Hello peoples and others.
I got a guest post here from board game designer Micah Burks, owner of Runcible Games. You can find his blog/website here.
I hope you enjoy :) Here is his post
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What is it that makes content valuable?
There are lots of things that add value to any creation, but today Nathanael and I were throwing ideas around about the ideas of "Intrinsic Value", and "Contextual Value", specifically in the entertainment industry. I'd like to share a bit on that, if you care to read!
What exactly do I mean by that?
Well let's say you have a beautiful gem, and a bit of string. The gem has "intrinsic value" by itself, because it's unique and appealing, while the bit of string has "contextual value" because it can be used with and for lots of things.
Now let's look at the evolution of television as an example from entertainment:
If you watch an episode of a TV show from the 1960's, such as Gilligan's Island or The Twilight Zone, you could watch an episode from season 3 and laugh at the shtick, or be drawn into the 25 minute plot. That's Intrinsic Value.
If you watch Stranger Things, Parks and Recreation, or CW's The Arrow, you will find the episodes and seasons strung carefully together to draw in the audience, so you have to start at the start and be prepared to binge. That's Contextual Value.
Then there are also examples that tend toward both, especially on YouTube, such as Studio C, which has the hilarious Scott Sterling skit that is well known and loved as it's own video, but still a slew of videos based on other videos with inside jokes that make the channel pretty darn bingable.
The application?
Use context without reliance.
Use subtle hints to tie your work together, and to familiar ideas, but make sure each creation can stand on it's own two feet.
Grab new followers by the collar, but reward the loyalty of old friends.
Agree or differ, Love or loathe, I hope this post provokes thought!
Thank you for reading, and please leave a comment with an application I missed! (I'll doubtless make a tabletop/boardgame analogy down below
Now let's look at the evolution of television as an example from entertainment:
If you watch an episode of a TV show from the 1960's, such as Gilligan's Island or The Twilight Zone, you could watch an episode from season 3 and laugh at the shtick, or be drawn into the 25 minute plot. That's Intrinsic Value.
If you watch Stranger Things, Parks and Recreation, or CW's The Arrow, you will find the episodes and seasons strung carefully together to draw in the audience, so you have to start at the start and be prepared to binge. That's Contextual Value.
Then there are also examples that tend toward both, especially on YouTube, such as Studio C, which has the hilarious Scott Sterling skit that is well known and loved as it's own video, but still a slew of videos based on other videos with inside jokes that make the channel pretty darn bingable.
The application?
Use context without reliance.
Use subtle hints to tie your work together, and to familiar ideas, but make sure each creation can stand on it's own two feet.
Grab new followers by the collar, but reward the loyalty of old friends.
Agree or differ, Love or loathe, I hope this post provokes thought!
Thank you for reading, and please leave a comment with an application I missed! (I'll doubtless make a tabletop/boardgame analogy down below
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As always, let's art the crap out of life!
"Use subtle hints to tie your work together, and to familiar ideas, but make sure each creation can stand on it's own two feet.
ReplyDeleteGrab new followers by the collar, but reward the loyalty of old friends."...Also good teaching technique! :-)
Thanks! I learned from the best teacher(s) growing up. ;D
Delete"I'll doubtless make a tabletop/boardgame analogy down below"
ReplyDeleteAs promised:
CCGs (Collectible Card Games) like Magic: the Gathering rely heavily on contextual value, which can be daunting to newcomers or outsiders, but gives eager anticipation to any avid participant.
Tabletop boardgames often push to include as much complete value as possible in the box, and even if a game expansions published, it has little hope of success if expansions are necessary.
However, LCGs (Living Card Games) are a recent invention to create a strong intrinsic value in games styled after CCGs, and expansions, game promos, and "Legacy Games" are changing the landscape of boardgames into a continuing adventure.