"Video Games"

FADE IN

COLTON
Hello, Terre Haute! We are on location here in the heart of Indiana as we bring Cracker Croakers to you this morning to begin our week on the road. It's Monday, February 4, 2019 and we're standing at the Crossroads of America. In case you didn't know that's what the intersection of 3rd Street and Wabash Avenue is famous for. I'm your host Colton Wyatt. While it may be a frigid 28 degrees outside, things are just getting heated up here at the National Gaming Association Convention because our guest this morning is none other than the acclaimed Vernon Perriwinkle! Have you ever enjoyed a rousing game of "Fortnite," "Minecraft," "Grand Theft Auto Five," or maybe even "Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege"? Our very special guest is about to discuss some of the latest innovations in the gaming world. If you are a player you're certainly not going to want to miss this. So, let's get right to today's show and welcome Vernon Perriwinkle to Cracker Croakers.

(A round of applause is heard)

VERNON PERRIWINKLE:
Thanks for having me on Cracker Croakers, Colton, the hottest "IT" show on television today.

(The crowd quiets as the camera rolls)

COLTON:
Isn't it true, Vernon, that in order to play games like "Minecraft" you have to download the game and wait for it to load on your Xbox before you can launch the game? That seems like a lengthy delay to me.

VERNON PERRIWINKLE:
Yes, and that can be rather frustrating to a lot of players, Colton. However, here's the exciting news I'm here to tell you about this morning. That process you just described could soon be a thing of the past.

COLTON
Aren't Verizon, Microsoft, and other major players in the gaming world looking for better ways to install and download their games?

VERNON PERRIWINKLE: (With emphasis)
All the time! These companies you mentioned are indeed searching for Internet-based game servers capable of doing for video what Netflix has already done for TV.

COLTON:
Can you explain exactly what these companies are trying to accomplish?

VERNON PERRIWINKLE:
Instead of running directly from a device high quality games could be streamed from a data center with their images performed by powerful servers and piped online to personal computers, phones, and game consoles. This would dramatically increase the speed of downloading games.

COLTON:
Doesn't playing games over the Internet require highly responsive technology that interprets a player's actions, processes them within milliseconds, then relays the results back to the player and their opponents simultaneously?

VERNON PERRIWINKLE:
Up to now, that issue has challenged game companies for several years. However, advances in the power of computers, high-speed broadband, and various other innovations make the possibility of this technology much closer to reality than it has ever been before.

COLTON:
Can you talk about some current trends in the gaming world? I'm sure our audience would like to be informed of what's going on in that arena.

VERNON PERRIWINKLE:
A couple hot button ones are subscription-based game streaming and game streaming services that move the sales of games from boxes to digital consumption for mobile and online entertainment. This in itself will change the landscape for games and companies competing for consumer attention.

COLTON:
Now let's talk about how cloud-based gaming affects consumer attention when it comes to which streaming service they will obtain their games from.

VERNON PERRIWINKLE: (Emphatically)
Colton, we are talking about the potential of billions of dollars in profits for streaming companies. And, what makes this idea so attractive to them is the capability to turn the weakest laptop, phone, pc, or game console into a fully functional game rig. This will make playing games on whatever device you have much easier.

COLTON: (Curious)
Vernon, what are some of the most popular cloud-based gaming companies?

VERNON PERRIWINKLE: (Patiently)
Microsoft xCloud, Verizon Gaming, and Google's Project Stream lead the pack. Also, Amazon and Apple appear to be designing their own clouds too.

COLTON:
Hasn't the interest in cloud-based gaming shifted recently?

VERNON PERRIWINKLE:
Mobile gaming popularity has caused Epic Games, the publisher of the extremely popular "Fortnite" to be in the process of creating their own app marketplace for games.

COLTON:
Doesn't that circumvent traditional app middlemen like Google?

VERNON PERRIWINKLE: (Quietly, like he's offering an insider secret)
Perhaps, but it is rumored Google may be eliminating app downloads altogether.

COLTON:(Surprised)
But, don't Google servers reproduce the high-fidelity graphics of single-player games like "Assassin's Creed"?

VERNON PERRIWINKLE: (Shakes his head)
"Assassin's Creed" does not provide fast-twitch, compatible multi-player capabilities, which is a staple of the modern gaming culture.

COLTON: (Delves into the topic)
How has the technology surrounding video games affected modern society?

VERNON PERRIWINKLE
Technology is a societal constant. In fact, most people probably could not function without the available technology. Video games have a tremendous effect on our modern culture.

COLTON:
Would you say that classic games like Space Invaders in 1978, and even earlier than that, Pong in 1972, kick-started the influence of video games on our American culture?

VERNON PERRIWINKLE:
Donkey Kong, and Mario, from 1981 also strongly impacted our culture. So did Pokemon and Sonic the Hedgehog. These have all become cultural icons. Did you know Pokemon has a day each month dedicated to it? These days are known as Pokemon GO Community Days.

COLTON:
That's interesting. However, isn't there a certain stigma associated with the violent nature of many video games?

VERNON PERRIWINKLE:
Most designers of video games are cognizant of the role violent actions serve in their games. But, it's really not all that different from movies and books and the violence depicted in them.

COLTON:
What are some examples of products that have been produced from video games?

VERNON PERRIWINKLE:
There have been multiple movies, toys, games, trading cards, and at least one TV show. Today's world has been molded and shaped by video game characters we've all grown to love.

COLTON:
One last question, Vernon. How have video games affected education of the young?

VERNON PERRIWINKLE:
Video games present clear and meaningful goals, adjustable difficulty levels, a scoring system, the elements of surprise, and fantasy metaphors. Video games also allow the manipulation of unalterable variables. And, finally, they allow players to use phenomena in new perspectives as well as obscure actions.

COLTON:
There you have the latest updates for all of you fans of the gaming world. We would like to thank Vernon Perriwinkle for being our special guest on Cracker Croakers today and for taking the time to inform our audience about these latest developments. Be sure to join us again tomorrow as we come to you live from the Pacific Northwest. See you soon Portland!

FADE OUT