Justin

A couple weeks ago, we published a LittleBigPlanet feature that focused, in part, on how to reinvigorate sales and raise awareness of what the game was all about. Imagine my surprise then when Nicolo directed me to the television spot embedded below:

I wish I had seen this before we “went to press.” Whether or not you’re a fan of the “It Only Does Everything” campaign, you must admit that it’s refreshing to see a company promoting a game that’s over a year old. It’s not unprecedented - World of Warcraft ads are still going strong, for instance - but this is the first time I can recall seeing ads this late in the game for such a modest seller. Maybe if* LBP rebound a bit, we’ll see other publishers trying this too. It’s not too late for Boom Blox, EA!*That’s a monumentally big “if.” I’m not delusional.

We’ve been talking a lot about the “cult of the new” on the podcast and message boards lately, and I’m admittedly more susceptible to this phenomenon than anyone else on the ‘cast. But for all of my idiotic impulses buying, I still find myself routinely going back to Street Fighter IV. I’m not going to pretend that I even know what I’m talking about when we have Nicolo over here pouring over minutiae from the latest King of Fighters, but I do like to unwind with some hundred-hand slaps every now and then. While my much beloved Street Fighter III’s series always confounded with its split-second parries, the countering in IV strikes the perfect newbie-friendly balance, and I don’t think I’ll ever tire of the core World Warriors introduced so many years ago.

my reaction to the SSFIV announcement

So when Super Street Fighter IV was announced in late September, I was a little hesitant to jump on board. It’s true that eight new fighters is practically two sequels worth  for a game in this genre, and now that Dee Jay and T. Hawk have been checked off the list, we’re all but assured at least one or two of my Alpha and III favorites. Supposedly, online improvements are on the way too, thank goodness. But shouldn’t this all be DLC? (Yes!)

I had started a blog about this and ultimately scrapped it just because I figured this was just how Capcom does things, and that no amount of bitching was going to make anything happen. But then the Resident Evil 5 folks declared yesterday that rabid internet fans (and a site poll) have forced them to make the new Alternative Edition addendum downloadable content. Where are these rabblerousers on the Street Fighter front? As much as we love that series here at The Rumble Pack, I don’t think any of us are too eager to spring for the next discs.  And why can’t all the development teams adhere to the DLC philosophy? It just seems incredibly backwards.

But apparently, democracy in gaming can work if Capcom will directly ask us. So my suggestion to everyone is not to let up. (And no, I don’t mean petitions.) If this bothers you like it does me, vote with your dollars. I know I at least plan to frown at the cashier when I buy my copy. But this complacency over perpetual iterations has diminishing returns, and I’d rather not see fighting games die again.

When it comes to Halloween, I’m a bit of a curmudgeon. I’ve always associated the “holiday” with constantly ringing doorbells, resulting barks from confused bulldogs and last minute study sessions for big exams the next morning, instead of the candy and campus parties that folks love so much. But in the back of my mind, I knew that when the time came to finally don a costume, I had the perfect idea. The ultimate combination of nerdisms, nostalgia and heroics, all rolled into a sleek red-and-blue package. The result…

Wouldn’t hold my breath for this crossover…

Artie, the strongest man…in the world! I’m not sure that the red masking tape did him justice, and I’m short one action land canoe, but I’m so glad I didn’t go with spandex pants. Nobody wanted to see that. Oh, and next to me in the above photo is special ladyfriend Caitlin, dressed up as Joan from Mad Men, a show that you should all be watching!

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When the PSP launched more than four years ago, I was the first in line to put down the cash for it. Thanks to that gorgeous widescreen display and a slick Metal Gear spin-off series - one that I still love to this day, by the way - I was a pretty happy customer. The PSP’s library was a little pricier and less varied compared to its dual screen competitor’s, but I was pretty content with my purchase.

never forget.

Fast forward to the present. Roughly 30 UMDs later, I’m frustrated with Sony’s recent hardware decisions. Specifically, while I’m in love with the concept of  downloadable software, the exclusion of any UMD drive or method of transferring my games has ensured that I will likely never pick up the new PSP Go. And unfortunately, while much of the blogosphere and gaming press had hoped for some sort of conversion solution, Sony said last month that this was no longer happening for the time being. Bummer.

Now, ordinarily, I would just let this Go (hyuck hyuck), but I’ve actually gotten a little jealous after seeing a few Gos in the wild during my subway commute to work. Memory sticks are for chumps! I want built-in memory and a usable d-pad. (I have the oldest model, by the way.) So in the interest of being *ahem* a consumer whore, I offer some potential suggestions, as well as the actual feasibility of these suggestions.

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I may be penniless and slightly hungry (as always), but you can’t say that I’m not keeping busy. Between an internship at The Book Report Network and a canvassing job for the guy above, I’m suddenly feeling productive again. No longer the lump on the bed scouring Media Bistro for work, I’m actually heading into Manhattan in the morning and patrolling the streets of Park Slope at night.

That’s right, I’m a canvasser. And I’m promising right now that I’ll never slam a door or dismiss a pamphleteer ever again. (Unless I have little-to-no interest in what they’re hawking.) But then again, even though reception can be discouraging, the job has provided many opportunities to get to know my new borough and the local political scene better.

Socially, the past 2.5 months in New York - specifically BedStuy right now - have been quite splendid. I’ve done so much more in this time than I ever did back in Urbana. Some of the highlights include:

• Seeing dozens of movies that would have never come to our Monroe theater. If you’re also outside of the NYC/L.A. markets, I suggest you add A Serious Man, In the Loop and Big Fan to your Netflix queue.
• Eating chicken and waffles. You wouldn’t think gravy and syrup go together, but somehow it works. The food variety in this city still blows my mind. I’m from a town where all we have is pizza shops, so I’m still not used to having so many different types of cuisine nearby. Now if only I could figure how to cook any of it.
• Visiting the trendiest bowling alley ever.
• Listening to a 200-electric-guitar symphony. It doesn’t matter that it was a cacophonous mess.
• Attending Eugene Mirman’s comedy festival. Unfortunately, comedian H. Jon Benjamin (Coach McGuirk!) bombed. And heckled audience members with accents.
• Walking along the High Line, a former above-ground Subway line turned park. This one is ripe for encroaching businesses in the future, but it’s pretty peaceful at the moment.
• Participating in weekly trivia nights every Tuesday at Gael Pub. If you’re in the area, we could always use more team members.

And without delving too deeply into my personal life, I must admit that all of these adventures wouldn’t have been nearly as memorable without a certain special ladyfriend. The hunt for a full-time job continues, but until then, I’m definitely having a good time.

*Don’t worry, I’m not a fan of these personal update blog posts either. I’ll keep it about the games in the future.

Longtime listeners will recall that I spent many months this year working on an in-depth analysis of the New York City development scene. The end product focused on advertising and social media opportunities for smaller developers, as well as a look at how individual artists are able to eke out a living in a very crowded market. I haven’t been able to find a publisher yet, but I’m very proud of the results and wanted to share with everyone regardless. I’m working on a personal web site for professional purposes, but this will work in the meantime. At 24 pages, it’ll require some endurance, but any feedback would be very much appreciated.

BIG CITY, TINY GAMES: A look at the future of video game development in New York City

by Justin Hemenway

Originally written July 8th, 2009

In terms of sheer numbers, the New York City video game industry lags behind its west coast competitors. The city employs only 1,200 game makers and marketers, or three percent of American development, while California alone commands 40 percent. However, while the western juggernaut contends with ballooning budgets and staffs, the New York City game community has found that there are benefits to being small.

Video game development can be lucrative, but it is a chancy venture. According to the NPD Group, a consumer and retail market research firm, the U.S. game industry reached a value of $21.33 billion in 2008, 19 percent more than in 2007. Electronic Arts (EA) and other publishers have laid off thousands, but the small New York developers have remained largely insulated from the recession.  In a survey conducted by the Center for an Urban Future in May 2008, of the 30 game developers and 55 marketers in the city, only seven employ 50 persons or more. Despite the limited budgets and uncertain player reactions, this may be the city’s key advantage, an emphasis on artistic or educational value. In the advertising world, agencies are turning to smaller game studios for inspiration.

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The slower DSi launch (compared to its predecessor) makes sense. The Art Style games are mini-masterpieces and Mario vs. Donkey Kong is decent, but DSi owners have gone through many Mondays without that system-defining application, something that would show early adopters that the extra camera lenses and better internet integration were more than bullet points. Well, for most of you, I doubt Flipbook Studio fits that description. But if you’ve got a creative spark and the ability to draw stick figures, maybe you’ll fall in love with this little animation program as quickly as I did.

Then again, Nintendo doesn’t seem to have much confidence in poor Flipbook. Rather than giving it the typical Monday fanfare - yeah, a stretch - the DSiStore decision makers decided to dump it online in the middle of last week. The only reason I even knew it existed was because I caught a Nintendo advertisement hiding in my spam box. Plus, the game was free. This, coming from the company that slapped a $2 price tag on an Animal Crossing clock - not exactly an auspicious sign.

But when I sat down and began tinkering with it, I was shocked to discover how many options it offered. The basic design itself is pretty smart; every time you flip to the next frame, you can see a faded outline of the previous one. You can copy frames or crop them to move individual elements, or you can resize images to achieve a functional “zoom” effect. Better yet, Flipnote Studio uses the camera and microphone too, so if you want to create clips of stick figures crawling out of your buddy’s nose - complete with a soundtrack - go right ahead.

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I actually have been blogging - just not here. I’ll try to post my rumble musings more frequently, but you can also find me on my mandatory, forced-at-gunpoint editing blog.