Bit Rebels – Star Wars, Jurassic Park & More Drawn In IKEA…

Bit Rebels – Star Wars, Jurassic Park & More Drawn In IKEA…

The world is going crazy....

Earthquakes on the east coast, Steve Jobs resigned from apple and now, without prompting, my wife told me I love you... I think the world will implode in 10 days...
But seriously, I am unsure which is more disturbing. The earthquake or the fact that the man who has ran Apple most of my life is gone. I am kind of scared to see what will happen to the company without Jobs around.
And where is my beta invite Bioware? I have paid for my Collector's copy of SWtOR and registered... I want beta access before the world implodes. ;-) You have 10 days. Hahaha!

What Is Interactivity?

A quick, cursory answer would simply say that interactivity merely requires the input of the observer. If this is the case, then interactivity has been present since the beginning of time. Storytelling around a fire would be considered the basis for interactivity. Although the fire statement is very true, it is not solely for this reason. The story teller at that camp fire also knew a little about how things must be told to ensure that the listeners could listen and learn about their hunt. If the story wasn’t told in a way to get the listeners excited, no one would be awake at the end of the tale.
Interactivity in today’s world is much more complex and involved. The layers of interactivity in games and stories include every facet of the environment. Should all objects be interactive? Should any? Which ones? Is the storyline interactive? Is it linear or non-linear? Is the player able to alter the reality of the game through their actions? Can the software support it? Can the reader choose their path in the story? Can the role of the hero/heroine be altered? Does the fact that the player/reader even chose that story constitute interaction? All of these factors and many more, can determine the level of interactivity of a story or game.
To be most engaging, it is my personal opinion that memorable characters must be set in a story with an almost universal theme. Plot twists and foreshadowing can keep any one engaged in a story. Providing players with a way to influence the line and outcome of that story is a way to insure that they wish to continue interacting with it for years to come.
Sims, R. (1997). Interactivity: A Forgotten Art? Retrieved October 18, 2010 from Instructional Technology Research Online: http://www2.gsu.edu/~wwwitr/docs/interact/.

Where Do Stories Come From?

Stories are things of imagination, and they reflect our desires, our fears and our hopes. As stated by Whitestone Filmmaker Asher Emmanuel (Stories are influenced by) “…things we have touched, held and experienced.” (They are composed of) “…our dreams and our nightmares…” We all hope to be the hero or heroine, and we are all afraid to face the antagonist. The journeys experienced by our favorite hero characters often echo a deep seeded longing within our own hearts for something more. Expression of these desires and fears often leads to fictional story telling.
Stories can come from a variety of external and internal influence. They can originate with something as simple as falling out the bed early in the morning to something as complex and devious as being invited to join a bank heist. They can even originate from seemingly nothing. Our psyche, our hearts and our yearning to be a part of something more can fuel our imaginations to create a world, through stories, that we can share with other likeminded individuals. In my personal opinion, however, the best stories begin with a fraction of real life experience, and then they are broadened by the ingenious view of human imagination.
Reference
Where Do Stories Come From? (2010). Retrieved October 04, 2010 from Whitestone Motion Pictures: http://www.whitestonemotionpictures.com/blog/ where-do-stories-come-from/.

Blogging and other nonsense

Apparently I have what it takes.
I have been recruited by a little known site called The Elite Gamer to write articles for them. This is awesome. It also means I need to redouble my efforts to attend Comicon. We can't be the only people out there without representation, right?
I mean, as a designer, I need to go to venues such as this anyway. I might as well make a job of it!
Wish me luck!
Donate to Lashanachar@gmail.com if you care to aid my efforts HERE

Beggar or Needy?

I never asked for help for anything. This is not because of pride, but because I feel that able bodied individual should provide for themselves. That being said, this is the first time that I have ever asked for help.
I have been informed that the best way to continue my networking in the gaming industry is to attend conventions. Comicon is only 62 days away. If I tighten my budget, I will be able to save enough to cover my ticket, room, good and travel. Unfortunately, I will not have enough money to cover my bills at home due to the work I will miss by going to Comicon.

I humbly ask anyone that is willing and able to donate any amount they can. The fact that I am asking shows how badly I want to go to Comicon. If you wish to donate, please do it on PayPal. My email address is Lashanachar@gmail.com. I, Jason Harris, do solemnly promise that any money donated will be solely used for my trip to Comicon. If I do not get enough donations to be able to go, all donations will be returned to the sending party.

Thank you for your consideration and support. Deadline for reservations is Sept 23, 2011.

SWTOG and Other Ramblings

SWOTG is definitely the most under-talked about game right now IMHO. Most people i encounter have no clue that it is even coming out... I mean come on, Why have you not seen this footage? And why have you not shed tears of pride or indignation over this? If anyone can watch this without at least feeling choked up in the back of their throats, then something is seriously wrong.
We, as a gaming community, designers, artist and players, are seriously delinquent in broadcasting this information. Even if you hate Star Wars you should realize the gravity of a game like this one. (IMHO if you hate Star Wars GTFO of the USA btw. There are people in this world who know about Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader that do not know that Lincoln was an American president. If that is not an American icon IDK what is.)
But, I digress...
I understand that all games cannot be epic, and there are huge amounts of necessity for games that are brief and only a minor distraction. I also understand that there are a lot of people who never even play a video game their entire lives. The only thing I muse about, why do we have to create epic games with the most advanced graphics? Why can't we still make games in 8bit and have them be popular? I know, I know, consumers are mostly cattle, which is a human trait, but does that mean we cannot add some meaning to their existence?
Yes, graphics and sound do add to immersion, but I personally consider the old 8bit games our new equivalent of books. How can you fully enjoy a movie if you have not read the back story? The same, IMHO, applies to video games. You cannot fully enjoy SWTOR if you have not played some of the old 8bit games to see all the struggle that has gone into trying to make a great game from this epic story.

I am only going to say this lightly and briefly. AR is going to either be the future of computing, gaming, media or all of the above. We should embrace is like lovers in the night and make copious offspring for the world to enjoy.

Finally, I understand gamers like to be around gamers with similar likes and pursuits as them, and that has bled over into the gaming industry. With so many outlets for games, and so many different ways to earn income from games, why are there not more studios out there to tap into the vast amounts of unused talent in our unemployment lines?