Game Review: Firefighter Command: Raging Inferno (2005)

I was playing a demo of a real time strategy game by Monte Cristo, in which you respond to fires. The demo was of a exploding fire in an Urban mall. You had a series of objectives like rescuing people from a movie theater, saving artwork, stopping a fire from spreading to other buildings and healing injured people. You could also call in for reinforcements.

I thought it was great how you would get new objectives in the middle of fighting a fire. It was like you were dropped in the middle of a story that you played as it evolved. Usually you were updated when you completed objectives. A couple of times I noticed I wasn't given credit for a particular task. At the end of the level you are given rankings for damage to vehicles, injuries, civilians lost and size of the fire.


Ways to make the game more fun:

• Feedback. Make it clear how I'm affecting measures like damage to vehicles, injuries whle I play.


• Feedback. Have people cry for help when you get near someone who is trapped or injured. Use an audio cone so I can see where it is coming from.


• Interface. Allow me to multiple select people from the pop-up menu.


• Interface. Allow me to pick up and drag a firefighter to a location even if he still has to run there. Use like his shadow.


• Camera. Easier control of the camera (I wasn't using a scroll wheel mouse) so i can rotate and zoom with ease


• Interface. Commands were difficult to activate. Have more interface options like bubble menus, drag in drop or Use shortcut keys for common tools like M for move.


• Juicyness. Have people leave their area once heaed. Have bystanders watching the event. Where are the reporters getting in the way? Have them applaud when the fire goes out.


• Feedback. The game needs more reward. Have people say thank you when they are healed. So you know when your medic is done.


• Interface. Be able to chain up healing so you multiple click folks that should be healed in order.

Some of these may already be features in the full version as I was only using the demo. I might consider this an educational game in the way that I have picked up a few fire safety tips or had them reinforced which is likely the case. What I learned: cars explode, trees near a building are a fast way to spread a fire, a fire will burn itself out if not contained, a backdraft is caused by opening doors and firemen have a tough job. This was the first game too where many of the heroes were black people (on the results screen at least not actually in the game). Overall it's an encouraging game about how to deal with emergency situations.

Final Speech: Life lessons From the Comedy aisle

Listen to the speech - 3.25 min

When you go to the book store you seek edification - history, travel, language - subjects to help you live life... better. So I thought it especially appropriate then, as we all embark on our next adventures to share some words of wisdom from the racks of Barnes and Noble. I brought three books here with me. These books are so good, I'm going to share 4 tips that basically apply to everyone.

Tip 1
The first book titled Toothpaste for Dinner by a guy named DREW offers great advice for parents and would be parents. Dad's especially you are constantly tasked to answer challenging questions. So here's is an example of how to respond when asked about dust, "Dust is made up of bad thoughts and mean words, so you need to only do nice things from now on because your mother is tired of vacuuming." Folks this is a great use of real physical and emotional references to inspire desired behavior.

Takeaway: Raise good, clean kids.

Tip 2
Also on the subject of cleanliness, in the third chapter of the same book titled Batteries are Delicious is advice for university students. In this cartoon you have one friend saying to another, "i don't care how many grad students tell you otherwise, sweat is not 'the body's natural shower'"

Takeway: Shower.

Tip 3
This is for anyone getting on a plane in the next two weeks. As you know we are on orange alert. I just came back from LA yesterday. It's times like these when you need to consult The Worst-case Scenario Survival Handbook: LIFE. You are probably thinking terriorism, but I consulted the book for more practical matters.

On Saturday when they went through my bag searching for my secrets they found it. They found my lavender-scented Secret® Gel Deodorant. Don't let them take your Secret®! When they go through your bag looking for gel deodorant, they'll find peppermint tea bags. Yes folks, according to the Worst-case Scenario Survival Handbook, if you steep two of these, chill and place under each armpit you've got yourself some natural odor elimination.

Takeaway: Innovate with simple things

So you probably didn't expect to hear a speech about hygiene, but truly these are words to live by: Raise good, clean kids; Shower; and Innovate with simple things. With that I will close with one more piece of advice.

Tip 4
This last piece of advice comes from the Book of Bunny Suicides. It's subtitled little fluffy rabbits who just don't want to live any more. It's a simple picture of a bunny standing next to a weightlifter with a long feather on a stick, about to tickle him.

Takeaway: Never tickle a man lifting a 500 pound barbell.

Thank you!


Listen to the speech- 3.25 min

Top 10 Games that teach you something

IGN just published a list of video games that teach. On the list are DDR and even Resident evil.

The list:
10) Dance Dance Revolution Series
9) Typing of the Dead
8) Guitar Hero
7) Gran Turismo 4
6) Total War Series
5) The SimCity Franchise
4) Microsoft Flight Simulator Franchise
3) Civilization IV
2) Resident Evil Series
1) The Carmen Sandiego Franchise

Take a look. http://cube.ign.com/articles/722/722624p1.html

GDC Outsourcing Summit

I am attending an event in Los Angeles about outsourcing game development. The conference will build an argument for outsourcing, talk about the dos and dont's and discuss strategies for setting up an offshore office. A common myth is that outsourcing means loss of jobs in the US, in actuality we have been outsourcing for years in this industry. Outsourcing could be anything from the company down the street, the company in India or your own satellite company. Outsourcing is a good response to a growing, fast paced industry.


From this summit I hope to:

• learn about the pros and cons of outsourcing


• gain best practices


• find companies I could work with


• get a list of the major issues that I might encounter in my new job


• better understand the business of games

Websites:
Outsourcing Summit 2006
Map of game development studios
OutsourceReport
Read the Stubbs the Zombie article on Gamasutra; next-gen game built by 12 people
Forza Mortorsports QnA
Massive Black
Blur Studios
Eden Studios

What should a publisher provide
solid descriptions, clear milestones, great reference, timely feedback, useful feedback, payment. Also provide them with metrics, rating sheets, specificat

why outsource:
games are evolving, technologies are advancing in such a way to demand specialization/research
60% of sgame studios outsource today; coommon jobs localization, cinematic, sound, testing, engineering/middleware, and art.
the "law of more people" a growing number of studios and game schools worldwide
governments are offering incentives to attract game business
keeping people busy, outsourcing can be used to minimize cost between projects, allows you to keep a good studio busy
labor cost savings of 15-60% (labor is just one cost)
total cost savings 20%
outsourcing will be essential for all companies, no company can be a generalist

FAQ
How do you build the skills to manage a complex outsource? Start small. Don't outsource 50% of your development if you have never done it before.

Where is outsourcing happening? Largely Asia and Europe. The biggest countries are chinese and India. For China you must be conscerned about security, legal protection and experienced labor shortage. Savings can be up to 50%.

what do you look for?
First know your needs ad thei abilities of your developer.
Personnel experience, scalability, facilities, managers, platform experience, language capabilities, and much more. Ask how long those people have been at the company. Make sure the deveoper can retain those people. Be sure to look in your own back yard. The less experience they have the more hands on youhave to be.

How do you structure?
Option 1: One producer to manager
Option 2: One porudier to many managers
Determine your needs: are you looking for scalability, cost savings or additional dev help.

What are the hurdles?
Finding your partner -
Proper due diligence - meet everyone and feel comfortable with all their language, review 1 piece from each of the talent being hired
Language barriers - technical langauage poses a challege for even native speakers
Reorganize management - define milestone approal processes, training, etc.. Basic managerial know how is great
leagal considerations
partner talent retntention - make sure you know who will be on your project and they will stay

what are benefits
least expensive
close control

How do you select process?
You go through steps: rfp, pilot tests (before, 2 out of the blue), audit, service level agreements
look towards partnership and supplier


tips

• be familiar with the social, political, and economic condition of the country


• visit regularly; monthly to avoid tiime loss and expense


• protect talent, if new talent comes on we have the responsibility of training them


• evaluate processes - look at our processes constantly.


• have an outsourcing strategy - who will interface, contract negoations, QA, etc..


• make sure ownership is clear, give reviewers direct relationships


• make specs very clear, don't rely on cultural descriptors that may not translate well like "movie1' meets 'movie2' meets 'GameX'


• disagreements amongst the core team amplify when it gets to the outsourced developer


• try to catch as many issues in pre-produciton to limit the impact on the outsourced developer


• make sure everyone on the core team is in agreement with outsourcing


• increase face time, increases empathy and warmth, more inclined to give each other space


• admit when the scope changes, be flexible


• 24x7 production is a myth, time zones just cuts on the review time


• The a-team builds the demo and the b team and the c team actually deliver the work


• always aim towards long-term relationships


• things to check pedigree, process, security, scale, cost. for example if no one has internet...full stop


• clear communication

have a plan b, prioritize your requirem



Companies I met:
Virtuos Games Outsourcing provider in Shanghai.


My questions:

Press coverage for Outbreak

Here is an article published in the Palo Alto Weekly, the online edition that mentions Outbreak. Outbreak was given mention a couple times as an example of "cutting-edge education products" being exhibited at Stanford last Friday.

Exciting.