Valve’s Steambox: The Console Killer?

       Gabe Newell the co-founder and managing director of video game development at Valve Corporation has announced plans for a new pc-like device called the “Steambox”. This device looks like a console; however acts exactly like a PC in a sense that there are USB ports meant for a mouse and keyboard, as well as various video output ports as well that can either be connected to a monitor or T.V. What makes the concept of the Steambox stand out is the fact that it is meant to be a bridge between PC and Console gamers. This is done by the fact that the Steambox is gaming-ready, meaning that each device is preloaded with Windows 8 and hardware that is capable of running games such as Crysis at medium definition.

            There are however, several variations of the Steambox; in fact Gabe Newell has ordered a handful of companies to produce their own take of the Steambox, each with different technical specs as well as software. Gabe Newell has already announced that Valve’s own version of the Steambox will be running on Linux to encourage open sourced gaming allowing for developers to be limited by the parameters of fixed platform gaming. With all of this being said, there are a few things that need to be evaluated in order to truly tell if Valve’s concept of the Steambox can take down consoles or even compete with them in the near future.

          The first thing we have to think about is what can the Steambox offer console gamers that both consoles and PC’s cant? In comparison to PC’s providing they are gaming desktops is that the Steambox has the potential to provide the same or even more powerful computing power in a far more portable manner. Meanwhile, comparing the Steambox to a console like the Xbox 360 is much harder considering the fact that the concept of the Steambox is almost identical to that of a console; however Gabe Newell has explicitly stated that the Steambox is by no means a console.  That being said the advantage that the Steambox has over the Console is that it is an all in one device from gaming, web browsing, and even word processing. Furthermore since the operating system of the Steambox can vary between Windows 8 and Linux gamers are exposed to a wider variety of games, coming from major game developers to indie developers. 

            One big factor that separates many Console gamers from PC gamers is the pricing and maintenance of their devices. From a PC gamer point of view, they often find themselves having to make upgrades every year or two in order for their computers to run the most recently released games, meaning that PC games would have to shell out a few hundred dollars once in a while just to be able to stay current with today’s vastly growing video game industry. Meanwhile console gamers only have to pay for their console and their games which do not require installations and have an operating system dedicated to gaming, as well as immunity to viruses.  This is where the Steambox is supposed to come in and provide a middle ground for both PC and Console gamers. In terms of price several sources say that the Steambox variations will range from $500 to $1000. These prices are almost thirty percent more than both the PS3 and Xbox 360, though is significantly cheaper than buying a high-spec PC desktop or Laptop.

          Overall the Steambox shows promise to emerge into the video game market as a device that can potentially replace gaming PC’s, however Consoles seem to have a cult following in that many players can play on one console, and more importantly exclusive game titles, as well as a solid online gaming interface. The Steambox can and will become a true gaming innovation for years to come with the potential of abolishing PC gaming as a whole, however console gaming will still remain a major gaming contender for years to come.

Top reasons for why you need an Animated Explainer Video

We at Animation Outsourced feel that this is the perfect time to plan your marketing strategy and consider factoring in an animated explainer video into your marketing plan.

Animation Outsourced has made an outline of the top reasons why you need to have an animated explainer video.

Number 1 – Videos make it simple and easy to understand.

For a few seconds up to a couple of minutes, the audience will definitely have a good grasp of understanding why they need your product or service. The explainer video is a good way for you to showcase the usefulness of what you are offering and why they must have it. Add some humor and relatable things that they encounter, and voila, you already got their attention.

Number 2 – What you see and what you hear the mind believes

Buying behavior of customers is greatly affected by what they see and hear. Whenever they purchase or avail of a product they always think of what comes first in their mind. Since videos present both pictures and sound it is a sure way of catching their attention while being retained in their memories. Remember that videos are more appealing compared to just words that are printed on a piece of paper or being flashed on a screen.

Number 3 – Success factor

Videos appear on almost all entertainment platforms, information and education. Positive reception of audiences to various videos is the main reason for the success of YouTube and other video sharing sites.

Whether you are introducing a new product or service, giving feedback or just showing simple explanation on how things work, videos have now been the new source of information and will continue to improve.

Number 4 – Reach factor

2012 was the year we saw a number of new gadgets from portable computers, tablets, to smart phones. Since internet has become a necessity of the information age, anyone can now access the video anytime and anywhere not to mention the ease of sharing it to someone else.

Life has become fast-paced because of the technology around us. When you are in a hurry and given a choice, would you rather watch a video or read a blog just to get information? Well obviously you would rather watch a video. Mobile phone and tablet users are also as likely to view videos as desktop users.

Interesting facts:

• Having a video on the landing page of your website makes it 53% more likely to show up on the first page of a Google search (and who doesn’t like higher ranking in search results?)
• The average user’s visit to a text and image-based website lasts only 43 seconds; for a website with video, the average visit lasts 5 minutes and 50 seconds (ding! ding! ding!)
• Customers that watch videos of products or services are 85% more likely to make a purchase (ka-ching!)

Need an Animated Explainer Videos, you may visit this link: AnimationOutsourced.Com

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Facebook Launches its First Ever First-Person Shooter

          When people hear gaming and Facebook in the same sentence, games such as Farmville, Restaurant City, and Zynga Poker comes to mind. Game developer U4iA (pronounced Euphoria) was behind the game known as Offensive Combat, a game where any one of the 1 billion Facebook users can easily just click and play. One of the biggest concerns with any browser based first person shooter is whether or not it can run smoothly despite the fact that the computer a player is using does not have the most enhanced hardware.

          In terms of overall style developers at U4iA wanted to create a balance of a shooter that was straightforward yet, had an element of craziness to it to appeal to all audiences. The guns used in the game are a mixture of fantasy blasters, melee weapons, and guns modeled after those used in the real world. Again this shows that U4iA is trying to create a middle ground for hardcore and casual gamers to play on. There is no doubt that this game has the potential to be successful given that its free so players don’t have to worry about spending $60 for a game disc, not to mention that its browser based so as long as you have access to a decent internet connection you can enjoy the game.

          The gameplay is fairly straightforward, point, click, and gain experience for killing your fellow Facebook users. Items such as weapon upgrades, and character customization kits are available to buy through transactions using your hard earned experience as the currency.  In terms of graphics it is no Call of Duty or Halo, but looks top notch given that it is a purely browser-based game.  The cartoonish characters give a new twist on the first-person shooter since most shooters these days try to emulate real life soldiers.

          As entertaining as this game looks and sounds there are a few things that are in question. First is that we need to evaluate is the lasting appeal of the game, can the developers at U4iA studios update the game in a way that will still keep players glued to their seats for hours? Furthermore is this something that has the potential to compete with the massive shooter franchises that gamers have grown to love? Offensive Combat is game that can keep players glued to their computer screens for hours, and it already has been thus far with over 500,000 players playing daily. With this much traffic U4iA will be able to earn money from advertisements which as a result will allow them to keep working hard on delivering new features to Offensive Combat.

          In terms of franchise competition, Offensive Combat would not come close to first person shooters like Call of Duty. One of the main reasons for this is that Offensive Combat is built for a platform that is not as stable as a console, browser based games tend to have many glitches, and can only go so far when it comes to improvement. Furthermore Offensive Combat is meant purely for multiplayer purposes, as opposed to Call of Duty which features a campaign. Overall Offensive Combat has the potential to be a fairly prominent shooter providing the developers at U4iA studios handle the game in the right way.

          

Can Blackberry Make a Comeback?

          Today the mobile market seems to be dominated by the app-heavy giants Apple and Android, and looks like there is no space for Blackberries anymore. Since dropping its 18% control of the market to 5%, the future looks rather dim for the once dominant mobile phone producer. That being said Research in Motion (RIM) the company that produces Blackberries has recently announced their latest mobile operating system under the name Blackberry 10.

          Two designs have been leaked on line, the first being an all touch screen reminiscent of the iPhone and Samsung Galaxy, however the dimensions appear to be significantly larger than both of them. Following that is the more traditional looking blackberry with the QWERTY style keyboard. The main difference between this new QWERTY design is that there is no longer a track pad and the screen has increased a sizeable amount, indicating that all interaction with the phone will utilize the touch screen with the exception of typing.

          In terms of software the operating system has been completely revamped straying away from their classic home screen interface. During the Americas Jam keynote RIM representative Thorsten Heins showed off the new features of the Blackberry 10. Their approach with their new smart phone is to allow users to access their messages, contacts, and events as quick as possible. As well as creating two profiles embedded within the operating system that separates the user’s personal profile from their work profile, which basically allows the user to view specific apps based on which profile their blackberry is set to. View the full video below.

          Although the new features look like they work pretty well and would be rather convenient for a user who is constantly on the go, the latest blackberry software is looking like RIM is trying to find a niche market with corporate use. Furthermore now word has been released on what improvements RIM has made to their app store, in order for Blackberries to truly make a comeback as a handheld device that will reach all audiences an app store with a wide variety of applications. That being said the fact that most if not all developers are focusing their time on producing apps for the apple and android platforms can ultimately doom blackberry handhelds for good. 

Animation Outsourcing

Outsourcing animation to countries such as India, Philippines, and South Korea may seem like a risky move, however many major production studios these days choose to do so. Companies such as Disney, MTV, Warner Brothers, and Cartoon Network outsource their animation needs to Asia for two reasons.  First is that the cost of labor is much cheaper, to employ a US based animator would on average cost $125 per hour. Meanwhile in Asia it costs $25 per hour which means that these American based companies are cutting their animation costs by 80% by simply having their cartoons animated outside of the United States.

                

      What Makes the Idea of outsourcing animation seem risky is the fact that these companies are outsourcing them to countries in which English is not the primary language, this could potentially cause lip-syncing problems as the outsourced animators may not be able to animate the lip movement according to the sound given to them. However in this day and age where globalization is prominent especially within India, Philippines, and South Korea poor lip-syncing problems does not pose a threat to the overall quality of the animated films.

      Another huge advantage to outsourcing animation within Asia is that these outsourced companies are able to afford state of the art technology to produce the animation tasks given to them by their American employers. As a result the quality of the animation is not sacrificed; in fact there is a distinct possibility that the quality could be even better in Asia than it is in the United States.

What is an Explainer Video?

     

      The Explainer Video is a short video (usually between 60 to 180 seconds) which tells an organization's story or simply explains what they do. It can feature a highly diverse mix of creative elements, including typography, images, illustrations, voices or animations. The power of this form is that it engages all the senses at once. It is also used to promote products and services. Some companies use it as user manuals for their products like electronic gadgets given that a lot of users are bored with reading pages and pages of information and their attention would rather be paid towards watching an short yet informative video.

      Many organisations have discovered that an Explainer Video is a highly effective communication tool. Not only that, it can reach potential audiences that traditional ads cannot.

Reasons for using Explainer Videos

1. It makes a strong connection with audiences and adds value to their products and services.
2. Customers that watch videos of products or services are 85% more likely to make a purchase (ka-ching!)
3. It is an effective visual aid, which helps inform people about the product.
4. It gets the message in a concise manner.
5. It is more likely to be shared on social media outlets such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+

For more information on Explainer Videos, you may visit this link: AnimationOutsourced