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Develop 2012: Crowdsourcing app development cultivates rather than complicates games, says Valve's Jason Holtman

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Develop 2012: Crowdsourcing app development cultivates rather than complicates games, says Valve's Jason Holtman
#developconf Audiences want to be involved Develop Brighton Product: Manufacturer: Tandem Events by Keith Andrew

Evolve's big day at Develop in Brighton finished with a panel designed to sum up the main discussion points of the day. The two subjects that dominated? Apps on smart TVs and crowdfunding. Of the latter, the panel were very much behind the emergence of the funding model, though keen to point out that games that don't hit their target haven't necessarily failed. Feedback focus Just as important as raising capital, said Naomi Alderman – who, amongst other things, was the lead writer and co-creator of Android and Windows Phone app Zombies, Run! - is gathering vital feedback. "When you think about how possible it is to waste a year or two of your life on something nobody wants, Kickstarter is vital," said Alderman, whose title began life on the crowdfunding platform. "The important lesson to accept when a game fails to reach its funding target." Despite its strengths, Makielab CEO Alice Taylor suggested Kickstarter is currently too skewed towards iOS projects. "It's not necessarily the case that if your idea doesn't fly on Kickstarter it's a dead end," she added. Audience participation "Finding out whether games are good is key to Kickstarter," added director of business development Jason Holtman.

"The money is not insignificant, but it gives you a feedback mechanism. The feedback itself is trustworthy too, because people are putting money into the game. In all, crowdfunding engages you with an audience that wants to be involved." Indeed, broadening the topic to crowdsourcing ideas from fans during a game's development, Holtman said "every indication we have suggests the technique raises the quality bar." "The idea we can all start having voices in creation and consumption – it's a bright, open future with more avenues for success," he concluded. Smart move? The future is bright for smart TVs, too, according to Holtman.

"In ten years it's going to boggle our minds that we were ever so passive about smart TVs," he said, adding that the appearance of 'second screens' – smartphones and tablets viewers engage with while watching TV – is also a bonus. "I think people are going to figure out really interesting things to do with second screens if we're all carrying them around." Alderman, however, disagreed, arguing that developers are trying to force interactivity via second screens on the user. "Second screening is something nobody was told to do, but it arose naturally and now people are trying to grab it to decide what interesting things they can do with this behaviour," she asserted. "It's like the teacher trying to teach you something via the note you pass in class – we all know it's not meant for that." Nothing new here Taylor was also less than positive. "I've not seen anything that suggests smart TV is the be all and end all," she added, claiming consumers have been "playing games on TV forever" through consoles. "Smart TVs don't change anything."

Freelance developer Dewi Tanner - who was producer on Microsoft Studio'sHaunt for Kinect - argued that it's important that we don't see smart TVs as they are as the finished article. "I'm looking forward to the stage when we go beyond the hardware manufacturers curating games," he said, suggesting Samsung, LG et al have no business recommending games to him. "I want to get to the stage where the BBC or Channel 4 are telling me what to play, just like they do with TV."

Summary "When you think about how possible it is to waste a year or two of your life on something nobody wants, Kickstarter is vital," said Alderman, whose title began life on the crowdfunding platform.

"The important lesson to accept when a game fails to reach its funding target."

Description "Finding out whether games are good is key to Kickstarter," added director of business development Jason Holtman.

"The money is not insignificant, but it gives you a feedback mechanism. The feedback itself is trustworthy too, because people are putting money into the game. In all, crowdfunding engages you with an audience that wants to be involved."

Tags: app, Crowdfunding, Crowdsourcing, Kickstarter, Smart TV

Posted by Jayne Ann

Jul 16, 2012 03:22 am GMT Viewed 940 times

Author: Keith Andrew Source

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Develop 2012: Crowdsourcing app development cultivates rather than complicates games, says Valve's Jason Holtman

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