Web 2.0 and Gaming There have been much hype on "Web 2.0" over the last few years and it has finally reached backward Malaysia. And I, being in Malaysia for two years have caught on the backward bug. I remember e-xiang talking about AJAX-based technology about a year and half ago but I didn't bother. Now Hatchlings Games is developing a prototype trading card game for the web.

So yeah, we are developing a trading card game. I can't tell you the details of the game yet but I hope you can see the alpha version live for yourself at the end of the month. Nevertheless, we are about 40% to alpha release. Zie Aun is doing concept and design. Iris, Kwang, Moy doing art & animation. Kuan is doing the flash client & java server. I am working on the web app and database.

But this post is not about Hatchling’s first game, but rather about the design (not talking about game mechanics design), technologies and the near future.

Combining Web 2.0 (think Google, Flickr, BitTorent, Digg) and online gaming means using the web as a complete platform to deliver entertainment. Think YouTube; which disrupted the entire platform for video publishing and distribution.

A game of the near future:

• has the usual good gameplay, graphics, etc.
• doesn't take longer than 10 seconds to load
  
• allow for user expression and encourage emergence (i.e. Will Wright’s Spore)
• has a fun underlying game mechanics but the game mechanics (not just the social element) becomes more fun as more people play it
• is for everyone (blurring the line between the demographics)
• is educational besides entertaining
• is linked to other media
  

A Web 2.0 site:

• is an attitude; let's blog, go google that up, tag me, subsribe to my feed
• treats the web as a complete platform, filling in the space between the user's browser and the web's contents (by the user and other users).
  
• is made up of small components loosely coupled together at the request of the user
• 's most valuable asset is its data that is generated by its uers.
  
• allow content to come to the user rather than the user going to the content; like www.onelurv.com
• is about participation rather than publishing and servers.
• is made for more than just the web browser.
  
• is in a perpectual beta; The Google / Open Source way, no scheduled release but rather: release early, release often.
• is all about the user.
  

Web 2.0 IS about PLAY, so where are the games? Are you ready for the Web 2.0 Game of the near future?

Lastly, if you haven't already, do checkout JumboPlay, which allow you to download and stream (yes STREAM) full original games to your hard disk. I highly recommend it.  ¶ 7:03 AM