Digitisation

This is a term that won't come up in the exam but it might be worth taking note of it.

Digitisation - turning analogue data/media/information into a digital format.

When discussing this in regards to videogames it must be pointed out that videogames are played they have always existed digital format as they can only be experience on digital-based technologies – computers, consoles etc.

However, the format for purchasing the games has change from analogue tapes to discs and downloads.

So if digitisation comes up in the exam here is what you could talk about.

Production
Games have always be digitally produced due to the nature of the media.
However, many games take information and turn it into digital format in production for example EA, who make FIFA, ‘motion capture’ athletes such as Wayne Rooney to animate their game. So they are turning physical movement into digital animation.
In GTA 4 however, they used Euphoria for the animation which didn’t require that process as it gave the skeleton of the characters realist AI (artificial intelligence) so it could react to collision etc.
Whole SDK (software development kits) can be downloaded now allowing anyone to make games (see – Lima Sky, Braid etc.)

Distribution
While games are traditionally bought on a digital format – i.e. discs – most consumer still have to purchase a physical product – case, disc, etc – however, as technology as improve in delivering digital information you can now download whole games.
E.g. GTA 4 could be downloading on release for the PC via Steam. The PS3 and 360 version are now available as a download but weren’t at first release.
They could DLC – Lost and the Damned, Ballad of Gay Tony.
Games can be downloaded from the Itunes for IPhone, IPod very quickly and easily making purchasing a game an easy transaction.
Services such as GaiKai and Onlive exploit this new delivery of digital information to allow games to be stream across the net.
SO WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES OF THAT? (changes, industry structure etc)

Marketing
Now advertising, films, audio can all be digitised and transferred over the internet or onto phones, and shared through social network sites very easily.
HOW HAS THAT AFFECTED INSTITUIONS MARKETING STRATEGIES.
(viral, synergy, specific websites, interacting directly with the consumer)

Consumption
Files, new creations, information, stories can now come in digitized form, therefore can all be created, accessed and shared easily.
HOW HAS THAT EFFECTED THE WAY GAMERS CAN CONSUMER/INTERACT WITH GAMES?
(user generated content, fansites, spoof facebooks/twitter feeds, machinima, online games).