Strange Agency Launches New STAR

For Immediate Release 20th July 2006

Middlesbrough based Strange Agency, one of the world's leading developers of analytical computer gaming software, has just launched a new STAR (Strange Agency Report). The company recently signed a deal which means Research and Markets Ltd, the world's largest market research resource, which will market and sell future STARs. This first report to be sold under this agreement provides a unique, empirical insight into one of the most complex of computer games genres: the Role Playing Game (RPG).

Using Strange Agency's unique software, Strange Analyst, the RPG genre is literally calculated from a sample of 272 RPG games. Standard deviations are used to identify key selling points and new games potentials. The second part of the report uses the same games analysis software to undertake an investigation into the way platform technology, PC and Console in this case, influence fundamental aspects of RPG design.

The report concludes with general principles of relevance to both RPG developers and publishes and the games developer community in general.

Most importantly, this report investigates the underlying nature of role playing games (RPGs), clarifying the subtleties and complexities that characterise such games. We also identify two very important sub-genres, within the main RPG genre, and the role of platform technology in creating them.

Games can be compared both against each other and against their industry attributed genre profiles. As a result it is possible to spot developmental trends and identify the Key Selling Points (KSPs) of individual games and franchises.

We all know the importance of genres to the games world. Developers and publishers will also know the frustration of trying to use such a 'fuzzy' concept to try and create and design new games.

This report serves three main purposes:

- First, by using the RPG genre, in particular, it demonstrates that all genres can be calculated from large samples

- Secondly, it makes clear the role key activity groups play in identifying edges, KSPs, within a genre

- Thirdly, it shows how technology can govern the emergence of sub-genres. In particular it begins to illustrate the relationship between platform technology, game design and creativity. Something we will return to in future reports.

'The Empirical Analysis of the Role Playing Game (RPG) Genre for Video Games' introduces a major theme within the STAR series: the detailed analysis of the complexities of genres and sub-genres that make up industry standard genres. This STAR also introduces the related theme of cross-genre synthesis; the way in which elements of one genre can be designed into another in order to create KSPs and even USPs (Unique Selling Points).

This report will be of particular interest to publishers and developers of RPGs and Massively Multiplayer Online RPGs (MMORPGs) as well as the publisher/developer community in general.

'Future STAR topics will include The Anatomy of Franchises and Games and Popular Culture Index among others.

We envisage STARs as an essential component in our brand development strategy that will emphasise our unique abilities, the scale of our knowledge base, and the enabling propriety technologies. We plan to issue three STARs in 2006 increasing to six each year by 2008,' concludes Fencott.

STAR 2 is available now. More details are available by visiting www.strangeagency.com.

- Ends -

Editor's Notes: -

Images, interview opportunities and more information on Strange Agency and STARs are available on request from Pink Elephant PR.

Press Information: -

Chris Shaw

Pink Elephant PR

Telephone: - 01484 341 001

Facsimile: - 01484 341 003

E-Mail: - chris@pinkelephantpr.com

Web: - www.pinkelephantpr.com