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DIY
By Pierre Boudreau
Wednesday night the hearts and minds of many Montrealers were with the Habs as they faced-off with Philly for the NHL Eastern conference title, yet our chapter’s GameCafé still managed to draw a solid mix of gaming industrials and other professionals. We convened in a private room at Hurley’s Irish Pub to discuss user-generated content over pints and the muffled cheers and moans from nearly every TV set in town.
“Let’s just call it UGC...”
So we began by asking ‘What is user-generated content’? Imported skins for your character’s new wardrobe or favourite ride? Input that affects environment or gameplay? Mods that emulate or challenge game mechanics? It was generally agreed that UGC could cover all of these things, but the lines are not clear-cut. There is a whole world of grey area between selecting from menus to actually tinkering with gameplay, and much depends on the inclination of the individual. Games like Second Life that rely heavily on UGC do not necessarily require the user to innovate, merely generate. So, beyond the genre-specific variety of games, what need does UGC satisfy? Self-expression is an obvious element, but again potential is in the mind of the beholder. For some, simply personalizing an online avatar is enough for them to feel they’ve made their mark in the virtual world. On the other end, there will always be those whose input transcends anything the creators could have imagined. At least one designer present was of the opinion that to preserve the integrity of the original design one can only provide the illusion that the rules can be broken.
“Seeing your own thing in a game is cool.”
As the discussion moved into the arena of production, the value of UGC from the developer’s POV was called into question. Currently, the percentage of gamers who actually generate new content is relatively small. What then is the incentive for developers to invest time and resources in creating better mod tools or open-ended game mechanics, unless their aim is to appeal to a tight niche of hardcore users? Presuming one would wish to take on such a challenge, the process would necessitate more thorough testing procedures in order to ensure an acceptable degree of stability and playability. Thus, a project on the scale of, let’s say, Spore would require a considerable amount of automated testing to keep the production wheels turning. Then there’s the issue of resource management. A game that consists of a closed system which offers a form of contained customization is less likely to require a great deal of ongoing support. However, games that allow the introduction of outside content run the risk of destabilizing the mechanic for the users as well as countless others in the case of a shared gameplay environment.
Where credit is due
So where’s the profit in UGC for the publisher/developer? It can provide some helpful feedback from hardcore users but that’s something not easily translated into hard figures when the numbers are crunched. Licensing mod tools could bring in some immediate return on the investment while lessening their overall appeal, unless they happen to be the best thing since code. Plus, enforcement would involve its own series of headaches. Piracy is a driving force in the wired world; just look at Napster or YouTube. Plus, by claiming IP ownership on all derivatives, one could be held liable for even the most offensive content released. Second Life can generate some revenue from microtransactions, but that model cannot be applied everywhere. Perhaps Sony’s Home, the upcoming PlayStation network community, will become the virtual mall/arcade of the future where gamers can be persuaded to part with some real coin. Ultimately, whatever makes money will drive the trends.
In the end, there was a greater shared perspective, but no hard-drawn conclusions. And although no one walked away with the final word on user-generated content, everyone did go home with a nifty new t-shirt.
Mat Lamarche (Ubisoft), Stéphanie Bouchard (Bug Tracker), Zach Schläppi (Ubisoft), Jean-Marc Deschamps (Cegep du Vieux Montreal)
Guillaume Vohgel (EA), Stephen David Wark (Chirographum), Mike Kitt (A2M), Nick Rudzicz (McGill), Michael Hawker (MikeWare)
Posted by RaynaAnderson on May 9, 2008 05:45 PM
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Comments
Sorry I missed this.
1 - There are existing systems in place to let the community judge the UGC and thus filter the best items. YouTube is a clear example, or Curse.com with their WoW addons...there are tons of examples.
2 - While only a few hardcore ever take the effort to create, there is a massive audience of potential users of content that makes it worthwhile.
3 - Maybe a legally safe model is to enable fans exchange sites, but not host them? Blizzard seems to make that work for them.
Posted by: Chris Crowell at May 28, 2008 10:54 AM
