While I appreciate the value of just reading books, there are some
really cool things that can be done with apps. They could offer a reader even
deeper immersion in the story if done correctly.
The book app I read about today is a new version of Mary Shelley's
Frankenstein. You can actually change parts of the story by making choices for
Victor. They added some meat to the book, of course. The original is only
70,000 words, which isn't really all that long for a book.
Some people would care that they messed with a classic. I don't
mind all that much (obviously, I monkeyed around with Stoker's work) because
you aren't removing the original from existence. It's still there in all its
glory in print and as an ebook.
I know this is probably, technically a mashup, which I have likely
expressed distaste for in the past. However, this isn't just slapping new words
on top of old words. It's an entirely new art form that isn't going to stop at
being pretty and semi-functional. They're going to offer a new level of
immersion in the story that books usually can't offer.
So what could a book app potentially offer aside from user
influenced story lines? Artwork, of course, maybe a soundtrack, videos, author
readings, footnotes, maybe a link into a message board where people discuss the
book, share buttons for social networks like facebook, pretty much anything
that can be displayed on a screen or played as audio.
The only potential downfall of the book as app is the expense of
creating one. In order to justify the expense, whoever is sponsoring the
endeavor would probably want to be sure they're going to recover any expenses.
Not all books turn a profit.
http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/Apps/article/51618-frankenstein-app-and-the-state-of-adult-targeted-apps.html
http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/Apps/article/51618-frankenstein-app-and-the-state-of-adult-targeted-apps.html
No comments:
Post a Comment
Two Cents?