Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Communication, Head of Cartoon and Animation Department, Assoc. Prof. Dr. İpek Fatma Çevik, shared information about the transformation of digital games and the design process of cartoons.
Turkey ranks 3rd globally…
As time spent on smartphones increases, the importance of mobile games, in addition to social media platforms, grows day by day. Experts stated that the 2021 report on the mobile application market provided significant data, pointing out that 75% of investments are made in the gaming sector, and the investment amount reached 100 billion dollars. Experts also indicate that the same report shows Turkey's time spent on mobile game applications increased by 40% and it ranks third worldwide.
Designer plays to understand the production process
Stating that playing games and making games are very different situations, Assoc. Prof. Dr. İpek Çevik said, “Enjoyable times spent playing games create certain problems that need to be solved in the game design process. A game designer plays to understand the game's production process. Therefore, the enjoyment he gets is shaped by the innovations he learns and the contribution he will make to his own game designs.”
The importance of mobile games is increasing
Reminding that smartphones and tablets have become a part of daily life with the internet, Çevik said, “The shrinking of computers to be carried in a pocket, the elevation of hardware features to high levels, and having large touchscreens without an external pointer, led users to switch from desktop computers to smartphones. As time spent on smartphones increases, the importance of mobile games, in addition to social media platforms, grows day by day.”
Turkey ranks 3rd globally
Assoc. Prof. Dr. İpek Çevik stated, ‘According to the 2019 report published by App Annie, which prepares digital data and analysis for the mobile application market, mobile game download figures reached 200 billion worldwide, while the 2021 report stated that 75% of investments are made in the gaming sector, and these investments amounted to 100 billion dollars.’ and continued her words as follows:
“The same report stated that Turkey ranked third worldwide, showing a 40% increase in time spent on mobile game applications. The total time a person spends with a smartphone in a day averages 4.2 hours. Therefore, game design emerges as a target market in a sectoral context worldwide.”
Game design will offer new experiences
Çevik stated that when examining the digital data revealed by research, it can be said that game design and its market will show progress directly proportional to technological developments, adding, “The speed and practical uses that smartphones, tablets, and computers offer their users in terms of hardware are constantly progressing. In this direction, it can be clearly observed that software capable of integrating with this developed technological infrastructure is also pushing boundaries. At this very point, it would be appropriate to say that productions that make a difference in art and design will gain even more importance. Despite the limitations of algorithms used in game design, it is possible for story and visual design to push boundaries. Therefore, game design will continue to offer new enjoyment and experiences to its users in the future.”
The use of virtual and augmented reality applications will increase
Assoc. Prof. Dr. İpek Çevik said, ‘With the increasing use of Virtual (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) applications in the near future, we will begin to see their effects in all areas’ and continued her words as follows:
“It would not be wrong to say that augmented reality applications, which are frequently preferred in the field of education today, are becoming widespread day by day. In addition, it is a known fact that shopping is done with virtual reality stores preferred by a small number of brands, different experiences are offered to users in the entertainment sector, virtual artworks are exhibited in many museums around the world, and games are played in virtual environments very close to reality with virtual reality games. In this context, we can say that game design will gain more importance with the cheapening and widespread adoption of the hardware and software used.”
The importance of cartoons and animation is undeniable
Assoc. Prof. Dr. İpek Çevik stated that cartoons produced with traditional methods are now produced in digital environments to provide speed and convenience to their designers, adding, “Producing in digital environments does not lead to a loss in artistic context but offers speed and endless possibilities to its designer. In the game design process, the use of drawn environments, characters, and interfaces continues within the concept determined according to the preferences and wishes of the designers. At the current peak of technological developments, the importance of cartoons and animation is undeniable when their areas of use are considered. Therefore, we foresee that this discipline will continue to develop in the future, and its effects on people will become more pronounced.”