My latest published writings
ACTIVISION BLIZZARD: EA to swoop for NCsoft?
MCV Online, 5th December, 2007Activision/Vivendi deal could prompt further moves, says analyst
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The Omniscient Eye: Can I Find Treasure Under a Big, Red X?
Pyramid, 17th August, 2007Buried treasure. The leprechaun's pot of gold. Doubloons and pieces of eight and treasure galore. The treasure map is a staple of the adventure narrative. It provides motivation, instructions and a natural plot hook. The only problem is that, despite all expectations to the contrary, there is only one verified occasion when a pirate buried his treasure in hope of returning to it one day.
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Web communities - the missed opportunity for game developers
Develop, 1st July, 2007The changes being wrought by the Internet are radical and far-reaching. Your consumers are changing the way they expect to interact with each other, with entertainment and with brands. Developers who fail to embrace these changes are certainly missing a trick and possibly sowing the seeds of their own destruction.
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This article originally appeared in the print magazine Develop
The Omniscient Eye: Where's the Nearest Money Laundromat?
Pyramid, 20th April, 2007Money laundering is the process of taking the profits of criminal activity and "cleaning" it so it can no longer be traced to its illegal roots. Since the majority of criminal activity is transacted with cash, it is predominantly focused on getting enormous quantities of physical cash paid into banks, washed through a variety of electronic transactions, and eventually either withdrawn or used to make legitimate investments.
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Naval Warriors: The Officers And Men Who Fought The Great Square-Riggers -- Part III: The Commissioned Officers
Pyramid, 19th January, 2007A ship-of-the-line with 74 guns might have as many as 600 crew. The commissioned officers -- the Captain, Lieutenants and Midshipman -- were the leaders and the authority for the men. They were crucial to the success of their ship.
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Naval Warriors: The Officers And Men Who Fought The Great Square-Riggers -- Part II: The Warrant Officers
Pyramid, 12th January, 2007On a major warship, the warrant, or non-commissioned, officers were the backbone of the crew. Since the commissioned officers were frequently advanced due to political or family connections (although merit and gallantry played a significant part), the warrant officers were highly skilled, specialized, and crucial to the successful running of the ship.
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Naval Warriors: The Officers And Men Who Fought The Great Square-Riggers -- Part I: The Men
Pyramid, 29th December, 2006The naval vessels of the 18th and 19th centuries required enormous manpower. The only source of energy for adjusting the sails, loading the guns, and undertaking the myriad tasks required to maintain a ship in peak fighting condition was the muscle power of the crew. A ship of the line could carry up to 800 men including marines, working as a cohesive unit to explore the globe, protect trade and confound the enemy.
This series of articles will look at the men who constituted these crews, and give ideas of how to create them in GURPS terms.
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The Gentleman Privateer: The Rough Trade Of Legitimate Piracy
Pyramid, 10th March, 2006The distinction between privateer and pirate was fine, but very important. Pirates were individuals working on their own initiative for their own gain; privateers were a recognised tool of war and had legitimacy with at least one nation.
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Hollywood Gaming - The Sequel
Develop, May 1st, 2005Hollywood is coming to the games industry. Hands up if you've heard this before. Many major media companies have tried to enter the market in the past, and have usually retreated with ignominy. But this time it will be different. The market has changed, and they have no choice but to commit significant time, energy and, above all, money to the games market.
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This article originally appeared in the print magazine Develop
Show us the money: Part 2
MCV, September 12, 2003All companies need finance at some point in their development. Nicholas Lovell explains what motivates investors, and how companies can improve their chances of success in raising money...
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This article originally appeared in the print magazine MCV
Show us the money: Part 1
MCV, 9th May, 2003The retail value of games sold in the UK topped £1billion for the first time in 2002. Yet the market value of all the games companies listed on the London Stock Exchange is only £225m and many companies struggle to raise the finance they need to develop and publish high quality games. Why are the financial markets so reluctant to commit capital to the games industry? Nicholas Lovell investigates...
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This article originally appeared in the print magazine MCV
