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South by Southwest
Leaving for Austin tomorrow. If you see me there, say hi!
My panel is on Sunday (sadly, at the same time as Violet's panel).
On the Edge of Independent User-Creation in GamespaceRoom 9C
Sunday, March 11th
5:00 pm - 6:00 pmWe've got the participatory web, Web 2.0, whatever you want to call it. Millions of amateurs now routinely use the web to create and distribute their own movies, mash-ups, blogs, custom widgets, interfaces, and the like. This wave of user-created content is swelling towards video games and virtual worlds. PC games can be modded and customized, console systems are really just powerfully networked computers in the process of opening up, and virtual world platforms are emerging that allow you to create completely personalized identities and environments. More and more the means of content creation are being offloaded from traditional top-down gaming companies to independent teams and individuals for self-expression, personal projects and profit. This panel will examine the trend towards user-creation in gamespace and focus on new opportunities exemplified by virtual world platforms like Second Life and Multiverse, software developer kits for the next-gen console systems (Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, and PlayStation 3), 3D map and modeling platforms like Google Earth and Microsoft Virtual Earth, and the surrounding content creation tools, both currently available and on the horizon. If you've ever wanted into the game or virtual world space on your own terms, whether it's running around Halo looking like your real life self or getting your own vision for a virtual experience off the ground, the doors are beginning to open, you don't need a badge to get to work, and this panel is for you.
Moderator: Jerry Paffendorf, The Electric Sheep Company
Jerry Paffendorf The Electric Sheep Company
John Bacus Prod Mgr, Google
Jamais Cascio World-Builder-in-Chief, Open the Future
Raph Koster Pres, Areae Inc
Comments
Here is my idea for user created "game" space.
Nano Land
The virtual world that models the universe at the nano-scale (both time and space).
People come together to build virtual productive nanosytems, and the products of those systems.
In other words, make a game out of designing the first nano-factories and their products. Potentially you could use a game like this to do open source nano-design and engineering.
Posted by: jim moore | March 8, 2007 8:56 PM
Little Big Planet is another game that was announced two days ago is something you should check out if you have time.
It's a platform/side scroller in the same general genre as Mario, but it has some serious physics simulation integrated, and a level editor for users to create new environments. It is all wrapped up in a package that makes the levels look like something that a bunch of kids put together in their back yard.
Posted by: Howard Berkey | March 9, 2007 9:12 AM
Sorry, forgot link:
http://www.gamespot.com/ps3/action/littlebigplanet/news.html?sid=6166934&mode=previews
It's a PS3 game.
Posted by: Howard Berkey | March 9, 2007 9:23 AM