http://gamestorytelling.com/ PostNuke Powered Site en-us http://gamestorytelling.com/images/logo.gif http://gamestorytelling.com/ postnuke@example.com http://gamestorytelling.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=2 Bob Bates presents A Practial Guide to the Hero's Journey at Gamsutra. "For the past several years I've been going to talks and reading books about the Hero's Journey, but the concept always seemed vague to me. There are all these stages that the hero may (or may not) have to go through, and all these characters whom he may encounter: the Mentor, the Threshold Guardian, the Shape Shifter, the Trickster, etc. But then we're told that he may not have to meet them after all, or that different mythical characters can be combined into one individual, the whole thing seems so confusing that it's hard to know what to make of it. Interesting reading, but how does it help? So our question for today is, "what practical use is the Hero's Journey to us as story tellers and game writers?" Why The Hero's Journey Is Important What makes the hero's journey so important? Why should we bother with it? It's important because myths are important. " Read more at Gamsutra. http://gamestorytelling.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1 Gamasutra reports: 'The power may have been out in many of the conference rooms on the first day of the E3 Expo in Los Angeles, but just shy of 9:30 in the morning in room 404, the projector glowed strong and the faint sounds of a Red Hot Chili Peppers “Greatest Hits” disc eased its way across the floor, the opening act for an assembly of industry rock stars. The panel was called “Developing better characters, better stories: How a game character's emotion, passion, and intelligence makes the game experience real.” Moderator Ian Davis, CEO of Mad Doc Software, responsible for Empire Earth II and Dungeon Siege: Legends of Aranna, chatted casually with his fellow panel members before starting the show.'