shaneneville.com

Whenever you tackle any project, whether it’s a game, a video or a marketing endeavor, you need to break down the medium. What works, why does it work, what are other people doing and how can you take advantage of the medium in a way that is unique.

On Shadow-Born, we explored using the other features of a smart phone - text messages, calendar, alarms, to-do lists etc. These not only take advantage of the features of the phone, but also allow you to play in a way that is unique to the mobile platform.

Mobile is the only platform that is Always On and Always With You. As a game designer, this opens new doors for experiences, story telling and game mechanics. How do you design a game that is always accessible to the player. It can be played at 8AM just as easily as at noon. Bus, classroom, dinner table - all places a 5-10 second in-game action can be done. We explore this space in Shadow-Born, but it only scratches the surface of a very deep lake.

Warren Ellis has been thinking of tackling the Manga format - 90 pages, black and white, smaller size. He first mentioned his desire to explore the format a few months ago. He just posted his summary of the Manga format.

The summary is eye opening, it states the painfully obvious, but in a way few others have actually looked at it before. At the end, one sentence rings true: “But mostly, it’s a form/ambition thing. You’ve got 90 pages and a perfect portable format. Write something so important that people have to carry it with them - because they can.”

This struck a chord with me. The format isn’t only a story-telling medium, it’s a place to tell stories that need to be re-experienced. What if Channel Zero were in Manga format? Would I take it with me on my travels? Probably. It’s good to remind yourself why you are doing something. The design of the book is such that every time you read it, you see something new. This is a Manga format book.

What happens when designer/writers like Wood/Ellis start working with the medium and more importantly, that medium’s consumption in mind? Breakthroughs in stories, visual design and linear narrative experiences.

If you can take the comic with you everywhere, can the comic become an ARG (Alternate Reality Game)? Can parts of the comic be experienced outside of the book? MySpace narrative, street art extensions, YouTube subliminals - it boggles the mind.

Warren Ellis has the nasty habit of inspiring people - you can bet that within the year there will be more than a few manga sized books that challenge how and why people read comics.