Lord of the Rings: Aragorn's Quest (NDS/PS2/PS/Wii) - Launch Trailer

Here is yet another game we helped to develop.  It'll be out Sept 19th!  Enjoy :-)

Burn Zombie Burn (PC/Steam) - Launch Trailer

Here's another game our studio helped to develop.  Enjoy :-)

Top Gun (PSN) - Launch Trailer

Here's the launch trailer for a game our studio helped to develop.  Enjoy :-)

Formula for Naming Games in Taiwan

I've noticed a great number of things about games and gamers here in Asia, but one thing is clear - if you want a successful game in Taiwan, naming it is easy.

Step 1 - take any combination of characters that discribe emporers, princes, princesses, dynastic period, etc, and add the word "ONLINE".

Step 2 - there is no step 2.

(Note: hot girls certainly add to the effect, but they are more the exception rather than the rule in commercials - unless you are promoting a dancing/friendship game where being cute helps.  Typically the commericals will consisist of pretty nice rendered cut scenes with a few seconds of pretty low-res in-game MMO footage).

Designing Characters - the Square Enix Way...

Although posted a few years back, I was recalling some of the nuances of developing art in Asia.  While Japanese companies like Square Enix have this method down pat, other regional countries tend to emulated the styles (if not preferences) in their art as well.

The original article is posted HERE (warning: wear a flame retardant suit if you wish to post there.  Obviously the humor was lost on many of those who replied).

Beyond the chuckle (truth) factor for those of use tasked with design art in Asia, the reality is that one must understand the target audience to make games that are readily accepted beyond the country from which you are making it.  This applies not only to art, but game design as well.