Just joined, and doing dissertation on the games industry >_<

[Bowserteeth]

Hi everyone,

I know I'm new here, and this is probably a really cheeky question, but...

As the topic title suggests, I'm doing a dissertation on the current games console market (too much research on online gaming for my liking!) and although I know a few gamers, I need to get opinions on the current console hardware generation from hardcore gamers.

I'd be extremely grateful for opinions and thoughts about this, so hopefully this will go some way to show which direction consumers want the games industry to go!

I'm so sorry this is my first post and I'm already asking favours, but I'm hoping everyone here will be like-minded, and have something to say!

The survey I made is here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=rUnh7k0fWgfoOI4Azl2pUw_3d_3d

Thankyou everyone, and I will post "properly" here as soon as this dissertation stress has died down!

[Malcos]

I enjoyed expressing my views in your survey, good questions. You're gonna have to do a lot of reading of the results though!

[Bowserteeth]

Cheers Malcos!

It will be a lot of work, but its very interesting to start seeing trends in what gamers are saying. I'm aiming to compare what people want with what they're currently getting, to put it crudely, lol.

[zircon]

Done. I didn't like the question about realistic graphics + atmosphere though... I am of the opinion that graphics don't have to be realistic to be good. I would happily pay $100 for an amazing game with beautiful sprite-based graphics and fluid animation. I wrote something to this effect in the survey.

[Ray Falling]

Okay, I took the survey.

With all the open questions you're going to get a lot of different views I expect. Hope that'll work out alright when you try to come up with a conclusion.

[nookster]

Thanx, doing a kind of progressive gamedesign study myself, that was refreshing to answer. Glad to see someone asking some of the right questions (or i am just thinking the questions have the right agenda, when in fact they don't )

[Bowserteeth]

I'm doing qualitative research, so I've tried to keep the questions as open as possible, so here's hoping.

The question about graphics and atmosphere is really just to test the waters about the whole ludology/narratology gameplay/graphics debate, so I'm just trying to get evidence of where most hardcore gamers stand. I have my own opinions but I'm probably not supposed to say anything until I've collected the responses, just to keep things all above ground and all that, lol

[Bowserteeth]

Nookster, I'm glad we seem to be in the same boat!

Oops, double post.

[UnforgivingEdges]

Are you the same guy who posed this same question over at NeoGAF?

[Bowserteeth]

I'm afraid not - I left my research a bit late! I sort of got lost in the whole literature background thing...

Was the other guy doing a dissertation too?

[Barnsalot]

I filled out the survey. Good luck with your essay.

[Bowserteeth]

Thanks, I think I'll need it! >_<

[Drake5017]

I just took it. Interesting questions but it seems like some of the questions should have been split up.

[Bowserteeth]

In what way? Criticism is welcome, but I'll have to let this one run its course as it is first.

[ifirit]

Finished completing the survey.

Question #5 definitely should be two questions, since it is a two-part question. Yet, it should also be separate because it does ask a somewhat different question than the first part of what makes a system different from its competitors.

In addition, what are your assumptions of what a "hardcore" gamer is in the survey? Are you looking at gamers who play multiple (current) systems? Gamers with a history of gaming on previous systems who have purchased or are looking to purchase a next-gen system? Gamers faithful to a certain genre or franchise? The term "hardcore" gamer is somewhat broad in its general use, though it's often assumed as someone who plays games on a regular to frequent basis.

Also, the survey is a little biased towards the action, adventure, and RPG genres in terms of the questions it asks, which is sorta what Zircon said. Games do also include puzzle, sports, music-game, simulation, stategy and other genres which focus primarily on game mechanics than visuals or presentation; games which may not be visually appealing, but are mentally appealing. I did mention it in my response to the survey, though.

Good luck with the dissertation.

[Shining Mirage]

I just finished with your survey. I tried my very best to be as understandable as possible.

I hope that you do well with your essay. Godspeed, dude.

[Bowserteeth]

Thanks for the advice, Ifirit. I'll use that for the next one =) Thanks again everyone, these responses are excellent!

[Arek the Absolute]

Oh man, I am going to hate it when I have to do my dissertation. Good luck to you good sir.

I will definitely do this when I am more awake. It must be rough doing these, and I know that I will be seeking data when I do mine, so might as well give myself good karma and help you so that I have good luck on mine

man that came out so grammatically incorrect but i am too tired to care

[Bowserteeth]

Thanks! It is quite tough going, but luckily the community here is extremely helpful, and when you come to do yours, I'm sure we'll all be able to help in the same way!

[SirChadlyOC]

I've used this forum before to get help on school projects, so I understand haw much you need input from as many sources as possible. I filled it out! Good luck!

[shikigami]

was there only that one page?

[The Damned]

OK, I filled it out, now where's my free iPod?

[Bowserteeth]

Yeah, it's only one page for now. Thanks again everyone!

It's nice to talk to such a large community of gamers, and it definitely helps!

[shikigami]

Yeah, it's only one page for now.

ok just wondering, because then it took me to a page about creating my own survey and i was like "what?"

[Bowserteeth]

That is a bit strange....

Anyway, I think I'll finish this one up now. Cheers again! I'll let you know how it progresses!