by Urizenus Sklar, from the Narratology Roolz Desk
Those of you who don't track the eggheads on Terra Nova may not be aware that there is a VERY SERIOUS debate between narratologists and ludologists. Ludologists think that MMOs are all about play. Narratologists think that MMOs are about spinning collaborative narratives. Then there are people like me who think they are obviously both (or rather, that there isn't much difference between play and narrative). The best MMOs not only provide comvat systems and tools for building things but also provide a kind of artistic framework in which online narrative can evolve (like the dungeon master in table top D&D games). In Second Life those narratives have to evolve organically in the lore of places like the Jessie Simulator, Fort Longcat, Fur communites, Gorean communities, and, let's face it, the pages of the Herald. In MMOs like EVE Online, however, the game company (CCP) provides back stories in the form of their EVE Chronicles. Back stories help direct the gameplay somewhat, but they are also framing and direct the narrative being developed in the gameplay. Good back stories have uptake -- users pick up on them, expand on them, and write them into their own narratives and game play. I submit to you now an example of such uptake -- an EVE fanvid made by one Dire Lauthis, based on the EVE Chronicle The Breakout.
For some narrative covering "current events" below the fold is a vid that Dire made regarding an operation by the Coreli Corporation. Oh, and since this is the Herald after all I've added a vid of GoonSwarm dropping a Titan in June of 2007.
Continue reading "Eat THIS, Ludologists! EVE Fan Vid Made of Win." »
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