Print

[Xbox-Scene]

Using Xbox Live for Concept Testing Posted by XanTium | August 15 19:54 EST | News Category: Xbox360

From next-gen.biz: Owen Davis with Evolution Research says the future of videogame research may involve Xbox Live users playing games as early as the concept stage. According to Microsoft more than half of all Xbox 360's sold worldwide are currently connected to Xbox Live.  Another 85% of these gamers have downloaded content from the Xbox Live Marketplace.  The opportunity here is a delivery mechanism for early stage game play footage across a popular and easily accessible platform.  In the future it will be possible to quickly and securely deliver limited access to these types of media to a large number of gamers.  After exposure to these media we will be able to effectively measure gamer interest in game play mechanics as well as other key measures related to game concepts.  Data collection on the Xbox 360 is particularly interesting because of the range of input devices.  Gamers will be given the ability to use their controllers to provide response to closed-ended questions.  Use of the headset and vision camera will be utilized for important open-ended responses about their experience.  Although this method of media delivery and data collection is not exclusive to the Xbox 360, the platform is already configured in a way that would allow rapid execution for this methodology with little modification. The logical next step to concept testing is live game play testing.  Traditional play testing involves a closed doors and a handful of gamers in a central location.  Issues related to current console-based play test methods include turnaround time, geographic and demographic restrictions, and cost.  Most important of all is the restrictive sample sizes.  In the same way that PC-based alpha and beta game play testing changed over a decade ago so will console play testing. Full Story: next-gen.biz

[0794]

this is a very interesting and creative use for the XBL network for gaming marketing and design research...and impressive that the 360 really has the best network platform in place for this concept testing to produce valuable results...this could really help to make really good games in the future with more widespread features and appeal...

[flashfreak]

0794 is right, this is a really good idea, and we'd have fun testing these stranges ideas. They're completely right about the technology, 360 has heaps of options with the camera, headset etc they can test. Would be fun to send a video response about a game idea. This could be awesome, especially if they have heaps of these on the marketplace.

Good work MS

[BasicAir]

I'd like a system on XBL like this, too.

But in all honesty, I wouldn't expect to see such a thing until the next Xbox. So I'd say it's years away, still.

It's possible to do it right now, sure, but I don't see it happening until then (the next Xbox comes out).


I'm not saying I'm disappointed with Live right now, FAR from it, but IMO I would be happier with more "beta" demos of games. We already get a lot of demos, which is good, but I would like to see more. And have them where you don't have to do some lame trivia and such to get in (which is what IW is doing with CoD4 right now).

Not only would more demos be nice, but earlier demos.

Again, I'm not hating on Live. I think the XBL service is superb and miles ahead of anything Sony or Nintendo have out there for an online service. I'm also happy paying for Live and would even pay $100+/year if they upped the fee. It's worth it.