Jumping into Literature like Never Before

 People are always trying to create different ways on how to tell a story. Some ways are much more fun than others, resulting in more success. Books are normally the source in which a variety of interpretations are based upon like films, but now story telling may transcend even further, into video games.

Simon Meek and Scottish-based TernTV are creating games where reader's  may experience the story "inside out"(Crecente, 2011). The experience is more like a theatrical performance than a video game. The objective isn't to try and do what a novel does or replace it for that matter because isn't a book. It is to "expand the reach of the book."

Not too much could be said about the projects currently being worked on, but from what Meek has said, is a digital adaptation to a book. It is not a movie, because a movie doesn't allow the viewer to explore. Locations and objects have been created for the player to explore the story. A key component that separates these digital adaptations from normal video games is the player is not in control of the characters, but is an observer with the ability to discover elements from the actual novel. Players will also read some parts of the text when words are simply the best story tellers for the given situation, which may even encourage players to read the whole text or to read other novels by the author. According to Meek,"[They] place them in the world in which the story is set, and are using a combination of original art and games engine to create some truly stunning environments."

Freedom to navigate through the world of the story is what I think the game is mainly based on. The main story is there for you to watch but not touch because the outcome will end the same, but the player may navigate to the places whichever way he or she chooses going wherever appeals to them the most. 

The descriptions of the locations are very important. The player will hear the wind howling, see the objects described in the novel or when the player picks up a book in the game, the book can  not only be read but actually alludes or hints to the actual text of the novel. 

 Digital adaptations allow for the complete picture that helps fill the holes in the reader's imagination, but is not to be used as a crutch. The core idea in digital adaptations is not to rid the audience of a book, but to change the way the story is experienced, which is exactly what Meek wants to do, which is bring books and stories into a more modern audience.

Crecente, B. C. (2011, August 09). Reinvention of literature for gamers. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved from http://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst-article-display?id=SFL2086-0-4692&artno=0000316407&type=ART&shfilter=U&key=video games&title=Reinvention of Literature for Gamers&res=N&ren=Y&gov=Y&lnk=Y&ic=N

Let's keep playing!

The Online Universe

This blog entry is not to inform of how games are shaping the world around us in ways that benefit entertainment needs, but a realization.

According to Michael Fitzgerald from the FAST COMPANY the magazine, gamers are closer than ever than having complete online interaction with the other players of different consoles. CCP, an Icelandic developer is releasing Dust 514 which will allow players from the online game Eve to play with players who have the expansion pack on the PlayStation 3. Of course a variety of aspects from the original PC game will change but the whole universe will be affected from both side of consoles whether it  be a PC player or PlayStation 3.

What did this make me think about (what does it make you think about?) and how does it relate to the rest of the blog?  The network of how people are connected is getting larger, and it doesn't look like it will stop until the gap is minuscule. Many are even afraid, asking themselves the question are we even actually connected or just filling a void? Games may make some become introverted for the sake of playing a game, but games,actually, can help more people connect in a less superficial way.

People who constantly have what to some may be frivolous conversations through social networking may eventually have trouble communicating, an idea that was presented to me through an opinion based article  in the New York Times. The problem is that people not only tend to feel lonely and therefore go and post for little to none of a reason, but then leave the discussion after a "like" or a few comments. With games, people can connect, fight a strategic oriented battle, and even chat in an ingame lobby or talk to your friends and family if they're playing right next to you.

My conclusion that I am trying to make is that games like a board game and other social activities brought and bring people together. Maybe, if and only if placed in the right direction with the right kind of games, video games will bring people closer together. Games needed are ones that can bring people closer, make people have conversations, bring up controversial thought. A game where everyone participates and enjoys.\

Fitzgerald, M. F. (2012, May). Gamers unite. FAST COMPANY, p. 42.

Turkle, S. (21 A). Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/22/opinion/sunday/the-flight-from-conversation.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all

Let's keep playing!