[-empyre-] Game Art as an art subculture?

[Daniel Cook]

>
> Hi Daniel,
>
> I think this is an astute observation about the commercialization of
> art, but I think there's a more complex process involved here. Would
> you agree that both art institutions and artists and game makers all
> rely on reputation building? Some of the strength of art institutions
> is just in the sheer capital they have to reach people through
> conventional advertising. It's just a myth, IMHO, that anyone can post
> a video on youtube and get it seen by millions of people without some
> minstream media coverage, except for in a few very rare cases which I
> would guess are about the odds of winning the lottery. So, even if you
> made a really great game, how many people are going to see it and how?
>
>
>  micha
>

Mainstream press coverage seems to help, but it is surprisingly less
effective than one might imagine.  Even when they deliver the numbers, those
numbers don't always translate into engaged players.   If there is one term
that defines the modern media market it is 'fragmented'. :-)  There are many
different groups of people, all of whom have unique interests and
characteristics.  A good part of my day is figuring out how to create a game
that reaches into as many of these fragmented groups as possible.

It is certainly quite possible to reach millions of people without
mainstream press coverage.  A recent game of ours (Steambirds: Survival) was
played by 1.8 million people within a week of launch.  Publicity and press
related websites drove less than 1% of that traffic with the majority coming
from a rather vast array of portal sites.  In generally, I expect to reach a
few million people with each project (the biggest has reached 10 million,
but I think we can top that).  Average playtime ranges from about 25-45
minutes depending on the game.

What I find fascinating about this type of distribution is that reputation
in particular is not necessary.  Reputation is a quality signal.  Most sites
have built in quality signals in the form of user rating systems or owner
curation that are wash out early reputation.  Zynga, for all its current
reputation, went from zero to a population larger than most countries
without relying on reputation.  I work with smaller developers, many of whom
have never worked on a AAA title.  No one knows them...yet here they are
reaching millions.

At least in new markets, there is no ladder to climb.  You don't need to be
a tester and then a assistant producer and then a designer, sell a few
million copies and then 10 years later have your games written about by a
nostalgic critic who has a friend who is a CEO who at the last minute saves
your next project by greenlighting it.  Just go out and make a great game
that is cognizant of what is necessary to spread virally and train new users
up to the level of play required.

Now, it is certainly nice to have people outside the creative process give
kudos and say pleasant things.  But it is by no means necessary.

take care
Danc.
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