Storytelling for New Technologies and Platforms: A Writer’s Guide to Theme Parks, Virtual Reality, Board Games, Virtual Assistants, and More

Length: 140 pages
Edition: 1
Language: English
Publisher: CRC Press
Publication Date: 2022-06-22
ISBN-10: 036769378X
ISBN-13: 9780367693787
Sales Rank: #0 (See Top 100 Books)

Want to know what it’s like to write for a theme park attraction? Or an interactive toy? Or for a virtual reality game? Wait – those tell stories? And there are jobs for people to write them? Thanks to technology, interactive products and live experiences can now engage us with memorable characters and exciting adventures that were once only destined for the cinema.

Storytelling for New Technologies and Platforms: A Writer’s Guide to Theme Parks, Virtual Reality, Board Games, Virtual Assistants, and More is a handbook for writers, students, producers, teachers, scholars, career changers, early tech adopters, and just about anyone who loves story and technology. As a collection of articles from some of the best creative writers in their medium, this book will prepare content creators of tomorrow to tackle some of today’s most exhilarating creative challenges found on a screen … or off!

Key Features:

Expert advice from several industry professionals who have worked for some of the world’s biggest tech and interactive companies.
Best practices that not only guide writers on how to apply their craft to new fields, but also prepare them for the common ambiguity they will find in corporate and start-up environments.
Breakdown of platforms that shows how tech capabilities can fulfill content expectations and how content can fulfill tech expectations.
Basic storytelling mechanics customized to today’s popular technologies, live experiences, and traditional game platforms.

Cover
Half Title
Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Preface: Why This Book
Acknowledgments
Editor
Contributors
HOW THIS BOOK IS ORGANIZED
	Location: Shared vs. Exclusive
	Social Nature: Interdependent vs. Autonomous
	Exclusive + Autonomous
	Exclusive + Interdependent
	Shared + Autonomous
	Shared + Interdependent
	Storytelling Factor
	A Final Note
CHAPTER 1 Virtual Assistants and Storytelling
	Introduction
	The Platform
	Propulsion Loops
	What’s Coming Next?
	Virtual Virgil
	Closing
CHAPTER 2 Writing for Toys – Actually a Job
	How Toys Tell Stories
	Play Is Personal
	Quick Qualifications
	Knowing the Audience
	Second Fiddler
	Providing Value
	Instructing Efficienly
	Every Player Matters
	Extending the Experience
	Leaving Room
CHAPTER 3 Approaching Virtual Reality Storytelling
	Identify the Narrative Means
	Immersion Has Its Limits
	Users Are the Core of Any VR Experience
	A Ghost Story
	Know the Limits of Your Genre
	Environment as a Narrative Pillar
	Locomotion in VR
	Driving the User’s Gaze
	The Question of Interface and Transitions
	Direct Environment and Collective Experience
	Extend Your Skills as a Writer
	References
CHAPTER 4 Building Narrative in Mobile Games
	Creating an Immersive World
	Teaming Up
	Problems and Solutions
	It’s a Small World, After All
	Future Thinking
	Getting the Job
		Ship it!
	Reference
CHAPTER 5 Storytelling and Board Games
	Story-Making Games
	Tailored Storytelling Games
	Systemic Storytelling Games
	Other Games with Narrative Elements
	Systemic/Story-Making Hybrids
	Systemic/Story-Making/Tailored Hybrids
	Systemic/Other/Tailored Hybrids
	Further Discussion and Guidance for Writers
	Conclusion
	References
CHAPTER 6 Storytelling in Hybrid Games
	Overview
	Mechanics and Systems
		Game 1
		Game 2
		Game 3
	Discussion
	Conclusion
CHAPTER 7 The Shape of Story
	There’s a Job for That?
	The Design Process
	Working with Stakeholders
	Story Development
	The Attraction Experience
		The Approach
		The Queue
		The Preshow Experience
		The Ride Experience
		The Post-Show and Gift Shop
	The Future of Themed Entertainment
		Agency and Immersion
	Parting Thoughts
		Your Big Break
CHAPTER 8 Red Flags
	Red Flag 1: One Size Fits All (Not Realy)
		Cognitive Load
		Physical Limits of Technology
	Red Flag 2: Ignoring Consumer Expectations
	Red Flag 3: Focusing on the Holes in the Roof When the House is on Fire
	Red Flag 4: Just Because It Can Doesn’t Mean It Should
	Red Flag 5: No Vision
	Red Flag 6: Feeding the Beast Poorly
	Red Flag 7: Chemistry Fit… or Lack Thereof
	On That Note …
	References
INDEX