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Son Of Skywalker's Datapad Of Thoughts and Opinions
date posted: Mar 16, 2008 2:11 PM  |  updated: Mar 16, 2008 2:24 PM
Storytelling in the EU: How they differ
Hey everyone! SOS15 here to blog about the many thrilling and interesting aspects of the Star Wars universe. This week's entry is actually influenced heavily by Jawa Joey's recent blog entry about the storytelling of the Knights Of The Old Republic . It got me thinking: Of the three major EU sections- books, comics, and video games- how does each tell the story, which sometimes are the same and sometimes aren't.

Let's start with the book aspect of the Expanded Universe. Reading has always been a detailed art. Because a novel is written down, you'll never lose it; the dept and detail will always be there. In fact, being written also allows you to getting inside the head of the characters more than any other EU section. So, for the novels it's the dept and detail that allows for the story to always be there, yet always up for the interpretation of the reader.

Perhaps the same could be said out the general storytelling in the comics of the Star Wars universe. The comics, through many various techniques, can allow the same dept and detail of mind as character, but it can also go one step better: images. Through these, our minds are open to be imaginative, but also it helps confine it. It's very easy to keep the story of a comic because it's written and seen.

While video games are indeed seen, it's no often that we have the dept of the character for the overall story. It can be done, though, such as in flashbacks, cut-scenes, and other non-playing situations. However, I personally don't feel it compares to actually reading it, and it's certainly not as easy to follow as being written and drawn. With that though, video games do have an advantage: you can play them over, and over, changing you thoughts each time, although the story itself remains exactly the same.

So, overall, each section of the Expanded Universe has its own unique way of telling a story, whether it's the same or not. Books have dept and detail, while comics have visual appeal, and video games allow for ever-unique experiences.

Okay, I've done enough senseless babbling for this week. (Why does it always sound better in my head?) Catch you next week!

Until next time,

SOS15 signing off..

PS- Special thanks to Jawa Joey for giving me the idea... at least indirectly ;)

JawaJoey
Return of the Jawa
date Posted: Mar 16, 2008 2:22 PM
Thanks for the shout out! :)

I don't read the comics too much, but I agree with about the books and video games, definitely.

Books can explicitly tell you whats going on inside someone's mind, something few other mediums can do. I just read the ROTS novelization and seeing that happen, in comparison to the movie, really highlighted the power there. And in games it's harder to get across exactly what you're trying to, because the player is in control.

That's the great thing about media, though. Each medium is different. It sure is fun to have one thing (Star Wars) span it all.
  Son Of Skywalker15
Son Of Skywalker's Datapad Of Thoughts and Opinions
date Posted: Mar 16, 2008 2:26 PM
Thanks for the shout out!

Not a problem :D Thank you for the idea!

Books can explicitly tell you whats going on inside someone's mind, something few other mediums can do.

Indeed. In fact, sometimes books act as better medium for that than the movies.


That's the great thing about media, though. Each medium is different. It sure is fun to have one thing (Star Wars) span it all.


That's for sure; it certainly works also.
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