Understanding Media Companies
On 31/10/23 we were taught to understand the differences between the different types of companies involved in creative media production and how they contribute to the industry. Including the difference between horizontal and vertical integrations.
There are three types of companies:
designers/developers
publishers
exhibitors/distributions
Designers/ Developers:
The designers essentially make all the visual models, characters, and backgrounds. They may work closely with programmers to make sure the design goes to plan.
The developers write the codes, implement characters or aspects created by the game designers, and essentially create the game.
Individual Studios also known as indies are either smaller development teams or one person. They create a game usually with no financial support or publisher. Without those finances, it leads them to self-publish a game on an online distributor such as Steam on PC or Google Play Store on Android devices.
Publishers:
The making of games is an expensive job it takes many people's efforts and a lot of money depending on the studio behind it meaning that traditionally a developer won't fund it themselves and would go to a publisher that provides the money.
However, when there is a publisher involved the publisher will own all the copyright to the game and a giant profit share based on sales.
The Publisher has many different responsibilities including covering different costs including:
Advertising - being the most expensive cost the publishers will handle the cost of paying for television, on-screen advertisements, print adverts, online/social media adverts, and launch events.
Distributing - distribution of the game: setting up manufacturing, producing the physical discs and boxes/box-art, shipping copies to retailers and shops, and distributing it through online platforms for digital release.
Distributors:
After the publisher has sent the files to the company/factory manufacturing the game discs, box art, etc. those copies will be sent to shops and retailers.
The retailers then sell the game at the recommended retail price (RRP) which covers the cost for everything including the game to be produced, the shipping in order for the game to arrive in the shop in the first place, and the shop's cost, utilities, and salaries.
The money spent on the new copies then gets apportioned to the retailer, publisher, and developer.
Here's an example of how much each group would get if a game was sold brand new in a shop for £40:
Initial game cost: £40
Developer: £7
Publisher: £23
Retailer: £7-10
Based on this example in essence the developer receives the least money from the whole sum cost of the game; owing to the fact that the publisher has invested the most money in order to get the game out there in the first place.
However, here is an example of how much each group would receive if the game was sold on a digital distribution service.
Initial game cost: £10
Developer: £7
Retailer: £1.50
Publisher: £1.50
If you compare the new game being sold in a shop vs it being sold on a digital distribution service you notice that the price of the initial game cost may be different nonetheless the developer still receives the same amount of money. This means the developer gets a higher percentage of the money when a game is sold digitally rather than as a physical copy. This explains why many indie developers would upload their games on a digital marketplace saving them money in the process.
Vertical and Horizontal Integration
Vertical Integration - when a parent company operates and or owns more than one of the stages of production in a single industry.
Horizontal Integration - when a single parent company owns other companies or studios across different industries.
An example of a vertically and horizontally integrated company is Sony:
Sony Interactive Entertainment is a vertically integrated company owned by Sony Corporation.
Sie Worldwide Studios (development) is owned by Sony Interactive Co-operations which includes Bend Studio, Media Molecule, Pixel Opus, Japan Studio, and Manchester Studio. Published by SIEs resources they also have their own (distributor) PlayStation Store.
Other industries Sony owns subsidiary companies in are:
Sony Mobile (Xperia Sony Smartphone)
Sony Interactive Entertainment
Sony Pictures Network India
Sony Music Entertainment
Sony Pictures
Vaio (Laptop Company)
Synergy is created between the various companies Sony owns across different industries by virtue of them being a horizontally integrated cooperation. Sony Pictures and Sony Interactive Entertainment share licenses they own, leading to exclusive game and film content such as Marvel Spider-Man on the PS4.
Outside of video games the big Hollywood studios conspired to control the industry through their ownership of both film distributions.
The US Supreme Court decreed that Paramount Pictures was creating a monopoly and was in violation of antitrust laws.
Creative Media Companies- Vertical /Horizontal Integration Research Diagram
Playtesting Work Experience With Inhalation
On 07/11/23 we worked with inhalation to do some play testing. Our goal was to work with Inhalation to give our opinions on some of the materials that we were shown. By working with inhalation, we got to experience first-hand play testing and help inhalation receive needed feedback to possibly make improvements on their work. Linking to Unit 3 it helped us understand the progression opportunities within the video game industry. Whilst we were taught what play testing is and how it works doing it ourselves helped us gain experience.
While playtesting we had to apply our own contextual awareness in understanding what we were shown as we were not provided with any knowledge of what the game material was about. When providing our feedback we have to be honest in our responses and make sure we are critical with our responses. The more critical and detailed the response is the better feedback the game developers receive. Similarly to our understanding in DDS 5 in our play testing, we weren't provided with any information on the game context.
Based on my earlier interpretations of what I expected from the game developers, in my eyes they were not prepared, lacking my initial expectations of professionalism. I anticipated them to know what we were going to do rather than reading it all on a phone which they were trying to figure out who was going to read it out loud between themselves. This experience helped me learn more about what play testing is like and will help me with doing play testing in the near future.
.png)
Understanding Critical Perspectives - Game Reviews Bioshock
On 07/11/23 we had to critically evaluate working practices and methods. A good review would consider all its strengths and weaknesses and compare it to its contemporaries. In order to give out an honest review a person may need to either play the full game, if it is a story-based game. If it is a platformer I recommend you play through a few words or acts to try all the moves or features and later on give a review.
A bad review would be IGN's God Hand by Capcom on the PS2 compared to Imagine Party Babyz by Ubisoft on the Wii. In 2007 Capcom published a 3D beat 'em up called God Hand while its reviews were generally mixed scores with reviews the review was quite unexpected. The reviewer wrote about his frustrations with "God Hand" only to be revealed that he had not played the game past its first major level. This led them to award the game only a 3/10. Compared to this IGN awarded Imagine Party Baybz a 7.5/10. The huge quality difference leads the public to question the review websites' coherence.
To understand the review structure we would need to follow this layout:Split the structure into 6 different paragraphs
Paragraph One:Paragraph one should make an overall impression and general reaction to the game. It includes information on the game including title, genre, developer, publisher, and year of release.
Paragraph Two:Paragraph two is a plot summary identifying the premise.
Paragraph Three:Paragraph three should talk about the gameplay in terms of how gameplay systems function, gameplay mechanics, and comparisons to other games by the same developer or genre. Opinions should not be used here.
Paragraph Four:Paragraph four is the presentation, which includes describing the visual art style of the game including audio design, score, and user interface. It should be compared and put in context to other games by the same developer or genre.
Paragraph Five:Paragraph five is finding out what the game or narrative is and if it is done by the game it places analysis in the same context as other games.
Paragraph Six:Paragraph six should be your final conclusion and justification of your opinion by ranking it amongst others. It would usually tell if u should avoid it or buy it with a given score.
We then analysed a Eurogamers Bioshock review from 2007 and highlighted different sections where this criteria would be applicable.
Personal Game Review
DDS 7 - How To Become A Game Designer
Job Roles in the Game Industry
On 21/11/23 we looked at the variety of job roles available in the games industry. We began by recapping the three different main company types involved in the games industry. Those are Designers/Developers, Exhibitors/ Distributors and Publishers.
Designers/Developers:
The designers essentially make all the visual models, characters, and backgrounds. They may work closely with programmers to make sure the design goes to plan.
The developers write the codes, implement characters or aspects created by the game designers, and essentially create the game.
Publishers:
Publishers are responsible for multiple sectors such as the funding of the game, marketing and distribution. They are the ones with the money so it's only natural for them to own all the copyright to the game and a giant profit share based on sales.
Distributors
The distributors are he to get the game out the the public through both the physical and online market. They deliver the games to the intended consumers.
We watched through the end credits sequence from Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee to get an idea of all the different Job roles that fall into the making of a game.
Job roles in the Game Industry Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee Job roles (End credits)
I'm quite surprised by some of these roles as I didn't even know they existed. There are multiple departments including:
-Animation department
-Music voice acting and Foley Department
-Video Editing (cut scenes)
-Game Designing
-HR Team (Human Resources)
-Finance
-Programming
With each of these departments having individual job roles that fall into them.
Production/Development
Creative Director
Producer
Level Designer
Concept Artist
Foley Artist
Video Editor
C++ Developer/Programmer
QA lead
QA tester
Senior Animator
Animator
Art Director
Technical Artist
Publishers
(GT Interactive)
Chairman of the board
President Ceo
Vice President
VP of Marketing
VP of corporate communications
Communication Manager
Art Traffic Coordinator
Marketing
Marketing Director
Budget Manager
Video Ediot
Graphic Designer
Community Manager
Marketing Assistant
HR and Administration
HR Manager (Human Resources Manager)
HR Officers (Human Resources Officer)
Finance
Finance Manager
Finance Officer
Auditor
In the game industry, I would enjoy working in video editing. Video Editing falls under all three company types such as relating to developers, publishers, and distributors in the marketing aspect of it.
I am interested in using different popular editing programs such as Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe After Effects to create possible trailers and cutscenes that wall into games. I have also been looking into animation. Video Editing Jobs in the UK range from £28,489 on the low up to £38,936 with an average of £32,617 annually or £2,718 a month. And as for an animator the salary ranges up to £59,400 annually with a monthly average of £4,707.
22 Jan. 2024.
‘Animator Salary - Check Average Animator Salary Rate on Jooble’. Jooble, https://uk.jooble.org/salary/animator. Accessed 22 Jan. 2024.
.png){kind=link}
No comments:
Post a Comment