by Leslee Moore, 9/5/2014
With new technology emerging in what seems to be a daily basis, it seems inevitable that the new merges with the old to create experiences richer and more innovative than one would have believed possible ten years ago. With the popularity of role-playing games long withstanding the time before Macs or PCs were ever in the hands of the consumer, gaming creators and authors would be missing out on a fruitful opportunity by ignoring the potential that lies with collaboration in the digital age.
Fortunately, both industries caught on pretty quickly, and the gaming world is continuing to strengthen their ties with the literary world with a new collaboration. It all centers around Kings of the Realm, a free-to-play, interactive game found in the App Store for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The game is based on the book series of the same title, and lets users create strategies for conquering villages and kingdoms, with the ultimate goal to become king of the realm. There are now an abundance of interactive games that focuses on the setting and characters of a beloved book, and in this instance, the book series' writer, Oisin McGann, worked closely with the gaming developers of Digital Game Studios in the creation of this online game.
Both sides of these collaborations benefit greatly. The authors have another creative outlet that brings more attention to their books, and the game studios have ready-made ideas for their new creations. Additionally, the collaboration also has the potential to bring differing fan bases together. In the instance of Kings of the Realm, fans of the book series can delight in immersing themselves further into the storyline of their favorite characters, and fans of medieval-age interactive games have the option to read the books that served as the foundation of one of the games they enjoy. The result is a richer experience for all.
http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2014/penguin-random-house-gets-transmedia-support-for-kings-of-the-realm-series/
With new technology emerging in what seems to be a daily basis, it seems inevitable that the new merges with the old to create experiences richer and more innovative than one would have believed possible ten years ago. With the popularity of role-playing games long withstanding the time before Macs or PCs were ever in the hands of the consumer, gaming creators and authors would be missing out on a fruitful opportunity by ignoring the potential that lies with collaboration in the digital age.
Fortunately, both industries caught on pretty quickly, and the gaming world is continuing to strengthen their ties with the literary world with a new collaboration. It all centers around Kings of the Realm, a free-to-play, interactive game found in the App Store for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The game is based on the book series of the same title, and lets users create strategies for conquering villages and kingdoms, with the ultimate goal to become king of the realm. There are now an abundance of interactive games that focuses on the setting and characters of a beloved book, and in this instance, the book series' writer, Oisin McGann, worked closely with the gaming developers of Digital Game Studios in the creation of this online game.
Both sides of these collaborations benefit greatly. The authors have another creative outlet that brings more attention to their books, and the game studios have ready-made ideas for their new creations. Additionally, the collaboration also has the potential to bring differing fan bases together. In the instance of Kings of the Realm, fans of the book series can delight in immersing themselves further into the storyline of their favorite characters, and fans of medieval-age interactive games have the option to read the books that served as the foundation of one of the games they enjoy. The result is a richer experience for all.
http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2014/penguin-random-house-gets-transmedia-support-for-kings-of-the-realm-series/