Yes. Our eyes boggled a little at this idea too. How do you turn Kafka's bizarre stories into a video game that keeps his intent and spirit intact? But the premise isn't unrelated to the way fairy tales get used today, so we thought it was worth a closer look.
Here's the trailer:
How does this relate to fairy tales and 'now'? Kafka, who incidentally was a great fan of fairy tales, wrote stories using absurd 'wonder' elements - elements which can be more difficult for us to recognize when they emerge out of an industrialized or modern (eg corporate) setting, perhaps because they are considered more mundane than sparkly transformations as they use the elements of everyday life, but are nonetheless 'wondrous' in the true sense of the term (surprise at the unexpected, be that either horrifying or delightful). His stories are, if anything, less extreme than fairy tales but possibly more disturbing because of it. His stories are reality with a step or two sideways. That small removal however, can be enlightening.
"...by fine tuning our attention to the absurd, Kafka also reflects our shortcomings back at ourselves. In doing so he reminds us that the world we live in is one we create, and have the power to change for the better." (from TED Talk "What is Kafkaesque?")
What better message about the present do we need? Although Kafka's tales tend to be thought of as dark, they're often humorous too, and this humor reminds us that hope is not lost. We like this underlying emphasis on hope and the power of wonder to encourage change! Not unlike fairy tales.
About the game:
The Franz Kafka Videogame is an original puzzle/adventure game inspired by the writings of Franz Kafka.
The protagonist named K. gets a sudden offer of employment. And this event changes his life, forcing him to make a distant voyage. To his surprise, the world beyond his homeland appears to be not as normal as he would think. Together with K. you will experience an atmosphere of absurdity, surrealism, and total uncertainty.
“The subtle hints, witty puzzles and peculiar visual style grant full authority to say The Franz Kafka Videogame is a worthy way to honor the memory of the brilliant writer” 80 – Riot Pixels
Rapunzel concept art for Disney's Tangled by Claire Keane
We don't think we ever posted this but it should be of interest today with the trailer for the animated TV series having just been released.
Created in 2010, this intro was created by the incredibly talented Claire Keane (who was the key artist in the creative development and concept art for the movie Tangled, especially with regard to Rapunzel's tower), along with her husband Vincent Rogozyk, for Nintendo Wii for the Tangled video game. They summarized the story via murals, which they also animated. It's this amazing little work of art all by itself!
(Note: Click on Vincent's name above to go to his website. It takes you straight to the page showing you close-ups of the murals. The one with Mother Gothel's visage peeling just like the paint on the wall is genius.)
We're about to have a new, fairy tale focused, series for kids from Disney! And it's not about using Disney properties or 're-booting' old franchises; this is all about getting the fairy tales kids USED to know so well, back into circulation and back into our lives. (I know!! *much cheering and fist pumping*)
For the skeptics among us (which previously included me), I should mention straight away that one of our Grand Dames of fairy tale study and research, Maria Tatar, has been on board with the series as a consultant from it's development and continues on with the series in this capacity to help keep things - and the fairy tales - on track. (*more cheering, whooping added*)
Here's a quote from Development Executive Nancy Kanter (via Variety) about why they're doing this at all:
“We are trying to keep these classic stories, and classic characters, in kids’ minds,” said Nancy Kanter, executive vice president of original programming and general manager of Disney Junior Worldwide. "With school systems placing more emphasis on math, science and analysis of documents, perhaps there’s less room for Tom Thumb and Hansel and Gretel? “We thought it was really important that kids still had a touchstone to these time-honored tales,” she added.
I can't tell you how encouraging it is to hear that. While I believe there's more to it than just "wouldn't it be nice to keep some of that heritage alive", it's a wonderful start. I vote thumbs up!
They're also kicking this off via the vehicle kids are using most these days: apps, online access and games. While series TV via Disney Channel and Disney Junior on cable (and possibly other providers) will follow in November, the idea is to get the series into the hands of kids where they're most likely to find it for themselves first.
From the press release:
Disney Junior will debut the first six episodes of fairytale-inspired
"Goldie & Bear" on the popular WATCH Disney Junior
platforms, beginning Saturday, September 12,with one new episode premiering on the
WATCH Disney Junior app and WATCH
Disney Junior.com each Monday from September 21 through October 12. Set
in the magical world of Fairy Tale Forest, the animated series for kids age 2-7
reunites Goldie
and Bear, after the renowned porridge incident featured in "Goldilocks and
The Three Bears." The series premieres in November on Disney
Channel and Disney Junior.
Reflecting Disney's deep roots in storytelling that
resonates
across generations, "Goldie & Bear" captures the timeless appeal
of sharing stories through fairytales, folktales and nursery rhymes.Each episode features two 11-minute stories that showcase the new, unexpected
friendship between Goldie and Bear as they seek out fun and adventure along
with their friends and neighbors, all of whom are drawn from beloved storybook characters. Whether
it's helping the Big Bad Wolf learn to consider others before blowing down their houses, helping Jack and Jill
get up that hill,
orrescuing
accident-prone Humpty Dumpty after his great fall, Goldie and Bear enjoy living in a fairytale world filled with real-life situations, humorous mishaps and
heartfelt moments.
Beginning where the classic tales leave off, "Goldie & Bear"celebrates the distinct
personalities of Goldie, Bear and their quirky pals, and encourages children to
develop their own enchanting friendships. The series is populated with a diverse cast of storybook characters who model friendship,
community, respect for individuality, resilience in the face of adversity and compassion
for others, and is meant to spark conversations among kids and parents about the narratives and morals highlighted by Goldie and Bear's unlikely
friendship and their comedic interactions in Fairy Tale Forest.
Maria Tatar, chair of Harvard University's
program in Folklore and Mythology and series consultant, advising on storytelling, fairytales and folklore, said, "When we are stumped, a story
often provides the answer - not in the form of a one-liner but in a
conversation about the things that mattered to us in the tale."DisneyJunior.com
and WATCH Disney Junior will roll
out a suite of more than 20 "Goldie & Bear" micro-games
throughout the fall, with the first six debuting with the series.Housed in a storybook containing an
interactive map of Fairy Tale Forest, each game centers on a classic fairy tale
or nursery rhyme character.
"Goldie
& Bear" stars Natalie Lander ("The Middle") as Goldie and Georgie
Kidder ("Star Wars: The Clone Wars") as Bear. Recurring guest stars
include Lesley Nicol ("Downton Abbey") as Fairy Godmother, Isabella Day
("Cristela")
as little witch Rosita, Debby Ryan ("Jessie") as Thumbelina and Miles
Brown and Marsai Martin ("black-ish") as Jack & Jill."Goldie
& Bear" was developed for television and is co-executive produced by
Jorge Aguirre ("Giants Beware!" graphic novel series); Chris Gilligan
("Frankenweenie") is executive producer and director; Joe
Ansolabehere ("Recess") is story editor and Rob Cantor (from the band
Tally Hall) is songwriter.
I was sent a little sneak-peek of the synopsis for the premiere which I have been given permission to share:
The premiere episode "Big Bear/Birthday Chair" will go live on the WATCH Disney Junior app and WATCH Disney Junior.com on Saturday September 12th. In the episode, when Bear eats one of Jack’s magic beans so he can be a bigger bear, he and Goldie must find a way to reverse the magic after he learns being big isn’t as fun as he thought. Then, when Goldie forgets Bear’s birthday gift, she has to quickly find the most perfect present for her best friend.
And here's a little preview:
Normally I might make a note just to check in with a series like this (like I did for The 7D) but with Maria Tatar consulting on the series since it's early development, and continuing on with the show in this capacity, I'm going to make a point of watching it when I can.
It should also be noted that, Jorge Aguirre, creator of the wonderful graphic novel series Giants Beware, developed this series and is co-executive producer as well, so they're all points in favor of the series as far as I'm concerned.
I'm always a little hesitant to jump on board with CG series as many of them look so similar they can begin to blend together but perhaps a unique signature style will become more obvious and the show will look more instantly appealing when we see more variety of situations and characters.
Even with my reservations about the design style, the acting, animation and writing glimpses we have been given look very promising.
Fairy tale bonus of the day:
Goldilocks has been lurking around Disney for some time. There was supposed to be an animated short released back in 1936, but it never got beyond the development stage. From Disney Wikia:
The Three Bears (or Goldie Locks and Three Bears) is an unproduced animated short that was to have been released in 1936. It is a proposed Silly Symphony of the well-known children's story. Model sheets prove that Goldilockswas planned to look like, and possibly be voiced by, Shirley Temple. Papa Bear was modeled after W.C. Fields. Another version of this short as a Mickey, Donaldand Goofy cartoon would have had Mickey, Donald and Goofy casted in the roles of the Three Bears which was approached to the story after the prosed Silly Symphony failed to materialize.
A chapter illustration by Melssa Castrillon for the book 'The golden ages of folk & fairy tales' by Jack Zipes. Published in 2013 by Hackett Publishing.
Busy trying to do too many things at once and completely envious of people who were able to rest and rejuvenate this summer in the US! Maybe I'll aim to hibernate in Winter for a bit instead (except I adore Winter and don't want to miss a chilly moment!), but this week, despite it all I have to figure out how to get kiddo ready for back-to-school...
Speaking of 'going underground', above is my son's favorite picture from Jack Zipes' The Golden Age of Folk & Fairy Tales. We both keep coming back to it, so much so that he often talks about what might be hidden from sight when we're out in nature.
We were reminded to look at it again just yesterday when he/we were playing the newly released, rebooted fantasy/fairy tale-ish video game King's Quest. Along with surprises underground, the bridge trolls are just awesome, there are dragons in caves full of weird old beds (Why not?) , archery skills to learn, and many, many puns an eight year old can laugh at. With Christopher Lloyd playing the aging knight-king narrating his adventure to his granddaughter and the surprisingly awesome addition of Princess Bride alum Wallace Shawn ("Inconceivable!") it's a fun adventure which is more true to heart than expected. (The illustration below, also by Melissa Castrillon, is right on theme for all these stories, and an especially good one for young boys to hear too, particularly in the context of making choices, which is what King's Quest is all about.) It's a pretty good way to wrap up some parent-kind end-of-summer playtime because these stories beget stories and I love that.
You can dig and dig and there are always more tales to discover. Perhaps instead of turtles all the way down, it's tales... ;)
'An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. "A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy. "It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil - he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego." He continued, "The other is good - he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you - and inside every other person, too." The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?" The old Cherokee simply replies, "The one you feed."
I'll be the first to admit this territory of advanced gaming is something I'm not very familiar with. I'm learning along with my kid (who's already much better than I am) and rarely play adult games so when it comes to what people are into, excited about and how this upcoming video game is so different, it takes me a couple of read-throughs to get it - why it's so "epic" and why people are looking forward to it, but once I got there, I knew I had to try and break it down, to bring you in on what's happening here (and with a fairy tale we know well) - because it's pretty.. well.. "epic".
Unlike you might expect, the new game "The Lost Pisces" does more than reference a fairy tale. It bases it's entire premise on Hans Christian Andersen's melancholy The Little Mermaid and then takes it a step further. I'll let them explain.
The Lost Pisces, or rather just PISCES, is "an experiment in connecting a gamer with an artificial intelligence," according to an interview with designer and artist Dan Rutkowski, just in a way that's different from past instances. PISCES draws its inspirations from Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid," where the mermaid is taken away and replaced with a machine that is simply terrified of disappearing. Rutkowski says this machine, the woman seen in the screenshots, is in search for a soul, much like in the original version of "The Little Mermaid," and wants to find that her life will go on after death.
Sirenum (Edit: the Indie company creating the game) wants players to feel emotionally connected with the protagonist, especially since she learns from the players actions and becomes unique to each player. The team wants to create believable AI in PISCES, one that starts off as a blank slate, but learns and adapts from the player. The AI takes what we do and changes based on that, and if you happen to use a Kinect while playing, the faces you make while playing will reflect on the character. Playing with a Kinect isn't required, but perhaps recommended to get an even better connection with the AI.
Interesting, right? I've never seen The Little Mermaid paralleled so obviously with Artificial Intelligence before, but I can see how they got there. In a high powered digital world where you don't even know if the people you're friends with on the internet, whom you've never met in person, are truly who they say they are - or, to take it a step further, are even real - loss of identity, the feeling of aloneness while surrounded by millions and the feeling of anonymity that can happen though you are in full public view on the internet, can make people feel lost... And not real.
The game takes this idea that is, unfortunately, very prevalent among social media users on platforms that encourage social interactions to be boiled down to "likes" and "dislikes" (that is, Facebook) and gives it another metaphor. Somewhere between a mermaid's hunt for a soul and a little wooden puppet's longing to be real is a story people identify strongly with and for that reason alone, this game has the potential to make some very loyal and intense fans.
Creator) Rutkowski says. “This is the Hans Cristian Andersen version, it’s a little bit darker. The idea behind The Little Mermaid, when he wrote it he had a strictly Christian background, and there’s this notion that nothing except for human beings have souls. So in The Little Mermaid, she’s not really after the Prince necessarily, like in the Disney story, what’s she actually looking for is a soul. So I was naturally attracted to that idea, because it was so in line with artificial intelligence.
He continues: “If you follow the story of The Little Mermaid, she’s looking for a soul because she knows at the end of her days, she’ll die and turn into sea foam. That’s why she goes to the undersea witch, which in this story is actually more of a witchdoctor, rather than having malevolent intentions. So she trades all these things to become human, but the spell has a timeframe and you have to fall in love. But the undertone of trying to attain a soul is a beautiful idea, especially for this coming era of artificial intelligence; this notion of what makes up consciousness and what makes up a soul. It was a natural thing to graft the story of The Little Mermaid into PISCES. The story goes, that PISCES is The Little Mermaid, this machine that’s suddenly found a tiny bit of consciousness and she, no matter what, wants to gain a soul. She becomes terrified that at the end of her days, she might live for 300 years being a machine, but there’s nothing for her to go on to, no possibility of an afterlife.”
...“One of the things that we’re going to show... is how powerful the PISCES character actually is. She can manifest these black shards that float around her and she can cast them out. Those shards can pull across the ground and create massive boulders that you can use to bash against the larger robots. As she turns more and more human, the thing is that she loses that ability, so she becomes weaker and weaker. What will happen is you will see her as more and more human. She’s evolving beyond just being a machine, and you have to take up the slack, up to the gamer’s character to fulfill that role.”
For the setting:
PISCES takes place in a technological Atlantis, but the end of it when the water levels are rising and people are heading higher up into the mountains.
There are a ton more details in the original interview HERE, that take you through the gaming specifics, what they're trying to achieve and the challenges in doing that, especially since, as the creator says, if they can't get the gamer to care about this character it's a failure. They're employing an unbelievably huge and complex system to make this work - from developing the visuals to be even more beautiful and dynamic, to motion and micro-expression sensors aimed at the players so that the "girl" can learn and develop her "humanity" from the gamer. It's a daunting task but sounds amazing if they can pull it off.
If anyone ever asks you if fairy tales can be relevant today in a fast-paced digital gaming and social media world, just point to this example. It's clear that no matter how society and technology change, people essentially don't - and we still have the same fears, loves and longings we've always had.
The official website for Pisces can be found HERE and to get a better idea of how things will look and play, follow them on Twitter HERE for lots of development and art updates.
It doesn't matter if you don't play video games, don't like video games or don't care about video games. None of that is relevant when you understand what is really happening with Never Alone. (If it bugs you, just call it an educational tool". That's also a correct description.)
"What good are the old stories... if their wisdom is not shared with anyone?"
Note: If you only look at one thing in this post, please watch the video below. It will amaze you with regard to the tales being used, how they're used and how beautifully it has all come together. You can scroll down to view.... (and if you want to read more the text will still be here afterward. ;)
I posted on Never Alone initially when it was released (you can read that HERE, along with lots of beautiful pictures and many more resources about the tales, which I won't repeat in this post), but this week, they've just come out with a host of game improvements/upgrades, are releasing a soundtrack this week (yes, it's become that popular!) and are expanding the systems you can play it on, to include Macs (Apple computers), starting this Thursday, February 26th (currently available for XBOX ONE, PS4 and Steam),The soundtrack will be available through the Steam store at the same link.
Never Alone's mission is to bring the old and fading indigenous tales (of the Iñupiatpeople) back into circulation and popularity among current and future generations. That sounds ridiculously lofty - like an idea that would ultimately gather dust in some enthusiastic, but sadly naive paper somewhere, but here it's actually happened.
Correction: IS HAPPENING.
Not only has this video game educational tool been created, it has been done in the best way possible, with the combination of young, intelligent, technologically-savvy young people who among the best in their field, in conjunction and under continuous consultation with tribal elders. Yes. 70, 80+ year old traditional tribal elders are not just talking with, but working with hip (and geeky) youngsters who think in RAM, terrabytes and all things digital. Not only that, it draws on old traditions to inform the design style and the development of the storytelling!
We paired world class game makers with Alaska Native storytellers and elders to create a game which delves deeply into the traditional lore of the Iñupiat people to present an experience like no other. Never Alone is our first title in an exciting new genre of “World Games” that draw fully upon the richness of unique cultures to create complex and fascinating game worlds for a global audience.
The best of the old meets the best of the new. And it's a beautiful thing.
The result is a stunning, gorgeous and unique interactive storytelling-puzzle-and-platform game that leads the player through discovery of characters from tales, challenges from stories and triumphs via ingenuity and putting learned principles (and game skills) to good use.
Contrary to what you might think, this little indie game isn't just waiting to be noticed. It's out there making waves with it's approach, style and beauty of both storytelling and game design, as the developers confidently take it to all the leading game conventions and meetings. As a result, it's quickly earning worldwide recognition AND garnering some coveted awards along the way.
Before I write any more, take a look at the behind-the-scenes video and see behind some of the tales (and the people and process) of Never Alone:
I feel like this is exactly the sort of thing we need to be aiming to do to get old stories back in circulation. We need to meet the influential (often young) people (the trend setters, the most influential demographics) on "their" territory, speaking their language (technology, social media and video games) and give them reasons to want to tell and retell these tales themselves.
That's the only surefire way old tales will make it back into common knowledge and that's the way the wisdom and knowledge in these tales will be passed on to benefit people now and in the future.
Creating a widely respected and loved video game is a wonderful way of doing exactly that.
I'm so moved that the vision for Never Alone has been made real and is proving to be exactly what they set out to be: influential. Not only that, it's enriching the lives of the developers, the creation team, the communities supporting them AND the gamers and the industry professionals that are coming into contact with it (ie. inward and outward).
It's nothing short of magic.
It's the sort of difference I want to make, to be a part of - where the tales are alive and vital in ways that connect us to our past and pave the way for a (hopefully better) future.
The best thing? This is just the first game. They've only just begun...
Congratulations to the unique and wonderful team at both E-Line Media and the Alaskan Native Cook Inlet Tribal Council! We cannot wait to see what you do next.
