BIG pageant goes a great distance in direction of showcasing the eagerness Latin America has for gaming, and the main target corporations worldwide are giving to this fast-growing area.
Recreation makers from as far afield as Wales, India, and Germany have settled in Sao Paulo to showcase their video games, and with some true icons of the trade, akin to Remaining Fantasy IV lead developer Takashi Tokita on the line-up, it’s clear that the organisers are going all out to showcase not simply Brazil’s potential as a gaming hub, but in addition the eagerness of the native gaming scene.
We’re right here on the pageant to deliver you the newest information proper from the ground – from talks to conferences to massive bulletins, so keep tuned for what the pageant has to supply. Listed below are only a few of the highlights from day two.
The Rules for Creating Memorable Characters
Indignant Birds is arguably the world’s most well-known cell gaming franchise, and the primary that actually captured the general public consideration, nevertheless it’s not simply all in regards to the addictive gameplay and easy loops, it’s the nicely outlined and immediately recognisable characters which have helped make the franchise a multimedia phenomenon.
Tom Bernardes, Rovio’s senior character designer took to the stage to delve into the subject of character design, and the way recreation makers can leverage nice central characters to assist their product stand out.
“There are two varieties of designers, or artists. One kind is born with that expertise, very acute notion, and so they’re self taught and might enhance their approach so much. The second kind of designer are “regular” individuals who have to review as a way to develop their expertise,” he knowledgeable the present’s viewers.
Bernardes recognized key variations between character design in video games in comparison with different fields, akin to animation. Whereas video games have a extra chaotic artistic course of, animation is extra methodical and considerably strict, with the characters being designed later within the improvement course of.
Bernardes additionally revealed some idea artwork for a brand new offended birds character, exhibiting the varied doable designs primarily based on completely different powers, every primarily based on a distinct real-life chicken. Though the character would finally turn into the songbird Melody, a pelican character which might swallow after which spit up objects was thought of. By the discuss, recreation makers gained an perception within the iteration course of concerned in taking a personality from the idea to the display, and with Indignant Birds nonetheless producing memorable extensions years into the fanchise’s lifecycle, it is clear that Rovio nonetheless has loads of eggs in its basket.
Assembly Rockhead Studios
We had the chance to take a seat down with Rockhead Studios CEO and co-founder Christian Lykawka to debate the corporate’s hit Starlit franchise.
Starlit is a transmedia franchise encompassing video games and comics which takes its established characters into new environments. The simplistic artwork type is instantly gripping, and the well-defined characters can simply slide into quite a lot of recreation genres, starting from platformers to cart racers to puzzle video games.
Lykawka offered an fascinating idea as to why free-to-play has discovered such a powerful foothold in cell gaming versus different platforms – particularly, that PC and console video games have a dearth of free-to-play video games aimed toward kids and households, whereas cell has all kinds of choices out there focused in direction of kids.
Nevertheless, Lykawka did determine a difficulty with ad-based monetisation in video games aimed toward kids and households – particularly, that there’s a threat that kids can be uncovered to extra grownup themes by way of in-game promoting. To fight this, Rockhead have taken a novel method, creating quick movies set inside the universe to make use of in lieu of conventional advertisements, eliminating the prospect of exposing kids to grownup themes whereas concurrently protecting gamers engaged with the sport and its universe.
Unleashing the ability of Tencent’s expertise: Constructing interactive and immersive international video games that captivate gamers
Tencent is a mainstay in our High 50 record, and for good purpose. The corporate is likely one of the world’s largest tech corporations, with cell gaming on the forefront of its gaming pursuits, and the corporate’s lead expertise strategist for Latin America Tom Petreca took to the stage to debate how builders can utilise the corporate’s expertise to construct immersive and entertaining experiences for gamers.
One piece of tech, their GME (Recreation Multimedia Engine) drew specific focus. This software program works with audio and voice play to make video games extra immersive by taking audio design to the following stage and providing the capability for voice communication and spatial interplay in recreation. For instance, in a multiplayer recreation gamers who aren’t in a celebration collectively can talk with one another depending on distance inside the recreation.
Petreca defines immersion as “interplay that exists between the digital recreation and the bodily world” and spatial audio can go a great distance in direction of making a recreation really feel extra lifelike, and assist deliver its design to the following stage.
He additionally mentioned two key items of infrastructure which have helped make the gameplay extra expertise for customers: Anti-Cheat Knowledgeable (ACE), which helps determine cheats and exploits, and WeTest, the corporate’s high quality assurance and efficiency tester.
WeTest repeatedly screens the sport to determine any points with high quality, each earlier than and after launch. As such, Tencent’s expertise doesn’t simply make video games extra accessible and immersive, however successfully helps create a easy expertise for the gamers, letting them keep away from frustration. He particularly famous PUBG Cellular, which noticed a 90% discount in dishonest following the implementation of ACE.
Public Relations 101: Greatest Practices & Pitfalls
Within the early afternoon we took to the stage to participate in a panel session all about getting the very best from PR the place, alongside different journalists from Screenrant, The Gamer, and VG247 we collectively conveyed the wants of recent media akin to PocketGamer.biz.
The spherical desk, moderated by Homerun PR’s Damien Sarrazin, noticed the panellists focus on the very best practices of getting video games to the eye of stories retailers.
A number of recurring themes popped up, akin to making certain embargo dates had been clear, making certain the press launch was applicable to the outlet in query, and ensuring that any obligatory belongings had been out there, Nevertheless, there have been additionally some stunning commonalities, akin to figuring out some extent of contact inside the outlet and establishing a constructive and personable working relationship.
By figuring out not simply which information retailers are finest suited to a press launch, however which journalists inside that website work nicely with (or, in some circumstances, even specialise) PR representatives and recreation makers have a greater probability of getting their merchandise to the eye of the audience.
“It was good to have the chance to talk to publishers, builders and shoppers unexpectedly. It made for a pleasant and genuine viewers that highlights Brazil’s ardour for gaming,” stated VG247 characteristic editor Dom Peppiatt.
“The viewers was captivated by the media perspective on how they obtain data from builders and publishers,” wrapped up Homerun PR’s Damien Sarrazin.
Gustavo Steinberg – an interview with the founding father of BIG
In direction of the top of the day we had the chance to talk to BIG Competition’s founder Gustavo Steinberg to debate the occasion’s historical past and Brazil’s gaming scene.
BIG is at present in its eleventh 12 months, and it’s been a interval of huge development for Brazil’s gaming trade, with the variety of studios rising from 20 to over one thousand in just a little over a decade, BIG Competition has a big half to play in that development.
Gustavo launched BIG Competition following a profession in movie, however he describes BIG as a way of creative expression in its personal proper, calling festivals “the last word type of interactive artwork expertise.” Festivals provide a chance to contain not simply creators however followers into an occasion to create one thing really distinctive.
Brazil has seen numerous success tales, however one factor Gustavo highlighted is that the nation’s recreation makers are succeeding in worldwide development by specializing in worldwide markets. Wildlife Studios, for instance, is arguably one of many largest recreation makers from Brazil, and this success got here from a dedication to growing video games for the worldwide scale. Equally, many video games by unbiased builders have sturdy Brazillian themes, and Gustavo famous that these themes are usually downplayed as recreation makers scale their companies.
Whereas, by his personal admission, Brazil has but to see a significant breakout hit, Gustavo famous that a number of studios have taken half within the improvement of main titles. He highlighted Kokku specifically, a co-development firm which has offered belongings for the likes of Roblox, Horizon, and Name of Obligation and their work that elevates the nation’s standing within the wider gaming ecosystem.
“The studios have gotten extra specialised. Those that concentrate on cell perceive that it’s a really aggressive market,” he defined. “I see a separate pattern between studios specializing in that and studios specialising on PC and console. The problem is consumer acquisition, which has turn into extraordinarily costly. The cell corporations have gotten extra strong locally and self-publishing points.”
Gustavo additionally spoke about what the nation is doing to reinforce its gaming trade. He highlighted the work BIG is doing to extend authorities funding to onboard an increasing number of recreation makers into the house.“There’s a giant fund for movies that was stopped through the earlier authorities which is now beginning to work once more, and we’re working onerous to get a bit of that funding for video games.”
We requested Gustavo what made Brazil completely different from different gaming ecosystems. His reply? Fairly merely, ardour. The native inhabitants is obsessed with gaming and that is one thing evident simply from strolling the ground of the pageant, bringing a novel spark and creativity into recreation improvement.
As such, whereas Brazil has but to see a significant breakout hit to name its personal, it’s clear from the size of BIG alone that recreation makers from all all over the world are being attentive to what Brazil has to supply, and people choices are look sure to extend in recognition and worth within the coming years.
That wraps our protection for day two. Keep tuned for extra reviews from the ground in São Paulo and take a look at the motion from day one right here.
