Video: What comic books can teach video games about storytelling

Courtesy of the GDC Vault comes a free lecture from comics and games writer Antony Johnston, who has worked on games from EA and Sega, in which he explores what these two mediums can learn from the other.

Given at GDC Online 2010, he discusses an economic approach similar to editing comics to cut down the dialogue, exposition and scene duration for games. He recreates scenes from Alan Wake and Mass Effect to show how scenes can be made even more effective with this technique.

The session is available here.

Session Name: From Comics to Consoles

Speaker(s): Antony Johnston

Company Name(s): Freelance

Track / Format: Game Narrative Summit

Overview: Comics and games: a match made in heaven? What can games learn from comics, and how do the skills of one medium translate to the other? Veteran comics writer Antony Johnston, who has also written games for EA and Sega, discusses the similarities and differences between comics and games, the effect of transmedia on both media, and what games writers can learn from studying -- and writing --comics.
About the GDC VaultIn addition to this presentation, the GDC Vault offers numerous other free videos, audio recordings, and slides from many of the recent GDC events, and the service offers even more members-only content for GDC Vault subscribers. Those who purchased All Access passes to events like GDC, GDC Europe, and GDC China already have full access to GDC Vault, and interested parties can apply for the individual subscriptions via a GDC Vault inquiry form.

Group subscriptions are also available: game-related schools and development studios who sign up for GDC Vault Studio Subscriptions can receive access for their entire office or company. More information on this option is available via an online demonstration, and interested parties can find out more here. In addition, current subscribers with access issues can contact GDC Vault admins.

Be sure to keep an eye on GDC Vault for even more new content, as GDC organizers will also archive videos, audio, and slides from other events like GDC China and GDC 2013. To stay abreast of all the latest updates to GDC Vault, be sure to check out the news feed on the official GDC website, or subscribe to updates via Twitter, Facebook, or RSS.

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