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Raph Koster

Raph Koster

Game designer, author, speaker

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Raph Koster
Raph Koster
Game designer, author, speaker
  • Why I found no shirts at Target

    Hours November 11, 2008November 11, 2008 Categories Game talk

    The Escapist’s new issue has an article about why I never found those t-shirts from the Experimental Gameplay Project at Target.

    You know, alternate distribution methods like these are still a very good idea. But jumping straight to Target is challenging. Might the shirts have done better if they started out at something like Comic-Con instead? As of right now, few games have fandoms to the degree that they will follow a brand to a different store (my son’s Guitar Hero shirt was much admired at Cub Scout camp this weekend, but most games are not Guitar Hero).

    To get crossover retail presence, the games are going to have be lifestyle brands to some degree, and be broadly recognizable enough to at least help get across tribal affiliation.

    Read More Why I found no shirts at TargetContinue

  • Whirled launches!

    Hours November 10, 2008November 10, 2008 Categories Game talk

    Congrats to the Three Rings crew and their cap’n — Whirled is officially launching today.

    The site features 12 “example” games that show players what is possible as they create their own games.

    Creators set their own prices for the goods they produce and get a third of the virtual transaction price, Three Rings keeps a third, and a third goes to the affiliate (shop owner) who initiates the sale. Typical items go for maybe 10 cents.

    Since launching the Whirled beta in March, there are 15,000 active users logging in each day. So far, 60,000 have registered with very little promotion.

    Read More Whirled launches!Continue

  • Marketing in games vs web

    Hours November 5, 2008 Categories Game talk
    Comments 29 Comments

    One of the more interesting communication gaps that I’ve had while working on Metaplace was over the word “marketing.”

    In much of the game industry, marketing is a dirty word. In fact, for a while I made it part of my personal crusade to smooth over the relationship between development and marketing both at SOE and at Origin, because there’s a historical sense of enmity there, where development feels that clueless marketers are trying to design the game, and marketers feel that clueless developers don’t care what the public actually wants.

    Over in the web world, it’s different. In fact, if I had to pick the closest analogue to “marketing guy” it would be “designer.”

    Read More “Marketing in games vs web”

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  • UGC and IP in a cloning world

    Hours November 4, 2008 Categories Game talk
    Comments 15 Comments

    Slashdot is discussing an article at Joystiq about UGC and IP rights which comes from a GamePolitics news item of a few days ago about the update to the PSN TOU around UGC — specifically because of LittleBigPlanet.

    The bottom line, amidst all that linkage? Sony is taking a fairly traditional approach to IP rights, from a networked game sense:

    Sony can use user content without restriction to advertise. They can also ‘commercially exploit’ your creations without permission, and if they do benefit ‘commercially’ (read: monetarily) from your creations, they owe you nothing. You’re also agreeing to abandon your moral rights to the work. Most importantly, you’re not allowed to commercially benefit from your creation without their permission.

    — Mark Methentis, Joystiq

    Now, LittleBigPlanet feels more like a toy in a lot of ways — you work with the pieces they give you. Then again, it took mere moments in UO for someone to grab a bunch of fish and spell out a dirty word on the bridge in the middle of Britain. (What’s more, seeing that occasioned a moment of glee from the team, though perhaps not from management).

    Read More “UGC and IP in a cloning world”

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  • Keynoting at Living Game Worlds IV

    Hours November 3, 2008 Categories Game talk
    Comments 1 Comment

    For those who do not recall, I had a great time at Living Game Worlds a few years ago, including quite enjoying Will Wright’s keynote. Well, this year it’s my turn… and of course, I completely spaced telling everyone in time for you to get the early reg discount. 😛

    Registration is now open for
    Living Game Worlds IV – Interplay: Multiplayer Games and Virtual Worlds
    December 1-2, 2008
    Georgia Tech
    Technology Square Research Building
    85 5th Street, Atlanta, GA

    Read More “Keynoting at Living Game Worlds IV”

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  • Blog
    • Blog Home
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  • Game Design
    • Game Design Home
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