Jason Liew

Electronic Arts (EA) is an American computer and video games developer. In the following video,  Amanda MacKay of GT will tell you why people love to work in EA Los Angeles Headquarter, by having a grand tour in this EA cool and awesome “workplace”.

In short, what EA Los Angeles branch has?

• Basketball Court
• Sand Volley Ball
• Soccer Field
• Gym
• Cafeteria
• Pool
• Game Room
• and a lot more….

People always say that hardcore gamer has no life; but I think hardcore game developer do lead a great life in EA.

To RSS readers: the video is here.

For Related Posts :

Need For Speed : Carbon           Release of Sony PS3 and Nintendo Wii

PlayStation 3 Commercials          CS:Source Dynamic Weapon Pricing

Tags: EA, Electronics, Arts, GT, Amanda, MacKay, Computer+Game, Video, Los+Angeles, Workplace, developer, distributor, grand+tour, video

Some people spent 18 months to work out a new album. In contra, 18 months was what it took Microsoft to compose a 4 seconds music clip perfectly. With no doubt, it isn’t any 4 seconds clips. It is the sound of - a soft da- dum, da-dumm, with a lush fade-out- that millions of computer users will hear every day, while they are running Microsoft’s latest operating system, Windows Vista. 

For the CNN report on this matter, it’s here.
For the Vista sound clip provided by Long Zheng, click the image below.

Apart from Microsoft’s Windows Vista, here are something related to computing also. I seldom play computer games nowadays. However, Need For Speed car racing series, is one of the odd-one-out that I love a lot. The video below is a 10 minutes documentary about the making of Need For Speed : Carbon. From this video, you can see how much effort and time those professionals had dedicated to a computer game, in order to enhance our gaming experience. 

The following is a trailer for Need For Speed : Carbon

These are some images of NFS:Carbon for viewing, while you are waiting for those video to load.

It is such a shame to see how hard and dedicated that people in every far flung corner in this world are working on creating better software products, while my country, Malaysia, is ranked the TOP pirated CD and DVD supplier in the world.

Piracy isn’t only saving your money significantly, but also live-burying talent cruelly, denying people’s effort meanly, and screwing software industry badly. Yes, Microsoft is rich and huge enough to withstand piracy, but most of the other software companies aren’t.

For related previous posts :
The release of PS 3 and Nintendo Wii,
The bankruptcy of Tower Records, Windows Vista, Jeremy’s thought about Piracy

Tags: Windows+Vista, Operating+System, Microsoft, System+Sound, Need+For+Speed+Carbon, EA, Car+Racing+Game, Piracy, Malaysia 

Released in Japan on last Saturday, Sony is going to launch its PlayStation 3 in United States on this coming Friday, 17th November. For those Sony PS3 supporters, here is a price list by PSXextreme.

The month of November has been said to be a happening one for gaming industry. Firstly, the long awaited PS 3  is finally coming out to match Xbox 360. The following is the release of Nintendo Wii on 19th November. Also, one of the the hottest racing game collection, Need For Speed,  has released its latest Need For Speed Carbon.

It is an undeniable truth that electronics gaming industry is a lucrative business. For instance, conventional universities and colleges have introduced or increased their video gaming courses dramatically throughout this decade. Even my school, a school specialized in business studies, has started to offer video gaming courses.  However, it is quite worrying if you see the numbers and figures that lie behind those gaming industry giants, such like Sony and Microsoft.

Here is an extract of the latest Microsoft Earning Report,  published in Microsoft 4th quarter FY 2006 Earning Release. It is user friendly, NO specific knowledge in accounting and finance are required, in order to understand this statement.

This is a highlighted explanation for Microsoft’s HUGE losses incurred in gaming industry throughout the last quarter and the full financial year.   

On the other hand, this is an extract of Sony Earning Report provided in  Sony 2nd Quarter FY 2006 Earning Release. Also, it shows significant losses in gaming sector of the Sony corporation.

It has been argued that game consoles such as Play Station 3 and Xbox 360, are aiming to earn in the long run, by reducing production cost through economy of scales, and by increasing sales in gaming software. This claim is shaky, especially for Microsoft Xbox series. It is noteworthy that Microsoft is still selling Xbox first generation at a negative margin, after years of sales and the launch of second generation, Xbox 360. 

Besides that, Sony’s decision to further delay the launch of PS3 in European countries to March 2007, is another controversial and infamous act. It is generally known that, Christmas season shopping is one of the most effective and significant sales throughout a year in western countries. Skeptics are saying that Sony is killing its own PS3, way before it stands a chance to compete with Xbox 360, which was released one year ago, and has already gained a significant market share in the gaming industry of USA. 

Looking at the $414 million and $369 million operating loss, by Microsoft’s Home Entertainment and Sony’s gaming sector, respectively in their last quarter,  I started to feel that gaming industry is no longer just about games. Gaming industry is but a matter of billion dollars business, which when you fail, you can’t press RESTART.

For related previous posts : Sony PS3 Advertisement, Sony Bravia Advertisement,  Counter Strike: Source

Tags: Sony, PlayStation+3, Microsoft, Xbox+360, Nintendo, Wii, Home+Entertainment, Video+Game, Earning+Report, Business, Japan, USA, Need+For+Speed+Carbon, Racing+Game, Shipping+Delay, Price, Game+Console

Here are some of  the Sony Play Station 3 commercials. These videos are cool, but those PS 3 consoles’ shipping delays aren’t. 

Here are some images for viewing while you are waiting for those video to load.

Tags: Sony, Electronics, Gaming, PlayStation+3, Advertisement

Say bye bye to the sweet MP5 Navy Sub Machine Gun that only cost (ya, it’s a past tense) you $1500. Stream, the company that distributes Counter Strike is now going for a Dynamic Weapon Pricing (DWP).

For official announcement, it’s here.

In short, the Counter Strike: Source is now following a Market Economy. Before this Dynamic Weapon Pricing (DWP) is introduced, there is no such concept of scarcity of resources. It means that no matter you have bought how many units of AWP Sniper, it has no effect on the price of your next AWP Sniper.

Now, quoted from Stream official:

“Starting on October 11th, the prices of weapons and equipment in Counter-Strike: Source will be updated each week based on the global market demand for each item. As more people purchase a certain weapon, the price for that weapon will rise and other weapons will become less expensive.”

So, what crosses your mind now? People love AWP Sniper. Are you worry about an AWP sniper is going to cost you $16000? (Oh shit! Left no money to buy a single bullet)

Maybe, you think different. You like the new pricing. Furthermore, you agree with Stream that this Dynamic Weapon Pricing (DWP) is going to make the game more BALANCE theoretically (really?)

No matter what is your opinion, let me introduce you my SourcEconomics. SourcEconomics is a simple and crazy economics theory to counter the DWP of Counter Strike: Source.

With substantial amount of people, doing the right thing at the right time, we can drive the price of a SMG MP5 Navy to $100, and maintain those godly Snipers at affordable price.

SourcEconomics’ Rule 1: S for Swap

Swap your weapons with teammates, when you are, having a different objective, or going for a different strategy. For example, if you are a terrorist, and you are in possession of a C4 bomb, you don’t need a sniper.

Swap your current sniper with your teammates for a Sub Machine Gun (SMG) or an Assault Rifle. This will reduce a total purchase of 1 SMG (by you) and 1 sniper (by your teammate). Yes, I know you all are rich now, rich enough to throw a sniper and buy a SMG, but this action will contribute to an increase of weapon purchases by double, and will further lead to a possible price increment for the next week DWP for your favorite weapons. Can you make sure you are rich next week?

SourcEconomics’ Rule 2: O for Offer

Offer your teammate a “godly” final weapon, if you can afford. When people are poor, they tend to buy some “useful and cheap” weapons (something like MP5 SMG Navy), and switch to something “expensive and godly” (something like AWP snipers, M4A1 rifle) after they earn enough.

Don’t let them do so. It is because this action will increase the purchase of “useful and cheap” intermediate weapons. And, this purchase increment will possibly lead to a price increment for next week DWP on those intermediate weapons. The result? Next week, the “useful and cheap” intermediate weapons are no longer “cheap”.

What the hell is the purpose of some “useful and NOT cheap” intermediate weapons? Therefore, offering your teammate a “godly” final weapon now, is actually indirectly saving yourself in future, when there is a time that you are poor, and you need those “useful and cheap” intermediate weapons.

Yes, this rule will still push up the price of the “godly” final weapons, but at least you push down (or maintain) the price of “cheap and useful” intermediate weapons. There is a saying, “We change things that we cannot accept, We accept those leftover that we cannot change” We cannot change the fact that everyone wants a godly weapon, but at least, we can change the prices of intermediate weapons, and make them acceptable.

SourcEconomics’ Rule 3: U for Use

Use all your money before you leave the game, there is no point for saving money. You don’t get interest payment, and you don’t get honored by Fortune Magazine as The Richest 500 in CS: Source. Therefore, spend it. Buy your teammates some godly stuff, and tell them that, it’s your pleasure to be their comrades. It was a great game. Doesn’t that sound good? This further prevents poor people from buying intermediate weapons.

SourcEconomics’ Rule 4: R for Read and Remember

Yes, Read and Remember the Price! Yes, I know you are pro. You don’t even spend more than 5 seconds to get full armored, right? But, it’s different now. Price changes.

The price changes every Monday. So, read and remember it. Don’t end up with a M4A1 with no money to buy bullets, that’s the BIGGEST wastage. (if and only if your teammates are free enough to swap and buy bullets for you)

SourcEconomics’ Rule 5: C for Change

Change to buying some junk weapons. It sounds ridiculous right? Yes, I mean what I said. The last 3 rounds before you leave the game, go and buy some junk weapons and have fun. Yes, I know. Those guns can hardly kill, even you aim accurately and fire all your bullets. Imagine you have had 2 to 3 hours of serious and professional gaming, can’t you just make your last 3 rounds be a little bit more funny? Try out all kinds weapons that you NEVER or RARELY use! You never know, maybe you will find a gun that suit you better. And again, before you leave, similar to Rule 3, find a corner in your base. Keep on buying and throwing junk weapons there, until you bankrupt and leave.

Why? Buying junk weapons is a way to push up those junk weapons to the TOP 50% Purchase List, and indirectly pull down(or maintain) “godly” weapons from the same list.

According to Stream Official: “In order to decide which items increase in value and which ones decrease, we order the list of all items based on the number of purchases for that weapon or piece of equipment for the previous week. We then split that list in half, with approximately 50% of global money spent above the line and 50% below. Items above the line increase in value, items below decrease.”

The reason of pushing up junk weapons to the TOP 50% purchase list, is to buffer the upward pressure of Godly weapons in the same list. We are not childish enough to dream that, we can make godly weapons to be pulled down to the BOTTOM 50% Purchase List, which prices will be reduced. However, what we can, is maintaining or reducing the weekly increment percentage of Godly Weapons’ prices.

SourcEconomics Rule 6: E for Exception and Enjoy

Economics is a social science. We are dealing with people. More precisely, we are dealing with some deep-rooted behaviors in people. Sometimes, people just act against what is beneficial, due to their strong preferences or life-long cultures.

Anderson might think that giving a weapon is a value. And, Beckham might feel that accepting a weapon is a shame. While, Cameron might feel that not being included in the deal, is a discrimination. There are always unexpected outcomes or backfires in policy implementing, same goes to my SourcEconomics theory.

However, if there are really a substantial amount of people to influence the global market of CS:Source, nothing is impossible.

Everything changes, but quality remains. If you are good, no matter what is the price of AK47, your bullets still dig holes in opponents’ heads. There is no absolute answer about the good or bad in every change, including this DWP. It’s just how you are going to take it and enjoy it and “Fire in the Hole!”.

Tags: Counter+Strike, CS:Source, Online+Game, Dynamic+Weapon+Pricing