Community network game project shani
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The document discusses a research project funded by the European Union called the Community Network Game (CNG) project. The CNG project aims to enhance collaborative activities between massively multiplayer online game (MMOG) players by developing new tools for generating, distributing, and inserting user-generated content into MMOGs. Some of the key innovations discussed are in-game graphical insertion technology and enhanced peer-to-peer streaming capabilities. The CNG project seeks to address unmet needs of MMOG players and aims to improve the sharing and social aspects of the MMOG experience.
![Community Network Game
Project
The research conducted has received funding from the European Union's
Seventh Framework Programme ([FP7/2007‐2013]) under grant
agreement n
agreement n° ICT‐248175
Project ICT–248175
15/03/2012 ® CNG Consortium Confidential 2010-2012 1](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/communitynetworkgameprojectshani-120316075904-phpapp02/85/Community-network-game-project-shani-1-320.jpg)
![Video games global revenue
Video games global revenue (Sources: Digi-Capital; PricewaterhouseCoopers 2011 [3])
Project ICT–248175
15/03/2012 ® CNG Consortium Confidential 2010-2012 3](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/communitynetworkgameprojectshani-120316075904-phpapp02/85/Community-network-game-project-shani-3-320.jpg)
Community network game project shani
- 1. Community Network Game Project The research conducted has received funding from the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme ([FP7/2007‐2013]) under grant agreement n agreement n° ICT‐248175 Project ICT–248175 15/03/2012 ® CNG Consortium Confidential 2010-2012 1
- 2. Objectives • Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOGs) Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOGs) allow a large number of online users to inhabit the same virtual world and interact with each other in a variety of collaborating and competing scenarios. • The CNG project (Feb 2010 – July 2012) aims to: The CNG project (Feb. 2010 July 2012) aims to: • enhance collaborative activities between MMOG gamers. This will be achieved by developing new gamers. This will be achieved by developing new tools for the generation, distribution and insertion of user‐generated content (UGC). Project ICT–248175 15/03/2012 ® CNG Consortium Confidential 2010-2012 2
- 3. Video games global revenue Video games global revenue (Sources: Digi-Capital; PricewaterhouseCoopers 2011 [3]) Project ICT–248175 15/03/2012 ® CNG Consortium Confidential 2010-2012 3
- 4. MMOG market MMOG market • The global market for massively multiplayer online role‐playing games (MMORPGs) is expected to be worth $8 billion in 2014. 2009's revenue was up 17 per cent on 2008's revenue, which shows that the market is growing at a fast rate (based Industry Report from Strategy Analytics) . p gy y ) • Blizzard Entertainment dominates the US and European markets, while publishers such as Shanda, Netease, Nexon and NCsoft are leading the way in the growing Asian MMORPG market due to leading the way in the growing Asian MMORPG market due to the successful virtual items‐based revenue model . • There are more than 20 million MMO paying subscribers globally, most of which coming from countries such as China and South Korea . With Asian online games targeting the US and European markets, their force in the global gaming industry is p , g g g y expected to increase even more. Project ICT–248175 15/03/2012 ® CNG Consortium Confidential 2010-2012 4
- 5. Global MMORPG by Company Global MMORPG by Company 2009 Global MMORPG Market Share by Company. (Source: Strategy Analytics 2010 ) Project ICT–248175 15/03/2012 ® CNG Consortium Confidential 2010-2012 5
- 6. Unmet needs • Access/distribution of content without game disruption • Easier/Convenient communication • social and co‐presence, access i l d • More customisation and control • One stop social and in game information space for gamers One stop social and in‐game information space for gamers • More personalisation and creativity • e.g., recording, audio mixing, editing, art • Applications that are easier to use (low effort) • Match‐making/similar gamers • Opportunity to fill ‘waiting’ times (travel) Project ICT–248175 15/03/2012 ® CNG Consortium Confidential 2010-2012 6
- 7. Why share, what is shared and how? Text chat (IM: e.g. Facebook chat) – Support game progress Voice chat (Skype, Ventrilo, Xfire) Video tools (YouTube, Fraps, video editors) – Enhance relationships In game achievement displays In‐game achievement displays Forum/Game websites/wikis – Game experience Search engines (text/video guides, reviews) Polling/voting – Community Community tools (Xfire, Steam) BUT... Frustrations: BUT... Frustrations: – Reduced immersion in the game – Resize/minimising game – Speed; game experience; ads/pop‐ups S d i d/ – Log‐ins – Poor quality control of UGC – Privacy/security Project ICT–248175 15/03/2012 ® CNG Consortium Confidential 2010-2012 7
- 8. Online Survey (by CNG team) CNG functions – High MPO/MMO g Complex game stats Player availabilty Skill matching Web browsing Pause/rewind live action Voice chat IM Video/Audio record Voting polls Play recorded video Click/share video Blogs/Forums Chat room Live video stream Personalise character Edit/Annotate Create/insert 3D objects/textures Create 3D objects collaboratively Collaborative video creation Exchange 3D objects Video chat 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Very/Somewhat Interested Not Interested (n=218) Project ICT–248175 15/03/2012 ® CNG Consortium Confidential 2010-2012 8
- 9. Gamer Segmentation Motivations to play: Motivations to play: 1. Competition (e.g., to win, sense of achievement) 2. Fantasy (e.g., to immerse in another world) 3. Exploration (e.g., sense of discovery) 4. Socialisation (e.g., to socialise with people I know/strangers) Occasional Gamers 5. Boredom (e.g., to fill time) CNG: 70% Gaming Purists CNG : 84% • (Ch ) Cheat 20% 21% Old School Gamers 9% CNG: 66% 7% 43% Casual Classic Community Community Gamers Minded Game CNG: 48% Fanatics CNG: 87% Project ICT–248175 15/03/2012 ® CNG Consortium Confidential 2010-2012 9
- 10. Add ons for Community activities Add‐ons for Community activities IN-GAME SOCIAL TOOLS FEATURES CNG Xfire Overwolf PlayXpert Standalone/ -Standalone Standalone/ distribute via their distribute via their distribute via own website/ own website/portal their own website Integrated in -Integrated in or through other DISTRIBUTION existing games and existing games and portals then distributed via then distributed via portals/games sites portals/games sites No need for keyboard shortcut ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ No N need f d for SDK ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Game resize ✓ X X X Texture replacement ✓ X X X Video capture enablement ✓ ✓ ✓ X Video editing ✓ X X X Live video streaming ✓ ✓ X X In-game browsing ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ In-game chat ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ In-game voice chat ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Facebook/ Twitter ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Project ICT–248175 15/03/2012 ® CNG Consortium Confidential 2010-2012 10
- 11. Community Features on Existing Games Pay-to-play (One-off or subscription) Free-to-play/Freemium FEATURES CNG Star World of Lord of Eve Wars: Runescap Free Lineage Warcraft Rift The Ring Online The Old e Realms 2 (GoD) (WoW) (LOTRO) Republic Texture replacement ✓ X X X X X X X X Video capture enablement ✓ ✓* X ✓ X X X ✓ X Video editing ✓ ✓* X X X X X X X Live video streaming ✓ X X X X X X X X In-game browsing ✓ X ✓ X X ✓* X X X In-game chat ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ In-game voice chat ✓ ✓ ✓ X ✓* ✓ X ✓ X Facebook/Twit ter ✓ ✓* X ✓* X X X ✓* X *Limited (to certain platforms, applications, features, etc.) Project ICT–248175 15/03/2012 ® CNG Consortium Confidential 2010-2012 11
- 12. Innovations • In‐game Graphical Insertion Technology (IGIT): new techniques to replace existing textures with new ones and adding new elements, l h d dd l including: • In game spot identification In‐game spot identification • In‐game asset replacement and asset insertion • Insertion of an in‐frame Web browser for hosting • Web 2.0 applications (IM, blog, polls, etc.) Web 2 0 applications (IM blog polls etc ) • Enhanced peer‐to‐peer (P2P) streaming to allow MMOG players to stream screen‐captured live game without players to stream screen captured live game without damaging the game experience (MMOG‐friendly P2P) • New business models Project ICT–248175 15/03/2012 ® CNG Consortium Confidential 2010-2012 12
- 13. CNG Video Streaming CNG Video Streaming • Any MMOG player can stream screen‐captured video of its game play to a selected group of other players. • Coaching, showing skills, sharing experience with friends, coordination in strategy game. • Player should be able to watch several videos simultaneously. • Players in higher “levels” watch video before players in lower levels. • Players in same level watch video at about the same time Players in same level watch video at about the same time. • Level can be: • priority class in a multi‐tiered premium service • MMOG players in the same region of the virtual world MMOG players in the same region of the virtual world. Project ICT–248175 15/03/2012 ® CNG Consortium Confidential 2010-2012 13
- 14. Project ICT–248175 15/03/2012 ® CNG Consortium Confidential 2010-2012 14
- 15. Project ICT–248175 15/03/2012 ® CNG Consortium Confidential 2010-2012 15
- 16. CNG Tools • The various CNG tools are accessible through the CNG toolbox • CNG Collaboration Tools – Wall, People, Groups, Chat, Messages, Files, Blogs, Polls, News • CNG Video Tools CNG Vid T l – Start/Stop Recording, Instant Save, Video Editor, Live Video • More actions… – Meebo, Web, Settings, Help, Logout Project ICT–248175 15/03/2012 ® CNG Consortium Confidential 2010-2012 16
- 17. Social Networks • Interconnection with Facebook and Twitter with single sign‐on once the user authorizes CNG Server to access his accounts • The credentials are used to acquire a permanent token and are not stored in the CNG Server • User can post CNG wall‐posts to his Facebook/Twitter with just one click… Project ICT–248175 15/03/2012 ® CNG Consortium Confidential 2010-2012 17
- 18. People • “People” is the tool for connections administration • Offers access to the CNG community and the possibility of inviting new members • Game‐oriented user‐to‐user relationships are supported: d l h d – Fans: players having added the user to their friend list (followers) – Id l l Idols: players that the user has th t th h added in his friend list (following) – Friends: players that are both fans and idols at the same time and idols at the same time – Friends of Friends Project ICT–248175 15/03/2012 ® CNG Consortium Confidential 2010-2012 18
- 19. Video Capturing/Editing • Game scene can be captured with: Game scene can be captured with: – “Start/Stop Recording” tool – “Instant Save” tool: for the last 60 seconds of in‐game activity • Video can be modified and uploaded to YouTube d l d dt Y T b with the “Video Editor” tool Project ICT–248175 15/03/2012 ® CNG Consortium Confidential 2010-2012 19
- 20. Live Video • “Live Video” is the tool for P2P streaming of live videos Live Video is the tool for P2P streaming of live‐videos • User is able to start sharing his game scene • His live‐video is advertised through the CNG Server to the players allowed to access the stream • Players are able to select to watch the live‐video: – Up to 4 live videos can be viewed at the same time Up to 4 live‐videos can be viewed at the same time HERE, A SCREENSHOT FROM A LIVE VIDEO PLAYER WINDOW CAN BE ADDED!!!!! !!!!! Project ICT–248175 15/03/2012 ® CNG Consortium Confidential 2010-2012 20
- 21. P2P Highlights • Multi‐video system. Each gamer can be a source of video stream; each gamer can receive several video streams (e.g. videos from all gamers within a guild). guild) • Concurrent MMOG traffic. Live streaming should not consume bandwidth resources needed for MMOG traffic. • Delay constraints. Synchronization among gamers requires simultaneous Delay constraints Synchronization among gamers requires simultaneous video reception in a group of gamers. • Poor capacities of end‐users’ equipment. The CPU and the upload capacities are resource bottlenecks. are resource bottlenecks • Hybrid architecture in which the CNG server is responsible for optimizing the P2P overlay. • Level‐based overlay where all peers in a level can play the video at about the lb d l h ll l l l h d b h same time. • Use of rateless codes for fast and reliable video transmission over UDP. • Channel adaptive P2P streaming using feedback, rate control and unequal error protection. Project ICT–248175 15/03/2012 ® CNG Consortium Confidential 2010-2012 21
- 22. System Overview Synchronized gamers are gathered into levels Synchronized gamers are gathered into levels Project ICT–248175 15/03/2012 ® CNG Consortium Confidential 2010-2012 22
- 23. System Overview •Intra‐level and inter‐level communications leverage P2P and rateless codes for fast end‐to‐end packet d l d f f d d k delivery. Project ICT–248175 15/03/2012 ® CNG Consortium Confidential 2010-2012 23
- 24. CNG integration in the MMOGs value chain CNG integration in the MMOGs value chain Project ICT–248175 15/03/2012 ® CNG Consortium Confidential 2010-2012 24
- 25. Monetisation: Primary market feedback to business models b i d l Project ICT–248175 15/03/2012 ® CNG Consortium Confidential 2010-2012 25
- 26. CNG Benefits • End‐users will benefit from the exploitation of synergies between different applications and functionalities provided on a single platform which can offer them an improved gaming experience; • CNG is easy to use, friendly to the game and reliable; y , y g ; • CNG has the potential to facilitate the generation and distribution of contents. It will support active participation among gamers and will be used to create customized versions of game related contents that will then be shared effortlessly without leaving the game; • The CNG system enhances the ability to interact with other players so that the application will be used as a one‐stop tool, not just to generate content but also to satisfy the users of will be used as a one stop tool not just to generate content but also to satisfy the users of multiplayer games’ primary necessity to communicate and share; • The CNG platform will be developed to be customisable in order to satisfy different gamers’ preferences and needs; • CNG is developed to be highly adaptable, giving the user access to its functionalities across p g y p ,g g games without added effort; • CNG provides a unique service to gamers which is currently not offered by any other platform: the P2P technology allows MMOG players to share their game play with other players live, in‐game; • CNG and the P2P technology built within it, opens the MMOG world to new possibilities for CNG and the P2P technology built within it opens the MMOG world to new possibilities for the user, since it transforms the game from a closed environment, to an open and more dynamic one, with the aim of minimising its technological limit and maximising its social elements; • The technological innovations researched and developed within the projects could give users not just an enhanced gaming platform but also make emerge new ways to monetise the j h d i l f b l k i h system that could be of advantage to the gamer. Project ICT–248175 15/03/2012 ® CNG Consortium Confidential 2010-2012 26
- 27. Thanks Alex Shani Exent Technologies Ltd. Phone/Fax +972‐747‐133‐135 Mobile +972‐544‐833‐300 Project ICT–248175 15/03/2012 ® CNG Consortium Confidential 2010-2012 27