When we look at a film compared to an interactive experience we discover the concept of “Emergence”:
An artistic experience opens doors in the mind. When we watch a film it only goes in 1 direction. However, in the mind of the viewer it goes in many different possible directions. These ‘paths’ are where the viewer thought your film might go. In film, these paths are cut off and thrown away during the production process (post-brainstorming). In interactive media, a system is made to allow for the creation of more paths. This is the essence of Emergence.
So, when creating a film, a game, anything, first try to create a situation that sparks the imaginations of the viewers. They need to say “whoa, where can this go from here?”. Then, in the realm of games, the challenge is to really take them there. Take them into their own imagination!
Author’s Note: I’m going to jump on my New Years Resolution early and get back to blogging! I’ll be blogging about game development and my experiences at USC’s Interactive Media program.
Another Note: Jeezus, this was poorly written initially. My apologies for publishing something on 45 minutes of sleep and 3 cups of coffee.
