unique hazards may exist

I’m Stephen Hood, co-founder and CEO of Storium, the online storytelling game. Previously I was co-founder of Blockboard and ran product for del.icio.us. I live in the San Francisco Bay area.

[uniquehazards]

Just Frelling Do It: How To Get Into Farscape By Blasting Through Its First Season

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(Skip directly to my episode guide for an abridged season one) Farscape is an epic space opera that premiered in 1999 on the Sci-Fi Channel. It features a classic American action hero (complete with Lee Majors-approved jawline), has a stellar Australian cast, and is infused with the full creative power of The Jim Henson Company. It’s wonderful, wacky, and weird. Perhaps, ultimately, too weird. After four seasons and 88 episodes, the network finally cancelled it… presumably to make room for the investigative journalism of Ghost Hunters. (Fortunately, a short mini-series eventually followed, providing much-needed closure.)

Why it’s great

Farscape is, in my opinion, criminally underrated. I'm no TV or film critic, but my reasoning could fill another blog post, and maybe someday it will. For now, I’ll give you the short version:

It’s wildly creative and original. From the visual design, to the characters and universe they inhabit, to the story itself, you’ve probably never experienced anything quite like it.

It has a gripping, serialized story arc that pays off, predating our current obsession with this style of TV storytelling by several years.

It has sharp writing, witty dialog, and stand-out performances galore.

It has puppets. Glorious, psychotic puppets, in technicolor. There are no CGI monsters here: the actors can reach out and touch the creatures around them, and the effect is startling. You'll find yourself shedding tears for animatronics before it’s all over.

It is joyful and has loads of humor. It keeps a light heart, even in its darkest moments. This is no BSG, no Dark Knight. This is a show that will lift your spirit.

It is filled with pop culture references that actually work, and which will hold up much longer than your favorite jokes from Buffy.

The chemistry between stars Ben Browder and Claudia Black. Full stop.

The best sci-fi villain since Darth Vader. Full stop.

Finally, at its core, it's really a love story. And honestly? It’s one of the best you’ll ever see on television.

For me, all of these things add up to make Farscape the greatest science fiction show ever to grace the small screen. *drops mic, pauses, picks it back up*

The problem

But here’s the thing: I seem to be largely alone in this opinion. A great many people I know and respect have let this show pass them by. Some truly gave it a shot but report that they “couldn’t get into it.” Others dismiss it as “that show with the puppets.” And still others just find it... weird. How can this be? One possibility is that I’m wrong: the show is terrible, I’m living in a dream world, and I will die alone, buried in the next earthquake beneath my collection of Farscape DVD box sets. Well, screw that. I’m not wrong. And if there’s nothing wrong with me, there must be something wrong with the universe. After much thought, I think I’ve figured out what: the first season is deeply uneven. It took me a while to see and then accept this. After all, I love pretty much every frame of this show, even the ones that I suspect are objectively weak. But the truth is that, in the midst of some true greatness, Farscape's first season also has a number of mediocre episodes. In this regard it's no different from many other good shows. A beginning is a very delicate time. The particular challenge here is that Farscape's first season is hard to skip, or even to skip through. This is a highly serialized show, with nearly every episode contributing to the ongoing story arc. And it’s not until near the end of that first season that this arc begins to clearly manifest itself and deliver thrills. To address this problem, we need a way to get you through season one as quickly as possible, focusing on the good parts, blowing past the bad, and ensuring you don't miss any crucial information along the way. If we can do this, I'm willing to bet you'll be hooked. Sounds like an episode guide to me...

My guide to an abridged season one of Farscape

By following this guide, you’ll cut about six and a half hours from your viewing time. More importantly, you’ll get to the good stuff sooner. 3/19/19 UPDATE: Today is the 20th anniversary of Farscape's premiere, and in celebration The Jim Henson Company has announced that the show is now streaming on Amazon Prime, along with a newly HD-remastered version of the mini-series!

# Name Action Notes

1 Premiere Watch An arguably shaky start, but come on: you can't skip the pilot!

2 I, E.T. Watch first 12 mins Good character development up front (especially regarding Rygel, AKA the anti-Kermit), but the rest is poor and should be skipped.

3 Exodus from Genesis Watch Some weak moments (including an ill-advised CGI Rygel), but worth it for what you learn about the characters, and the Peacekeepers.

4 Throne for a Loss Watch Fun, and important for the story arc.

5 Back and Back and Back to the Future Skip Standalone episode; some things to like here, but skippable.

6 Thank God It's Friday, Again Skip A few funny moments, but not worth the price of admission. One piece of info that's good to know: SPOILER — [Luxans like D'Argo are prone to fits of uncontrollable "hyper-rage." Something to avoid, if you can...]

7 PK Tech Girl Watch Important for the story arc. Also, romance! And my god, that opening shot. This is the episode where Farscape finds its visual style.

8 That Old Black Magic Skip Important for the story arc, but the details are provided here: SPOILERS — [ Crais has been driven near-mad by the death of his brother, to the point of killing his first officer and disobeying orders to break off the hunt for Moya. It now seems he can never forgive Crichton and cannot be reasoned with. Zhaan is forced to reawaken her dark side in the process of saving Crichton. There's also this uber-powerful scenery-chewing psychic vampire named Maldis that will show up again later looking for revenge, but whatever.]

9 DNA Mad Scientist Watch Important character development, and some stunning visuals.

10 They've Got A Secret Watch about half There's important story arc stuff here that you need to see. There is also a painfully goofy subplot you should skip (by zooming over the scenes that feature a hallucinating D'Argo, which make up about half of the show). Here's what you'll miss: SPOILERS — [ D'Argo was married to a Sebacean woman named Lo'Laan and has a son named Jothee. Such interspecies marriages are loathed among the Peacekeepers. D'Argo says Lo'Laan's own brother Macton, a Peacekeeper, murdered her to keep them apart and then framed D'Argo for the crime. He does not know where his son is, but finding Jothee and avenging Lo'Laan's death are his prime motivators.]

11 Till The Blood Runs Clear Watch Great character development, and some importance to the story arc.

12 Rhapsody in Blue Skip Important character development, but the details are provided here: SPOILERS — [ Crichton was going to propose to his girlfriend Alex, back before the Farscape Project, but it didn't work out. Zhaan nearly loses control to her dark side, but sharing "unity" (sort of an intense mind-meld) with Crichton ultimately saves her. In the process, she "levels up" her abilities but also decides to leave her priesthood behind.]

13 The Flax Watch Story arc importance, but also: romance! Bring something to fan yourself.

14 Jeremiah Crichton Skip Essentially disavowed by the show's creators, it's really better we pretend this episode doesn't even exist. Gah.

15 Durka Returns Watch Introduces a new character, and a great villain.

16 A Human Reaction Watch Very important to the story arc.

17 Through the Looking Glass Skip A good standalone episode if you've got the time and interest. But we've gotta keep moving. Here are a couple interesting plot points to be aware of, however: SPOILERS — [ Moya's pregnancy is disrupting her normal functions and is causing problems for the crew, to the point where they are afraid that they will not be able to starburst to safety should Crais appear. By the end of the episode, however, it's clear the crew will stay with Moya, and that they are all truly starting to bond.]

18 A Bug's Life Watch OK, here we go, friends. This episode really sets events in motion for our story arc.

19 Nerve (Part 1) Watch Say hello to the greatest villain in science fiction TV history.

20 The Hidden Memory (Part 2) Watch A major turning point, and the introduction of another new character.

21 Bone to be Wild Watch about half You can skip the portions of this episode that occur down on the asteroid (roughly half of the episode), but watch the rest because it's important to the story arc. Here's one important piece of information you'll miss in the skips: SPOILER — [ Zhaan... is a plant. That's right. She's flora, not fauna.]

22 Family Ties (Part 1) Watch One hell of a cliffhanger...

(Episode thumbnails from farscape.com) I hope you find this guide useful, and that it prompts you to give Farscape the chance that it deserves.

[uniquehazards]

Diving in Beleriand: My 2014 in review

In 2013 I wrote at length about my year. This year’s report will be a little bit shorter and, I hope, sweeter. This is both by design (to avoid last year's long-windedness) and out of necessity (I’m doing this under a Storium-related deadline). Fundamentally, this was a special year for me because I rediscovered things that I had thought lost. Aspects of myself that had sunk beneath the waves of life and "career." Things like the fuller conviction of my beliefs, my sense of fulfillment in my work, and the joy of living in the moment. While 2014 had its share of challenges, finding these lost treasures made it a very good year for me. I feel quite lucky.

Storium took flight

Without a doubt, the defining moment of my 2014 was Storium's Kickstarter campaign. Simply put, it changed the game for me in a profound way. It was the fulcrum upon which the rest of my year pivoted.

Our Kickstarter launched in April, after over a year of design, engineering, playtesting, planning, and networking. The response exceeded all our hopes and dreams. We ultimately raised a brain-melting $251,362 — over 10x our original goal — from nearly 6,700 backers. These numbers make Storium one of the most successful Kickstarters of its kind to date and place it in the top echelon of campaigns, both in terms of amount raised and number of backers. It's hard to put into words what this all means to me. It would be an understatement to say that I’m proud. More to the point, I'm deeply, madly grateful. Being a founder or a creator can be a lonely job. Your ability to make progress is often a function of your ability to fend off self-doubt. This self-doubt has many sources: the solitary nature of the work, the lack of income, the naysayers, and sometimes your own idle thoughts. But thanks to Kickstarter, I now know empirically that other people — a lot of other people — care about this crazy idea of mine and want to see it become a reality. This has granted me new levels of confidence and conviction. It has given me renewed drive, fuel for the fight ahead. It has made my work all the more fulfilling. What a gift. So if you were one of our backers, thank you. Your support meant a lot to me this year.

I got to work with some great people

Last year I had the good fortune of meeting a number of fantastically creative people, from award-winning novelists and screenwriters to respected game designers and artists. This year I was able to take it to the next level by hiring some of these folks and growing the Storium team. 2014 saw Elsa S. Henry join us as Storium's community manager. Amanda Valentine became our managing editor, and proceeded to build an outstanding team of editors that includes Lillian Cohen-Moore, Brian Engard, John Adamus, Miranda Horner, Jocelyn Koehler, Shoshana Kessock, and Elsa. Game designer Leonard Balsera became our project manager for education and oversaw our first trial of Storium in the classroom. The multi-talented Jess Banks joined us as art director. Justin Jacobson became our general counsel. Our advisors — Will Hindmarch, J.C. Hutchins, Mur Lafferty, and Chuck Wendig — all made important contributions to the planning and execution of our Kickstarter campaign. And last but not least, Werner Schwock pitched in as our advisor in matters of finance, accounting, and taxes. Of course, in 2014 I also continued working with the unstoppable Josh Whiting — co-founder, friend, and utterly the best partner I could ask for. I won the jackpot on that one. They say you should work with people who are smarter than you, people you can learn from. Based on the list above, I'd say I did pretty good in 2014.

I broadened my perspective

I don't want to linger on this point too much because I don't think I've done anything special here, nor have I earned the right to speak on the issue in any detail. But I will say that I learned a lot this year about privilege, both my own and others'.

This mostly came from seeking out and listening to voices outside of my usual echo chamber — AKA what novelist Chuck Wendig calls "Heteronormative White Dude Mountain." The reality is that I've never really felt the sting of discrimination. Nor have I ever truly been an outsider, beyond the comparative weaksauce of "being a nerd". And it's clear to me that that spending so much of my professional life in Silicon Valley has placed me inside a bubble that I find increasingly distasteful. In 2014 I at least began to burst that bubble. Twitter was surprisingly helpful in this regard, because it made it easy for me to seek out and listen to diverse and brave voices. And even the trainwreck of GamerGate has been educational, if only because it has reminded me once again just how badly we need games and spaces that are inviting to those who often don't feel welcome in the gaming community. I very much want Storium to be such a game, and such a space. (Image by the wonderful Ursula Vernon.)

We adopted another dog

In May, we decided to formally adopt our foster dog. Greta-Lou is a doxie/beagle mix, and she's fifteen pounds of energy and love.

She has bonded with our other dog, Chloe, and they're now inseparable pals. As for our awesome cats, Newbie and Henry, they remain remarkably patient and generous with these two hyperactive pups. Our pets are precious to me and a source of constant joy. I quite honestly feel that they've already extended my lifespan by several years. I consider myself lucky that, by working at home, I get to spend so much time with them.

I went into the West

This year my wife and I made it a point to visit the ocean more frequently. I was born on the California coast, in scenic Carmel-By-The-Sea, and there's something about that place which lingers in my blood, and in my bones. Every visit, no matter how brief, recharges me. In 2015 I hope to visit even more often.

I continued to seek balance

"Seek" being the operative word here. While this was the most fulfilling year of my professional life to date, it was also easily the most stressful. In last year's post I complained of developing an eye twitch. One year later, that eye twitch has been supplanted by full-on chest pains and tightness. That's... well, I don't know what that is, but it's not progress. I suspect that part of the problem is that I have so much of myself wrapped up in my work. Storium is intensely personal for me. It's my baby. That makes the highs higher, and the lows lower. In 2015 I need to find a more sustainable middle way. So, that was my 2014 in a nutshell. I know that I was very fortunate this year, and I'm keenly aware that the future can go pear-shaped at any time. So thanks for indulging this brief look back. And if you were a part of making my 2014 so special, you have my thanks and my best wishes for the year to come.

[uniquehazards]

On conferences and intent

I’ve attended a lot of tech conferences over the years. In my younger days, when I worked on awkward cough enterprise software, the conferences I went to were crassly commercial affairs. Marketing masquerading as content. The intent of these conferences was to sell stuff. It was hard to stay awake. As my career (if that word even applies) mercifully shifted towards the Web, I began to attend conferences that focused on technologies rather than companies. A vast sea of competing panels and tracks vied for my attention.

The intent of these conferences was to bolster an ideology or trend. Or, perhaps more cynically, to build reputations. It was hard to relate. After founding my first company I began attending “startup” conferences. Usually organized by tech publications and blogs, they were populated by eager and often desperate entrepreneurs, ready to regurgitate the latest catch phrases from celebrity founders and investors. The intent of these conferences was to feed the hype machine. It was hard to believe in. Last weekend, I attended XOXO up in Portland. Over three days, I heard profoundly personal lessons shared by creative people. I played experimental games, formed new relationships, and generally sat in rapt attention through every moment. The intent of this conference was to bring independent creators together to share and celebrate their struggles and successes. It was hard to leave. I've been thinking a lot about my experience at XOXO, and why it felt so different from (and more satisfying than) any other conference I've attended. I've concluded that much of it flows from the organizers' intentions. Intent shapes the things we do and the things we make. It is the difference between Zynga and Valve, between Microsoft and Apple. I hope it’s the difference between the endeavors of my past and my startup right now. It’s also the difference between most conferences I’ve attended, and XOXO. When you put people first, in a genuine and heartfelt way, it shows. And it's contagious. My congratulations to Andy and Andy for what their intentions have wrought. I hope they do it again.

[protagonistlabs]

One week ago today, we launched our Kickstarter campaign for Storium, the online storytelling game. After months of playtesting we knew that we were on to something and hoped that others would feel the same way. But the actual response we’ve seen has blown us away.

We hit our funding goal in the first 24 hours! Whaaaaaat.

[protagonistlabs]

We’ve just launched our Kickstarter campaign for Storium, the online storytelling game!

What’s Storium? Storium’s mission hasn’t changed since our original announcement — we are creating an online storytelling medium that plays like a game and lets busy people make storytelling a...

[protagonistlabs]

Storium’s Kickstarter video shoot

After over a year of development, playtesting, and planning, we’re finally ready to bring Storium to Kickstarter! We’ve submitted our campaign for approval and will be launching within days.

UPDATE: the official launch date for our Kickstarter campaign is...

[protagonistlabs]

It's our birthday!

seangarrett on flickr

"Protagonist Labs is a new startup founded on the belief that we all have inherent creative potential that technology can help us unlock. We are building digital tools that use the power of play to break down creative walls."

With those words, Protagonist Labs premiered one year ago today. And what a year it’s been.

Read More

[uniquehazards]

Well that was fast. Today is the one-year anniversary of my startup, Protagonist Labs! This has been an intense but hugely rewarding year. I'm happier in my work than I've ever been, and I'm proud of what my colleagues and I are creating in Storium. I can't wait to see what's next.

[protagonistlabs]

Storium Alpha 2 is here

After months of development, we’re pleased to announce that Storium Alpha 2 has just launched!

Alpha 2 is the latest playtest of Storium, the online storytelling game. It incorporates much of what we’ve learned from our prior playtest, and it’s a big change. Alpha 2 rethinks several of the game’s key mechanics, with the goal of making Storium faster, easier and more fun to play.

Read More

[uniquehazards]

Well, holy crap. My startup had a big day. We launched Storium Alpha 2, which is our newest alpha (or playtest, in gaming terms) of our online storytelling game. It's the culmination of months of playtesting and observation, and months of engineering and design work on top of that. Can't wait to see what happens next! If you'd like to check out Storium, please visit our homepage and add your name to the waiting list. We'll be inviting a new batch of playtesters soon.

[uniquehazards]

Stories and startups: my 2013 in review

Looking back on 2013, I realize that I worked seven days a week with hardly a pause, and I had very little income. By several entirely reasonable measures, that wouldn't exactly be termed a "success". And yet, for me 2013 was a profoundly successful and rewarding year. Why, you ask? *Stares, waits for you to ask.* Hey, thanks for asking! Here's why: I founded my second startup. This year revolved around my startup Protagonist Labs and the design, construction and alpha testing of our product: Storium, the online storytelling game. The Storium journey defined 2013 for me, and I expect (hope!) that it will define 2014 as well.

It appears that for better or worse I have this startup thing in my blood, coursing through my veins like some sort of mutagenic virus, clawing at my cell walls, tearing at my base pairs. I await the manifestation of useful metahuman abilities. So far all I've received is elevated background stress and a quixotic zeal for wireframe mockups. I worked on something I passionately believe in. The idea behind Storium has been rattling around inside my head for a few years now, and its roots go all the way back to my childhood. The idea of building something that helps people be creative and express themselves is deeply meaningful and important to me. That meaning has given me the strength to keep working, to keep pushing forward, even when I've felt tired, distracted or burned out. Working on something you believe in is priceless. It is a secret weapon that makes your work better. It is a super power that enables you overcome long odds. I haven't always felt this way in my professional life, so I'm very grateful that I do now. I combined my interests and experiences and turned them into a job. Funny story: before I got into computing as a kid, I was a child actor. Like, professionally and all that. (Don't bother looking, it was the analog era and the tapes have all been de-magnetized.) Hey, I said STOP LOOKING. Jeesh.

Anyway, as I grew up I drifted away from drama and into technology. For me this was without a doubt the right decision, but my interests in performance and storytelling lingered. They translated into an obsession with D&D and other role-playing games. They manifested as a love of film and television. They popped-up every time I played an engaging video game. They re-appeared time and time again as I read my favorite books. Working on Storium has united a lifetime of interests with a career's worth of experience in technology. I'm not sure if I crafted this thing or stumbled into it, but it fits like a glove. Better not screw it up, eh? I worked with amazing people. My co-founder Josh Whiting is the most talented engineer I've ever had the pleasure of working with. His mind operates on a completely different level from mine. He's like a chess grandmaster, intuitively seeing the whole board and effortlessly holding many possible moves in his head simultaneously. I am constantly in awe of his brain, his instincts, and his work ethic. On top of all that, his passion for what we're building rivals my own. I don't know what I did to deserve such a great friend and partner. I'm just lucky, I guess. I first met Will Hindmarch in 2012, but it was in 2013 that we really began to collaborate. Will is an established and widely respected game designer, as well as a hugely talented writer. Over the past year Will has become an invaluable advisor, teacher, ally, and friend.

Will, Josh, me, and virtual J.C.

I have learned so much about game design and writing from Will that it barely fits in my head. If I keep learning from him I may end up with Johnny Mnemonic-style brain bleed. Will has put a lot of time, effort, and emotion into Storium, and I know that he's made difficult sacrifices to do so. I also know that we share the same passion for this project and the same hopes for what it can become. Most of all, I know that Storium simply wouldn't be what it is without Will's unique experience, skills, and insights. Thank you, Will. J.C. Hutchins is a novelist and a transmedia powerhouse. I originally met him through Chuck Wendig, and in the past year our relationship has gone from acquaintance to advisor to friend. J.C., with his sharp instincts and keen eye, was one of the first to see the "big picture" of Storium — frankly, even before I did. His support and advice were invaluable in 2013. But beyond that, J.C. has a sense of optimism and excitement that is infectious. A conversation with J.C. makes you feel like you can conquer the world. In 2014 I want to talk with J.C. even more often!

Attending the Hugo Awards at Worldcon

I met some wicked talented folks. No, seriously. In 2013 I met so many inspiring people that I can hardly believe it. At Worldcon and other venues I had the opportunity to connect with amazing writers including Chuck Wendig (my beard idol), Mur Lafferty (who has since become an advisor for Storium!), Saladin Ahmed, Adam Christopher, Andrea Phillips, John Hornor Jacobs, Maurice Broaddus, and Tobias Buckell. At venues like Origins and Metatopia I met many talented folks from the indie game community, including Mark Diaz Truman, Logan Bonner, John Harper, Jason Morningstar, Lenny Balsera, Ryan Macklin, Miranda Horner, Sage LaTorra, Brennan Taylor, Fred Hicks, Justin Jacobson, Cam Banks, Luke Crane, Ken Hite, Marissa Kellly, Amanda Valentine, Dave Chalker, Ana Visneski, Quinn Murphy, Tracy Barnett, Elizabeth Sampat, Lillian Cohen-Moore, Adam Koebel, Rob Donoghue, Chris Hanrahan, Jeremy Morgan, Sean Nittner and many others. (If I accidentally left you out, please forgive me!) Suffice to say, I was deeply enriched this year by the company of smart and inspiring people. I learned. A lot. As with my prior startup, I built the initial prototype for Storium and in doing so sharpened my engineering skills. Unlike my prior startup, this time around I had to shoulder more of the product and UX design load myself, so I took the opportunity to learn and grow in that capacity. For the first time in my career I found myself building a game, and so 2013 was a crash course in game design, both practical and theoretical. Finally, I had many chances to apply lessons learned from my prior startup, enabling me to avoid some pitfalls this time. Of course, I also made new mistakes and learned from those as well. It sounds flip, but it's not. Screwing up is, for me, the fastest path to not screwing up. So bring it on. I read. A lot. In fact, I think I read more books this year than in the prior five years combined. This has proven to be one of the more delightful side effects of working on a startup based around creative writing. Picking favorites is tough, but some of them include The Blue Blazes (Chuck Wendig), The Windup Girl (Paolo Bacigalupi), the entire Dresden Files series (Jim Butcher), The Shambling Guide To New York City (Mur Lafferty), Throne of the Crescent Moon (Saladin Ahmed), Seven Wonders (Adam Christopher), and The Expanse novels (James S.A. Corey). You should read all these books. Yes, ALL OF THEM. All of these authors have new books coming out in 2014. I can't wait. I listened. A lot. Sitting here in my home office, Spotify and Pandora became my steadfast friends. I listened to a lot of great music, some of it new, some of it not. I leaned towards the wordless, since I tend to find lyrics distracting when writing or coding. Thus I ended up listening to a lot of post-rock and ambient acts. Some of my favorites included Hammock, Rhian Sheehan, Balmorhea, Sigur Rós, Explosions in the Sky, Helios, Mogwai and This Will Destroy You. A few lyrical exceptions on repeat included Fleet Foxes, The National and Arcade Fire, among many others. I also found myself listening to a number of film and video game scores, including Tron: Uprising (Joseph Trapanese), Bastion (Darren Korb), Children of Dune (Brian Tyler) and The Social Network (Trent Reznor). That's a new habit I plan to further explore in 2014. I worked for myself. It's taken a while, but I've learned that this is important to me. It's not that I have to be in charge and in control (at least I hope that's not it). Rather, I think I'm not built to work for someone else in an "organization". The parts just don't fit together very well. I am happier and more productive when working under my own direction, with a small number of people. Startup life and entrepreneurship aren't for everyone, and I would never claim they're better than any other way of living or working. But for me, this life is good. It is consistently challenging and yet constantly rewarding. I feel very fortunate to have had this opportunity, and I hope to keep doing it.

Chloe, the official Storium office dog

I worked from home. This seems like a small thing, but I enjoyed the hell out of it. After nearly three years of commuting daily to San Francisco, I finally got to work at my own desk, in my own space, with as much privacy and focus as I wanted. I got to be around and enjoy the company of my lovely wife, my adorable dog, and my dog-like cats. Between that and periodic video Hangouts with my team, I felt focused but never solitary, alone but never lonely. It was pretty great. Also, no pants! *Cheers wildly* I was healthy. Mostly. Crippling neck and back pain led to the diagnosis of a strange, rare spinal form of arthritis. Fortunately there's a drug available that is thus far helping dramatically (I call it "the mantle", an in-joke for fellow Dresden Files fans out there). Other than that, my wife and I were fortunate to be in good health this year. Others in my extended family have been dealt more difficult cards, but their conditions are presently good and we are all deeply grateful for that. There are a few things I didn't do this year. I didn't make any money. This is because we're "bootstrapping" Storium — trying to build and bring it to profitability without seed money or venture capital (or at least, not initially). We've taken this path because it feels like the right approach given our goals. The cost, of course, is that we're working without any income right now. I'm fortunate enough to have saved up enough money to get by, but I won't lie: it's been painful. The upside is that it provides me with a very real and immediate motivation to get this thing built and into the hands of our users. :) I also didn't find a good balance this year between work and... well, everything else. My wife has been supremely patient and understanding (just like she was with the last startup), but in a way that has just enabled my bad habits. My sleep schedule is hosed, I haven't been getting enough physical activity, my eating habits haven't been as good as they could be, and I've been staring at monitors so much that my freakin right eye has started to twitch. In 2014, I need to find more balance and take better care of myself. Just like the rest of us, eh?

In summary, this was a year of great personal and professional satisfaction. I end 2013 with deeper knowledge, some cool achievements, and more valued relationships than I had when I started. I really couldn't ask for more, and I'm very grateful for it. If you were a part of my year, thank you. I hope you'll be a part of the next one.

[protagonistlabs]

Storium is coming to Kickstarter in early 2014

We’re happy to share some great news: in the next few months we will be launching a Kickstarter campaign for Storium, the online storytelling game. [Inception trailer sound!] That’s right, we’ve decided to crowdfund the next phase of Storium’s development. Crowdfunding is a perfect fit for our project because it lets us directly validate player interest in Storium while keeping our team focused on building the things our users want.

Read More

[protagonistlabs]

[uniquehazards]

protagonistlabs:

Everybody’s a storyteller.

Telling stories is a fundamental part of the human experience, and yet for too many of us it’s not a part of our daily lives. That’s a shame because stories are powerful, thought-provoking, and — most importantly — a lot of fun!

The world needs more stories — your stories, from your imagination. That’s why we’ve created Storium, the online storytelling game. ...

[uniquehazards]

Psyched to be working with J.C. Hutchins

If you haven’t read the “7th Son” series of sci-fi thrillers, you really should. They’re about a government human cloning project gone disastrously awry. It’s an epic story chock-full of bizarre technologies, memorable characters, and endless plot twists. I adore these books and ever since I read the first installment I’ve been hoping to someday collaborate with their author, the most excellent J.C. Hutchins. That day has finally come: today my startup Protagonist Labs announced that J.C. has joined us as an advisor. In addition to being a skilled and wildly creative writer, J.C. is a respected practitioner in the emerging field of “transmedia”, a discipline that blends different media and narrative techniques to tell stories that involve the audience and span many platforms (including print, web, mobile, TV, film, and games). When I met J.C. he was one of the very earliest people to grok the core ideas behind Protagonist Labs. His enthusiasm and support mean a lot to me and I’m really proud to call him both a friend and, now, a collaborator.

[uniquehazards]

Will Hindmarch is our first advisor for Protagonist Labs

Today we announced that Will Hindmarch (@wordwill) is our first advisor for Protagonist Labs. I'm over the moon about this news. I mean, I know that's not physically possible and how would I even breathe in outer space let alone get up there in the first place but shut up I'm excited here okay?

Will is a respected designer and writer who has worked across a wide variety of media. While best known for his game design work – where he has been involved in some of the most influential tabletop and video games out there – he is also a writer of great skill and a deep thinker about the creative process. Getting to know Will and inducting him into our circle of trusted allies has been one of the most rewarding experiences for me so far in this new startup. He brings unique perspectives and experience to the table, is a generous collaborator, and is a person of great integrity. He also shares our sense of excitement about the opportunity we're working on. I'm really proud to know him, and to have him involved in our efforts!

[protagonistlabs]

Protagonist Labs is a new startup founded on the belief that we all have inherent creative potential that technology can help us unlock. We are building digital tools that use the power of play to break down creative walls.

Our co-founders are Stephen Hood (product) and Josh Whiting...

[uniquehazards]

Today I unveiled my new startup, Protagonist Labs. I'll have some more thoughts to share on the subject soon, but until then I'll just say that I'm incredibly excited for this new adventure!

[uniquehazards]

Steve Jobs, Google Maps, and the digital afterlife

Because Google Maps (like other mapping services) utilizes imaging data from multiple sources gathered at different points in time, the same geographic spot can sometimes look very different as you move between zoom levels and views. Weather and seasons can change unexpectedly. Cars can disappear without a trace. Things that were are suddenly no more. It is, quite simply, a time machine. Recently I ran across an example of this effect that is particularly interesting, and bittersweet. For many years Steve Jobs lived in an old Woodside mansion known as the Jackling House. Built 85 years ago in the Spanish Colonial Revival style, many considered it historic. And yet Steve purportedly hated it. He wanted to tear it down and replace it with a more modest, modern home. For years he battled preservationists, and then in February of this year he finally won the fight and demolished the house. In searching Google Maps for the house's location I discovered something unexpected: it's still there. Kind of. See for yourself: Location of the Jackling House, Woodside, CA on Google Maps Here's a screenshot of the map, since at some point soon the imagery will be updated:

There the house stands, dilapidated yet still proud. But turn off the 45° imagery mode, and the house is instantly replaced with an image of the current reality: a barren field.

Steve had the right to do what he did, and I'm sure he had his reasons. But I'm still saddened by the Jackling House's destruction. It was, to my eye, unique and beautiful. Now all we have of it is this digital afterlife, an echo of something great. Pondering the sad symbolism here is an exercise I leave to the reader.

[uniquehazards]

Remembering how I got here

The first time I saw a computer -- an Apple ][+ in my elementary school's library. The first time I made the turtle move in Logo. The day the guidance counselor nervously asked my mother, "Do you know how many floppy disks your son has?" The first time they kicked me out of the local library for cheering too loudly while playing Karateka on their Apple //e. The excitement of the day we brought home my first computer, an Apple //c. The time I cut the end off of a phone cable, stuffed the wires into the serial port, wrote a simple program to parrot-back canned dialog, and used the whole setup to trick a friend into thinking I was pulling a real-life "Wargames". The hours spent exploring local BBSs with my 1200 baud modem. The excitement of downloading illicit software, 140KB at a time. The day my parents bought me an Apple IIGS for Christmas. (Later, my attempts to mask my disappointment at realizing they had neglected to also purchase an Apple 3.5" drive, thus relegating said computer to the role of a slightly-faster Apple //c.) The many years of tinkering, exploration, and happiness that computer ultimately gave me. ---- On this sad day my spirits are somewhat lifted by the realization that I can trace much of my life's trajectory back to these early experiences. I am the person I am today in no small part due to Steve's work. And I am profoundly grateful. Oh, and that first computer? I've still got it. I think that says it all. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go fire up Karateka.

Steve Jobs: 1955 - 2011

[uniquehazards]

Unlit Social Graphs and the Post-Friend Economy

Lawrence Coburn of The Next Web wrote yesterday about "The Unlit Social Graph". It's a well-framed article and worth a read. Coburn's premise is that Facebook, despite its pervasiveness and dominance, does not represent the only type of social graph in our lives. There are many other networks out there but they currently lie dormant. Tremendous opportunity exists for startups that can "light up" these networks.

Every school is a network, every employer is a network, every bar is a network, every office building is a network, every hobby is a network, every neighborhood is a network, and at an extreme level, every shared interest is a network, regardless of location.

John Battelle adds:

...we are on the precipice of entirely new ways of thinking about our relationship to others as leveraged over digital platforms, and while Facebook may well be the oxygen or the landmass of this ecosystem, it won't be the entire ecosystem itself.

Embedded in these statements is a fundamental truth: that not every social connection is equal. Certainly, very few of our social connections truly qualify as "friendship" -- at least in the way we formerly used the term. And yet our recent habit has been to paint them all with the same broad stroke.

Relationships are shaped by the context in which they exist. Neighborhoods are a great example, wherein the context is a very special location -- my home. While we have much to gain from being connected to our neighbors and our neighborhood, we don't always want to be "friends" with our neighbors. That's because we can't easily escape these relationships once they have been created. As a result we now live in a time where most people don't know their neighbors names. We are living together, yet alone. This is a problem that can't be solved by a social graph of friends. The good news is that both culture and industry are waking up to the differences between these social graphs and the opportunities they present. I believe that we are entering a new era that I (with tongue in cheek) call the "post-friend economy". Facebook isn't going anywhere, of course. But in this world, Facebook's social graph is one of many we interact with. Instead of seeing every relationship in the context of "friendship", we use tools that more accurately reflect the diversity of relationships we maintain in the real world. These tools work in a way that makes sense for the context. That means many different levels of personal identity, sharing, and conversation. It means networks created around places, affinity, and time. And perhaps most importantly, it means the ability to unplug and "erase" ourselves from these networks as our own context changes (e.g. when I move to a new neighborhood, when I tire of playing basketball, or when a concert is over). At Blockboard we see ourselves as a post-friend application*, one that is focused on the problem of activating neighborhood networks. This is just one of the hundreds of latent graphs that will be activated over the next few years. Things are going to get interesting. * Hmm, a "post-friend application" sounds like something a Terminator would install on their iPhone. Needs work.