Just Tripping Along The Freakazoid

Alright - so here is my firsthand account (well a bit vague as I did a lot of clicking and wandering around) of how I found a new story/transmedia property or whatever ya wanna call it. I am very interested in the concept of UX (user experience) and user narrative, so I thought I'd try to document how just this simple little journey worked. I am amazed as I started writing this entry how far that little rabbit hole or entry point led me. 1. So, I am going through my twitter stream and I come across this tweet - http://twitter.com/#!/Megaton_us/status/108664814808731648 from Megaton_US. 1a. Megaton hosts a very cool all things Post-apocalyptic site - http://www.megaton.us/ which I started following because 1b. I participate in World of Depleted - http://worldofdepleted.com/ a very cool post-apocalyptic film, story, shared storyworld. 1c. Megaton was woven into the WoD storyworld as well as being a supported/Dark Dreamer and more, and thus I found out about the Mega...

Check out this article on Jeremy Hanke's visit to GothiCon - http://worldofdepleted.com/archives/1768

Hanging in so far, this has been the year for natural disasters.

Well, among everything else, I am needing to build or work on multiple web sites. A good chunk of them are using WordPress as the content management system (CMS). As a result, my limited knowledge of WP programming is growing by leaps, bounds and massive amount of growling at the screen in frustration, followed by pounding the screen a few times, shaking the computer, searching the web for knowledge, redoing something multiple times and finally shouting Eureka! :) One site I am building is for a training center. We will offer workshops, educational information and a treasure chest of resources people can use. so, cataloguing is a main focus there. two other projects are shared storyworlds, so that requires not just cataloguing information, but also providing a crisp feel for the SSW as well as needing to build a community for SSW participants. Another site is my personal story site, which is just a collection of my stories and a few other items of interest. I really needed a n...

Hmm - I think I want to look into this - anyone already using it? I need to contact world of Depleted and ask if they are going to convert the stories into ebook format and if we can offer them in some format on some platform and all that. time to start making that story make magic for me ;) http://mashable.com/2011/08/11/movellas/

So - reading over this article - http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/77516 The fact you can do this seems only for the movies, but it does exist and it is getting easier and easier to do it. More and more, it could be your friend or ex using this on you, not some secret or rich group.... of course there are good ways to use AR and this, but.... And, for the generation growing up in this, what will they be like and expect?

I hope I get to see stuff like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIDF_60ok04

Some thoughts about fans and user narratives and the like In trying to find a single idea from the collection of scattered ideas always swimming in my head, I wanted to think about/write about a topic that spoke to how a fan, like me, can become more involved in a Shared storyworld. now, by "fan like me", I mean someone who is not employed as a writer, artist, filmmaker, or any other entertainment and related job. I am an "average" joe who makes a 9-5 living and as a "hobby" is interested in becoming more involved in a shared storyworld (SSW) (just go back and look at what I have written so far and I know the English teacher/editor/polished writer is cringing). But, that is what I am and the level of skills/ability I bring to any SSW or project; I have lots o' heart and desire, not so much technical skill. I know this is one of the top gripes people have with fanfiction. It's a bunch of poorly written story. Maybe, but think of how ...

Why learning is awesome http://www.good.is/post/this-inspiring-video-will-remind-you-why-you-love-learning/

A very interesting article about data, privacy and where the world may be headed http://falkvinge.net/2011/08/09/everything-you-say-can-and-will-be-used-against-you-by-anybody-now-or-decades-into-the-future/

I enjoyed Gen Con more than words can help me express :) I'll have some thoughts and this and that, but working on an overview article, so plan on writing that first, then sharing that here and whatever else pops up. slowly realizing the summer is about done and the school year is right around the corner. Have some awesome projects coming - http://docwho2100.com/qt/areyouready.html and a few others so much is going on and so fast :) was reading an article how the Census data shows the US changed much faster an more dramatically than people had thought. That means that shifts can and will occur at speeds that will demand more critical thinking, communication skills and even a touch of survival instinct. To use a well-spoke quote, "What interesting times we live in"