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Category: Gaming
In the News: AdAge Fortnite & Gen Z
I was recently asked by Advertising Age why/if Fortnite is a social network for Gen Z. The behaviors tied to gaming cannot be ignored and the brands that can seamlessly capitalize on creating value, providing exclusive content and enhance creativity will reap the rewards.
Here is my full commentary:
AdAge : Are you buying or selling the notion that Fortnite is a social platform?
Tom: Fortnite and gaming, in general, is DEFINITELY a social platform, especially for GENZ. It's not just about the core gameplay. I see groups getting together to create within the game, to conduct private matches with friends and of course for squad play but it also extends to watching streamers via Twitch & YouTube and sharing content.
There is a seamless flow between in-game and associating with game content on the go. Plus with cross-platform play, it doesn't matter whether you are on Mobile, Nintendo Switch, PC or Xbox you are always able to connect. I see it in my own home as Fortnite has become the starting point for my youngest (11) and his friends to gather, compare in-game skins and then figure out whether they want to create, set up a private match or just play battle royale.
AdAge: Why or why not? Some brands have gotten into Fortnite (Samsung, Nike, NFL, John Wick, Avengers).
TOM: That said, what should brands be thinking about if entering this universe? Brands should definitely consider how they are aligning with titles like Fortnite as well as eSports (competitive gaming). It's incredibly important to understand the game properly, the fan base and focus on adding value. It's less about a passive sponsorship and more about creating value or desire through either free downloadable content or virtual items like Skins in Fortnite.
AdAge: Is there anything else you would like to add?
TOM: Gen Z spends 2.5 hours a day with on-demand content and 1.5 hours a day gaming. It's less about content marketing and more about empowering their creativity. Gaming is a social currency for GenZ. Things like virtual skins are the new Jordans (Although virtual Jordan's were recently introduced via Fortnite). Gaming culture is now mainstream and how advertisers should think about gaming and the power of integrating with various properties should be at the top of the list for brands that covet cultural relevance.
Here is a link to full article.
AdAge Tom Edwards Commentary
Follow Tom on Twitter/Instagram/YouTube @BlackFin360
Apple Live Event Recap & Reaction
Today's event was all about Apple's focus on new services. Normally these events discuss Hardware & Software, but today was all about new forms of subscriptions that allow consumers more control while showcasing Apple's strategy to not only provide access /navigation/curation of entertainment but also serve as an end destination with new original content for gaming & entertainment.
Apple also provided a shock to the financial services system with the launch of Apple Card. With an interface and features yet to be seen by traditional banks, Apple is making a bold move towards controlling multiple facets of the consumer journey, all without advertising and an emphasis on privacy.
Here is the full recap:
Posted on February 10, 2018 April 3, 2019
Celebrating 500 BlackFin Posts
This post is number 500 for the BlackFin360.com/blog. Starting this blog was one of the best decisions I have made professionally. It provided me with a platform to share original thoughts, cover industry trends and serve as a repository for speaking and media coverage.
It has evolved significantly from the early beginnings in 2007. The blog was originally under the domain TheBlackFin.com. Now that domain is simply a redirect to BlackFin360.com. "BlackFin" was a nickname given to me by a co-worker at the time and the blog name came directly from my Xbox Gamertag "TheBlackFin".
Here is a screenshot of the original look for the blog from 2007-2009. Why green for a blog named the "black" fin is something I still wonder about to this day.
Over the years the look and feel of the blog has changed but the core content focus on marketing, emerging technology, and gaming has remained to this day.
I officially moved the blog from theblackfin.com to blackfin360.com in 2009. By 2011 at least there were black/techie elements in the look and feel.
Now in 2018, the blog continues to serve as the primary entry point for speaking engagements, advisor opportunities, university lecturing, media coverage and over the past year it has shifted to more of a Vlog.
The look of the site will continue to evolve in 2018 and beyond.
Whether this is your first time here or you have been a subscriber since the beginning, I sincerely want to thank anyone who has stopped by and spent time with my content. I am incredibly grateful for this platform and I would highly recommend to anyone to find their industry voice and build their personal brand in addition to their professional.
Webinar: Using AI to Conquest New Markets
Looking forward to taking part in the upcoming webinar: Using AI to conquest new markets on February 28, 2018, at 12pm CST. Be sure to register today!
Today's marketers have access to an incredible volume of consumer information, but most are simply not equipped to make sense of it all. With artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, we can quickly sift through all this varied, scattered input and identify invaluable, consistent consumer trends and actionable insights, something that would nearly impossible to accomplish manually.
Savvy marketers can use these insights to conquest new markets by understanding the audience affinities for various segments within their new market. Join the CEO of AI software company Oculus360, John Dubois, and Tom Edwards, Chief Digital & Innovation Officer of Epsilon's agency business, in a dynamic discussion about how brands are using innovative machine learning technology to identify, target, and succeed in new markets. Ian Beacraft, Vice President, Digital Strategy at Epsilon will host and moderate the discussion about:
How to use AI/machine learning to identify opportunities for brand extension and expansion
How audience affinity models can be applied to identify the products and brands most closely aligned with different customer segments
A real-world example of these strategies in action
In The News: 2018 Trends For Readers Digest
I was recently asked by Readers Digest for insight into key trends for 2018. One of the trends they chose to feature is the intersection of immersive experiences and eSports.
Xbox One X Project Scorpio Early Unboxing
I received a nice surprise as there was a special package waiting for me in my office. It was an early release version of the Xbox One X Project Scorpio edition.
The Xbox One X officially launches on the 7th of November. I captured the full unboxing, setup, and discuss what's included and the features of the console including a look at the system after start-up.
A special thank you to Brent at Xbox and Chris from TripleClix for the great surprise.
Epsilon Agency & TripleClix eSports eBook
Tom Edwards, Ad Age Marketing Technology Trailblazer and Chief Digital Officer, Agency @ Epsilon previews an eSports eBook collaboration between Epsilon Agency & TripleClix.
eSports is "athletics of the mind" and it's popularity is skyrocketing past traditional sports leagues. It's a way for younger millennials & gen Z to compete and to create and share experiences and it's shifting entertainment and lifestyle behaviors dramatically.
This eBook provides insight into 5 use cases for brand marketers to build an eSports strategy beyond simple sponsorship. We also highlight Epsilon Agency's proprietary data assets that map psychographic insights through machine learning tied to various segments of gamers to uncover key personality markers.
We preview how this information can highlight lifestyle and affinity connections with gaming audiences for brand marketers through an eSports brand index that allows for seamless connections between brands and gamers with eSports playing a key role in binding the two.
Download the eBook here.
Follow Chris Erb @ChrisErb
Microsoft E3 Xbox One X Reveal Analysis
Trends To Watch in 2017
Technology is now essential to our daily lives. Accessibility and empowerment has transformed how we connect and communicate. This has led to new forms of user interaction that will usher in the business models of the future.
2017 will be comprised of new types of conversational experiences to connect with consumers. It will see the continued evolution of artificial intelligence and connected systems as well as the rapid rise of third-party ecosystems supporting virtual, augmented and mixed reality.
The following trend deck outlines the evolution of marketing in 2017 through the consumer centric filters of connection, cognition and immersion and is now available for download.
CONNECTION – Trends that reimagine how we connect, enable and empower consumers.
Examples include: Simplified Conversational Experiences, Pervasive Voice-Based Interfaces, Search and Retrieval to 1:1 Prediction, Affective Datasets and eSports
COGNITION – Trends where machine based intelligence will disrupt and redefine data assets and how we work.
Examples include: Machine Learning as a Service, Centaur Intelligence, Blockchain & AI
IMMERSION – Trends that align technology and presence to evoke emotion, entertain and power commerce.
Examples include: Democratization of VR, VR Commerce, Social VR, (Re)Mixed Reality
ZONE OF CONVERGENCE – Trends that align elements of connection, cognition and immersion that will redefine consumer engagement.
Examples include: Cars as the next Mobile Platform, Holographic Computing, Ambient Computing.
How we consume and interact via digital channels is about to be absorbed and redefined. We believe that 2017 will begin the convergence of connection, cognition and immersion toward an ambient computing future built on new data types that will simplify complex tasks and predict need states vs reacting.
Download the 2017 Trend Predictions Today!
Posted on July 19, 2016 April 10, 2017
Pokemon Go: 15 Vital Marketing Insights
Pokemon Go mania has hit the US. The near perfect storm of timing, relevance, and word-of-mouth has momentarily captured the media spotlight and Pokemon fans new and old.
I recently provided iMedia with 15 Vital Marketing Insights that marketers should consider when building high engagement digital to physical programs.
Community, Common Cause, Competition, Gamification, Word of Mouth, Game Mechanics, Scarcity, Nostalgia and Mixing Reality are all elements that contributed to the run away success of Pokemon Go.
There are many lessons to be learned by marketers. By aligning existing strengths of the brand with the passion of community and a compelling experience, it is possible to create a highly engaging consumer experience with similar attributes that make Pokemon Go a success.
Posted on December 22, 2014 November 29, 2016
Connecting Gaming & Brands through Advergaming & Edutainment
Two of my passions are gaming and marketing. Whenever I have the opportunity for the two to intersect I am overjoyed. Previously, I have written on the topic of advergaming (imedia) and brand integrations (IEG). This article will highlight case studies of advergaming as well as introduce edutainment case studies.
Gaming is big business. According to Gartner, the projected worldwide video game market size in 2014 will surpass $100 billion dollars. In 2014, 58% of Americans have played a video game and 68% of gamers are 18 or older. With the fragmentation and shifts in media consumption, gaming provides significant dwell times with a hyper connected audience. Brands that create authentic and relevant value that empowers gamers will "unlock" value beyond impressions.
Let's start with a terminology refresher. An Advergame is an electronic game – often low-cost or free – designed to promote a brand or product.
ADVERGAMING – Advergaming is closely associated with above the line, through the line and below the line integration where the advertisements or brand integrations are either explicit and may be an integral part of the game or products are embedded seamlessly into the existing gameplay.
ABOVE THE LINE EXAMPLES
Burger King – Xbox 360 Licensed Games
Coca-Cola – Mini Me
Taco Bell – The Waiting Game
Kellogg's – Coco Pops
Skittles – Darkened Skye
Key points to consider are ATL executions are normally executed with the brand primarily in creative control of the project. As a start up or independent developer, this is where there is an opportunity to license your product to be distributed through the brands channels. This type of execution would take a brand partner willing to make a significant investment to cover development, distribution, promotional and non-development fees.
THROUGH THE LINE – Through the line examples are more commonly tied to alternate realty games (ARGs). This is when consumers interact with links, websites and promotional material outside the game. I have written about ARG integrations such as the Hanso Foundation ARG tied to the LOST television show. Other examples are:
The Dark Knight ARG
HALO – ilovebees
BELOW THE LINE – Authenticity and relevance are the keys to successfully executing below the line integrations. For additional insight and behind the scenes access to how partnerships are actually executed I turned to the reigning king of below the line integrations, Chris Erb. Formerly of Electronic Arts, Legendary Pictures and co-founder of the gaming agency TripleClix. Chris and I have served on boards together and have spent time over the years discussing this topic.
Chris is the architect of some of the most successful and authentic below the line integrations over the past few years. His partnerships with Coca-cola and Frito-Lay redefined how brand integrations can not only provide access to new audiences, but also drive business results such as aligning traditional CPG products into new areas within the retail setting.
According to Chris, "A number of prominent brands have or want to get into the gaming space. The issue is that publishers and brands don't always speak the same language. It is less about selling ads in games and more about seamlessly connecting the brand and the game in an authentic way."
Chris' statement also align with existing consumer behavior. When I recently conducted primary research on motivations tied to consumer pre-order behavior, two key elements were consistent. Gamers want exclusive content or early access. Everything else was of secondary consideration. The goal of a brand integration should be to empower the gamers.
EA – Coca Cola = FIFA
EA – Doritos = 3D
Rolls Royce – Forza
By empowering gamers and creating opportunities for brands to seamlessly integrate into the gaming experience, brands that choose to implement below the line programs in an authentic way have the opportunity to increase brand perception as well as reach a highly coveted audience.
EDUTAINMENT – Edutainment is any content that is designed to educate as well as entertain. This is an example of consumers playing an ordinary game and product promotions are embedded into the game. There has been a rise of educational content that is also meant to entertain. There is also an opportunity for brands looking to extend the reach of an altruistic cause through education and awareness through the lens of branded entertainment.
Here are examples of edutainment:
Telefonica – Sponsored initiative to boost youth literacy in Brazil
Limbs Alive – 3D game designed to aid recovering stroke victims
SMARTeacher – One of my favorite examples, this is an educational game that uses biofeedback to enhance the experience
Here is a short video outlining the Prodigy Experience
Consumers will continue to seek gaming experiences across devices. There is a significant opportunity to break through to a highly engaged audience. This goes beyond simply running display ads in games. The key is to enhance the experience of the consumers in a very authentic and contextual way. It is also important that the essence of the brand aligns with the potential gaming properties. The brands that can leverage publisher partnerships to truly collaborate on enhancing the experience will reap the rewards of empowering gamers.
Follow TripleClix @TripleClix
Posted on September 8, 2014 July 3, 2015
$500 Million and Destiny
Since the day Destiny hints were first discovered in HALO 3: ODST years ago, then sprinkled throughout numerous Bungie presentations, to the first public leaks in late 2012 I was hooked. The concept of a persistent open-world shooter by the makers of Halo was a dream come true. Having played both the Alpha & Beta versions and on the eve of the official release I wanted to take a look at the marketing efforts leading up to the worldwide release.
Destiny easter egg hidden in Halo 3: ODST highlighting the "traveler"
Certain outlets are claiming there will be up to 10 million players day one and I will definitely be one. Every gamer I have talked to recently knows of the impending release. Over 4.5 million of us played the beta and there have been discussions about which of the 3 character classes they will align with, who has the best pre-order incents (Hint: It's GameStop) and which gamemodes are going to occupy our time.
One of the key areas of growth in gamer numbers is the fact that Destiny is rated T for Teen vs. M for Mature. This opens up the market and for parents like myself who are hesitant to let their kids play M rated titles, Activision will get double the revenue from my household this time around.
When I fire up my Xbox One I will think back to my beta experience and prepare for what lies ahead across uncharted planets. This is an exciting moment in next gen gaming as not since TitanFall launched in March of this year has there been a true AAA shooter release that was developed specifically to push the next gen hardware.
Ready to take the experience from beta to full release
One of the key elements beyond word of mouth and the reputation of bungie has been the persistent presence of Destiny through the whopping $500 million in marketing spend that Activision had earmarked for the promotion of the game. This rivals the biggest of Hollywood blockbusters as game launches have taken on AAA treatment.
From the "Sharing" spot that launched around the time of the Titanfall launch
To the most recent live-action commercial shot by TRON: Legacy & Oblivion director Joseph Kosinski which has already garnered almost 6 million views at the time of this post.
The game is receiving a boost to attract mainstream and hard core fans alike with traditional and socially centric activations including a first of it's kind collaboration with Google which allowed for Google Street view maps of the worlds in Destiny.
Destiny has also received a special collectors edition of Newsweek to celebrate the launch
Destiny is already trending on Twitter and tomorrow the hype will turn into action and I am predicting Destiny will break the previous sales records for a new franchise launch. And if any team can pull it off it's Activision & their partner Step 3 PR.
The last Call of Duty Black hit $1 billion in one day sales and at the time was the largest entertainment launch in history. I fully expect Destiny to break new franchise records ($500 Million) and foresee a healthy return for Activision on their 10 year relationship with Bungie.
Tomorrow it will be time to #Becomelegend. You will find me roaming the Xbox One galaxy as TheBlackFin.
Follow Tom Edwards on Twitter @BlackFin360
Posted on February 26, 2014 July 3, 2015
Creating Breakthrough Branded Content In Video Games
I recently had the opportunity to share my POV with the IEG sponsorship report on the keys to creating breakthrough branded content integrations in video games. The article also outlines five brands that are doing it well and why the integrations work.
Next Gen & Twitch.TV
With last weeks launch of the PS4 selling more than a million in the first 24 hours as well as the launch of the Xbox One this week we are being ushered into the next generation of consoles with a bang! Having pre-ordered an Xbox One months ago I am ready to make the transition.
Ready to carry over my gamerscore to the new platform!
One consistent element across both consoles is the integration of Twitch.TV into the experience. For the PS4 it is directly tied to the share button on the controller. What is Twitch.TV? Why does the average user spend 90 minutes on the site daily? And why as a brand would I care about extending my reach to this audience?
I was recently briefed by the Twitch.TV team and here is a brief overview before getting into how to leverage their community. Twitch.TV is a live video platform and community for gamers with more than 44 million unique viewers per month. Twitch.TV connects gamers globally by allowing them to broadcast, watch, and chat from everywhere they play.
In addition to 44 million unique viewers per month, the Twitch.TV community is highly engaged with the average user watching an hour and a half of live stream content per day. Twitch is available as a mobile app that supports both iOS & Android and as I mentioned above will be integrated into both of the next generation consoles.
For brands interested in publishing, Twitch has a partner program with over 4,000 members and is build on an ad revenue share model with top content producers such as Machinima, Electronic Arts, Mojang, Major League Gaming.
For brands interested in reaching this audience there are three primary ways to engage & activate the Twitch.TV community.
1) Publishing – The Twitch.TV platform is predicated on live streaming content and the option exists to create a branded Twitch channel. This option represents the largest barrier of entry as the best practices for a channel call for unique & relevant content in addition to a broadcast programming guide and would require resources and time to build an audience, create compelling content & invest in media to further drive discovery of the content. Note that this is a Live Streaming platform so content curation is not an option.
2) Advertising – Twitch offers multiple advertising opportunities in the form of traditional video (pre-roll) and display, event based advertising. custom event programming. This is the more traditional method of reaching the Twitch.TV community. When I spoke recently with the Twitch team there is a strong desire to create unique & compelling programs that can drive value for for brands beyond simply advertising.
3) Custom Programs – The Twitch.TV team is very motivated to partner with brands to create unique and compelling programs. This can come in the form of "never been done" types of executions that incorporate both online & offline elements.
With 44 million uniques and a 90 minute dwell time there is definite value to Twitch.TV as a media platform and the ability to create custom programs in partnership with Twitch.TV opens up unique possibilities to connect beyond traditional ad types. Be sure to keep an eye on the monthly uniques as I am projecting growth with the direct integration with the next gen consoles.
Posted on March 2, 2012 January 7, 2014
Red Bull Facebook Timeline Timewarp
The roll-out of Facebook Timeline for brands on leap day proved to be a showcase for brands that were a part of the private beta prior to the roll-out. One of the clear winners out of the gate was Red Bull. Not only has the brand done a great job of seeding milestone content since it's founding, they launched an incredibly compelling scavenger hunt that spans the history of the company and integrates brand milestones in a seamless manner with the hunt.
By pinning the contest, Red Bull is highlighting the campaign for 7 days and ensures that any user that drops onto their timeline is met with an inviting opportunity to join the hunt. Terms and conditions are linked to an app that houses the rules of the contest.
Here is the app housing the terms & conditions. Note that canvas apps now have a width of 810 px.
Step 1 – The initial clue called for a user to go back to the 1st Red Bull ever sold. The next step was to identify the date on the bottom of the can for the next clue.
Step 2 – By applying an Instagram type filter and a clue to "look outside the box" the next date was revealed as part of the image frame.
Step 3 – Next, Red Bull pulled in a Spotify play-list image to unlock the next clue.
Step 4 – This clue took a moment as the border states this is a clue. Pull up the image and step back and "clear your mind" and the next date is revealed.
Step 5 – This clue took the longest for me to work through. Driven by a clue by Red Bull in the comments RE: CAPS, I took the first capped letters in the message to unveil the phrase "Find the Timecodes". This referenced the 4 images below and the time in the YouTube video where they appear to reveal the next date.
Step 6 – This clues photo was tagged with "Anna Graham" and the comment clue was "a rag man" or anagram. Which is simply a puzzle to unscramble the words to form a new phrase. By taking the clues I was able to unlock the final clue.
Step 7 – The final step proved to be the most difficult of the 7 as it was based on clues using prime numbers combined with the final clue of 2=a & 3=x to decipher the final location of the Timeline Timewarp web-site along with the password to complete the scavenger hunt.
The answer to the final question was to take the letters that matched the prime numbers of the final clue. This revealed the secret URL that took you to the final stage.
Once you decipher the last riddle you are taken to a "secret" landing page for one final challenge ;)
Yes, I won a prize!!!
Here is the confirmation response from Red Bull's media department.
The level of complexity associated with the hunt and the true integration into elements of timeline made the experience fun and engaging, but I question the duration of engagement for the average consumer to stay engaged throughout. I would love to see the level of fall-off at each given stage of the promotion.
You can tell some people really enjoyed the challenge
Regardless, it is the first example of a compelling brand promotion leveraging Timeline.
IN FOCUS article 5 Brands Pushing the Envelope in Gaming
This morning my new article 5 brands pushing the envelope in gaming is the IN FOCUS cover story for iMedia Connection.
The article is an in-depth review of innovative campaigns from Jeep, Doritos, Oakley, Hyundai & Coca-Cola as well as quotes & commentary from Chris Erb, VP Brand Marketing for EA Sports.
Posted on February 1, 2012 October 13, 2013
Mobile Gamings Potential For Brand Engagement via P4RC
Reaching mobile consumers is on the thoughts and minds of brand managers heading into 2012 and beyond. The challenge is to drive meaningful engagement across a highly fragmented landscape while providing a positive & relevant experience to the consumer.
Mobile gaming appears to be an ideal target for brand engagement as 70-80% of all mobile downloads are games with the average iPhone user spending 14.7 hours a month playing those games. Currently, 64.5 million people in the US played mobile casual games at least once a month. This will rise to 94.9 million in the US by 2014. Translation people are gaming via mobile.
Has anyone not played Angry Birds?
The issue at this point in time is that the current landscape is highly scattered with over 72,000 games in the Apple App store from thousands of developers and in-app advertising leaving many brands frustrated with their mobile engagement rates.
One newly launched service is looking to change the game by promising higher user engagement rates combined with positive brand associations. P4RC, Inc. is a new service that connects consumer brands to mobile users with a platform that converts user engagement in their favorite gaming apps into P4RC points, which can be redeemed for real-world rewards.
The basic premise is that players play games they are already playing and earn gift cards from top retailers just for playing.
The key for P4RC brand programs is the ability for brands to reach across multiple games and reward behaviors that users are already engaged in.
P4RC's brand programs include sponsoring their "Race to Win" segments, which call for users to play and earn P4RC points within a period of time to redeem brand rewards as well as offers directly from brands.
Example of Race to Win
Example of Brand Offer
"By sponsoring our Race 2 Win competitions, brands can be inserted into the mobile gaming experience in a manner that is actually relevant to that experience. This makes the brand part of the fun rather than an unwanted intrusion, which is often the case with other forms of mobile advertising" said Jason Seldon, Founder & CEO of P4RC.
By integrating the achievement network completely within the game, the barrier of leaving the app for a mobile web experience is removed. The user is free to review current Race's 2 win, redeem rewards and view their account all within the current app they are playing.
In the first week of launch, players have already redeemed their P4RC points for over $1,000 in rewards from brands such as Starbucks & Best Buy.
At launch, P4RC's achievement network is currently tied to "Stop Those Fish", which is currently featured by Apple as a New & Noteworthy app in the Apple App Store and announced a partnership with Eye Interactive to include the new P4RC rewards network in all Eye Interactive games.
P4RC is also forming key partnerships with mobile developers. "By adding the P4RC rewards network to their games, game developers benefit from a powerful marketing & customer retention engine that drives user engagement, resulting in an increase in game downloads and longer duration of game play."
Services such as P4RC provide compelling incentives for brands and users alike by rewarding existing behaviors, socially enabling the experience and lowering the barrier of entry to participate across apps.
An Android friendly version of P4RC will be launching this Summer.
Thanks to Jason Seldon, Founder & CEO of P4RC for data included in this post.
Posted on August 3, 2011 October 13, 2013
15 Examples of Gamification & Brands
Outside of the recent flurry associated with Google+, the one term that has been top of mind throughout the digital space recently is gamification. Gamification is a term used to describe organizations using game mechanics to drive engagement in traditionally non-gaming products. There are examples of gamification everywhere in our daily lives and many brands are integrating game mechanics in unique and compelling ways all with the purpose of driving user engagement.
Below are 15 examples of Gamification and how brands are capitalizing on the trend.
Xbox Live | Achievements, Leaderboards | Microsoft struck a chord with traditional gamers when they first rolled out achievement points. Users can earn a certain amount of gamerscore by completing specific tasks or actions in game. This simple addition had a profound impact on the space as nothing to date had motivated behavior to play titles beyond ones taste for specific genres while also creating an aggregate & visible record of your gaming prowess. Brands took note of the trend and the loyalty that users developed in their pursuit of gamerscore & bragging rights. I attribute the current craze of achievement based gamification to the success of Xbox Live & achievement points.
E.g. Gamertag
Foursquare | Rewards, Badges | Location based services such as Foursquare, Gowalla & Facebook Places have redefined game mechanics in non-gaming products. Users and brands alike have taken notice and Foursquare stands out with 10 million users on a platform that was built around solid game mechanics. Users can claim mayorships, unlock badges, receive special offers & rewards such as discounts to specific retailers while also tracking against friends via a leaderboard.
Examples of Foursquare Badges
Example of Foursquare/NFL Super Bowl Rewards
Example of Foursquare/Pepsi Reward from SXSW 2011
Foursquare leaderboard sponsored by Pepsi
Gowalla | Virtual Goods, Badges, Rewards | Like Foursquare, Gowalla has had an impact on brands by incenting location based check-ins while incorporating virtual item reward programs that then translate into physical goods.
Example of Gowalla badges/pins
Example of Virtual Goods/Physical Goods
GetGlue | Badging, Rewards | The gamification of entertainment has been growing significantly over the past year. Similar to how individuals check into physical locations with services such as Foursquare & Gowalla, now it is possible to check into entertainment destinations such as your favorite TV Show, Movie, Music, Video Games, etc… With players such as GetGlue, Miso, Philo and Tunerfish all vying for your entertainment check-in, each platform offers different mechanics but each is built on the foundation of game mechanics such as badging & rewards through various brand partners.
Example of GetGlue Sticker tied to TRON
Example of a GetGlue Reward that offered 40% off of Mad Men on Blu-Ray or DVD
Linkedin |Progress Bar | Linkedin offers a small example of gamification by incenting users towards 100% profile completeness with a progress bar that is visible while on the edit profile page. By providing a visual representation of your profile completeness Linkedin hopes to trigger behavior that drives us towards completeness.
Example of Profile completeness
SalesForce | Leaderboard, Achievements, Leveling | Salesforce has taken gamification to another level with this addition to the popular CRM platform. With Engage, Salesforce users activities within the system are tied to various game mechanics and offers direct competition with other users within their organization. By incorporating this level of competitive visibility organizations can capitalize on surfacing different behaviors and hopefully drive additional engagement with their systems.
Example of SalesForce's New Gamification Dashboard
Mint | Achievements, Progress Bar | As discussed on Mashable, Mint is offering a Financial Fitness Score that is based on core game mechanics associated with task completion, progression & achievements. By taking an ordinary exercise and creating a casual gaming experience, mint is creating an opportunity to drive new user acquisition in a creative way.
Example of Mint Gamification
Example of Mint Point Acquisition
CheckPoints | Virtual Currency, Rewards | CheckPoints incents users to engage in retail settings via compelling game mechanics. Users are incented to scan specific products in exchange for CheckPoints which can then be exchanged as a virtual currency for rewards such as gift cards. Brands can create compelling programs with CheckPoints to drive retail activation and product engagement all based on gamification of the shopping experience.
Example of CheckPoints Scan for Tyson Chicken
Example of CheckPoints Rewards
Shopkick | Virtual Currency, Rewards, Contests | Similar to CheckPoints, ShopKick also offers incentives and game mechanics for users to engage with specific products. By incenting users with specific offers prior to entering a retail location, ShopKick users can then interact with those products in store and earn points which translate to virtual currency. ShopKick also incorporates a hyper geo-targeted approach to driving engagement as shown below. By rewarding behavior by simply entering a participating retailer, ShopKick can influence behavior via a game mechanic.
Example Geo-Targeted Gamification associated with Target
Example of ShopKick Rewards
Hallmark | Facebook Credits, Virtual Goods, Gifting, Sharing | Facebook credits have become the default currency tied to Facebook's ever popular social games. Beyond the social game mechanics brands are leveraging Facebook credits to incent users to interact with specific content. Hallmark incorporates many game mechanics into it's Facebook application the Hallmark Social Calendar.
Example Hallmark Social Calendar and Facebook Credits
Example of Hallmark Social Calendar Gifting
Example of Incenting engagement via Points
Starbucks | Leveling, Rewards | Starbucks has incorporated game mechanics into it's popular loyalty program. By incorporating multiple levels and associated rewards & perks per level with a progression tracker, users are incented to continually engage with the brand.
Example of MyStarbucks Rewards
Nike | Achievements, Badges, Challenges, Rewards | Nike has redefined running with Nike Plus. The ability to track, share, challenge and interact with like minded friends & runners across the world has been wildly successful. By incorporating game mechanics throughout the program Nike is able to create an engaging experience that transcends the real world activity.
Example of Nike Plus Goals & Challenges
Example of Nike Plus Progress bar & Leveling
Buffalo Wild Wings | Trivia, Challenges | Buffalo Wild Wings has been adept at carving out their place in the social ecosystem. By leveraging powerful platforms like Vitrue and partnering with Scvngr, they have created an engaging social persona that has served them well with over 5 million fans on Facebook. In terms of gamification they incorporate trivia regularly into their wall posts as well as incorporating online challenges tied to rewards.
Example of a Buffalo Wild Wings program that incorporates Scvngr
Microsoft | Achievements, Contests | Ribbon Hero is a creative game mechanic driven tutorial now in Microsoft Office. By completing specfic tasks and challenges you can then integrate Ribbon Hero with your Facebook account to compare how adept you are vs. your friends.
Example Ribbon Hero
American Airlines | Progression Bar | A simple game mechanic is used by American Airlines to visually represent your current elite status qualification.
Example of American Airlines mobile app
As you can see many brands are capitalizing on the trend of integrating game mechanics into their non-gaming product offerings to drive engagement. What are some other examples of gamification by other brands?
Largest Social Network on TV
I write a lot about social media, digital strategy & emerging technology. One of my favorite past times is console gaming via my Xbox 360.
With the recent release of Halo Reach and personally surpassing 100,000 gamerscore on Xbox Live, I wanted to write about how digital marketers can leverage the largest social network on TV to further enhance digital engagement.
With over 23 million users and an average of 4 million engaged daily Xbox Live is an incredible platform to execute digital strategies and tactics.
From branded avatar collections, product tie-in's, promotions and sponsorships there are many opportunities for brands to leverage the sticky experience that Xbox Live provides.
This also goes beyond typical in-game advertising. Having a truly engaged, socially connected fanbase that also associates closely with brands is a key factor when evaluating the platform.
This is one of the only times I apply my personal insight into a platform. When I am on Xbox Live I pay attention to brand promotions here moreso than any other medium. The reason being is that upon start up of the console I am presented with compelling content blocks that I choose how I interact.
I have found that I enter most if not all of the branded sweepstakes and I pay attention to when new branded avatar items are presented. And with more traffic than ESPN.com this is an ideal way to drive brand engagement.
Being a fan of the platform and a daily user, You don't get to 100,000 gamerscore by not engaging almost daily, I have experienced the benefits and opportunities first hand.
So the next time you are looking for an ideal channel beyond traditional media and digital outlets don't forget about the largest social network on TV.
If you are a brand manager interested in leveraging Xbox Live please contact me as I have a long standing relationship with various Xbox Live teams.
From branded avatar collections, promotions, advertising etc…
EA Skate 2 & Skate Reel
Of all of the projects I have been involved with over the past 3 years Electronic Arts O.G. Skate Reel initiative was by far one of my favorites. It was our first really large initiative with EA and it was very ambitious.
From the start there were a number of different variables that came into play. In-game video then sprayed to the web that enabled community members to rate each others creations across gaming platforms.
With a lot of teamwork between EA (Strategy & Content), our team and Blast Radius (Creative & UI) Skate Reel hit the web prior to the release of Skate.
As with all great things you knew a sequel was coming. Skate 2 hit stores on the 21st (Be sure to pick up your copy!!!!) but the new & improved Skate Reel for Skate 2 was pushed out early this morning.
This time around the UI has been tweaked, the transitions even smoother and I am once again blown away by the work of our team.
Here is the Skate 2 Team… Left to Right (w/ gamertags except for John Balod & MJ) … Deryl "Moonboy Dallas" Dorsett… John "I need a 360" Balod, Jon "BROOMdoom" Broom, Elijah "Prairie Racer" Hardin and me Tom "TheBlackFin" Edwards. Not pictured are Rich "RichMercer" Mercer and Mike "MJ" Johnson.
As for Skate Reel…. The site speaks for itself.
Major Nelson ROI
I have known Larry "Major Nelson" Hyrb for a few years now. Larry is the Director of Programming for Xbox Live. He has become the Face of the Xbox 360 and his blog is the first stop for avid gamers looking for the latest info on upcoming titles, Xbox Live updates and of course Larry's blog cast's. Larry has held this position since 2004 and the growth that both the Xbox Live network and Larry's blog has seen over the past few years is impressive to say the least.
When Larry was evaluating platforms he was looking for a scalable blogging platform that would provide him with a direct line of communication with the consumer and put a face to the Xbox brand. The explosive growth with Xbox Live has coincided with the traffic loads tied to Larry's blog. He is now the de-facto reference for gamers looking for the latest information and the amount of traffic and comments that Larry receives is staggering for a single blog. No other gaming publisher or hardware manufacturer has the visibility or reach via a single employee that Microsoft and the Xbox Live Brand has with Larry.
One of the key ROI takeaways from Larry's blog is that it is a powerful tool for optimizing SEO of user-generated content. According to eMarketer, annual spending on search advertising in the US is expected to decrease YOY until 2012 (when compared to 2007). The built-in SEO functionality of Larry's platform helped grow visitors and members (17 million as of last week) by both direct and referred search. The other takeaway is the cost savings that are available to an organization or a brand by significantly decreasing the amount of spend on search advertising.
Gears of War 2 Today
I cannot tell you how excited I am that today is the day for Gears of War 2. I will be taking a break from my Fallout 3 side quests to get in some social gaming. I have my Special Edition copy in hand and will be firing it up later this evening. The enhancements to the Unreal Engine look outstanding. Be sure to pick up your copy today.
On a side note… one recent observation is the sheer size of some of the latest strategy guides tied to the new releases. The Fallout 3 special edition strat guide was 350+ pages and the GOW2 guide is 303 pages. Seriously I am all for occassionally referencing a secret location but let's get these into wiki's or some format that allows for quick searching of relevant items. E.g. I want to know the location of COG tag "X"… quick search through a strat wiki would net me what I need. Yes you can spend a lot of time searching online, etc… but I want info from the source in a similar format to the guide. Just a thought.
For more info on Gears of War 2 here is an early review I wrote a few months back.
See you online!!!
New Xbox Experience Preview
Today the New Xbox Experience Preview (The Xbox Live Fall Update) was released to a small group of users to provide feedback on the upcoming NXE release on the 19th of November.
Thanks again to Major Nelson for adding me to the queue to review the NXE.
The Update prompts like any other and your system will cycle. Then it took another 12 minutes to download and for the update to process.
Process just ended…. now greeted with a "Welcome to the New Xbox Experience" message. The Xbox logo fades and an animated sequence executes. Then I am prompted to login with my user profile.
Now it is on to avatar creation. The system gives you a base set of options to customize your likeness. It is a fairly simple system and it looks like it will be built around micro-transactions moving forward. My Avatar is now complete with fin… (See Below)
The rest of the experience is a nice addition to Live. The UI is slick and very easy to navigate. The Marketplace has been overhauled with some nice additions such as box shots for arcade titles and a more appealing flow than the previous lists upon lists of text.
My previous themes are still applicable and the gamerpic is still relevant as you have the option to use your avatar to post as your gamerpic.
The Video marketplace is where a big improvement was made. One of the big recent announcements is the support for NetFlix and HD movie content through Live. This will be a nice addition and allow for instant streaming of the latest HD movies.
The Friends area also received a nice treatment. You can view your friends avatars an get a nice boxshot of the games they are currently playing. You can also invite friends into an 8 person "party" session.
So far I do like the change. I was not sure how I would feel going to an avatar based system. But after giving it a go I have to say I am pleasantly surprised!
This is definitely a change for the better!
Pic of the NXE
Game Review – Dead Space
Overview: When we first started talking to Electronic Arts (EA) about our platform powering the Dead Space pre-launch site I was hooked on the concept. Born from a rouge EA team, DeadSpace is a bold step forward for EA. It is a brand new IP and it is a true survival/horror title which has an M rating. When gameplay videos and art work were posted I knew this would be a game worth the price of admission.
Set in the distant future, Dead Space revolves around Isaac Clarke, a space engineer who works for the Concordance Extraction Corporation (C.E.C.), a company that operates giant mining ships throughout the galaxy. When the C.E.C. receives a distress call from the USG Ishimura (a "Planet Cracker"-class ship that destroys planets in order to extract valuable ore), Isaac and four other C.E.C. employees set out on the USG Kellion to rendezvous with the Ishimura in orbit above Aegis 7. Their assumption is that a mechanical failure is the only problem. At the beginning of the game, Isaac is seen repeatedly watching a video sent to him by his ex-girlfriend, Nicole Brennan, who is currently onboard the Ishimura.
Shortly after crash landing on the Ishimura flight deck, the crew of USG Kellion is attacked by hostile creatures called Necromorphs. These creatures reproduce by infecting deceased human bodies, violently mutating them into one of their own. Isaac escapes down an elevator and kills a Necromorph by trapping it in the elevator doors, but is separated from the rest of the team. At this point, Isaac, Kendra Daniels, and Zach Hammond are the only surviving members.
I really enjoy titles that I can become immersed in the back-story. DeadSpace offers those that want to go beyond the game to understand what led to the events on the Ishimura and the planet they were sent to crack. There is a DVD, Graphic Novel and the http://Noknownsurvivors.com micro site that will allow you to take your experience beyond your console.
Gameplay: The real hook for this title is around how you engage the necromorphs. The traditional "fill'em full of led" mindset just does not work and there is not enough ammo to go around so you have to strategically target the various, and I do mean various, limbs of the necromorphs. This is where the interface again is extremely efficient. You have laser guided targeting (Think Predator) that combined with Stasis can lead to quickly dispatching your would be attackers. And yes there is an achievement for using stasis 50 times on an enemy.
With this being a 3rd person shooter (Think Gears of War & Resident Evil) I cannot reiterate how smooth the interface is. The in-game assets (video, text, and audio logs) are managed through a holographic interface that moves with you so you are not slowed down. There is essentially not an onscreen HUD. Your health and stasis are built into the back of the main character's RIG. This is one of the best titles I have played in recent memory. The graphics (Both PS3 & Xbox version) are simply amazing.
The environment also plays a significant role in the gameplay. As you creep down a dark corridor, lights flickering, sounds and moans emanating from the background, you can hardly see in front of you and then….. is just the norm in this title. It is an eerie sight to see a slow moving necromorph wandering in the distance then before you know it they are on you. There were a few times where I literally lost my head while walking into an area without being overly cautious. I recommend saving often (especially on the harder game modes). Similar to a vitachamber from BioShock, when you do happen to get decapitated, over-run, roasted, or lost in space due to a bad jump you will start from a pre-determined checkpoint close to a save point.
The gameplay is smooth, the game itself is all about objectives. From starting a Tram system to fixing communication relays, Isaac is an engineer after all be prepared for a large number of scavenger hunts. luckily one of the best features in the game is an objective marker. Simply hit R3, and you will often, and you will be on your way to your next objective.
There are many points in the game where you will encounter Zero Gravity and be forced to complete objectives while being attacked and trying to maintain some semblance of orientation. This leads to a very interesting element of gameplay as it becomes a 360 degree event. You will also reach decompressed areas of the ship which trigger your backup O2. I recommend upgrading your air capacity with your RIG as this is just as important as health in some areas.
The Boss Battles are not epic, although one is in Zero-G which makes it quite interesting but otherwise they are nothing out of the ordinary. What is frustrating are the times you will assume the ships cannons to stop asteroids and aliens. The controls are sluggish and the cannon tends to overheat quickly. Good luck pursuing the 50% hull integrity achievements x2.
Online: There is not an online mode available
Weapons: For mining tools they sure come in handy for taking out necromorphs. There are seven weapons in the game: Plasma Cutter, Pulse Rifle, Flamethrower, Line Gun, Ripper, Force Gun and the Contact Beam. Each is ideal for different scenarios. Use the flamethrower on small, fast enemies. For the big guys the line or force guns are good to have. The Ripper is my favorite weapon in the game by far… It launches a saw blade that you control to make quick work of your alien attackers. The Plasma Cutter is definitely a weapon that you can use in almost every situation. It has range, but is very efficient in close quarters. When it comes to upgrading your arsenal start with the plasma cutter. You will not be disappointed. In fact there is an achievement for completing the game with only the Plasma Cutter (40 points).
Similar to BioShock you do have some telekinetic abilities. Stasis allows you to freeze or slow down fast moving objects and enemies and you have Kinesis to grab and move objects. As the game progresses this is a core element to complete some of the puzzle elements of the game.
You have the ability to upgrade your RIG, weapons and kinesis throughout the game. This is done through Power Nodes which are found throughout the game or purchased through the store. The upgrades follow a Too Human approach of various node paths that you select to optimize your weapon to your liking. I always focused on Damage and Capacity while trying to max out one weapon at a time.
During gameplay you will more than likely locate a number of different schematics. They allow for increased armor, ammunition and health to be purchased through the various stores. Some of the schematics associated with your armor allow you to increase health and inventory slots which is very helpful. So far I have upgraded through to a level 6 military suit that looks like the captain from the Valor. This was awarded for completing the game and cost $99,000 in the store but it was well worth the price. (See images below)
Achievements: From an achievement standpoint you can collect anywhere from 500-700 points on your first play through. My first play through took 9 hours 38 minutes. I cleared 37 of 48 Xbox 360 achievements for 665 points and 22 trophies on PS3. The achievements follow a finish the chapter get points and kill x number of enemies with all weapons, etc…. It took roughly 5 days (9 hours to finish). There are also a number of secret achievements tied to boss battles and other interesting ways to engage with the environment and enemies.
Downloadable Content: I enjoy DLC that allows me to change the skin of my player. Especially with 3rd person based games. The DLC for Dead Space offers 2 new level 5 suits. The first was an exclusive Xbox Elite suit which offered a lighter gray & green visor combo. The second was the Scorpion Suit (one of my favorites outside of the military skin). This level 5 suit cost 200 Microsoft points and is red of course with a scorpion insignia on the back of Isaacs helmet.
One of the best HUD experiences I have ever experienced
Stunning Visuals
Great environment (sound, lighting, ambiance) this a great game to play late at night with the lights off
Visually one of the best 360/PS3 titles to date
Objective Marker – As in Army of Two it is very helpful to know where you need to go
Zero Gravity – The zero gravity elements are executed to perfection
In-Game Assets – Takes the BioShock asset management and interface to another level with movable holograms
The Ripper… I love this weapon
One Button Health – Instead of pulling up the inventory, press X or Square (PS3) to use your lowest available health module
Strategic Striking – Instead of emptying your magazine into an enemy it is faster to dismember them
DLC – New Isaac Skins (Elite, Scorpion)
Errand Boy – It is a constant get this, go here, blow this up, hit this switch type of experience but that still does not detract from how well executed this game is
Melee Attacks are lacking.. by lacking I mean slow
Boss battles are average (Minus a certain battle in Zero-G)
Asteroids – This can be one of the most frustrating elements of the game. You will know it when you get there
Monologues – Certain characters like to "monologue" at certain points of the game. I would like to option to fast forward to the action
Xbox 360 – 9
PS3 – 9.5
This is one of the best games that I have played on the PS3 to date. For the 360 this is one of my top 10 Xbox 360 titles. It is challenging (Especially on Impossible Mode), visually stunning and at some points will seriously surprise you. I would highly recommend it. You don't need to be a fan of the horror genre to appreciate this title. Biowhat???
Level 6 Suit – Front
Level 6 Suit – Back
Dead Space Pre-Release Copy Part 2
I have now finished the first 5 missions of the much anticipated EA survival/horror title and all I can say is WOW.
I cannot reiterate how smooth the interface is. From the video, text, and audio logs similar to Bioshock, to the zero-G sections. There is essentially not an onscreen HUD. Your health and stasis are built into the back of the main character's RIG. This is one of the best titles I have played in recent memory. The graphics (PS3 version) are simply amazing.
I have upgraded my suit to level 3 (Pictured below) out of I belive 4 and I have collected all of the available weapons. One thing that is not completely apparent is that anything with a white/green light on it you can open in some form or fashion. Also, inventory management and power node hunting are things to keep in mind. What I have found is that any opportunity to use a power node to open a door is well worth the cost as you can purchase additional nodes for 10,000 credits.
Also, engaging an enemy is different each time. Different weapons work for different scenarios. Use the flamethrower on small, fast enemies. For the big guys the line or force guns are good to have. The Ripper is my favorite weapon in the game by far… It launches a sawblade that you control to make quick work of your alien attackers…
I cannot wait to get through the final 7 levels. It takes about an hour to an hour and half if you are covering every area to clear a level. I cannot wait to get through the final 7 levels. One thing is for certain. I would be completely lost without the R3 button on this title. Similar to Army of Two, it is tied to the current objective and if you get turned around you will be able to find your way.
I highly, highly recommend picking up this title when it releases!!!
Dead Space – Pre-Release Copy
Today I received a copy of Dead Space from our friends at EA Redwood Shores (Thanks MJ & JA). And all I can say is WOW it was worth the wait!!! Oh and did I mention that it was a PS3 copy and not a 360 copy? Shocking I know!?!
I have been eagerly anticipating this title since we first became involved with it. It is definitely worth the wait. Dead Space is different than any other EA title I have ever played. I am also a fan of any series that expands beyond the default medium. With Dead Space if you really want to immerse yourself in the story an animated DVD will launch on the same date the game releases and there is already a series of comics dedicated to the pre-story of Dead Space.
Regarding the actual game… the graphics are outstanding! It took a minute to adjust to the camera controls but it becomes very natural after a few minutes. The interface is extremely clean with the health meter built into the main character Isaac's suit. The inventory system, mission objectives, and targeting systems are all very clean and flow very well together.
I played through the first of twelve missions and I cannot express how impressed I was. Think Bioshock fear factor multiplied by 100. This is the type of game that definitely gets your attention and fast. If you close your eyes and just listen to the background noise while progressing through the level and you will think you stepped into your worst nightmare as you hear chains rattling, and odd rustling coming from all directions.
The in-game assets, credits, audio logs, and other collectibles are easy to identify as everything pops up as a hologram. The Plasma Cutter is a fun weapon as it is well known that the main premise of the game is dismembering your alien attackers and the PC delivers. Also, you have a stasis component to your weapon that allows you to significantly slow down a fast moving enemy which is very helpful.
I look forward to playing through the rest of the game but this is a definite pickup as the official street release date is October 14th on both Xbox 360 and the PS3.
On the home-front, we are officially a three (next-gen) console household. We have a few Xbox 360's, a Playstation 3 and a Wii. After I hit my point goal of 50,000K on the 360 I feel comfortable playing the occasional PS3 title without fear of losing achievement points. I am really looking forward to Little Big Planet and Metal Gear Solid 4. No worries though… while I am impressed with the PS3 from a hardware perspective (Integrated wireless, browser capabilities, etc..) the only issue I have is that the Xbox 360 HDMI cable would not work with the PS3. Regardless of this fact I will always be an Xbox 360 guy for this generation of consoles.
Posted on September 30, 2008 July 6, 2011
50,000 Gamerscore
Since April 23rd, 2007 I have been on a collision course with this goal. I wanted to pass the 50,000 gamerscore plateau. I don't know why this became a goal but it did. It took a year and 5 months but I finally completed my quest. It took 135 days to go from 40,000K to 50,000K with an average gain of 74 points per day. So I thought I would take a moment and archive some fun facts from the beginning and this latest and final points quest. I look forward to finally playing only games I am interested in playing and spending more time on other hobbies (Running, etc….).
1) Longest Consecutive Days Played Streak – 72
2) Retail Titles Completed – 14
3) World Gamerscore Ranking – 2501 (As of September 30th – 360voice.com)
4) Achievements Gained since the beginning – 1879 (Avg. 27 points per achievement)
5) Completion Percentage (0 score games removed) – 48%
8) Total Games Retail (118)/Arcade (44) Owned – 162
Here is a breakdown of the games played between 40,000 & 50,000 and the gamerscore earned within this span of time.
Madden 09 1000
Bionicle Heroes 960
LEGO Indiana Jones 960
Ninja Gaiden 840
Too Human 790
NCAA 09 Football 775
Surfs Up 750
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 540
Guitar Hero: Aerosmith 535
NBA 2K8 505
Soul Calibur IV 445
CSI-Hard Evidence 400
DBZ: Burst Limit 345
LEGO Batman 275
NHL 2K8 225
Wall-E 195
Castle Crashers 170
Kung Fu Panda 130
Rock Band 110
1942: Joint Strike 108
Rainbow Six Vegas 2 80
NHL08 75
WOTB: Commando 3 72
Gun 60
Call of Duty 2 50
Devil May Cry 4 20
Unreal Tournament 3 20
The Orange Box 15
I will still play the titles that interest me but I am no longer just playing for score.
Hockey Anyone?
This is in some ways the best time of the year. Football is back (Go Sooners!!!), fall is in the air, the latest iteration of the NHL 2K hockey franchise (NHL2K9) is now available.
We have been playing the NHL 2K hockey franchise since 2006. We have gone through 2006, 2007 and 2008. For the record the team of Rob Howard and myself hold the lifetime edge on the team of Dockendorf & Cunningham.
So the initial foray into NHL 2K9 began today. And it began as the 2K8 season ended… With Team Howard/Edwards soundly defeating team Dockendorf/Cunningham.
Oh and by the way…. game one a 5-0 shutout. Welcome to 2K9 gentlemen.
Episodes of a Dad – Part 3 – Pikachu
I knew it was a matter of time until this day would come. I just did not think it would come this soon.
I consider myself a decent gamer, 45,000+ gamerscore, but on this day my 6 year old son absolutely obliterated me on Super Smash Bros. Brawl on the Wii.
It is not just today either. The domination started a few days ago and the competition has been building.
He has mastered the little yellow powerhouse known as Pikachu. Who would have known that a 1'4″, 13 pound furry fantasy animal would cause me such grief.
You may or may not know about Pikachu. It is a character from the insanely popular Pokemon series. Yes they are still around and we buy the cards regularly. They are for my son, really.
His record is now 12-2 against me with the little yellow fuzz ball. I am frustrated but very proud at the same time.
I will hear pika-pika-pikachu in my sleep. The baton has officially been passed.
Posted on August 3, 2008 July 6, 2011
RROD Update
I posted earlier about the Red Ring of Death. Less than 24 hours after the issues started I have a brand new Xbox Elite back up and running.
I had purchased the additional 2 year warranty from Best Buy when I originally bought the console. This has turned out to be a very good investment.
I went to Best Buy today and took just the power brick and the console sans hard drive. I was very happy with the results as I wanted to keep my current hard drive and not bother with the possible data transfer. Also my HDMI cable was installed behind the wall due to my wall-mounted TV so I did not want to bother with the rest.
Best Buy was very accommodating with the exchange thanks to the extended warranty. The rep said a few times that the people that did not purchase the warranty are out of luck if they want to exchange for a new system. I basically picked up a new console and power brick and was on my way again (3 kiddos in tow).
So I am happy to say I will not suffer any prolonged downtime. If you are in the market for a 360 I would highly recommend purchasing from Best Buy or any store that offers an extended warranty. Yes Microsoft will repair the unit as well but you will more than likely get a refurbished unit and have to wait 2-4 weeks. Whereas with the extended warranty I was in and out of the store in under 30 minutes and the home setup was less than 5 minutes.
The assault for 50,000 gamerpoints continues…


"On this New Year I wish that you have a wonderful January a lovely February a Peaceful March a stress free April a fun fille" – is a free to read and download quote. This quote was posted on December 19, 2018. You can download this quote by clicking on Download button below.


Lnpg Limited. Head office in Addlestone. Check Director.
Lnpg Limited is a private limited company. Located at Lyndale House, 24 High Street, Addlestone KT15 1TN, this 7 years old firm was incorporated on 2011-08-19 and is officially categorised as "activities of other membership organizations n.e.c." (SIC code: 94990).
4 directors can be found in this firm: Mark A. (appointed on 10 November 2016), Paul H. (appointed on 12 December 2012), Nicholas W. (appointed on 30 August 2011).
The date for Lnpg Limited confirmation statement filing is 2019-09-02. The most recent one was sent on 2018-08-19. The deadline for a subsequent accounts filing is 31 May 2020. Most recent accounts filing was submitted for the time up until 31 August 2018.
1 person of significant control is listed in the Companies House, a solitary person David A. that has over 1/2 to 3/4 of shares .


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Woman saves man from suicide with a kiss
A teenage girl from China became an overnight hero when she saved a man from committing suicide by implanting a kiss!
Liu Wenxiu is now a known name across the country, but it all started at the Shenzhen mall in Guang Province, when Liu noticed a mass had gathered around to see a guy. She was shocked when she saw a man clinging to the barrier of the highest floor in the mall.
"The young man was on the outside of the barrier and was holding a knife to his chest but nobody seemed to be trying to talk him around," she told the Orange News.
But the young woman was unlike the rest; she really wanted to save him.
"I wanted to help him but the police wouldn't let me through; so I lied and told them he was my boyfriend and that he wanted to kill himself because of me," she confessed.
When they finally let her talk to him, the real truth surfaced.
"They let me talk to him and he told me he was sad because he was from a broken family," she told the reporters.
This struck a chord with her, she said "I'm also from a broken family too and understood him perfectly.
His story touched me and I felt like I really was his girlfriend and I could help him."
She then shocked the onlookers in the mall by first hugging him close and then kissing him – an act which helped the police to get a hold of him and pull him out of danger.
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in Weird Facts
Aokigahara: The Suicide Forest
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A Chinese Woman Kills Man by Squeezing his Testicles over Parking Space Row
On August 14, 2010, in China, world's longest traffic jam occurred which was about 60 miles long and lasted for nearly 10 days.
In 2009, a 92-year-old Chinese Woman Named Huang Yijun Delivered a Child That She Had Been Carrying for Over Half a Century.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Genesis 45: Joseph Revealed Himself to His Brothers
Joseph revealed himself to his brothers after they brought his brother Benjamin to him. The emotions were unbearable; Joseph couldn't refrain himself, this is how it went. As Judah stood to explain why Benjamin couldn't stay as a bondman, Joseph got real emotional. He sent everyone out of the room except his brothers.
He told his brothers that he was Joseph whom they sold into Egypt; they were troubled. They came near greeted him with caution wondering what just happened. He told them not to worry about what they'd done years ago and expressed to them the nature of the times.
The times were how the world was going in those seven years of famine, which helped propel him to the governor of Egypt. Therefore, they shouldn't blame themselves but it was GOD who sent him before them to preserve life. He told them that GOD made him (Joseph) a father to Pharaoh.
Viceroy Joseph Showed Extra Love to Benjamin
He ordered his brothers to go get his father and the rest of their families to come dwell in the land of Goshen. They'd be close to him and he would nourish them because there were still five years remaining of the seven years of great famine.
They embraced and all of Pharaoh's house learned of Joseph's brothers and they were happy; they wanted Joseph to have all the family come live in Egypt. Joseph showed extra love to his brother Benjamin.
They returned to Canaan and informed daddy Jacob that Joseph was alive and is governor over Egypt. When he heard these things, Israel nearly fainted he was so shocked. He was like a man suddenly awakened from a grievously deep sleep. Eventually, he believed them; he said he'd go see Joseph before he dies (Genesis 45).
Principle: Forgiveness, GOD's ways, family, time; Joseph's ability to forgive his brothers is exceptional. It is one of the highest orders of principles to live by. GOD's ways are exceptional because there is no way of knowing the road HE will lead us except we walk it in faith and stay loyal to HIS commandments. In the end, the family is the true bond, even when the family does us "dirty" if they have grown and are sincere in their search for forgiveness, forgive and keep the family. Time heals, time heals all wounds, spiritually, physically, and emotionally.
History: Israel and his sons are now in Mizraim (Egypt). Joseph is the governor of Egypt and the sons will proliferate in Egypt into the nation the LORD wanted them to be when HE sought Abraham after the Tower of Babel.
Prophecy: Abraham's children would go into a land that is not theirs and toil 400 years. This is now being accomplished in the sons of Israel going into Egypt following Joseph through the event of a worldwide famine.
More 5 Minute Studies
From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. The disciples asked, "Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?" And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
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St. Kitts – Nevis Under Tropical Storm Watch
Tropical Storm Earl – August 28, 2010
St. Kitts Meteorological Services
A tropical storm watch is now in effect for St. Kitts and Nevis and the rest of the leeward islands. A tropical storm watch means that a tropical storm or tropical conditions poses a possible threat to the specified area within 48 hours. Residents should start to implement their hurricane disaster plans.
Earl is moving toward the west at 21 miles per hour. A turn to the west-northwest with a slight decrease in forward speed are expected over the next couple of days.
Maximum sustained winds are near 60 mph with higher gusts. Additional strengthening is forecast and earl could become a hurricane by tonight.
Tropical storm force winds extend up to 85 miles from the centre.
The estimated minimum central pressure is 999 mb or 29.50inches.
Based on the latest observations and analyses, earl is now expected to pass south of the previous forecast track. The system could now pass within 100 miles of St. Kitts and Nevis.
The storm could begin to affect the islands by Sunday night with peak winds of 60 mph along with higher gusts. Also showers are expected to move across the islands by Sunday morning.
Rainfall totals of up to 5 inches are forecast to occur over a period of less than 24 hours. With this type of rainfall, residents in low lying and flood prone areas should be prepared to move to higher grounds, as major flash flooding is possible . Residents near slopes should prepare to guard against mudslides.
Mariners should stay in port and seek safe anchorage. Seas will start to deteriorate tonight and waves are forecast to exceed 12 feet during the passage of earl.
All residents are urged to closely monitor the progress of earl and to start to implement hurricane plans. A storm or hurricane warning may be required later today.
Image Courtesy of Weather Underground
Categories Nevis News Tags Hurricanes, Tropical Storms, Weather
Nevis Hero Uhral Swanston Influenced Many
Flood Warnings Issued For St. Kitts – Nevis


text:
Tales Hub » Series Archive » Team Bird Hub » SCP-3632
THE CLEARANCE LEVEL TO ACCESS THIS FILE HAS BEEN CHANGED TO
LEVEL 1/3632 UNCLASSIFIED
FOR RELEVANCE TO THE ONGOING BE-CLASS "MIGRATION" END-OF-CONSCIOUSNESS SCENARIO
AUTHORIZED BY: Dr. Frederick Hoygull
Photograph of SCP-3632 captured by the Norcross Space Telescope.
Object Class: Safe
Special Containment Procedures: Given SCP-3632's distance from Earth, no immediate containment procedures are needed at this time. MTF Omicron-4 ("Bird Watchers") operatives are embedded in all major space agencies capable of directly observing SCP-3632 in order to falsify any data that may imply the presence of a biosphere or sapient life; however, it is unlikely that such data could be gathered due to civilian technological limitations.
The Wide Angle Research Telescope at Site-309 will image SCP-3632 every 30 days: staff are encouraged to review these images for reference.
Description: SCP-3632 is an irregular planetoid with a mean radius of 440 km, currently approaching the Solar System from the direction of Alpha Centauri. Estimations of its current velocity indicate that SCP-3632 would not complete this journey for approximately 600 years: however, direct observations have suggested that SCP-3632 is able to anomalously alter its velocity and direction.
Since 1998, WART imaging has revealed the presence of Earth-like biota on the near side of SCP-3632, as well as artificial structures resembling Old Kingdom and Ptolemaic architecture.1
Due to the presence of diagrams strongly resembling SCP-3632, as well as star charts depicting an accurate route from the Sun to Alpha Centauri B, in the historical records of multiple cultures during the Hellenistic period, it has been hypothesized that SCP-3632 has previously interacted with humanity and is associated with a variety of avian religious figures or folk heroes, including Djehuti, Thoth, Garuda, and Lei Gong. However, aside from the perceived similarity of these diagrams, there is no information to confirm nor disprove this hypothesis.
Several excerpts from contemporary documents that potentially describe SCP-3632 have been included below:
SCP-3632 Historical Archive
Hide Historical Archive
5. prize of victory of the men of KHEMENNU, who devoted their most excellent minds and many years of their labour to the Pyramid… [illegible] gone from a seedling in the mind of the nomarch MERESANKH to a splendid structure, which towers over the city,
6. and it has been built in the name of DJEHUTI, whom all men of intellect aspire to
9. as it was a structure most ingenious and pleasing to his sight, he took the whole city of KHEMENNU to the wondrous land of BROT KRUMA beyond the Sun,
10. where his chosen followers will live in bliss forever.
-Unidentified tablet fragments, dating to the early Third Dynasty
In the later years of Huangdi's2 rule, the god Lei Gong, who could control thunder and rode in a flying city, visited his capital of Xinzheng. The boy Ji Mǐn, who was one of Huangdi's sons, was a great admirer of Lei Gong and called to him, saying, "Look at the canals I have made by the river: they protect the city from flooding. Look at the wooden birds I have made: they carry our people from one end of our kingdom to the other.3 Is this not pleasing to you?"
But Lei Gong was angry and said, "My people have been travelling for seven thousand years; they have travelled past the Moon and beyond the stars. But you bring them no food and no gifts, not even some workers to ease their burden. Instead you bring me tricks and toys, all of which I have seen before, and think this will please me?"
And there was a great storm above Xinzheng, which knocked the palace roof down, and floods lasting for two years.
-Redacted passage of the Records of the Grand Historian by Sima Qian, circa 1st century BC
The Bird and the Floating Island
There once was a wise old Bird, named Thoth, that greatly desired the miraculous floating island of his neighbours: a miniature world, much like the one we live on now, with all manner of plants and animals. His neighbours, the Pistreans, were monstrous creatures with fins and fangs and rough, scaly skin, and they spread all across the island until the plants were gone and the animals dead. Desperate for aid, they called for help, and Thoth disguised himself as a wrinkled old crane and went to them.
"Wise crane," said Akheilos,4 their leader, "we have no food to eat and no crops to plant. Our children lie awake in their beds at night, keening with hunger. All we ask for is some bread, to fill our bellies and keep our people alive."
For this Thoth was glad, for he did not care for Akheilos or his people, and was not overmuch concerned with keeping the Pistreans alive. But because he sensed an opportunity for himself, he opened his crooked beak into a smile and said, "My friend, your troubles are my troubles; I promise you that your people will never have to go hungry again. But for everything, there is a price."
"Anything," pleaded the lord of the Pistreans, and Thoth preened his tattered wings and said, "Akheilos, my friend, as much as it pains me to say this, was it not you who led your people into famine? If I do this thing for you, you must leave the Pistreans and be bound outside the Universe, so they do not suffer the same fate again."
With a heavy heart, Akheilos agreed, and was bound and cast outside the universe. And Thoth was glad, because he knew that this was the only creature that could defeat him in what he planned to do.
To the remaining Pistreans, he said, "Here is a spell that will give you all the bread you shall ever need: not a one of you shall ever be forsaken again." And giving them the spell, he departed that place as speedily as he could.
The Pistreans, being a trusting people, immediately opened the spell that wise old Thoth had given them, and gave shouts of joy as the few crumbs of bread they had left began to grow in size. But their shouts turned to groans of despair, then screams, as the crumbs continued to grow and grow, filling their plates and then their homes and finally, their entire floating world.
When Thoth returned to that place, not a single Pistrean was left alive: all were buried beneath the vast, undulating waves of bread that covered the surface of the planet. And seeing this, Thoth began to work his magic. From the bread sprang up something that looked like plants and animals, at least to the untrained eye, and from under the planet's new crust rose the Pistreans, transformed into a new and terrible form of life. And they built palaces and edifices that were testaments to Thoth's great power, even if they were not entirely real.
Outside of the Universe, Akheilos still lies bound, unaware of the fate of his people. Let the moral that he learns from this tale be thus: An old crane may be very, very wise, but that does not mean he is on your side.
-Second-century Italian folk tale, anachronistically attributed to Aesop
Based on the condition that these documents are describing SCP-3632 and semi-accurate events relating to it, a tentative secondary anomaly has been designated SCP-3632-1. This is assumed to be a sapient being, which may be responsible for SCP-3632's fluctuating architecture and autonomous changes in velocity.
Exploration: Due to recent advances in unmanned superluminal travel, as well as the avian features of many SCP-3632 architectural features and the suspected avian nature of SCP-3632-1, the exploratory probe Sitchin-1 was approved by regional O5 Undersecretariat vote (8-3, 2 abstaining). Designed to survive entry and re-entry of both Earth and SCP-3632 atmospheres, it was proposed that it would perform both an aerial flyby and a landing on the anomaly, collect surface samples and image potential avian lifeforms, and return to Earth for additional analysis at Site-309.
Sitchin-1 was deployed on 08/15/2016 from the Penalva Launch Site, under the guise of a commercial satellite launch. It is projected to reach SCP-3632 by 01/03/2017.
Display Sitchin-1 Incident Log
Hide Sitchin-1 Incident Log
Electrical malfunction reduces Solar Array 3 to 60% power. Incident attributed to faulty wiring. As this array was designed to be redundant, no further action is required.
Complete failure of video transmitter. Hypothesized to be the result of space debris. Video and audio can no longer be transmitted back to Earth, and must be reviewed upon completion of the mission.
Short-term anomaly in location readout. Unknown cause. Values returned to normal after 3 minutes.
Display Sitchin-1 Recovery & Analysis
Hide Sitchin-1 Recovery & Analysis
VIDEO LOG
NOTE: Sitchin-1 was recovered from the Caribbean Sea on 09/05/18. Despite all parts being in good working order, no data had been transmitted back to Site-309 for the duration of its mission. The following post-mission analysis was conducted by Head Researcher Iqbar and Junior Researchers Kelsey & Bouche, both to determine the causes behind the probe's mechanical failures and to review the video and audio data collected during the mission.
[BEGIN LOG]
00:02 Hello? This is Dr. Maglan. I'm officially beginning this analysis: the quarantine officers have just finished reassembling our probe, and it looks like there's no evidence of tampering with any of the machinery, anomalous or otherwise. Our next course of action is to go through the video available to us and determine what, exactly, caused us to lose contact for the better part of two years.
00:05: Dr. Kelsey finishes linking Sitchin-1 internal audiovisual files to Site-309 database. All set up, sir. Should I go ahead and play it, or…?
00:05: Whenever you're ready.
00:06: Dr. Kelsey activates the video logs. Sitchin-1's cameras activate as it achieves low-earth orbit and activates its main thrusters. After some deliberation, Dr. Bouche fast-forwards the video: Sitchin-1 is engulfed in a micrometeor shower which slightly dents the transmission dish, believed to be responsible for the mechanical failure.
00:10: Sitchin-1 enters weirspace5 uneventfully.
00:47: A minor malfunction in Sitchin-1's weirspace stabilizers is hypothesized by Dr. Bouche to cause the anomaly in location readout previously observed, but subsequent testing confirms that this is not the case.
01:25: Sitchin-1 exits weirspace 14 minutes early, appearing directly over SCP-3632. The anomaly is approximately 3 km from the location it was imaged at by the WART telescope at the same time as the mission, accounting for relativistic differences.
01:27: This is Dr. Maglan again. The probe appears to be starting its descent towards the… wait, that doesn't look right.
01:29: As Sitchin-1 approaches the surface of SCP-3632, ripple-like distortions appear in its camera feed. The buildings on the anomaly's structure are now clearly visible, appearing to self-construct and crumble to pieces over the course of minutes.
01:34: A distortion overtakes Sitchin-1, and it suddenly appears near the upper atmosphere of the planet. Atmospheric perturbations resembling aurorae are visible overhead.
01:36: Interesting. That's… Dr. Kelsey, can you confirm that quarantine completely sterilized the probe? Yes? Okay.
01:48: Sitchin-1 begins its descent toward SCP-3632 another 14 minutes early, following its pre-programmed flight path.
01:56: Sitchin-1 initiates landing maneuvers over what superficially resembles a field of brown grass. Subsequent video analysis, as well as residual matter on Sitchin-1's landing gear, reveals that these are in fact down feathers, apparently still living.
02:02: Sitchin-1 touches down. A large ibis-shaped monument is visible in the distance, emanating a blue light.
02:04: That's what we're looking for, right…right there. John – hey, John – could we get a focus on that area of the screen?
02:05: Two avian entities with humanoid faces, approximately 6 meters in height, approach from the direction of the monument. They appear to be softly whispering to each other.
02:05: Dr. Bouche, you've been on the SCP-3632 project since almost the very beginning. Do these entities resemble SCP-3632-1 from the literature? Can we confirm its existence?
02:07: I mean – ah – all the records are so vague, it's, it's really very difficult to tell…
02:08: State your name for the record, please.
02:08: Oh, sorry, sorry. This is Dr. Bouche. And… in my professional opinion, I would have to say not. SCP-3632-1 is often described as a bird-headed humanoid with powers of flight, although these creatures could be… associated?
02:10: The two entities pause in front of Sitchin-1 and face the camera. After a pause, they both produce noises reminiscent of throat-clearing.
02:13: Are they trying to communicate? …Dr. Bouche, port this through to Command.
02:16: The two entities simultaneously begin producing harmonies, which are elaborated into melodies. Dr. Maglan laughs.
02:17: They're singing to us, you see that? Beautiful. Beautiful birds.
02:19: There are tens of billions of birds in the world, did you know that? Almost 50 birds per person. Now there are birds in space, you see that. We are very, very small.
02:22: Both entities' melodies shift a note. Cognitohazard alerts begin to sound.
02:23: I'm not sure what's going on here. Bouche, activate the SCRAMBLE filters.
02:25: There is no response from Bouche. Entities continue to vocalize.
02:26: Bouche? Bouche, what's going on? Activate the SCRA…
02:27: …The scra…
02:30: Entities continue to vocalize.
02:32: Scra.
02:33: Alerts from Site-507 indicate that SCP-3662 is active and has begun to produce vibrations consistent with the entities' harmonics. All personnel within a 20-meter radius have begun experiencing symptoms consistent with SCP-3662-1 subjects.
02:35: Scraaaa.
02:38: Reports of SCP-3662-1-like symptoms begin to arrive primarily from regions surrounding Site-507, with exceptions. Radios on the same longitude as Site-309 begin to broadcast harmonies consistent with the SCP-3632 entities'.
02:30: Scraaa scra scra SCRAW SCRAW SCRAW –
02:34: Site-309 activates its on-site nuclear warhead. Reports of behaviour similar to Dr. Maglan's intercepted from all major population centres. Estimated 40% of Foundation personnel compromised. Analysis abandoned.
[END LOG]
One (1) new note has been added on: 11 August, 2018
Hide note
By now, you've probably figured out that SCP-3632-1 is very real. We mostly call him Thoth at this point – containment procedure's fallen apart, but can you really blame us?
We should have recognized from the history records that Thoth has a penchant for setting traps, and we walked right into one he set. SCP-3632, the buildings, the entities – it was all elaborate bait he set for us, a means of transporting some kind of weaponized idea back to Earth. And we fell for it, because it was only a Safe anomaly and there were so many other, catastrophic, world-ending terrors we had to deal with on a daily basis. And here we are. Let that be a lesson to… well, who, really? There's almost no one left.
Humanity never stood a chance. The meme was across the planet in a matter of hours. We still have some colleagues holed up in Lunar Area-32, but it's only a matter of time until they run out of supplies. In the end, there were no voracious reality-eaters, no walking pillars of flesh, just… a single, stupid meme that got past our filters, and suddenly the people we swore to protect entire population of Earth is roaming around, cawing and pecking at the ground. And lately, there have been other, more disturbing changes.
If you're reading this – if at this point, by some miracle, you're still alive – you'll probably be reading this document, trying to figure out what went wrong. Well, we're still alive too, and Thoth won't see us coming. Come to Site-18. We're there, the birds and the not-quite-humans that managed to avoid the apocalypse, and we've got a plan.
I can't tell you if it's a good one, but we've got a plan.
Out of all the things that could have ended the world, I still can't believe it was fucking birds.
-Dr. Frederick Hoygull, Avian Division Head
1. Of note: these structures have never been consistently imaged in the same location, but will appear in different arrangements.
2. The semilegendary 'Yellow Emperor' of Chinese high antiquity.
3. Heavier-than-air flight, which this passage seems to be describing, was not achieved by humans until 4,500 years later, and there is no archaeological evidence to corroborate this manuscript.
4. A selachian daemon in Greek mythology.
5. A subuniversal framework where absolute coordinates are not relevant, manipulated to send small payloads at superluminal velocities.
« The Sacred Djehuti | TEAM BIRD | Avian Anthology I »
« SCP-3631 | SCP-3632 | SCP-3633 »
avian_ccdoctor-hoygulldoomsday2018extraterrestrialhistoricalplanetsafescpteam-bird
page revision: 16, last edited: 22 Nov 2020 00:22
Therafim RPG
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SCP日本財団中枢資料室。
収用


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text:
A fire in Billericay High Street is causing long delays
A fire engine was seen responding to an incident near Waitrose
Tommy WathenEngagement Producer
A fire engine has been spotted in Billericay High Street
Heavy traffic is building around Billericay High Street after reports of a fire in the town centre.
Asingle fire engine has been spotted in High Street, Billericay, shortly after 8am on Friday (December 15), attending to an incident near the Waitrose in town.
The first reports of an incident were first seen on social media earlier this morning when a Facebook user posted: "Building fire in Billericay High St, one road shut off so traffic is going to be bad".
A staff member at a nearby business told Essex Live: "I heard about it and expected the traffic to be terrible. There is only one fire engine outside Waitrose."
Victim in South Ockendon park murder named locally
Another local worker, who works up the other end of Billericay High Street, said: "I've just heard about it on the radio. It is down the other end of the High Street."
Essex County Fire and Rescue Service have been contacted for comment.
Essex County Fire and Rescue Service


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October 2013, FAZI released debut album "Running Horse". March 2015, they released a 7 inch vinyl "Golden Cage" then signed to Maybe Mars. In early 2016, their second studio album "Root of Innocence" was released. Afterwards, FAZI went on a massive 43-city album release tour in China in March and April. One year later, in April 2017, FAZI went abroad for the first time. They had 14 shows and 2 festival showcases in Italy, France, Belgium, Netherlands and Germany. FAZI eared applause and praise with their proudly Chinese singing. Europeans were surprised by this post-punk band from China. The albums and merch FAZI brought were sold out even before the tour finished. Now, FAZIs third album "Heart of Desire" is coming, with 8 tracks they recorded on the way of their last China tour, available in digital, CD, cassette and vinyl.