IP - what is it?

IP is a term used a few times in the History of Rockstar Games YouTube video series. This is a technical industry term that the majority of gamers will not use on a day to day basis, so it will handy for us to be aware of it - showing the examiners that we are not going to be writing a fanboy or fangirl account of gaming but actually a Media Studies critical essay on the industry.

IP, in relation to videogames, stands for Intellectual Property.

This is a legal term that relates to the "property" owned by a developer - this can be a big franchise. Nobody other than Rockstar Games can produce a Grand Theft Auto title, so the IP belongs to Rockstar.

You will often see the phrase "New IP" - this means a game that is not an existing product or franchise - it is a new 'property' not seen before in the gaming world. An example might LA Noire or Sleeping Dogs - these were not franchises, but completely new properties. Gamers might be wary of "New IPs" and instead stick to what they know. This could lead to a stagnation of the market as the gaming world fills itself with sequels and rehashes of existing licenses - New IPs, as with LA Noire, offer something new to the industry!

Though without the clout of publishers Rockstar Games LA Noire might not have achieved the success it enjoyed. That iconic R* logo in the corner of the box reassured gamers - "don't worry folks! We know you have never seen a LA Noire game before, but you know we don't give any game this little orange R* logo" (As long as we don't mention State of Emergency...)



To see how the phrase is used, check out the following OXM article
http://www.oxm.co.uk/45534/ea-now-is-a-bad-time-for-new-ip-best-wait-for-spectacular-next-gen-consoles/

EA: now is a bad time for new IP, best wait for "spectacular" next gen consoles

"The market doesn't reward new IP this late in the cycle"

Charlie Brooker's Gameswipe - Worth a look!

TV Critic Charlie Brooker tooks aims at the videogame industry, be wary of strong language within the series - about 6 episodes? - but a really useful overview as to how public perception of gaming has changed over time and an overview of many of the genres of games currently popular at the moment
The series also has interviews with some celebrities who are famous gamers - such as TV's Dara O'Brain

The history of Rockstar Games

We need to know in our heads who Rockstar Games are, how they started, what do they stand for - you may need to watch this series a couple of times as we go through the course, so that you have some Rockstar facts and figures on the tip of your tongue in the exam.

Rockstar is the perfect name for the attitude and image they wanted to create.

Lesson 3 - Convergence

Convergence is a key term for Media Studies today - rarely does an institution produce their media purely in one platform - such as a newspaper providing paper version, online version, a mobile version, an iPad version etc. Think about the impact convergence has on the videogames industry. PowerPoint from the lesson below.

Convergence from mrhoward12

Lesson 2 - Some basic terminology

2 some terminology from mrhoward12

Lesson 1 - Explaining the exam

The PowerPoint I gave about the OCR Exam and what you need to be aware of.
50 marks for a 45 minute answer in January - do not spend any less time than this or you will give yourself the best chance for success!

1 explaining the exam from mrhoward12

Instructions for introduction post: Videogames and you!

Below is the PowerPoint detailing my own experiences with videogames. For your introduction post, I would like you to give an outline of any experience you have with videogames - do you own any videogames systems? Is there any games in particular you enjoy playing? How often do you play these games?

Introduction lesson to videogames industry module from mrhoward12

Microsoft and the $50m golden handcuffs

This link goes to information on the Exclusivity deal between Microsoft and Rockstar concerning the DLC for GTA IV - the two packs - The Lost and the Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony
http://texyt.com/Microsoft+pays+$50m+for+GTA+4+episodes+00111

Imagine this deal like golden handcuffs - Microsoft paying Rockstar Games a sackful of money to ensure that these two extra mission packs are only available (for the first year anyway) on the Xbox 360. Very interesting regarding digital distribution, institutional practices - not to mention a change in the relationship between PlayStation and Rockstar - remember that GTA was solely available on the PlayStation throughout the III trilogy: The trilogy of games that started with GTA III, followed by Vice City and San Andreas.

Play:Expo details

Play Expo - Manchester
Sunday 14th October
10am - 6pm

Website: http://www.playexpo.net/
Costs: £10.50 ticket plus the cost of coach/minibus transport so roughly £18 - TBC

From the website:

Over the past two years, Replay Events have delivered their annual Replay Expo to over 7,000 gamers. The show is the only UK video games expo which caters for every aspect of video games – from console, PC and mobile to classic gaming including arcade and pinball right through to pro gaming/eSports and even cosplay.
The Replay Expo has outgrown its old venue and this year is moving to a new location: EventCity in Manchester. Rebranded Play Expo, the 2012 expo will feature four distinct events: re.play, now.play, pro.play and cos.play.

Returning visitors can expect to see everything they loved about our previous events in Blackpool, the only difference being that there will be much more of everything! The familiar re.play event will feature freeplay arcade & pinball machines, retro consoles and vintage computers. now.play will have a large emphasis on the preview of Christmas gaming, hardware and accessory releases for the latest consoles and PC. pro.play is an eSports event featuring [big-money!] competitive gaming tournaments, whilst cos.play will include costume competitions, masquerades, talks, DDR and other cool features.

The event is split into areas: Now Play, Pro Play, Re Play and Cos Play

Now Play

The now.play area at Play Expo will feature the very latest games and hardware for X-Box 360, Playstation 3, Wii, PC and Handhelds as well as mobile gaming.
Expect to see previews of Christmas releases from major publishers and the very latest cutting edge hardware for all your favourite consoles and PC.
Exhibitors confirmed so far include…



(more to be announced)
Re- Play

The re.play area takes shape!

Posted on September 5, 2012 by admin

Planning for the re.play area of Play Expo has now been completed and we can reveal some of the great retro gaming zones that will be available to our visitors. Remember that everything is free to play (including our already-announced Arcade and Pinball areas) and there will be over 350 classic games and systems to choose from…
Replay Lounges
Our popular Replay Lounges have already appeared at past events such as GEEK 2012 and The Gadget Show Live, but this will mark their debut at our own show. Each lounge consist of four large-screen TVs, each offering a classic multiplayer game – just sit down, grab a joypad and join in!
We will be featuring dedicated lounges for FPS games like Goldeneye, plus a dedicated racing game lounge featuring Micro Machines and Mario Kart 64. Additional lounges will feature other multiplayer party classics like Bomberman, Super Smash Bros and the legendary Warlords.

Lightgun Shooting Gallery
Go for your guns and shoot to win! Our shooting gallery will feature big screens and a range of classic lightgun games such as Point Blank, Virtua Cop, Time Crisis and Duck Hunt!
Genre-specific Game Zones
We’ll be charting the rich history of the major gaming genres with each getting its own specific area at the show. So whether you like driving games, beat em ups, sports, platformers, shooters or even puzzle games, there will be an area for you featuring standout titles from the past 35 years.
Classic Computers
It all started for many of us in the 1980’s with an 8-bit computer like the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64 or BBC Micro. If you’re a little younger then you may have tried your first taste of gaming on an Amiga or Atari ST. This zone will have them all, along with some of the less well-known computers from that classic era.

Import Only
Some of the greatest games and systems never even made it to British shores. This zone will showcase a variety of offerings from distant lands that you may never have seen before!
Console Curiosities
Here we aim to introduce you to some of the most bizarre consoles and games you’re ever likely to see! Ever killed zombies with a keyboard, played a platform game with a set of bongos, or controlled Tetris with a Balance Board? If not then you’re sure to enjoy this weird and wonderful array of obscurities. If you have, then we’ll still have some surprises for you!
Retro Request Zone
If all the great games we’ve chosen in our other zones don’t appeal to you, don’t worry! The Retro Request Zone will feature all the popular consoles from the Atari 2600 to the XBOX with a selection of games available for each. Just request your chosen game from the Play Expo crew and your own piece of gaming heaven will be delivered for you to enjoy.
And there’s much, much more… But we’ll save a few surprises for the show itself!

Cos Play

Cosplay (コスプレ), short for “costume play”, is a type of performance art in which participants don costumes and accessories to represent a specific character or idea. Cosplayers often interact to create a subculture centred around role play. A broader use of the term “cosplay” applies to any costumed role play in venues apart from the stage, regardless of the cultural context.
Favorite sources include manga and anime, comic books, video games and films. Any entity from the real or virtual world that lends itself to dramatic interpretation may be taken up as a subject.

Zynga infographics