Help with my console gaming Dissertation

[HSK]

Hi guys! I’m doing a media technology degree, and I need to get started on my dissertation – the topic I’ve chosen is the seventh generation console wars (PS3, Wii, 360).

I’m not a hardcore gamer, but I have a interest in it, and I think I can find lots to cover and research in relation to the technology used & hardware as my course is media tech based, and I need to stick to that rather than a sociological/culture study (but I can touch on it).

The main aim to the paper and research is to find out what makes a good console and why whatever one (PS3, Wii, 360) is popular, which way the war will continue, and what is needed to make a good console in the future.

I’ve never been much of a researcher or essay writer, so I need to get the main points & questions on this topic in order to argue/debate/research/discuss, thus letting me structure it properly, as the ones I have so far may not be so great:-

What are the companies’ backgrounds in gaming?
Explain and detail how each company came in to their gaming backgrounds, and cover past consoles and outcomes of previous generation wars.
What have the companies utilized in their consoles to insure they win?
This will cover the technologies used in the consoles and the games on offer.
In what way have each company gotten their machine to the position they are at now?
a more detailed look at the last question, methods of marketing, other companies involved, ploys/motives used, and social impacts.
Does more power mean a better console/gaming?
This section will argue the power of the machine in relation to a better gaming experience.
Which console will ultimately take the 7th generation crown?
Analysis of which console will outcome, and the future potential in terms of games and services.
What do consoles need to utilize in the next generation?
Conclusion and ideas for what future consoles should utilize based on current technologies successful & failed ideas, to be popular for gamer needs.

Any other suggestions on what questions need answering regarding this topic?

And what kind of people could I speak to in the gaming industry to conduct some primary research – Sony/Microsoft/Nintendo staff/games journalists? Does Hexus have a gaming editor – I might be able to ask him/her some questions when they have a free moment.

Anyways, sorry for the long read any kind of help is much appreciated.

[Raz316]

Might it be worth looking at where other consoles have failed and how consoles today differ from those in the past (I know you're specifically looking at this gen and maybe the future ones)

I remember nintendo doing alot of talking about aiming for a different market this time round so I'd be surprised if you cant find some keynotes out there somewhere

[Digerati]

I agree with Raz. Look to the old saying 'You have to know where you've been before you know where your going'.

Its quite a big subject and you may have to talk about past consoles to help explain the current wars and possible future designs.

[Salazaar]

It may be worth covering it from the developer's perspective in that it's becoming more and more expensive/time consuming to make AAA class games so convergence comes into play and we see essentially the same game at the same price point across all the consoles.

[directhex]

consider the definition of "win"

nintendo made a solid profit from the gamecube

[HSK]

Cheers guys, i really appreciate the replies & suggestions, these are all factors i'll defo include and explore.

Need to conduct some primary research - question gamers/developers?

[DissertationHel]

Casino Operations Management is an excellent book that has some non-technical information about RNGs. I would imagine that there's a discussion of comps in it too, but I haven't read it.

More technical info about RNGs is in Volume 1 of Knuth's Fundamental Algorithms.

I also recommend that you write to James Maida at Gaming Labs International and ask for reprints of his Slot Manager articles.

Another source for is the book I just discovered is Slot Operations: The Myth and the Math. I haven't read it, but I recognize the author's name.

[SiM]

Also in the future there seems to be heading towards convergence in console/PC gaming... most of the 360 games are available on the PC or PS3... might be worth talking about "exclusive games"... they are coming to a end imo...

Also there can be more than one winner... the Wii has certainly won over a large proportion of the gaming community... but at the same time you can argue that the PS3 and 360 sales have been very good too...

I would also include the effects of piracy somewhere there... sometimes the ability to pirate can increase the console's sales figures (but not the games' sales)... PSP might be a good example...

[grayg1]

I don't know whether it is relevant for you but I suppose you could look at the affects of consoles in other markets. Has this generation of consoles driven HDTV sales? Movie/film sales/rentals? If it has driven sales that side and the Wii is not capable of playing dvds and it isn't a HD console, why is the Wii still the best selling? Could it be the Wii's downfall in the long run?

With all the talk of "next gen" why are people buying previous generation games on console download services?

[HSK]

ahh thanks guys for the further suggestions, but this is over now - there was some issues with other modules (group work gone bad) which prevented me from completing this, circumstance is allowing me to hand this in again, a NEW one which will be later.

[SiM]

sorry didnt notice the batman

[HSK]

I did post a thread though with some of the data i collected, but there was no real surprises.