The Catalyst {Of Networking} : AainaA

Dysfunctional or functional, it is a game site, social or otherwise. And online games, as much as it is the catalyst that binds relationships and businesses, is a platform not to be overlooked.

One such platform, is Runescape, designed by Jagex some 10 years ago or thereabouts although I dare say, the concept in itself must have been disclosed sometime back in the previous century, and still according to the Guinness Book of World Records has the most population playing simultaneously online up to about a couple of million per day. Besides ecademy, I’d say Andrew Gower’s platform to be the next successful social networking platform of the century – of course you do not have a personalized “personalized” profile page though your toolbox or rather the menu on the users’ interface is more or less it … and the ability to interact first hand with the number of members, and nonmembers simultaneously on several layers, and on several servers tell us one thing – it is bloody successful !

Open it up to the masses, and you’ll reap big time. And mind you, it is still niche !!

Banks, and especially VCs, tend to overlook concepts bringing the masses together, and instead of looking at what may be perceived as the attracting factor that instigates businesses to engage with clients, prefer to wile time, and then on paper tinker on the feasibility of B2B operatives – the thing about business{es} in the 21st century post 21st century institutional crisis, is that Consumers as much as they are prosumers elsewhere beyond international waters and on local grounds, are equally educated and are aware of brands and they are the first hand factor in making one brand prior implementation their preference over the other – Runescape was created in 1999, although the concept, this simple concept was written much earlier.

At any given time, one can easily detect about 90k players connected at Runescape. Ninety thousand may not be much but that equates to about half a million dollars in revenue monthly ! As conventional offline entertainment is being replaced by online enticement – and the convergence of social networking and gaming – gaming is a huge business!

Pure interaction, real-time exchange either for homework, business or pure entertainment. Minus the OPEX and CAPEX, I’d say it is a nifty business plan all right !

Fifteen years ago, I approached Malaysian Businesses and Cabinet Ministers {Government} to undertake the implementation of a 3D Virtual world – a sort of a social networking platform for both businesses, and consumers – ideally, it would mean to create worlds within worlds {on several layers} – and at the same time create ‘relationships’ for businesses and consumers – when this would have been implemented, several intelligence matters could be drafted without having to spend ten percent of the nation’ statistical budget. Ministers just looked point blank in my eyes and said it was not feasible whilst maintaining composure when asked if they comprehended the nature the nation would place itself and how businesses would be and how that would effect their worlds, and ASEAN, whilst businesses literally sniggered at the Board meeting.

These were men promulgating Vision 2020 in the presence of Tun Dato Dr Mahathir years ago, but knew next to nothing about the cosmic fiber of the universe, let alone what a MAN stands for, and how if in dire straits setup an online presence, least to say, an Intranet.

Imagine my frustration.

When Japan’s infrastructure was literally maimed by the A-Bomb she sent hundreds of feelers out to gather intelligence so as to re-build her foundation, and future. Do we need to wait post-apocalyptic event{s} in the future to… then, determine what can or should have been undertaken to re-strengthen the Nation’s standing in the global arena ?

The impact of social networking on gaming platforms.

Where there’s acceptance in both platforms there is money for both sides of this convergence. Social networks that incorporate more features of “massively multi-player online games” could enhance their already-substantial earning power. And gaming sites would benefit from increased membership and broader acceptance.

Just imagine if a massively multi-player online game platform is a social platform by itself as I proposed fifteen plus years ago, for businesses, and Chambers of Commerce we {as in the nation’s local ‘silicon valley’} would be in the forefront, instead of waiting for other “International” social networks to sprout the beans instigating ideas that need to be justified before being implemented.

David Dague, a 34-year-old executive in Chicago who runs a Web site called tiedtheleader.com, said games have changed fundamentally since the early days of Space Invaders. Played in virtual worlds with advertising and goods for sale, these platforms now go beyond the scope even of early interactive games. They are less about skill levels and escapism and more about joining friends and strangers in virtual spaces where chatting, comparing fashions, going dancing – and, yes, slaying monsters – are all options.

For their part, networking sites are encompassing more interactive features that consume increasing amounts of users’ time – long considered a defining feature of computer games. MySpace and Facebook are massively multiplayer games in disguise, says Gabe Zichermann, who is developing “rmbr” which he says will make a video game out of tagging and sharing digital photos.

Venture capital, technology and media firms invested more than $1 billion dollars in the US, and in 35 virtual worlds companies between October 2006 and October 2009, according to a study by Austin-based Virtual Worlds Management, a company that organizes conferences to discuss emerging online trends. Second Life – where users can buy their own plots of land to build stores, castles or anything else they can imagine – is creating a game within a game with CBS, called The Virtual CSI: New York, that melds networking and gaming.

217 Million people worldwide play online games and strategists are forecasting the online games market to triple its current $4 billion dollar worth over the next 5 years

If, and when Malaysia is gainful and insightful enough in terms of innovation, with its setting up of its Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, we might be able to see something conclusive in the areas of ICT for education or even business in the near future.

Government Ministers interested to work on “The Future” collaborative project are encouraged to contact me directly.

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