

In a two-part Next Generation special feature, a collection of leading videogame developers and publisher executives talk about the importance of new I.P. in the next generation landscape and the future of licensed content.

Tomorrow: Publishers

"What role will original game concepts play in next generation development?"

Technology is a gating factor to the experience of playing games. Whether it's visual quality or character interactions, you have to have the processing power to make more sophisticated and interesting entertainment. Certainly the next generation of consoles in the Xbox 360 and PS3 are far more powerful than their predecessors and that gives game developers broad options to do things we haven't been able to do before and provide experiences for players they haven't had before. For example, for our next generation Wolfenstein game, which uses the Xbox 360 as it's primary development platform, we are developing technology that will change the way people play First Person games by doing away with the whole concept of "levels", which has been the primary progression mechanic every first person game has used. The Wolfenstein game world will be one large environment that you can move freely about and explore without ever having to "load" the next area or map. In that way, you're never pulled out of the game environment because of a level change, and the game is presented to you as one seamless experience.

Next Gen asks about original game concepts and he brings up a FPS idea that Half Life basically implemented in '98 way to miss the point Todd.

Original games are essential to the success of next generation consoles in my opinion. Still, most launch titles appear to be current generation games with a graphics makeover. I can understand that 3rd party publishers mitigate risk by re-releasing commercially successful game concepts for launch of a new platform. However, I don't understand why Sony and Microsoft are hedging their bets on creating so many "safe" titles. I once asked Mr. Miyamoto about Nintendo's strategy when it comes to making games. I was surprised when he said that Nintendo only makes games to sell hardware units, but it really makes a lot of sense. Now, Nintendo has clearly made some mistakes over the years and are struggling to overcome them, but it seems to me that Microsoft and Sony could learn from Nintendo's mindset: Every first party title should attempt to expand the market through innovation.

"How will next gen game development impact costs of games?"

Premium next generation video game content will cost $60 (up from $50 – or a 20% increase). So, we’re grossing 20% more at retail, but we’re spending 50% more in development. You can imagine that there is an assumption that more customers will be joining the market to support the difference.

The impact on innovation in gameplay is that the Designers are beginning to drown in bigger and bigger teams. People don't want to buy interactive movies. People want to buy unique and entertaining video games. I believe the most successful games will be created by a core team of 30-35 people where at least 10 of them are Designers. I believe in an iterative process where gameplay is tried out, tuned and tested extensively before pretty graphics are laid on top of a solid gameplay foundation. I believe in outsourcing at least 80% of the art, which will lower the overall cost and let the team focus on creating a unique gameplay experience.

The initial R&D investment the industry is making is large. The by-product of that is that this first series of Xbox 360 games have a higher price point, which is closer to $60 than the currently common $50 price point. The R&D investment will be amortized over the life of the consoles, so this initial investment will matter less a couple of years down the road, but next-gen games will still be more expensive to make.

They also ask about Hollywood licensing... it's a really long read

 

[Grug]

Jason Della Rocca, executive director, International Game Developers Association

 

[Myoclonic Jerk]

so if REV was able to make it feasible for developers to sell their games for $50 or less, I think we'll see REV pulling a DS here..


cheaper console, cheaper games and "new" ways of playing them

 

[malek4980]

so if REV was able to make it feasible for developers to sell their games for $50 or less, I think we'll see REV pulling a DS here..


cheaper console, cheaper games and "new" ways of playing them

The only ways the games would be cheaper on average to develop is if they are shorter and or if the Rev has significant lower graphical capabilities. Either option gets a thumbs down. I won't mind that much if the graphics aren't as good as they will be on the Xbox 360 and PS3, but this is as long as their isn't a large difference overall.

 

[elostyle]

we are developing technology that will change the way people play First Person games by doing away with the whole concept of "levels", which has been the primary progression mechanic every first person game has used.

Ohmigosh! That's a totally new original game concept. :Rollseyes..

And half life says hi.

 

[Late Stage Marxist]

Ohmigosh! That's a totally new original game concept. :Rollseyes..

And half life says hi.

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[Agent Icebeezy]

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:lol

 

[Scotch]

Yeah I hope he's talking about no more loadtimes, otherwise his comment would be incredibly stupid.

But I really think it's the first. I mean, they're "developing technology". A Half-Life-esque story line is not something you have to develop technology for.

 

[zink120]

What about halo? If the big problem of half-life is the loading, halo is near streamless. (and we can add metroid to)

 

[Shaheed79]

The only ways the games would be cheaper on average to develop is if they are shorter and or if the Rev has significant lower graphical capabilities. Either option gets a thumbs down. I won't mind that much if the graphics aren't as good as they will be on the Xbox 360 and PS3, but this is as long as their isn't a large difference overall.

This is a very short-sighted way to look at it. Games can be long and great looking yet cheap to make. What he means is that instead of developers having to put a big emphasis on things like graphics, licenses or new complex 3D engines to sell their games they can emphasise on a more unique and fun way to play those games making that a much less expensive yet huge selling point for the consumer. Every publisher out there would love the recreate the success of something like Nintendogs where development costs were dirt cheap because the game emphasises on a new way of interacting with in-game characters instead of more costly production values. The game doesn't have to neccessarily be ugly, unfun or short to meet a low development costs. The interaction just has to be fun and intutive enough for consumers to become infactuated with when they see it or try it for themselves. All of these factors depend on the intelligent intution and talent of the developers to use the hardware to its advantages that it just "makes sense" when someone plays it.

 

[malek4980]

This is a very short-sighted way to look at it. Games can be long and great looking yet cheap to make. What he means is that instead of developers having to put a big emphasis on things like graphics, licenses or new complex 3D engines to sell their games they can emphasise on a more unique and fun way to play those games making that a much less expensive yet huge selling point for the consumer. Every publisher out there would love the recreate the success of something like Nintendogs where development costs were dirt cheap because the game emphasises on a new way of interacting with in-game characters instead of more costly production values. The game doesn't have to neccessarily be ugly, unfun or short to meet a low development costs. The interaction just has to be fun and intutive enough for consumers to become infactuated with when they see it or try it for themselves. All of these factors depend on the intelligent intution and talent of the developers to use the hardware to its advantages that it just "makes sense" when someone plays it.

So games can be good looking, yet game companies don't have to spend money on graphics or engines? Pixies and magic?

 

[dark10x]

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A beautiful, accurate, and well timed response. Well done, sir.

 

[Shaheed79]

So games can be good looking, yet game companies don't have to spend money on graphics or engines? Pixies and magic?

Ugh...I digress nevermind.

 

[stone128]

So games can be good looking, yet game companies don't have to spend money on graphics or engines? Pixies and magic?

The Revolution will have graphics you'd expect in a next generation Nintendo console, AND will be cheaper to develop for. Most likely it won't be as cheap to develop for as the Gamecube (increased power), but compared to the competition it'll be significantly cheaper. So in that regard, it has an "advantage". This doesn't help much if Nintendo doesn't deliver killer content that'll make the console a success though.

 

[malek4980]

The Revolution will have graphics you'd expect in a next generation Nintendo console, AND will be cheaper to develop for. Most likely it won't be as cheap to develop for as the Gamecube (increased power), but compared to the competition it'll be significantly cheaper. So in that regard, it has an "advantage". This doesn't help much if Nintendo doesn't deliver killer content that'll make the console a success though.

So I was right when I said. "The only ways the games would be cheaper on average to develop is if they are shorter and or if the Rev has significantly lower graphical capabilities."?

 

[PhatSaqs]

I like that XBLA was mentioned several times