Many possible technologies exist that can power web based
games. Php, HTML, CGI and Java amongst them, but the most
common plugin used to design browser games by far is Adobe
Flash, previously known as Macromedia Flash. One of the
biggest reasons for this is that Flash has become a definite
web standard.
Many PCs come with the Flash player installed. It is compatible
with Linux, Apple Mac, BSD, cellphones, PDAs and a whole host
of other devices. Over 520 million unique installations of Flash
have been recorded, and it has been around since the days of
Windows 98. This statistic accounts for approximately 95% of all
Internet users.
Flash Player is also a free download, so if the user does not
have it, it's only a few seconds and negligible bandwidth away,
no matter the platform. Likewise, Adobe Flash is a comparably
cheap product for the developers, and time input required is
minimal to create simple games, compared to using other
technologies.
A powerful but often overlooked feature of Flash is that it
makes small files. For ten megabytes, in Flash, you can get
a full featured game. This helps Flash to appeal to dialup
or slower broadband users where Java or C couldn't. Flash
can also use database connectivity to save scoreboards,
progress and account details, which is rare in a format so
smooth.
Flash is efficient, applets made in it tend to run on computers
that you'd be hard-pressed to find outside of an antique shop.
It is the empowering technology of choice on a certain well
-known pet site, which almost certainly has users on dialup and
on poor computers.
Something to remember is that Browser Games have a completely
different TA (target audience) than that of AAA list games.
Browser games are made for the casual player, someone who
wants to play immediately and at his/her convenience, as such
it must load fast, play fast and keep the user's interest.
Developing a successful Flash game is very difficult, because
generally if a user becomes disinterested, one or two clicks
will take him/her to a completely different game.
So, what about monetizing a Flash game? Well, the standard
is based on the shareware model. You have a teaser version of
a game on a website and then allow users to download a 'Deluxe'
build for a set fee. Often the producer will allow lots of sites
to list their 'teaser' games; this is a clever form of viral
marketing.
Possibly the most solid reason to use Flash is that it would
always be fairly easy to find people willing to draw in the
Flash SWF vector format. Other technologies would require
external animation but with Flash, the motion, the drawing
and the script can all be done in a single interface.
Graphical objects within this interface can have specified
alpha values, positionings, angles of rotation, explosion
effects and many built in motion tweening effects. It is
this versatility and built in function that makes it a real
joy to work with.
Flash is fast-becoming the only standard for browser based
gaming, because it requires no real programming knowledge.
The scripting language is very well explained on several
websites, and in the included tutorials.
But the main reason? Simple. There are many very dedicated
sites out there which will effectively get your product out
for free. Even if all the other points in this article didn't
exist, it is the only format with true open distribution.
Article written by Jonathan White.
Author Bio::
------------
Jonathan White
flash web design
flash website design
email: selina_remic@yahoo.com
Pakistani Web Designers: A Review
I needed a new site, and like many webmasters, I began scoping through the forums looking for somebody who seemed to know what they were doing. Now, in most cases, I like to work with people that I can easily relate to, and usually those people live in the same country as me. If for no other reason, sometimes I chose a freelancer because the time zones are pretty close together. For this particular site, though, I decided to try something new. I tried web designers from Pakistan.
It may not seem scary to you, the experienced IT professional, but it was a little bit unnerving for me. I'm something of a control freak, so sending my work halfway around the globe to be completed was a little nerve-wracking, but the low cost and professional products these guys had turned out in the past had piqued my interest.
I pulled together some samples and criteria and tried to figure out when I would be online at the same time as my web designers to discuss the project. I quickly discovered that my designers seem to come to work at about the same time I went to bed, but it was a problem easily solved via email.
I emailed my criteria and samples, and the web designers immediately began working. As many marketers know, this timeliness in and of itself was exciting. Whenever a question or problem arose, I would wake to find an email or instant message waiting for me, and I would simply reply. If I needed a status check, I would send an email and like clock-work, my response would be waiting for me the next morning.
Sometimes we ran into trouble, but these individuals were so focused on doing things right, they would work odd hours to ensure we could collaborate over instant messengers when we needed to. These guys truly went above and beyond. It was incredible.
The Pakistani web designers seemed to work around the clock and delivered my new site very promptly, ahead of the deadline. The best part of all is that it was the best looking site I've seen in a long time. It was truly a site to behold; pun intended. I was extremely pleased with the quality of not only the end result, but the service along the way.
With it completely obvious that I had a terrific experience with Pakistani web designers, I feel I must offer full disclosure. When I was first considering the designers, I was hesitant to commit to such a low price. Like many internet professionals, I had heard rumors of poor quality work being produced for such prices such as these.
I can assure you however, that in reality, this is not the case. I actually asked the designers about it, and they said that it is so much cheaper to live in the Middle East they don't have to try and be competitive with freelancers based elsewhere. They can charge low rates, provide the same level of work and professionalism, and still be making a significant profit, simply because of the value of the dollar in the area they live.
So all in all, I am extremely pleased that I took this opportunity to try out Pakistani web designers. They went so far beyond my expatiations, I would be a fool to not use them for every website project I have. I strongly encourage everyone to give them a try, you'll be just as impressed as I am.
Pakistani designers
As is often reported in the news, outsourcing has been prevalent for years and is continuing to grow. There is a new entrant into the international freelancer community – internet technology professionals from Pakistan. These professionals are highly trained, extremely professional, and consistently produce superior products for very reasonably rates.
Training
Pakistani designers have the same training as other internet technology professionals around the globe. Many are educated at prestigious universities, and quite a few travel to North America to attend school, thus receiving the same educational opportunities as native citizens. To say that these designers are highly educated would be an understatement.
In addition to the formal training, Middle Eastern designers have vast amounts experience and technical expertise. Coding is the same around the globe, and they have as much or more hands-on expertise as other designers. As the Middle East has been a prime region for outsourcing for years, many professionals in the region have prepared for technical careers anticipating the sheer volume of work that is now arriving in the region.
Professionalism
As traditional values play a significant role in Pakistani society, courtesy and respect are standard business fare. These designers are professional to a fault, and as they greatly enjoy what they do, this enthusiasm is transferred into the finished product on a consistent basis. Pakistani designers are pleasant to work with as well as highly effective.
In addition to the agreeable customer service, Individuals of this culture enjoy their work and are not simply working for dollars, but also for the intrinsic rewards of knowing a job is well done. Rarely will you ever see a poor-quality product. It would be shameful to do so and reflection on their overall dedication to the profession.
Products
These designers are able to create the same products created by designers everywhere. The overall quality of technical expertise is consistent with the rest of the globe, as are the finished products. Pakistani designers put a great deal of effort into projects in an effort to exceed the client's expectations, and as such, turn out fantastic end results.
Price
The piece of the equation that sets these individuals apart is the price. The service is superior, the products and expertise are consistent with professionals around the globe, but the price is often considerably less. As the value of the dollar is so high in the country, they are simply able to charge less per project, but make the same profit margin as designers elsewhere. The real winner in this, of course, is the customer – you.
