Participatory Design

Wow! What are Microsoft Thinking?!

After my post about highly regarded fan fiction, it was interesting to note Tony Walsh’s post about Microsoft’s ‘Game Content Usage Rules’. People wanting to create machinima using XBox 360 are warned: You can’t add to the game universe or expand on the story told in the game with “lost chapters” or back story or … Read moreWow! What are Microsoft Thinking?!

Transmedia Planners etc on Facebook

For the past year almost, I’ve been following the discussion about ‘transmedia planning’ that has been taking place in cyberspace and at conferences. In response to Henry Jenkins’ ‘transmedia storytelling’, Faris Yakob introduced  ‘Transmedia Planning’ in October 2006: In this model, there would be an evolving non-linear brand narrative. Different channels could be used to communicate different, … Read moreTransmedia Planners etc on Facebook

Some interesting papers on contemporary entertainment

The upcoming London conference, Television Studies Goes Digital, has a few interesting papers: User-Generated Content/Producer-Generated Consumption: How Outsourcing, Crowd-sourcing, and Industrial Identity Theory Fuel Digital TV John T. Caldwell, UCLA  Dislocated Screens: The Place of Television in a Mobile Digital Culture William Boddy, Baruch College, City University of New York Joined up thinking for the … Read moreSome interesting papers on contemporary entertainment

Some new blogs

Here are some new sites or sites that now have blogs that readers of this site may find interesting: Ian Bogost’s blog Well known serious game designer at Persuasive Games, co-editor of serious game site Water Cooler Games and ludologist Ian Bogost has started his own personal blog. Indeed, it is part of a full-blown personal site aggregating his … Read moreSome new blogs

OK, now for some light relief…this is sooooo cute

Sony announced at GDC earlier this year this wonderful game that is being developed by Media Molecule for Playstation 3: LittleBigPlanet. [youtube Taiurn541SE] It is described on the Media Molecule site as follows: The LittleBigPlanet experience starts with players learning about their character’s powers to interact physically with the environment. There are obstacles to explore, bits … Read moreOK, now for some light relief…this is sooooo cute

SXSW Alternate Reality Games transcript online

Dan Hon, COO of Mind Candy has put the transcript of the 2007 SXSW conference panel: ARG! The Attack of the Alternate Reality Games transcript online. It is a fantastic talk that addresses alot of questions people have about ARGs and marketing and emerging trends. I’ve cherrypicked some quotes that stand out for me.

Read moreSXSW Alternate Reality Games transcript online

FremantleMedia's "comedy vlog drama"

On the 5th April, FremantleMedia launched Project V. Project V is a 12 week comedy told through six vloggers. They are real world performers (mainly comedians) from the UK and US who can vlog about anything. And they do. So, it has the realism aesthetic of ‘LonelyGirl15’ but without the deception; sometimes well executed comedy … Read moreFremantleMedia's "comedy vlog drama"