Albert: “Eighteen. Wow. In human years, that means a company that has reached its ‘adulthood’, and has its own fully developed characteristics. Looking back on these 18 years, we really have come a long way. I wouldn’t say it was easy, but that’s what makes us unique. Gamania grew up as a ‘tough kid in hard times’ (laughs). It’s not uncommon to see international companies find a business model that works, and stick to it for the next 10 or 15 years to come. However, in Taiwan, things change faster than expected. The nature of our industry allows us

G! VOICE started out as the Gamanian magazine! ? ▲ In 2005, 4 volumes of the Gamanian were exclusively issued. ▲ Gamania’s CEO, Albert Liu. Albert’s words on the 1st issue of the Gamanian (2005): “The culture of a company is crucial to its growth and development. When I say ‘culture’, I’m referring to the way people interact and work with each other within a company. It determines things that we value along the way, and defines what we stand for. In 2002, when Gamania started testing the waters of the international market, we came in contact with a

“What is the Gama Iced Tea?”  “Is it available at Gama Island?” Many of our interviewers expressed their curiosity about this mysterious drink that is served in Gama Island. Exactly what is the recipe of this Gamania specialty? And what’s the story behind it? G!Voice calls out the history of this beloved drink now! The Gama Iced Tea is inspired by something 3000 ft. above. The story goes back to when our Creative Director of the Brand Center, Ahbin Chen, noticed that a signature drink was promoted by the attendants during a flight. To think of it: Indeed, almost

About the Gamer: It started out by farming mobs for her brother’s character, yet ended up so enticed by the game that she ended up the most avid gamer in her family. She even got her parents to play, too! Just like that, Shauna embarked on a 10-year, love-hate relationship with Lineage. ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Senior Gamer: Shuan First time encountering online games: 2002 Played Lineage for: 11 years (ongoing) Class: Elf Longest consecutive play: 36 hrs Greatest fear: Cheetos ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ▲ Shuan was noted as one of the hottest Lineage gamers of all-time. The magazine Talker contains many interviews with

この文章を読むまで、多くのideaが開発されていないか、開発に協力してくれるチームのリソースがないということはありませんか。　 ひとつ教えましょう。Prototype（原型）はMake things happenを実現するツールです。これはどういうことでしょうか? 有名なAppクリエイター（Instagram、Yipit、Odopod、POPなどを創造した会社）はいずれも低コストでスピーディーなプロトタイプデザインツールを最初に使用してクライアントに提案したり、デザイナーやプログラマーと意思の疎通を行ったり、ユーザーにユーザーエクスペリエンス(User experience, UX)について実際にテストしてもらったり、フィードバックに耳を傾けるなどします。ポイントは製品を徐々にユーザーが期待するものに近づけることにあります。   プロトタイプがこんなにすごいなら、なぜ誰も常に使用しないのでしょうか。実は、プロトタイプを作成する過程では誰もがプロトタイプに対して次にあげるいくつかの思い込みがあり、多くのアイデアを持っているクリエイターが遅々としてプロトタイプを製品の開発に役立てようとしたがらないのです。この文章を通じてビジョンとアイデアを持っている人が簡単に実際に作ってみることを願っています。     思い込み1：プロトタイプは全ての機能がきちんとデザインされているようでなければならない。 正しい思考：全てのインターフェースと機能を完全に考え付いてから作成を始める必要はありません。アイデアがあれば、すぐに作成を始めてかまいません。 Instagramの早期のバージョンでは、友人が加入した時に注意を促すという機能の追加が考慮されていました。Instagramの創始者Kriegerはこの機能を直接作ってテストせず、人手による方法でユーザーに通知を送信したのです。その結果会員の反応はよいものではなかったため、この機能を作ることはありませんでした。「私たちは1行のコードも書いていません。だから1行のコードも削除する必要はありませんでした。」プロトタイプの目的は「デザインの問題の解決」、「デザインのアイデアの評価」、「デザインのアイデアの伝達」であり、限られた時間と行動力、予算の中で構想を形にして良いか悪いかのフィードバックを獲得してから次のステップに進むことを決定するものです。 ▲プロトタイプではデザインプランと仮説を提出し続けて、潜在的ユーザーに実際にテストしてもらうことによってユーザーのフィードバックと経験を聞き取り、開発中の製品をユーザーの仕様体験と期待に合致するよう発展させていく。     思い込み2：デザイナーではないから、素晴らしいプロトタイプは作れない。 正しい思考：デザイナーのテクニックが無くても簡単なデザインツールを利用できる。 プロトタイプは芸術品を生み出すことではありません。プロトタイプ作成の鍵は「ある物から選ぶ」、「使えればOK」です。Instagramのもう一人の創始者Systromは常にiPhoneのデザインボール紙をもってカフェに座りながらどの機能を残し、どれを削除するかを一緒に話し合っていました。プロトタイプを作成するツールにはPost-it、ペーパーモデル、PowerPoint(PPT)やKeynoteプレゼンテーションツール、Googleグラフィックツール、関連アプリケーションからPhotoshop+インタラクティブプログラムなどに至るまで様々な種類があります。どのツールを使用して作成するにせよ、プロトタイプの目的はアイデアを素早く具現化するためのツールなのです。   簡単で操作しやすく、しかも無料のツールを紹介します。 名称 紹介 ダウンロード ワイヤフレーム・テンプレート（Free） iphone, ipad, mac Browserのワイヤーフレームテンプレートがダウンロード可。   http://mrare.ca/blog/iphone-ipad-and-browser-wireframe-templates Prototyper （Free） （PC版） iphone, Androidコンポーネントを内蔵。各ページのリンクを簡単に設定。 http://www.justinmind.com/prototyper/download UIDesigner （Free） （PC版） iphoneコンポーネントを内蔵。Iconコンポーネントを自ら組み立てることが可能。各ページのリンクを簡単に設定。   http://uid.cdc.tencent.com/ POP（Free） for iOS 手描きグラフィックを迅速にiphone内にインポートしてシミュレーションが可能。   https://itunes.apple.com/tw/app/pop-prototyping-on-paper/id555647796？mt=8       思い込み3：Prototypeインタラクティブな効果は表現できない。 正しい思考：ちょっとした工夫でプロトタイプにインタラクティブ効果をもたらすことが可能。   本当のところ、iPhoneやiPadのフリックなどのやり取りをプロトタイプで表現することは難しいのです。例えばズーム、スクロールなどの使用について正確にシミュレートすることは大変難しいことです。しかしほとんどのウェブサイト、ソフトウェアまたはAppの操作とインタラクティブデザインは、まだクリックを主としたアクションです。これらの操作の状況はプロトタイプソフトウェアツールでシミュレートできます。製品のフリックとインタラクティブ効果の感覚をテストしたい時は、ペーパー・プロトタイピングの方法で動態シミュレーションを完成させます。次のビデオでペーパー・プロトタイピングの効果を表現しています。     Video Prototype: Touchscreen Digital Camera       思い込み4：プロトタイプはプロフェッショナルではない感じがする。 正しい思考：ユーザーが使用状況に溶けこんでいる時はプロフェッショナルではない感覚にはならない。   以前プロトタイプを使ってテストをした時、プロトタイプであると聞いたり、見たりしたユーザーの表情にはプロフェッショナルではないという感覚が現れていました。しかし、テストの過程でユーザーはすぐに使用状況に溶けこみ、脳の中には多くの画面やアイデアが起こり始め、多くの経験とデザインのフィードバックを与えてくれるので、プロトタイプはプロフェッショナル的感覚に乏しいと心配する必要はありません。     思い込み5：プロトタイプは会議やテストが終わったら捨ててもよい。 正しい思考：プロトタイプの全てのバージョンはいずれも次のデザインへの道筋。   プロトタイプを上司や開発スタッフに見せたり、ユーザーテストを行うたびに、製品発表会のように会議を終えたらそれでおしまいというのではなく、毎回の議論、フィードバックとアドバイスの記録を続けると、毎回の変更の過程を一目で追跡でき、製品開発スタッフがいつまでも古い問題で堂々巡りすることが少なくなります。 ▲それぞれのプロトタイプのバージョンと毎回のフィードバックの情報は全て記録しておくこと!   最後にPrototype can make things happenのキーポイントをまとめると、プロトタイプは迅速に低コストでアイデアを具現化し、上司やユーザーたちを招いて自ら操作してもらうことによって使用する体験を感じてもらい、開発チームのビジネスニーズと試用ニーズの模索に役立ち、リソースを有効に利用して製品の発展方向を迅速に推進させるものです。最後にひとつ、皆さんがプロトタイプを作成する際は上記の思い込みをしっかり覚えておいてください。         参考資料： （1） Advice I Wish I Could Have Given Myself 5

Have you ever wished that you could just make your drawing walk off the paper and come to life on your table? It dreams is just about to come true, as the “3Doodler” pen acts like a magic wand that can draw shapes in the air right before your eyes! Although the object don’t actually “walk” off the paper, it is already a mind-blowing experience to be able to visualize our imagination in 3-D!  ▲Within minutes, an Eiffel tower created through the 3Doodler stands before you.   The 3Doodler is a 3D printing pen developed by Peter Dilworth and

About the Gamer: Lunami’s name is very well-known among the Lineage community. When she first entered the world of online games back in 2001, it took her only a short period of time to become one of the top level players. She also won the Lineage Trivia award on MeetGee.com and gained celebrity-status thereafter. ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Senior Gamer: Lunami First time encountering online games: 2001 Played Lineage for: 10 years Class: Princess Longest consecutive play: 18 hrs Interest: Cosplaying OLG characters ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ▲ Lunami was noted as one of the hottest Lineage gamers of all-time. The magazine Talker contains many

I’m fully aware that paper is a product of the past now, thanks to smartphones and tablets. Not a fan of techy gadgets in general, my iPad and iPhone are nearly 6 months old. These couple of months were a nightmare, that is! Why, you ask? As a result of my “encounter” of these things, I am now pathetically addicted to these screens-- not only do I have to hide this habit from my wife, I’m pretty sure my ability to spell has gone out the window altogether. My wife confronted me with red, puffy eyes the other day:

▲The battle between good and evil sparks once again!    Apr 3rd, 2013   [Gama News] Continent of the Ninth, known for its features on action gameplay, will be available in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau soon! C9 (Continent of the Ninth) is a free-to-play action MMORPG developed by Webzen. C9 contains console-style controls, with an emphasis on combos, and dungeon exploration. Upon its first release in Korea, it broke a record of having over 500,000 players online within a mere 24 hrs.    ▲Gamania announces the rights to C9 distribution in TW and HK   Crowned with “Presidential

18 is the legal age for driving, drinking or voting in many cultures. It is the year you start making your own choices, and the year you become fully responsible for your own decisions and actions. The year 18 marks the first milestone in life for many. What do you remember most about yourself at 18? Check out the results below! Up to 41% Gamanians recall their crazy pasts of having reckless fun when they were 18. 23% noted the frustration of entering college and taking national exams. 10% reminisce the younger version of themselves as a time of

In the last issue, we have covered quite a lot on the idea of Design Thinking, and its significance to us. The UX Lab also host several showings of related films. On Apr. 29th, the UX Lab invited the director of the documentary Design & Thinking, Mu-Ming Tsai, and the team’s art director, Iris Lai, to share their experience of film-making with us, face to face!  ▲(Left) Creative Director, Iris Lai. (Right) Director, Mu-Ming Tsai   A year after graduating from the Academy of Art University, San Francisco, CA, Tsai and Lai decided to start their own design company,

Gamania is a people-oriented company. It has always been a place where attention to employees’ welfare and working conditions come before anything else. However, as our Gama Island (GHQ) provides all-rounded meals throughout the day, we have noticed that our fellow Gamanians are... gaining a lot of weight! Thanks to our gym, we haven’t blown up too much just yet. Imagine what it would be like without those treadmills on 2F! In order to look deeper into this, G!Voice launched a survey to find out just how many of us our getting mysteriously chubbier. 　 Our investigation concludes that,

Have you noticed that QR codes are popping up everywhere, even in the most unlikely places? Even the hottest LINE software uses a QR code login system now. In fact, QR codes allows great potential for creativity and marketing. A new ways of applying this technology are as the following: What are QR Codes? The QR code (Quick Response Code) is a code that can be read by using digital cameras and decryption devices. It is mainly used for cameras and can be converted into text information. The purpose is to omit the procedure of typing in a string

In 2012, the HKCSS acknowledged Gamania HK’s dedication towards the community with the “Caring Company Award”! Launched by The Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS) in 2002, the Caring Company Scheme aims to cultivate good corporate citizenship. It is specifically builds strategic partnerships among businesses and non-profit organizations to create a more cohesive society. The criteria for Caring Company: The committee presents 17 factors sorted into 3 main categories: “Social Service”, “Member service and Professional Aid” and “Community Support Services”. The nominated corporation must fulfill at least 2 to become a qualified candidate. As to show appreciation for

Promoting a character intellectual property is not an easy task. It calls for solid public recognition and constant daily-life references. Since 2009, Angry Birds has become the most popular mobile App of its time. This year, an amusement park inspired by the game opens in Zhejiang, China. So what’s the story behind its creator, Rovio Entertainment Ltd.? What’s the secret to a character IP success? About Rovio Entertainment Founded: 2003 as Relude, 2005 changed to Rovio Entertainment Ltd. IP Assets include: Angry Birds, Bad Piggies Headquarters: Espoo, Finland Revenue: €152.2 million (2012)            “Twang! ----

【Gama News】 Gamania collaborates with the legendary Japan games company SEGA for the very first time! The highly anticipated PHANTASY STAR ONLINE 2 (PSO2) will be represented in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau by Gamania starting in 2014. The PSO2 teaser trailer is already available for fans to get a taste of this classic space adventure game! Gamania states that in order to maintain as the top gaming companies in the business, in 2014 the popular ARPG PSO2 will be launched as to capture the hearts of all gamers alike. This is Gamania’s first collaboration with SEGA Japan, who

Superman, Hello Kitty, Disney, and Angry Birds. By now you already now what intellectual property is all about. Actually, here in Gamania, we also have experts that secure rights to our intellectual property. Last year when Mig Said was in collaboration with one of Taiwan’s popular teen dramas, the Square-Head Lion instantly became a household image. This was made possible by Global Pursuit (GPNA), our studio-turned licensing company led by our very own Sanvy Hsieh, the Director of Gamania’s Creativity Center. About Global Pursuit Established by Sanvy Hsieh of the Creativity Center in 2012 IP assets include: Harajuku Lovers,

【GamaBears】Gamania’s GamaBears started their very own LOL team this April. They impressed everyone by entering the WGT2013 (World Gamemaster Tournament) on June 15th and 16th and ended up first runner-up for the championship, beating their more-experienced e-sports team opponents. The GamaBears Official Fanpage hosted a “Win a GamaBear Jacket” lottery event on June 19th as to celebrate with fans this very special day! ▲The LOL GamaBears wins an honorable place the first time joining the tournament! 2013 WGT started in June online, with the LOL GamaBears started off with a bang, squeezing in the top 4 during semifinals, and

People often approach me with the same question: “What is UX Design?”   Before getting into that, I need to clarify that the User Experience is a field that covers many different kinds of expertise. We are talking about the field of engineering, visual art, interactive design, behavior studies, social psychology and customer service... (The list can go on and on.) Any activity, design, trade, education or service that concerns people will need to be familiar with the study of the User Experience.   That is why we do not define UX Design (User Experience Design) as a single

G! VOICE Introduces: The Great Hello Kitty Evolution! This is not just another park with a Hello Kitty theme. It is the Hello Kitty “Futureland”! The futuristic park is a 3D labyrinth scenario embedded with interactive triggers featuring the whole family of Hello Kitty characters. Sanrio did what it does best: Creating a world from a different perspective. We get to see Hello Kitty’s grandfather’s blueprint of Robot Kitty, and how it developed into the Hello Kitty Kingdom of today. About the Event: To all the Hello Kitty fans out there: DO NOT miss out on the very first