This document discusses transmedia storytelling and the cross-media adaptation of stories across books, cartoons, and computer games. It uses the specific case study of the adaptation of the Muddle Earth book and cartoon series into a computer game. Key points discussed include how brand consistency is important but also requires transformation across media; how the game adapted the narrative and quest structure to match genre conventions; and how ongoing research seeks to better understand cross-media adaptations and involve audiences in co-creation.

1. BOOKS, CARTOONS AND COMPUTER GAMES IN THE
CONTEMPORARY CHILDREN’S TRANSMEDIA CONTEXT
CLAUDIO PIRES FRANCO
THE DIGITAL BOOK AND DIGITAL FUTURES

2. Transmedia & Cross-Media Era
Today’s games are deeply enmeshed in the
‘convergence’ that characterises modern media: books
are made into films which are made into games (and
vice versa), which in turn generate a myriad of other
texts and commodities. (Buckingham, 2006: 4)

3. !
Transmedia or perhaps Panmedia?

6. Total
sales
in
2011:
£1.2m
and
coun5ng...
Source:
Nielsen
BookScan
TCM—28
weeks
to
16th
July
2011

7. The Cross-Media Journey of
MUDDLE EARTH
A case study

8. ! The game was essentially an extension of an existing IP, a
‘complement to the series […] where players can interact
with the world and characters’
According to the BBC:
Staying on brand was an essential prerequisite – it had to be
very faithful, we had to be sure the characters and everything
was on brand.
Brand consistency - essential for the BBC and game producers
Brand Consistency

9. CONSISTENCY… What is it? How is it defined? Where is it
visible? How does it affect the adaptation?
! Consistency is different from ‘fidelity’ – new medium, new
language, resources, techniques and conventions – it
assumes, and requires, transformation
! Fluid concept with floating meanings – emergent and
defined in operation, flexible, negotiated.
We’ll get the basic copy to you so you can muddle it.
! This new phrase captured the spirit of the revision,
feedback and approval operations taking place.
Brand Consistency

10. The Cross-Media Journey
of MUDDLE EARTH

12. !

14. THE STORY
The failed wizard Randalf summons schoolboy Joe from real
world to become warrior hero that will save Muddle Earth
Dr Cuddles, an evil blue teddy bear, has seized the magic book
of spells, and is causing mayhem
Joe has to use his wits as Randalf gets unmasked as a coward
and a farce – by Veronica, his sarcastic budgie
• Heros’ Journey elements: a reluctant hero, a mentor, allies,
heralds, journeys, quests, an evil enemy, back home
• Humour: A spoof wizard and a sarcastic budgie, sarcastic
humour, a king who’s bossed around by his wife
• The parallel plot of a little silver spoon – The Lord of the
Teaspoons

20. !

21. !
Keeping books in the game

22. THE QUEST SYSTEM – main storytelling device
• Game-specific
• Combines events from TV / book and new events
• Completing quests and sub-quests (kernel and satellite
events) – include dialogue, mini-game playing, exploring,
progress to next quest – chained quests, mostly linear
The narrative was matched to the conventions and story-telling
devices of the casual MMORPG genre (Massively Multiplayer
Online Role-Playing Game).
The story is partly read, partly watched, mostly played
From story-telling (or story-reading or story-watching as some
may prefer) we move into the more recent practice of…
STORY-PLAYING

23. • Back to long story arc (game can be saved)
• Action centred on player – minimum parallel plot
(never actually seen, only told about developments)
• Can’t have 1,000 heroes – the hero is the player, a
new customisable character (avatar)
• The ‘muddled’ wacky tone is kept, but humour
becomes even less sarcastic than in TV series
• No slapstick humour as in TV series (technical
constraints. Budget)
Narrative Changes

24. Game
Adaptation
Model

25. SOURCE
TEXTS
GAME
ENGINES
GAME IDEAS
BUDGETS
TIMINGS
EDITORIAL
Hypertextuality Games
IntertextualityNARRATIVE
RESOURCES GAME GENRES
CONVENTIONS
TECHNICAL
CONSTRAINTS
PRODUCTION CONTEXTS
AND CONSTRAINTSEXTRA-textuality

26. OTHER MEDIA
SOURCE TEXTS
SERIES OF
OTHER:
INTERTEXTS
THEMES
REFERENCES
GAME MEDIUM
DEVICES
OTHER GAMES
GENRES
ENGINES
NON-TEXTUAL
INFLUENCES
ON THE TEXT

27. SO WHAT?
WHY WOULD PUBLISHERS
AND AUTHORS CARE?

28. WANTED!
INTREPID AUTHORS OR PUBLISHERS WHO WANT
TO EXPLORE STORYTELLING THROUGH GAMES
REWARD
PERHAPS MANY SLEEPLESS NIGHTS, PROBABLY
SOME WEIRD NIGHTMARES, AND FOR SURE AN
AMAZING JOURNEY OF EXPLORATION AND
DISCOVERY!

29. Ongoing Research
UNESCO – sponsored project
Crossing Media Boundaries: New Media Forms of the Book
! Development of, and use, of adaptation / transmedia
game analytical model and production framework –
test and evolve with stakeholders, game producers, and
the different game / book audiences
! Operational tools and research approaches to involve
audiences in processes of co-creation and feedback

30. That’s all Folks!!
CLAUDIO.PIRESFRANCO@BEDS.AC.UK
ADAPTATION360MEDIA.WORDPRESS.COM