Live, three years later! Wizard 101

In the summer of 2011, Wizard 101, a fantasy MMO, released a new cutscene that takes place right before the finale battle against Malistaire. As I watched it, I was amazed to recognize the cutscene I wrote for them in 2008. After helping them write quest text for their launch, I’d thrown the first draft of this scene over to them, thinking they wouldn’t be able to include it, and ta-dah! Now they can!

The Youtube comments are surprising:

“i cried at this, not even lying.”

“Ohhhhh I’m like half crying… Best love story ever in my book “

Spoilers ahoy, so don’t watch if you haven’t played it yet and are planning to…

A media map of 2011

So, I’ve been playing around in multiple media in 2011, and not just transmedia.  There’s just one problem.  Something’s missing: you.  Let’s collaborate in 2012 to make an even bigger map for all of us.  If we all made maps and combined them at the center, just imagine what crazy fractal media art we’d make!

Ready to build your own map?  I used https://bubbl.us/.  Let’s connect ours and see what beautiful maps we can make!

The girl who hears voices – A transmedia project

Just to forewarn you, I’m not the girl who hears voices.  Unless someone is talking to me.  And then only sometimes do I hear them.  The girl in question is Crystal, the main character of ME2, a beautifully-drawn MTV Geek comic book.  Crystal Carter has spent years in a mental hospital and will be coming to terms with multiple personalities — and multiple super powers.  I am writing her online journals here.  Check it out!

In case you’re not happy reading a blog post without a buzzword in it, these journals are a transmedia extension of the ME2 brand.  I’ve been working across platforms for years (does STARGATE WORLDS count?), but this is the first true transmedia project to see the light of day.  There’s more to come.  I’m working on one more, but can’t talk about yet, and I also recently spoke on transmedia at a panel at Loscon.

What’s your take on transmedia? A buzzword, or the wave of the future? Or perhaps there’s a door number three…

That’s debatable: Is 3D the only way to success?

People got a bit hot under the collar yesterday in London when I got up to debate the future of social games at Social Gaming and Virtual Goods World.  The topic: Will 3D be necessary for social game success, or will good, simple game-play be enough?  I championed gameplay and emphasized the fact that engagement is key in social games, and engagement is best done through story, rather than just art.  Of course, I’m a little biased.  We concluded that 3D games will become more common, but in the end, good games will win out, if properly marketed.

One attendee suggested that 3D killed the adventure game.  What’s your take on how 3D impacted more hardcore games with the advent of Playstation?

Game Together or Watch Alone: Talk is up!

The latest Game Narrative talk from GDC Online is up: Game Together or Die Alone: Writing Co-operative Campaigns. Enjoy the latest trends in writing for co-op! Grow your knowledge! Laugh at bad analogies!

Check it out here, but remember you must have subscribed to the Vault to get access. Did you see any other sessions at GDCO that were a must-see?

Game Together or Die Alone

GDC Online is just around the corner, and I will be there speaking on a fabulous panel on writing stories in multiplayer games, including co-op, competitive, MMOs, and social games (of doom!).
 
Game Together or Die Alone: Writing Co-Operative Campaigns
Monday, October 10th, 2011 3:00- 4:00 Room 3

Co-op campaigns with strong story elements are more and more common. Creating a cohesive narrative for a game with drop in/drop out co-op can be uniquely challenging. A panel of experienced writers who have worked on a wide range of co-op games, spanning different genres and styles, will talk about how they met the challenge. Co-op campaigns discussed will include Marvel Ultimate Alliance Two, Guild Wars, Pirates of the Burning Sea, Red Alert 3, Call of Juarez: The Cartel, and Dead Island.

Takeaway: Attendees will learn how other writers have created narratives and characters for co-op games. They will learn the tricks, the tips, the pitfalls, the problems, and maybe even a few solutions.

Intended Audience: Game writers, narrative designers, producers, game designers, level designers, quest and mission designers. Anyone interested in crafting a narrative for a co-op campaign.

Come on down to enjoy the fabulous insights of fellow panelists and afterwards, let’s grab a beverage at the Ginger Man!

Game writing, social-style, live on GDC Vault

If you’re developing social games, you’re in luck. My talk from GDC Europe, “From Saving the Princess to Saving the Cow: Content Lessons from MMOs to Facebook games” is now up on the GDC Vault. Game writing, narrative design, and why you shouldn’t just save the princess are all covered. You can watch the talk or download the slides.  Check it out here if you’re a subscriber! If there was any question you were burning to ask, feel free to drop a comment.

Still can’t get enough? I’ll also be speaking at GDC Online in October on “Game Together or Die Alone: Writing Cooperative Campaigns.” See you there?

Writing Social at GDC Europe

I’ll be speaking this Monday (!) at GDC Europe on the wonderful subject of writing for social games, both MMOs and Facebook games.  If you’ll be at GDC Europe, you’ll want to check it out.

GDC Europe
2pm, Monday, August 15, 201
Rheinsaal, 1st Level
From Saving the Princess to Saving the Cow: Content Lessons from MMOs to Facebook Games
As Facebook games mature, developers must work harder to differentiate and monetize their games, and more and more designers are turning to narrative as the solution. Yet narrative done poorly can alienate players. Fortunately, Facebook developers can draw from the wealth of experience of their social gaming predecessors, MMOs. At the same time, MMO developers can learn new narrative and design tricks from the success of Facebook games. Narrative Designer ,Anne Toole, draws examples from MMOs and Facebook games that demonstrate the power of narrative design to not only engage players, but drive monetization.

Come to learn, point and laugh, or just say hello!  I’ll see you there.

Write this: ESPN Sports Bar is live!

Like games?  Like sports?  Don’t like either, but want to hang out with your friends and a group of fun characters on Facebook?  Like it when I start blog posts with a string of rhetorical questions?  Then get ready: ESPN Sports Bar went live on Wednesday!  Someone you know (hint: It’s not your mother) wrote the story and dialog for the newest game from Playdom.

ESPN Sports Bar allows you to build a bar affiliated with your favorite team and tune in to “live” games on ESPN (Check out a Gamezebo preview here).  You’ll also enjoy Cheers-like camaraderie with your staff and regulars… oh, and your real friends, too.  Check it out now so you can thoroughly trounce them with your awesome bar!

E3 Hollywood & Games Mixer tonight!

Come and meet the new generation of leaders in the game and film/television industries!  What started as a private networking dinner is now a full-blown mixer, sponsored by Fund the Future! with the generous support of Microsoft Game Studios and the support of Seagate.  So cut out of work early, or walk over from E3 to enjoy a few drinks, eat complimentary chips from Popchips and cake, and network with the best at the Golden Gopher in downtown Los Angeles.

The E3 Hollywood & Games Mixer is held in support of Fund the Future! and its mission to improve quality and diversity in games and entertainment.  This year’s fund will go toward a scholarship to attend a six-week intensive writing workshop in Seattle, taught by the best in speculative fiction today.  Want to Fund the Future?  Donate now!

This is a party not to be missed!

Date: June 9th, 2011

Time: 6pm – 9 pm

Place: Golden Gopher (http://goldengopher.la)

417 W. 8^th St. (between Olive and Hill)

Los Angeles, CA 90014

Title Sponsor: Microsoft Game Studios

Event Sponsor: Seagate

Fund the Future! is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Contributions for the purposes of Fund the Future! must be made payable to Fractured Atlas and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.