HTML5 Games - An Introduction
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The document discusses the evolution and potential of HTML5 games, highlighting its new features and capabilities compared to previous technologies. It covers the transition from casual games to hybrid and advanced mobile games, identifying both pros and cons of HTML5, including cross-platform capabilities and challenges with 3D and monetization. The future of HTML5 gaming looks promising, but significant business-related issues such as distribution and discovery still need to be addressed.
HTML5 Games - An Introduction
- 1. Matt Rosenzweig – Midnight Oil CreativeGAMES
- 2. What We’re CoveringHTML5 WTF?A Brief History of TimewastersHTML5 Games TodayGoing NativeThe FutureExamplesQ&A
- 3. HTML5 WTF?The next evolution of HTML; last major update was HTML4 in 1999Lots of awesome new features<video>, <audio>, <canvas> and other new multimedia goodnessRicher semantics via <header>, <footer>, <article>, etcOffline storage, web workers, geolocation, formsNot officially part of HTML5, but CSS3 brings a wealth of new features to enable greater styling of HTML contentHTML5 = HTML5 + CSS3 + JavaScriptSupport: Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Opera, IE9 (sort of)
- 4. A Brief History of TimewastersCasual games: simple rules, no required long-term time commitment, low production & distribution costs (Boyes 2008)Analog: Checkers, Solitaire, Beer PongEarly Digital: Pac Man, Duck Hunt, TetrisEarly Online: Bejeweled, Kongregate, Y! GamesEarly Mobile: Snake, N-Gage
- 5. A Brief History of TimewastersCurrent Casual Gaming TrendsHybrid: Geocaching, Alternate RealityAdvanced Mobile: Angry Birds, Doodle Jump, Cut The RopeSocial: Farmville, Mafia WarsConsole: Wii Classics, LittleBigPlanet
- 6. HTML5 Games TodayPromising proof-of-conceptsHTML5 Game Libraries: Impact, Akihabara, Rocket Engine, LimeJSThey help with the heavy lifting: Asset management, animation, physics, keyboard / mouse input, processing of sounds and graphicsHybrid model: Open Source with commercial licensing = free to use / experiment with, cheap to commercialize
- 7. HTML5 Games TodayProsCross Platform: Any device with an HTML5-enabled browser (including about 160 million iOS devices)More CPU-efficient than FlashFrictionless distribution: Put it online and the entire world can play itClient-Server / Network functionality: Just like building any other online application
- 8. HTML5 Games TodayCons3D (via WebGL) is only in an experimental stateCross-browser complications due to differences in HTML5 implementationsDiscovery: No central repository store for HTML5 gamesGame development is hard, and we gotta put food on the table (monetization)Hampered by committee-driven standards formulation (the W3C), proprietary solutions have already solved most of these cons (iOS / App Store is the best example)
- 9. Going NativeGenerally speaking, native game solutions are kicking HTML5’s assiOS: 3D, monetization via purchase, ad-supported, in-app purchases, licked the discovery problem tooAndroid: Large install base, ad-supported games generate upwards of five-figure monthly incomes for developersConsole / Desktop: Far more advanced graphics capabilities, support for hardware controllers, decades-old industry ecosystem to support future advancement (retail / dev / marketing / consumers)
- 10. The Future3D support coming via WebGL (soon-ish)IE9 brings HTML5 support (but IE6 – IE8 are still out there and hard to upgrade)Advancements in hardware acceleration (better graphics faster)
- 11. The FutureThe Takeaway:In the next several years, HTML5 will probably have all the technology required to make great contemporary games. The problems that still need to be solved are largely business-related: Distribution, discovery, and monetization. HTML5 developers should embrace what makes the platform unique and create games based on those qualities, but it will probably require a fundamental shift in how we think about both creating and playing games for that to happen.
- 13. Q&AQuestions? Ask away!If we run out of time, you can contact me here:Matt RosenzweigSr. Front End DeveloperMidnight Oil Creativemrosenzweig@midnightoilcreative.com