Here is the transcript of our interview conducted with Mike Ambinder, an experimental psychologist over at Valve Software:
-What is Valve’s history with user-generated content? how have you, as a company, catered to this? (mod tools, incentives, hiring talented modders etc)
The creation of user-generated content has typically been one of the great adva…ntages of the PC platform. We’ve tried to take advantage of this in a variety of ways, some of which you’ve already mentioned. We are always on the lookout for talented people creating novel and quality experiences and have hired several mod teams—Counter-Strike, Day of Defeat, Team Fortress Classic, etc.—with great success. We include the Source engine free with the purchase of any Valve game, so folks are welcome to create any noncommercial content they would like. In addition, if folks are creating content for our games that we feel is shippable—maps and items in TF for example—we are happy to distribute the content and reward the creators monetarily. Futhermore, folks are constantly creating tools, websites, and the like in support of our games that offer additional functionality that we do not currently provide. These efforts typically serve to broaden our userbase and for the most part are actively encouraged when they do so in non-detrimental ways.
-Why do you think there is such a healthy relationship with user-produced content and professional content in the Video Games industry? Does it come down to the type of people that play and create games, or more the nature of the technology being used?
I think folks see the value in actively engaging their users. I don’t think it is necessarily a universal truth in the industry, lots of folks do see the value in providing the means and capability for folks to add to the universes surrounding their favorite games. In response to your specific query, I think people will create content for any medium of entertainment they consume, but the encouraging attitude of the developers and the availability of comparable tools for creating content definitely serve the industry well in this regard.
-Do you consider the popularity of users creating content based on professional development kits exclusive to the Games industry? Do you think it is possible for this amateur/professional environment to be replicated in other industries?
At the moment, I feel like the distinctions between professional grade content and ‘user-generated’ content are blurring across all industries. The costs of creating high-quality work are dropping significantly, so I feel like this model could be replicated across industries if the desire exists to do so on the part of the content creators.
-Do you feel Valve’s approach to working closely with mod communities (Assisting and hiring of Counter-strike developers, hiring university students who went on to create Portal) is something that is industry-wide, or a unique Valve approach?
It’s definitely something in which we see the value. I can’t speak for the actions of other developers.
-ABC TV in Australia is currently experimenting with allowing users/viewers to use their professionally produced content to create new media in the form of video mash-ups and asking people to make their own content which will be broadcast on TV, do you think we will start to see more of this in the future?
Absolutely. Apologies for the brief answer, but it does appear that a variety of industries are trending towards the notion of actively engaging their userbase through the creation of additional content.
-Do you feel that other industries will take influence to the Video Game industry’s approach to user-generated content in the future? Or are their signs of this already?
Again, I can’t speak specifically about the plans of other industries, but if the value of user-generated content is apparent to folks in gaming, it is likely that other industries will see it (or eventually see it )as well.
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