Many games developers these days have integrated online features into their games which allow them to track what is going on. In the long run this can help improve the game by adding features that users want, or assist when developing future games. Beta tests also include statistics - for example Halo Reach when it had the public beta tracked where the most players died, and the areas that were least visited in order to design the maps better.
This brings me to the next point - we have some statistics for the blog. We've hit over 1100 views and while many suspect that it is just Liam constantly hitting F5 I can now reveal this isn't true. 1,069 views have been from the UK with 26 from the US, 3 from Russia, 3 from Singapore and 1 from the only people in South Africa to own a computer. While 91% of our views are from Windows, less than 1% are from Macs.
In all honesty, even I am quite surprised by these statistics.
So a big hello to our American fans, and to the lone civilian of South Africa who knows exactly where the future is at. And just to remind you that the competition to meet us and Selena is still open. We might even throw Demi Lovato into the mix if that tempts you.
Well we've finally hit over 1000 views! Thanks to all our fans for their support because without it we wouldn't be where we are today with best selling books and movies (remember the special edition is the perfect stocking filler!). There have been some rumours saying that we haven't actually worked with Gary Barlow and that our 1000 views are simply made up. I must emphasise that we have worked with Gary Barlow and our 1000 views have not been made up, this is simply jealousy.
Now it's time for a case study. Recently two games developers set up and some workers in both decided to either next to nothing or nothing at all. One of the developers decided to buy the other and so Skull Head Studios was a division of Construct Games. Of course this increased the workload done since there were two teams but the ratio of work not being done against the work being done was still higher. Like all projects, both of the teams had a deadline to work to and it was evident which members were doing work. So Construct decided to 'outsource' some of their work to Skull Head and within just an hour more work was done by one member of Skull Head than one actually in Construct. Whether these teams meet their deadlines and make good use of their resources is still to be seen but the gap for completion is closing fast.
Now because we've hit 1000 views and because some of our fans didn't get to meet us in person then we are giving you to opportunity to meet us. Not only will you get to meet us but you will also get to meet Selena Gomez!All you have to do is leave a comment telling us why you should get to meet us. You can only enter once and this is open to everyone except for Piers Morgan for not reading our book.
Meet (from left to right) Liam, Ryan, Dan and Selena!
From deadlines approaching, I have to put some work at the top of my list and circle the ones that are a priority. For now it has been Zuby's work because it requires a lot of time and effort and his is in very shortly. I have already finished my Programming one and I've already started to make my 3D environment in Art & Graphics. I am doing a street, Dan is doing a futuristic city set in 3010 where Ziga Zigah wins coach trip and for Liam... well... errmmm he makes things that look like... ANYWAY...I am greatful to be in a team that does the work and also i can rely one.
P.S We have a single coming out thanks to Gary Barlow. Be perfect for a stocking filler in Christmas ;) or defense weapon. Proceeds will not go to Children in Need as the money will help us raise funds for the new book!
"Simply Amazing- Metro"
Update from Dan: Listen to the instrumental now:
*Cd Lyrics*
I wanna be the very best blogger,
No one ever was,
To blog is my real test,
To update is my cause,
-----------------------------------
I will travel across blogspot,
Searching far and wide,
Each Blogger to understand,
From the power of inside,
----------------------------------
BLOGGGGEEEEERRRRR
Got to update
Its you and me
I know its my Destiny
----------------------------------
BLOGGGEEEEEEERRRR
ohhh your my best friend
In a world we must update
---------------------------------
BLOGGGEEEEEEERRRR
Got to update,
my heart is so true
Our fans will pull us through
---------------------------------
You Blog me,
And i'll blog you
BLOGGGGEEEEEERRRRRR
Got to update
BLOGGGGGGEEEEEEEEEEERRRRR!
Hi everyone, just to let you know that our third book is coming out called "Three guys and their prison of the Blog". From learning many knew things from project management we where able to plan when our new book would come out. We also talked greatly what the third one would be about with J.K.Bowling, we did this through talking in person. Communication is key as everyone is on the same wave legnth and everyone can suggest ideas and also talk about worries they might have.
Here is short script of the interview with J.K.Bowling about the third book:
Interviewer: Nice to meet you J.FK...*audience gasps*
J.K.Bowling: it stands for joan felix Kathleen *audience sighs in relief*
Interviewer: So whats the new book about? and whats it like working with the bloggers?
J.K.Bowling: well, the book is about the popularity of the three bloggers and ermmm.. there.. ermm basically feel like there trapped in a prisong of their own blog. It was a pleasure to work with Fran, Brian and Barry.
Interviewer: Don't you mean Dan, Ryan and Liam
J.K.Bowling: who??? but anyway, to get the book released Fran, Brian and Barry have gone to talk to a man who will sponsor them!
"J.K.Bowling talking to interviewers"
Will we ever find out who this mysterious person is?
Will J.K.Bowling ever get there names correct? Will Wagbo ever be stopped?
"Oh bugger guys, this blog counts towards our mark for Project Management. We'd better do loads of posts quickly so Yuwei doesn't notice," said the members of the other groups while Ryan, Liam and Dan sat in their thrones basking in the glory of winning awards, releasing hit books and movies. The failure of these other groups is that each post contains a timestamp of when their posts were created meaning that their cover-up hasn't quite worked. Somewhat like a criminal thinking they've got away with theft but their passport fell out of their pocket at the scene of the crime (I tend to come up with completely unrelated analogies, as Liam said in the post below - I am crazy).
Last week in the lecture, each of us were asked to come up with an example of a failed project. Since then another has occurred, and I can tie this in to the industry. I ordered a Christmas present for my 11 year old brother on Amazon on the 13th November. Amazon said "this will be with you between the 17th and 19th" which I was happy with since I was going home on the 19th so could take it with me. The problem is I never received it until the 22nd. That was after when I expected and so my plan of taking it home couldn't go ahead. If this had happened next month instead then that would mean my brother wouldn't get his present until the end of January.
As I said I can tie this into the industry, more specifically Ruffian Games and Microsoft. Microsoft set Ruffian a deadline for Crackdown 2 and as they got closer to that deadline Ruffian had to outsource the game. If Ruffian didn't receive the things that the outsourced company were doing when they expected then the game would miss it's release. This did happen and so Keys to the City was introduced as DLC a month later, a similar thing happening with more online modes recently released for it. To me that is a failed project because what was initially was going to be one big package has been split into three.
Everyone's favourite bloggers at the premiere of Three Guy and their Blog
Last week we where told to write about something but I forgot what it was so im going to talk about something a little more random instead.
We have been doing alot of work for this course (especially Dan, I think he's crazy). Because of this, Ryan has been trying to keep the group's moral up. He does this by telling terrible joke, playing the piano and teaching us effective ways to break someone's face. All this wasn't bad, but he then decided to show everyone his acrobatic skills, shown here in this completely unedited .gif:
U mad?
What you don't see in that .gif is everyone in the room throwing shovels at him afterwards.
As you should know, the DVD and Blu-Ray of our movie, 'The Blog', is on sale now. What you might not know is there is a Special edition version, which comes with ,among other things, an exclusive poster featuring Ryan in an important scene in the movie:
Its the Christmas present everyone want this year... probably.
Liam.
All great game concepts must start with a prototype design. In Project Management today not only did we win in terms of points (thanks to animals being acceptable languages) but we also devised up a game. Cooking With Trollface. And here is the prototype, created in Flash:
Hopefully this takes away from the need of a video or picture and concludes my need to triple post.
