Re: Business models and eye candy

["Brandon J. Van Every" <vanevery@indiegamedesign.com>]

Morbus Iff wrote:

> > http://www.ifbyphone.com  Audio-only is one way to get away from the 
> > eye candy problem, although it brings its own tremendous difficulties.
>
>
> Is this in any way similar to the audio stories that are being
> released over in Japan on the PSP? I'm not sure how interactive
> those are planning to be, but I get the impression they're not about 
> gaming at all:
>
>   http://www.joystiq.com/entry/1234000600044698/
I'm not sure really.  I haven't looked at ifbyphone.com in great detail, 
and there are probably limits to what I could find out if I did.  It 
looks like there's going to be a spectrum of level of interactivity, and 
also relevance of illustration.  In the dusty cobwebs of my memory, I 
recall a brainchild to make plain text adventures more palatable.  Just 
use more attractive fonts, illuminated manuscripts, and random 
illustrations.  Make it something pleasant to look at instead of 
friggin' text console.  I suppose one could decorate any UI, beit 2D or 
3D, with all sorts of irrelevant or semi-relevant algorithmic artwork.  
If it seemed to have some connection with the events of the story, 
however tenuous, perhaps it could increase the marketability at a low 
cost.  On the other hand, when working with randomness there's the risk 
of offering something pointless and distracting.

The choice of story could lend itself to the medium.  What story would 
you tell if you knew your PSP was going to generate "weird visuals" for 
you?  Maybe 'cheating' in this way would be a good way to go, until the 
IF R&D is more advanced.


Cheers,                     www.indiegamedesign.com
Brandon Van Every           Seattle, WA

20% of the world is real.
80% is gobbledygook we make up inside our own heads.