trends

The Future of Hint Books

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I love hint books for video games.  Sure they're fun to get help on a game, but they're also chocked full of interesting details on the game, extra tips, and even instructions superior to the game manual.  They usually boast good production values as well – the really good ones are a pleasure to read and thumb through.  I think my love of hint books is easy to understand.

As I'm quite fond of hint books, I've noticed some trends that makes me wonder what the future of these large, beautiful guides is:

  • Downloadable content in gaming means more games coming out.  With the speed-to-market of games, with more choices to write hint books for, how will companies that make them choose?
  • eBooks.  It's rather obvious that more and more people are reading books in electronic format.  This is great to save trees, but are people going to keep their iPads on their laps to read their hint books while playing the X-box?
  • The internet.  Go to http://www.gamefaqs.com/ and you can get a lot of information for free on games.  It may not be as big or beautiful as some of the truly elegant books, but it's there for the reading.  Sites like GameFaqs also support communities so you can ask and answer highly specific questions.

So between more games, people getting used to electronic access of books, and the free online services used by people to get their game-hint fix, what is the future of Hint Books?  As you may guess, I'm going to attempt to answer this because it's a geekonomic area, and an area of career interest – besides for some of you hopeful writers out there, it might give you some career ideas.

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Fans, Geeks, And Obligatory Support

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As I was reading different reactions to the Scott Pilgrim film, I saw the usual exhaustion in comments at io9 (http://io9.com/5600262/scott-pilgrim-is-an-epic-for-the-nintendo-generation).  Some people were annoyed, but there was also a sense by some that they were almost obligated to support a geeky film, even one that is a near geek-singularity.

That made me think about the recent idea that Geeks are pulling Hollywood's strings (http://www.popmatters.com/pm/article/129492-the-geeks-are-pulling-hollywoods-strings-right-now-and-thats-not-a-g/) – something I don't agree with, but I feel the author of this article has twigged on that something is up in the media.  There's some fusion of what is fannish/nerdy/geeky and Hollywood and major media companies that seems a bit . . . off.

Me, I think these two articles are related.  Why?  Because they they hit on the fact that there's this "current of support" for a lot of recent media ventures – a support that seems to be in some ways, obligatory.  I feel this sense of Obligatory Support is real, and is a factor that will affect us culturally and professionally.

Have you ever joked you're obligated to buy a game (I have – Final Fantasy XIII).  Have you ever watched a series because it was from a genre you supported?  Did you go to a Harry Potter release party . . . because?

You're starting to see where I'm going.

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When Tech Became Cool

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Nearly a year ago, I moved to Mac.

I recall it quite clearly when it happened.  I was planning a new Windows Box purchase as soon as Windows 7 came out.  Then I had a virus on my computer, which I managed to fix.  My wife and roommate of the time, both Mac users, had long been suggesting I use a Mac.

So after having blown an evening dealing with my first virus infection in years (apparently due to a PDF vulnerability), I began reflecting on the advantages of having a Mac:
* All the basic software I need.
* Great service and support.
* Much less viruses and such targeting it – and good onboard security to boot.
* Long lifespan.

This all added up though to one, important thing – less frustration.

I'm a busy person.  I'm a PM in technology, and thus no longer being a programmer, a computer crisis is not a Valuable Learning Experience.  I can't imagine what computer problems are like for people who don't have an IT background, though I can guess from the amount of times my friends and I play tech support.

But Mac is relatively frustration-free.  Mac is fast, slick, sexy, and gets the job done.

That's what I wanted.  That's why I got a Mac.  It's also a reason I hear for a lot of people using a Mac.

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