Yup, at 8am i have to leave my apartment and get on the train to go sit a law exam. I've already had two, neither of which i think went exceptionally well, but i'm feeling much better about this one. I've stopped trying to learn absolutely everything and have instead focused on three topics which i intend to know inside out.

I really cant stand exams. The past month or so of my life has been dominated by them, and i really cant wait for wednesday afternoon when they're all over.

I've planned my sleep so that i can stay up all night and study, then i'll go straight to the exam without having sleep in between. I dont know why, but i find that a long night's sleep before an exam is the absolute worst thing i can do. I wake up having forgotten things, and i start to panick. This way i dont have to worry about the whole getting up/getting ready routine and i can have all the facts fresh in my mind.

Anyways, i'm writing this for my benefit more than anything else i suppose. It's nice to feel like you've got it all under control.

Wish me luck.

While few seem to have noticed, one of the biggest industries in the world has undergone the most radical changes it has ever seen over the course of the decade. I speak of the music industry, what was once a traditional system of large companies producing and marketing a product for profit. The product obviously being CDs. Mega-corporations such as Universal have slowly watched this cash-cow of a business slip through their fingers since the dawn of internet and mass-consumption culture, and though they've certainly tried to fight back (mostly in the form of lawsuits), it would appear the music industry, in the traditional sense, is on its death bed.

And for the most part, this is a good thing. At the end of the day, as far as consumers are concerned, you're nearly always going to be getting the best deal when you're consuming content from the artists themselves, as opposed to the companies and corporations who's previous stranglehold on the industry stifled both the creativity of the artists while ripping off the fans responsible for their existance.

Take Radiohead, for example, who connect with their fans directly through their website, offering regular updates, the occasional track to download and of course, their innovative 'pay what you want' release of their last studio album, In Rainbows. Or Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, just honoured as Artist of the Year in the 2009 Webby awards, who has arguably embraced online distribution and connection with fans more than any other artist to date. Everything from fan-made remixes, new album releases to tour tickets are available through NIN.com.

Trent Reznor of Quake soundtrack fame. Oh yeah, and that band.

So what does all this have to do with games? I do have a point, i'm just taking a scenic route in getting to it. As giant corporations like Universal see their prefered way of business slipping through their fingers, i cant help but see a similar parallel in the gaming industry. While gaming hasn't moved into the online sphere to the extent that music has - mostly due to the closed-off nature of consoles - the traditional set up of developer, publisher and consumer appears to be going through something of a shake-up.

The relevancy of the publisher is what appears most open to change. With online services including XBox Live Arcade, PSN and WiiWare, we're finally starting to see talent thrown out onto the big stage without the need for a massive budget, a marketing plan and a publisher to tell you your game needs to be more like Halo. Microsoft's XNA has produced some right stinkers in terms of gameplay quality, but the absolute gems which quickly rise to the top of the download pile are a breath of fresh air for gamers looking for a change of pace.

It's only with services such as this that we, as consumers, can finally start to pay the right price for products which haven't been compromised due to the requirements of publishers or parent companies interfering with the artistic vision of the developer. Of course that sounds like a wonderful arrangement, but we're not really there yet. It's a scenario which certainly appears to be looming on the horizon however.

Take EA, a mega-publisher responsible for a massive chunk of games developed and shipped on pretty much every major platform every year. Yet their profits have tanked. Is this the product of a bad economy, or a poorly managed business? Who knows? But EA appear to be acknowledging, at least to some extent, the need to embrace new and more relevance means of reaching the consumer, with games like the new free-to-play iteration of Battlefield an obvious and very welcome example.

Elsewhere, Microsoft's role as a publisher is also changing, mainly in that they would appear to simply not do it any more. Other than the sure-fire hits such as Halo and Forza, microsoft's first party offerings have been scarce to say the least, instead focusing on third party developers, xbox live arcade and XNA developers. Once again, i think this is a step in the right direction. Putting your trust and your profitability in the hands of the artists and the developers, where it belongs.

Hopefully, if this trend continues, we could see complete digital distribution with the next generation of home consoles, allowing anyone with the know-how, the talent and the vistion to make great, innovative games to share them with the masses.

That's right, front-row tickets in the block closest to the stage! I was sitting counting the seconds until the presale went live and must have literally been the first person to click because i got amazingly awesome seats!

I cant wait! Nine Inch Nails in July and Radiohead in August! What a summer!

*calms down*

Quite a random turn in my life. I'm still going to finish law school - in fact they're even going to pay for me to stay there, the catch being that when i graduate i have to stay in the air force for at least six years. I'm receiving officers training though, and they're teaching me how to fly on weekends, so it all sounds very awesome. I dont have to worry about the harsh treatment of new guys as i'm going straight in to an officer's position.

"We cannot guarantee you wont be sent to afghanistan" though.... lame.

RUMOR MILL!

Because official news just isn't interesting any more

Today:

Bioshock 2 coming to the Wii? Infinity Ward working on a new IP as well as COD?

1) According to Official Playstation Magazine UK, Infinity Ward are currently developing a title based around a new IP - as well as the rumored 09 release of Modern Warefare 2. The new IP is reportedly centered around assassinations, however that's all the information OPM had to spill. A vagure rumor, but an interesting one.

Source: OPM, via gamezine

2) Few were surprised when 2k announced a follow up to the huge success that was BioShock. Released on the Xbox 360, PC and eventually the Playstation 3, the game's successor looks like it might appear on yet more platforms. According to a job listing, 2k are looking for a user-interface designer who is experienced and capable with "next generation consoles including PS3, Xbox 360, PC, and the Nintendo Wii."

Now that might seem somewhat flimsy as a basis for a rumor, but when you think about it, why ask that your new staff have experience with the wii if you dont intend to develop and release games on that platform? If true, this could turn into one to watch.

Source: Gamasutra