April, 2009

Check out Wired Magazine’s Game Diagram. It attempts to map out the universe of games. It’s funny how Wired feels a compulsion to have a diagram for every trendy subject, games being the latest and most trendy.

I guess this is what they’re good at.

I personally would like to see a Wired diagram (a.k.a. wiregram) mapping out Chris Anderson’s gastronomical chart. Come on Wired ones! That’s more interesting than mapping out the Spring migration patterns of Nordic geeks looking for warmer climes or the universe of otaku collectibles (which I’m certain is your next wiregram).

I just love this video.  It’s a great way to introduce kids to ancient history. And who doesn’t love Gilgamesh? He was the Gilligan of his time.

I was wondering what it would be like to fall in love with a 30-foot giant human. I mean really fall in love — where you cannot live apart.

From a distance, it seems possible, but when you’re up close, and the giant’s nose is bigger than your head, what’s that like? It could be fun riding on the giant’s shoulders, but what do you do at night in bed? Are you in mortal danger of being crushed to death in your sleep? Also, what’s it like to make love to a giant?

I’m not the first to think of this. In Harry Potter, Haggard’s mother was a full giantess and his father was a wizard, but J.K. Rowling forgot to answer how they solved the above problems. Maybe someone would be kind enough to speculate on this. And don’t just say, “Magic.” That’s too easy.

Turbo Charge Your Virtual Currency

Orrick’s complimentary TOTAL ACCESS program focused on topics relevant to the digital media industry. Panelists at the November 17 event will explore issues related to virtual currency.

Topics Include:

• The Role Virtual Currency Plays in Non-Gaming Sites
• Social Networks and Virtual Currency: Effects on the Market Landscape
• The Future of Virtual Currency

Moderator: Glen Van Ligten, Partner, Orrick

Panelists include:
Noah Kagan, Co-Founder, Gambit
David Marcus, Founder & CEO, Zong
Steven Hoffman, Chairman & CEO, RocketOn
M. Lee Clancy Jr., VP of Product Management & GM of Direct Revenue, IMVU

Mick Bobroff, Audit Partner, Ernst & Young LLP

Digital Hollywood, May 2009

Virtual Worlds, Virtual Economies, Virtual Goods and Services and Virtual Gaming

• Steve Hoffman, CEO, RocketOn, Inc.
• Sibley Verbeck, CEO, The Electric Sheep Company
• Jim Crowley, CEO, Turbine
• Jeff Titterton, Vice President of Marketing, IMVU
• Joe Hyrkin, Vice President of Sales & Business Development,. Gaia Online
• David D Christensen, Vice President, Business Development & International Operations, Sony Online Entertainment (SOE)
• Rob Uhrich, Senior Director, Digital Markets, PaymentOne
• Jason Wonacott, CEO, Wonacott Communications, Moderator

Engage Expo, San Jose, 2009

Comparing Virtual World/MMO Business Models: Make the Right Choice

Understanding the major differences between subscription-, microtransaction-, and advertising-based revenue models is just the start of understanding revenue streams and what’s right for your business. With hybrid models rapidly being created — and legal ramifications evolving along side business — it literally pays to include a legal expert or legal team in at the design phase of your online product. This session will help lay the groundwork for your developing business and will present issues concerning liability that need to known early. Leave with the mantra that it’s going to be significantly more cost effective to include lawyers in the design phase rather than connecting with counsel to fix what’s gone and broke post-launch.

• Sean Kane, Attorney, Kane & Associates LLC
• S. Gregory Boyd, Davis & Gilbert LLP – Attorneys
• Steve Hoffman, Chairman & CEO, RocketOn
• Keith McCurdy, CEO, Vivaty
• Reuben Steiger, Virtual Greats
• Corey Bridges, Co-founder, Executive Producer and Marketing Director, Multiverse
• Steven Goldstein, Senior Counsel, Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, LLP

LA Games Conference

LA Games Conference on April 29th, 2009, at 11:00 am.

Next Generation Virtual Worlds Panel
What to Expect From a User and a Business Perspective

The lines between social networks, virtual worlds and games are clearly blurring – so what will the next generation of virtual worlds for the mass-market look like? And how do you monetize them? This panel will discuss the relative effectiveness of premium subscriptions, sales of music, video and virtual goods and ad supported content. What is working and what isn’t? How are brand marketers and their agencies navigating this new space? How do advertisers measure ROI and the effectiveness of these new and relatively untested campaigns? How do you handle license and rights issues as well payments effectively? This group of panelists will share their experiences with different business models as well as give advice for how to make smart marketing investments in this ever-changing landscape.

OnHollywood Conference

OnHollywood Conference on April 28th, 2009

Content is King Panel – But Where’s the Money in Online Music?
Artists and labels are deploying cutting-edge digital strategies, while Web publishers look to monetize. Music & tech execs discuss initiatives.

Engage Expo, NY – Virtual World Conference

Engage Expo on March 10, 2009
Parallel Virtual Worlds And The Transformation Of Browsing The Web

Parallel virtual worlds are transforming browsing into a social experience. Imagine every single website as its own virtual world that is interconnected with other worlds, where people can seamlessly jump from one to another. In this case study, we’ll answer many of the most difficult questions concerning these worlds that are layered on top of the Web: what does it take to build a parallel virtual world? How they be monetized? What are the technical hurdles? Where does a parallel virtual world reside in the browser? And what is the potential of this new space?

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Steve Hoffman

Entrepreneur

Steve Hoffman (a.k.a. Captain Hoff) is the CEO & Cofounder of LavaMind, which publishes Founders Space, as well as numerous websites, games and mobile applications.

Hoffman is also a founding member of the Academy of Television’s Interactive Media Group and was the Chairman & Founder of the San Francisco Chapter of the Producers Guild.

In 2007, Hoffman founded RocketOn, a social media and virtual world startup. Prior to this, Hoffman was the COO of Tap11 (formerly Zannel), a venture-funded startup that provides businesses with advanced analytics and CRM for Twitter.

Before that, Hoffman was the North American Studio Head for Infospace, where he ran the US mobile games publishing & development group. From 1998 – 2002, he was the Chairman & CEO of Spiderdance, Hollywood’s leading interactive television studio, whose customers included NBC, Viacom, Time Warner, TBS, GSN and A&E. He also consulted for R/GA Interactive, designing projects for Kodak, Disney, Intel, AdAge, and Children’s Television Workshop.

In Japan, Hoffman worked as a game designer for Sega, generating new concepts and designs for games and amusement rides. Prior to Sega, he was a Hollywood development executive at Fries Entertainment, where he managed TV development. He graduated from the University of California with a BS in Electrical Computer Engineering and went on to earn a Masters in Film & Television from USC. He is also the co-author of the first-edition of “Game Design Workshop” published by CMP.