IanSchafer.com

4thSpace

A fellow co-worker and myself were discussing various social aspects and the new trend of how people use space. As in, where they spend most of their time. The topic was very interesting where we initially narrowed it down into three areas. Home, work and the ThirdSpace (or Being Space as TrendWatching points out)

commercial living-room-like settings, where catering and entertainment aren't just the main attraction, but are there to facilitate small office/living room activities like watching a movie, reading a book, meeting friends and colleagues, or doing your admin.

BEING SPACES charge us for eating, drinking, playing, listening, surfing, working, or meeting, just as we would at home or in the office, while successfully reintegrating us into city life 

An all too common example is the way Starbucks has made the coffeeshop into a living room type setting.


I also believe that in addition to these three spaces, there is a 4thSpace - online and social networks. A place where people go as a virtual home, from their landing page on Facebook to iGoogle. People dwell in one or two of these spaces at any one time. Usually one is physical with the second being virtual (ex: sitting at home playing Xbox Live, in Starbucks surfing Facebook, etc.)

The Four Spaces
1 - Home
2 - Work/Office
3 - Being Space (Starbucks, Borders Books, Panera Bread)
4 - Virtual Space (Facebook, iGoogle, MySpace) 

The intriguing aspect of 4thSpace is that it continues to exist without us after we place our identity into that realm. With MySpace, there are pages of deceased members that still garner visits and posted comments. So much so in fact that those that have passed now warrant their own sites like MyDeathSpace.com. The virtual identity becomes, or takes the place of, a real presence. Granted, social networks also allow users to be someone (or something) other than themselves, but the 4thSpace allows comfort in a setting where the other three spaces may not.


People unfamiliar, and even the familiar, become known by their page or avatar. Xbox Live, Facebook or when SecondLife was viable allows users to drop in for a visit and say hello. No one home? Leave a message and they'll get back to you.


It’s a fascinating topic that is vast in it's research potential, especially with user trends and emerging technologies with the additional social aspects and implications. As we get drawn into The Matrix a bit more, it’ll be nice to know how cozy it will be. Or when a Starbucks opens a Starbucks in it. Trust me, NYC is close already.

Creative Department Secret Weapon: Story Games

The Idea Well—sometimes it runneth dry. All Creative Service employees know about brain drought. Even worse, it’s contagious and can stop a pitch or project dead in its tracks. The usually panacea? Ping-pong tables, CommArts books and TheFWA.com. There’s gotta be a better way! Well, if brain drought’s the poison, I’ve got the remedy.



Story Games

A couple years ago, I discovered a Story Games creative community. Story Games is a sort of synonym for indie, pen and paper RPGs. Unlike earlier RPGs (D&D-type stuff) there’s generally a lot less number crunching. In these games, the mechanics are designed to expedite the storytelling. Plus, you’ll find games with all sorts of awesome and original concepts that extend beyond fantasy, from dating to show biz development. What’s great is that each one has a unique, intuitive system (engine, in tech parlance) for narrative progression, collaboration and/or competition—essentially dialogue and interactivity.

Hmmm, dialogue and interactivity increase engagement, promote co-authorship and build narrative. That sounds really familiar…like from every client brief written in the last two years!

Not sold?

Here are 5 reasons why your Creative Department should be playing Story Games:

1) They Keep You Together. Story Games promote the collaborative development of big, relatable, compelling ideas that work for everybody…no hobby horses allowed.

2) They Keep You Honest. The mechanics that power these games are basic and elegant. Usually just poker chips, a traditional card deck or simple custom tokens. As creatives and technologists we sometimes forget that emotionally compelling interactive experiences don’t require wizbangery.

3) They Keep You in Shape. Been working for one brand or on one project for a few weeks or months? Story Games keep brainstorming muscle fit, even if it’ll be another month before you can come up for air.

4) They Keep You in the Spotlight. No hiding in the corner, resting on the laurels of AS3 skills. If somebody is gun shy (or lazy) about ideation they can’t run away in a Story Game. If they do, the experience is compromised. However, as long as everybody is onboard, the engine will work and ideation and presentation skills will evolve.

5) They Keep You Sane. In reality, these games are like narrative karaoke. They’re fun, fast and everybody gets to shine. Most importantly, they’re not work…but they’ll make you better at your job.

A Final Note:

Ian and company are going to resolve the engagement debate soon. However the measurement system nets out, the numbers are going to favor the executions that tell the best stories.

Designers of My Favorite Story Games

Jason Morningstar (The Shab al-Hiri Roach)
Jared Sorensen (InSpectres)
Matt Wilson (Primetime Adventures)
Emily Care Boss (Breaking the Ice)

I also recommend game designer Ron Edwards seminal essay, “System Does Matter”.

Deep Focus Plays Santa for PS 11

Who says advertising doesn't do anything good for children?

Through the efforts of my amazing wife, Cheryl, Deep Focus delivered hundreds of new and used books to some kids in need at PS 11 in Brooklyn.

Check out the smiling faces on these kids. It kind of puts everything in perspective, doesn't it?

MySpace Doesn ’ t Have a “ Platform ” After All.

So apparently, Techcrunch was wrong. I knew I didn't post about this for a reason.

Valleywag confirms that MySpace is not releasing anything similar to Facebooks application platform, just actually just revealing a "directory" of apps -- basically a PR move for MySpace to show off internal MySpace programs.

The speculation was fun while it lasted. MySpace has do something though, to earn back its darling status from it's "I swear they are not our competition" competition, Facebook.

Everything Bad is Good For You.

I often refer books to clients and colleagues. In the last year, there has been no book I've recommended more than (fellow Brooklynite) Steven Johnson's Everything Bad is Good For You.

Why? It's concise, inspirational, and explains why content continues to get more complex and why we continue to get more and more involved with it. It uses television as an explanatory vehicle, but the explanations can apply to ALL forms of media.
Since I've read the book, I've begun to look at things (or at least understand them) differently. Things from social networks, to vlogs, to podcasts, to mobile content all make more sense.

What it has also led me to understand is that all this Web 2.0 hoo-hah is less the evolution of technology, and more the evolution of human behavior.

Read it.

While you're at it, check out Steven Johnson's blog as well. He's been working on a fascinating project called Outside.in, what very well might be the future of locally-focused online communities.