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MSN Games
Windows Live Messenger
Xbox LIVE Arcade
Number of Players: More than 14 million each month
Number of Players: More than 13 million each month
Number of Players: More than 37 million downloads
Number of Games: More than 600 games
Number of Games: 24 games
Number of Games: More than 65 titles
Demographic 70% female 56% over the age of 35
Demographic 60% female 90% under the age of 35 International – 80% outside of the United States
Demographic Primary: Males 18-34 – hardcore gamer Secondary: Girlfriends and wives are getting involved with casual games on the console
Business Models Advertising Revenue Sharing Download/Try & Buy Subscription Skill-based gaming
Business Models Advertising Revenue Sharing Subscription
Business Models Download/Try & Buy Advertising Revenue Sharing
Key Services Community Matchmaking Friends List Statistics
Key Services Community Matchmaking Windows Live Messenger interaction Friends List Achievements Gamerscore
Key Services Community Matchmaking Forums Virtual Badges/Badge Albums
Sandlot Games®, headquartered in Bothell, Washington, is the world’s premier developer and publisher of casual and family-friendly games. Sandlot Games boasts a captivating portfolio of popular game titles and franchises, including Cake Mania™, Tradewinds® and Super Granny®.
Have a great game? We’ll help you make it a huge success. Contact us about publishing and distributing YOUR casual game. Sandlot Games reaches millions of game players worldwide through a variety of distribution channels including online, PC, PDA’s, handhelds, videogame consoles and mobile phones. Contact us at bizdev@sandlotgames.com.
Developed by eGames.
Sandlot Games is growing! We are looking for talented folks to join our team. Developers, producers and marketers, apply by sending your resume to jobs@sandlotgames.com.
Visit our booth at Casual Games Association Seattle 2007 www.sandlotgames.com • 425.486.5822 • info@sandlotgames.com
More Platforms. More Players. More Potential. Connect with Microsoft Casual Games today. For developer and partner inquiries, visit us at microsoftcasualgames.com or email mcg@microsoft.com
Microsoft Casual Games develops, publishes, and distributes web-based and download games in every major casual game genre (puzzle, word, card and arcade). On a monthly basis, MCG reaches more than 120 million global players; that’s more than a third of the U.S. population!
MSN Games (games.msn.com) hosts more than 14 million players every month. With more than 600 games, MSN Games offers fun and interactive gameplay through free casual single-player and multiplayer games, downloadable games, and premium multiplayer games. Included are titles for all interests, such as word and trivia, puzzlers, action and adventure titles, along with a multitude of card and board games. Our goal is to bring you the ultimate portable gaming experience, whether you’re playing alone or against your friends.
Microsoft Casual Games offers more than 700 games via MSN® Games, Windows Live™ Messenger and Xbox LIVE® Arcade, providing the ultimate playing experience for millions of casual gamers from around the world to compete, collaborate and socialize – anytime, anywhere.
Xbox LIVE Arcade (xbox.com/livearcade) on the Xbox 360 is the premier destination for digitally distributed, high-definition games. Xbox LIVE Arcade is a fast-growing phenomenon with over 60 game titles, 37 million downloads and a diverse library of original development and classic titles from the world’s best independent and established developers and publishers. With a dynamically updated library and free trials for every title, Xbox LIVE Arcade makes it easy for every type of gamer — from casual to hardcore — to get instantly immersed in the fun. Xbox LIVE Arcade also lets friends connect and play these incredible games from either the same room or from around the world via the Xbox LIVE online entertainment network.
Contact Us Today Do you have the perfect game for one of our platforms? Microsoft Casual Games publishes and distributes webbased and download games in every major casual genre. Learn more today! For developer and partner inquiries, visit us at microsoftcasualgames.com or email mcg@microsoft.com. Microsoft, MSN, Windows, Xbox the Xbox logos; and Xbox Live are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the US and Internationally. The names of actual companies and productions mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.
Windows Live Messenger (games.msn.com/messenger) is approaching 300 million users worldwide. Messenger is one of the most popular Instant Messaging (IM) services available, and enables customers to do a lot more than just chat. Currently, over 13 million people in more than 30 different countries utilize the rich, interactive Messenger platform to play at least one of the service’s two dozen single and dual-player games each month, including puzzlers like Bejeweled and Sudoku Too, and classic card and board games such as UNO! MSN Games for Windows Vista (games.msn.com/vistagames) delivers an unparalleled gaming experience. Playing the games you love with Windows Vista is easier, more exciting, and more fun than ever before. Choose from a wide selection of games and experience jaw-dropping 3D graphics in a safer gaming environment for the whole family.
Basic Generator Architecture Component List Storage* Developer created data sorted into lists.
1 The Game sends a build request to
The Procedural Content Generator
Possible Stack
The Procedural Content Generator. The information sent is: (A) Requested Component Type (B) The List of Requirements.
Definite Stack
2 The Generator places The List of
Component List A
5
Requirements into the Definite Stack.
3
3 The Generator sets the Requested
Component Type as The Root of the Content Tree in the Assembler.
Component List B Query Handler
Component List C
4
Component List D
4 The Assembler traverses through
2
the Content Tree and at each Node (Component) uses the Query Handler to determine the Current Component Validity.
5 The Query Handler decides if the Assembler
Component List Etc.
Current Component is Valid by checking with the Definite Stack & the Possible Stack.
6 After traversing the Tree, the
Assembler will return the Newly Generated Component (if one was Valid.) to The Game.
6 The Game
* The Procedural Content Generator has access to the Component Lists.
1
Example Content Tree The Root
= INVALID NODE = VALID NODE = CHOSEN VALID NODE Component Lists* Required Component Lists* * Component Lists are lists of like data in the same category. They can be assigned as the children of any Node and are not forced to always be in the same depth/ level of the tree. The developers may choose any order to structure their tree, and the process still holds together. Some examples of component lists could be: character hair styles, city building types, game mission objectives, story arcs, color of an item, and so on. The component lists are only dependent on the type of game data the developer wants to generate. The possibilities are limitless.
Create a list of Required Criteria from the Component List. Set all Required Criteria flags to false.
START
Is the returning Node Valid?
Enter the Root Node of the Tree
= Recursive Returns
Procedural Content Creation Successful!
YES
NO
Procedural Content Creation Failed!
Return That this Node is INVALID.
NO
Return That this Node is VALID
ENTER NODE HERE
YES
Are all Required Criteria flags set to true?
Enter the next Possible Child Node in the list.
YES
NO Is there Required Criteria for this Component List?
NO
Is this Node Valid?
YES
Are there Child Nodes listed?
NO
NO
Remove all Child Nodes
YES
Return That this Node is INVALID.
NO
Does this Node meet Required Criteria?
YES
Is this Node Valid?
YES
Is there a Next Child Node in the list?
Is there at least one Valid Child Node?
YES
Pick a Valid Child at Random.
NO
YES
Flag the Required Criteria as true.
Return That this Node is INVALID.
Remove the remaining Child Nodes. (Keep the Child Node that was just picked.)
NO
Remove all Child Nodes
Return That this Node is INVALID.
Return That this Node is VALID
Hours Per Week Spent on Internet Usage 12.0 9.7
10.0
8.9
8.0 6.0
7.2 5.6
5.4
4.0 2.0 0.0 School kids
College students
Older Men
Working Women
Non-working women
1 0 0 9 1
9 0 8 0 7 0
5 5
5 0 4 5
5 1 4 3
4 0 3 0
6 4
5 9
6 0
3 9 1 9
2 7
2 0
1 7
1 0
0
7
0 0 2 0 0 0
2 0 0 1
Dial-up
2 0 0 2
2 0 0 3
2 0 0 4
2 0 0 5
Broadband
2 0 0 6
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More Platforms. More Players. More Potential. For developer and partner inquiries, visit us at microsoftcasualgames.com or email mcg@microsoft.com.