Comments on: When print gives up the ghost http://www.head-first.co.uk/headblog/2009/09/when-print-gives-up-the-ghost/ Read this, laugh, then ask us to pitch Thu, 05 Jan 2012 16:41:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: We're killing off a major character - tell us what you think | HEAD BLOG http://www.head-first.co.uk/headblog/2009/09/when-print-gives-up-the-ghost/comment-page-1/#comment-244 We're killing off a major character - tell us what you think | HEAD BLOG Fri, 27 Nov 2009 07:05:31 +0000 http://www.head-first.co.uk/headblog/?p=520#comment-244 [...] cooking. Along the way we’ve had a discussion with Dave Trott about Twitter and looked at the future of print and the importance of the idea. Nothing, no corner, no stone, has been left out in the first year of the [...] [...] cooking. Along the way we’ve had a discussion with Dave Trott about Twitter and looked at the future of print and the importance of the idea. Nothing, no corner, no stone, has been left out in the first year of the [...]

]]> By: Rob Mortimer http://www.head-first.co.uk/headblog/2009/09/when-print-gives-up-the-ghost/comment-page-1/#comment-167 Rob Mortimer Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:16:09 +0000 http://www.head-first.co.uk/headblog/?p=520#comment-167 There is some difference these days with gamers able to find out info on games very quickly; but the principles of box art/blurb vs online info/media are very similar... particularly where it comes to apps/download only game etc. The PSPgo is interesting, these boycotting retailers sell ipods with no repeat purchases. I feel like there is an opportunity for in-store download stations to go halfway. There is some difference these days with gamers able to find out info on games very quickly; but the principles of box art/blurb vs online info/media are very similar… particularly where it comes to apps/download only game etc.

The PSPgo is interesting, these boycotting retailers sell ipods with no repeat purchases. I feel like there is an opportunity for in-store download stations to go halfway.

]]> By: Dave Mortimer http://www.head-first.co.uk/headblog/2009/09/when-print-gives-up-the-ghost/comment-page-1/#comment-166 Dave Mortimer Mon, 21 Sep 2009 10:12:48 +0000 http://www.head-first.co.uk/headblog/?p=520#comment-166 The move to digital distribution is an interesting topic and I think the fact that certain stores across Europe are refusing to sell the digital distribution only PSPgo shows we're still a long way from giving up on traditional retail and the design and advertising skills that make it work. Working to create ideas that work across all media is definitely the right approach, and to me the actual task of the ‘packaging’ for games remains fairly similar however the games are received. Many years ago when I was an avid Gameboy player, the first thing that had to win me over was the artistic impression of the game on the front of the box. In an age when the grey and yellow graphics were no where near good enough to use, it was down to the designer/illustrator to sum up what the experience/characters/theme of that game was, to peak my interest enough to look at the back of the box and see how the game actually played. Fast forward to the likes of Steam today and it feels like the game pages are the modern day back of the box, with screenshots and bullet points upgraded with videos and demos. The back of the box has never been stronger, but to me, it still needs that winning artistic impression of the game to make the right kind of gamer look at that information in detail, above all the other games fighting for attention on the virtual shelves. The move to digital distribution is an interesting topic and I think the fact that certain stores across Europe are refusing to sell the digital distribution only PSPgo shows we’re still a long way from giving up on traditional retail and the design and advertising skills that make it work.

Working to create ideas that work across all media is definitely the right approach, and to me the actual task of the ‘packaging’ for games remains fairly similar however the games are received. Many years ago when I was an avid Gameboy player, the first thing that had to win me over was the artistic impression of the game on the front of the box. In an age when the grey and yellow graphics were no where near good enough to use, it was down to the designer/illustrator to sum up what the experience/characters/theme of that game was, to peak my interest enough to look at the back of the box and see how the game actually played.

Fast forward to the likes of Steam today and it feels like the game pages are the modern day back of the box, with screenshots and bullet points upgraded with videos and demos. The back of the box has never been stronger, but to me, it still needs that winning artistic impression of the game to make the right kind of gamer look at that information in detail, above all the other games fighting for attention on the virtual shelves.

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