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2009 IGC West Conference Schedule
Track 4 - Facebook/Social Gaming
Tracks:
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Facebook/Social Gaming | |
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Games Gone Social!
Nov 06, 10:30 AM - 50 min Synopsis:
Despite gaming’s rise as a global subculture that nearly anyone in the developed world can relate to, certain stereotypes of gamers still linger: Movies and media often portray gamers as dark and lonely creatures that spurn human interaction, instead preferring to isolate themselves in a dark room with their game experience of choice.
The reality, however, couldn’t be further from the truth. Online games based on social networks are the darlings of the gaming industry, and a cottage industry of social technologies have popped up to help gamers across platforms, including consoles, to reach out, connect and communicate with each other. In many instances, these social technologies have been incredibly effective at boosting a game title’s popularity, at giving game developers valuable insight into how their customers interact or at illustrating previously unknown relationships between the games gamers play, when they play them and with whom they play them with.
From platform plays like Facebook down to instant messaging technologies made for gamers, this session, presented by Raptr VP of Business Development and Marketing, Ranah Edelin, will take a look at the most effective social technologies on the market today, discuss the impact on game publishers and predict the next wave of social technologies to take hold in the gaming space.
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Using Micropayments to Build and Expand Your Business
Nov 06, 11:30 AM - 60 min Synopsis:
According to a recent study by TowerGroup, the mobile, Internet, and POS micropayment transaction markets amount to more than $11.5 billion in the US. The money is there, but the question remains; how can the gaming industry can tap into that revenue and convert it into the purchase of goods online? How can the use of micropayments bolster your business?
The future of the monetization of the gaming industry is frictionless, easy-to-use payments that allow consumers to make trusted and secure payment from any platform.
Hill Ferguson, Vice President, Product Management and Marketing, of mobile payment company, Zong, will discuss how mobile micropayments payment solutions are the future of monetizing the gaming industry.
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What Makes a Game Truly Social?
Nov 06, 01:30 PM - 50 min Synopsis:
In today’s online gaming world, driving the masses to a site requires companies to use a variety of channels including’ social media (viral), search, affiliates and distribution. What does it really take to acquire a player online? This panel will help independent game publishers better understand how to build, monetize, and grow their social games.
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Evolution of a Control Freak
Nov 06, 02:30 PM - 50 min Synopsis:
Full title:
Evolution of a Control Freak: How Human/Computer Interaction is changing how we Design and Play Games
By following the development of how humans have communicated with data (from the abacus to puch cards to mice to analog sticks to touch screen and motion sensor), it becomes apparent that the data held within computing devices started as physical and tactile, the moved into virutal and abstracted, and is now "faux-physical" through new technologies such as multi-touch and motion sensors.
The discussion on where controls will go for entertainment applications is an exciting one at this point in time. What new standards will replace "WASD to move" and "rt-click for options"? How has this impacted how we design and play games? How does this affect the role of the indie developer as we now have an unprecedented opportunity for innovation?
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