10:45 am – 11:00 am
Win Win: Models for Creating a
Social Impact Game on a Budget Clay Ewing & Lien Tran (University of Miami)
Win Win: Models for Creating a Social Impact Game on a Budget @claytical // @lient // @uminteractive
courtesy of Constance Steinkuehler, GLS 2013 KeynotePhoto credit: @mitSTEPlab
Game Industry Ecosystem
Win Win: Models for Creating a Social Impact Game on a Budget @claytical // @lient // @uminteractive
Clay Ewing@claytical
claytical.com
Lien Tran@LienT
lienbtran.com
Win Win: Models for Creating a Social Impact Game on a Budget @claytical // @lient // @uminteractive
Models for Indie Collaboration
Simply for the love completely indie no budget
As part of an academic class student assignment or official class potential budget
Small grant funded by institution or foundation modest budget
Game Contractor / Consultant partnering with humanitarian organization
variable budget based on game designer’s experience and project scope
Win Win: Models for Creating a Social Impact Game on a Budget @claytical // @lient // @uminteractive
Complete Indie
Win Win: Models for Creating a Social Impact Game on a Budget @claytical // @lient // @uminteractive
Ad Patrol
http://claytical.com/ad-patrol
Win Win: Models for Creating a Social Impact Game on a Budget @claytical // @lient // @uminteractive
Ad Patrol
http://claytical.com/ad-patrol
Win Win: Models for Creating a Social Impact Game on a Budget @claytical // @lient // @uminteractive
Complete Indie
• Complete control over what was made
• Never a priority, slow to complete
• No institutional support to help get the word out
• Without “catching fire” it pushes a person like me to move on to the next project
PROS CONS
Win Win: Models for Creating a Social Impact Game on a Budget @claytical // @lient // @uminteractive
Complete Indie
• Tap into your personal/professional networks
• Limit the team (can include game designer, programmer, artist, subject matter expert)
TIPS
Win Win: Models for Creating a Social Impact Game on a Budget @claytical // @lient // @uminteractive
Part of a ClassHustlin Health Carehustlinhealthcare.com
Gaming the (Immigration) Systemlienbtran.com/games/gaming-the-system/
Win Win: Models for Creating a Social Impact Game on a Budget @claytical // @lient // @uminteractive
Part of a ClassHumans vs. Mosquitoeshumansvsmosquitoes.com
Magnitudelienbtran.com/games/magnitude/
Win Win: Models for Creating a Social Impact Game on a Budget @claytical // @lient // @uminteractive
Humans vs. Mosquitoes
Win Win: Models for Creating a Social Impact Game on a Budget @claytical // @lient // @uminteractive
Humans vs. Mosquitoes
Win Win: Models for Creating a Social Impact Game on a Budget @claytical // @lient // @uminteractive
Humans vs. Mosquitoes
Win Win: Models for Creating a Social Impact Game on a Budget @claytical // @lient // @uminteractive
Part of a Class
• Inexpensive
• Potential for a wide variety of skill sets
• Built-in potential for institutional support
• Unpredictable outcomes
• Ownership issues
• Confined by academic schedule
PROS CONS
Win Win: Models for Creating a Social Impact Game on a Budget @claytical // @lient // @uminteractive
Part of a Class
• Workshop early with subject matter expert and students
• Organizations should set realistic expectations for student work - think of it as an experiment
• Look to partner with design and communication programs
• Take advantage of built in access to playtesters
TIPS
Win Win: Models for Creating a Social Impact Game on a Budget @claytical // @lient // @uminteractive
Small Grant
Vanity - Funded by University of Ottawalienbtran.com/games/vanity
Win Win: Models for Creating a Social Impact Game on a Budget @claytical // @lient // @uminteractive
Small Grant
Win Win: Models for Creating a Social Impact Game on a Budget @claytical // @lient // @uminteractive
Small Grant
• Built-in network of advocates
• Stepping stone towards bigger opportunities
• Lack of resources for assessment
• Rarely enough money for a digital game *
PROS CONS
Win Win: Models for Creating a Social Impact Game on a Budget @claytical // @lient // @uminteractive
Small Grant
• Keep the team lean
• Ensure that the grant timeframe is feasible
• Subject matter experts should be very conscious of scope creep
• Make sure you have a contract and stick to it
TIPS
Win Win: Models for Creating a Social Impact Game on a Budget @claytical // @lient // @uminteractive
Cops & Rubberslienbtran.com/games/cops-and-rubbers
Uwezeshaji Kaya Kuhimililienbtran.com/games/gaming-the-system/
Independent Contractor
Win Win: Models for Creating a Social Impact Game on a Budget @claytical // @lient // @uminteractive
Open Society Foundations
Win Win: Models for Creating a Social Impact Game on a Budget @claytical // @lient // @uminteractive
World Bank
with the Tanzania Social Action Fund
Win Win: Models for Creating a Social Impact Game on a Budget @claytical // @lient // @uminteractive
Independent Contractor
• Organizations can push more resources at the project to get it to where they want it to be
• Easy to get into “design by committee” conundrum
PROS CONS
Win Win: Models for Creating a Social Impact Game on a Budget @claytical // @lient // @uminteractive
Independent Contractor
• Define roles early on
• Contracts are extremely important for transparency and expectations
TIPS
Win Win: Models for Creating a Social Impact Game on a Budget @claytical // @lient // @uminteractive
Digital vs. Non-Digital
DIGITALCost per person
Size of audience
NON-DIGITALCost per person
Size of audience
Win Win: Models for Creating a Social Impact Game on a Budget @claytical // @lient // @uminteractive
General Tips
• Look for game collaborators in design and communications schools/programs and at game meetups
• local game groups, Global Game Jam, Indiecade, G4C, GLS, etc. // possibly game listservs
• Provide a summary brief (concrete concepts, key goals and messages, priorities); Don’t bombard your designer with too much information!
• If you can’t meet regularly, schedule early a face-to-face weekend for briefing and rapid prototyping
• Avoid scope creep
• Publish your print-on-demand tabletop games at thegamecrafter.com*
Win Win: Models for Creating a Social Impact Game on a Budget @claytical // @lient // @uminteractive
Clay Ewing@claytical
claytical.com
Lien Tran@LienT
lienbtran.com
Questions?