Tumblr (3.0; @susanoconnor)http://susanoconnorwriter.com/<h2>Create human connection in a digital world.</h2> <p>We provide story development and scriptwriting services<br/>to game studios and their publishers.</p> <h2>Connect with more players.</h2> <p>Ten million gamers served</p> <p>Sales: $5,000,000,000+</p> <h2>Make great games.</h2> <p>We&#8217;ve worked with some of the best studios and designers in the country, and contributed to award-winning, groundbreaking titles.</p> <p>We&#8217;ve turned that experience into a set of practices that can help any team.</p> <p><strong>susan [at] susanoconnorwriter [dot] com</strong></p>http://susanoconnorwriter.com/post/44583371982http://susanoconnorwriter.com/post/44583371982Thu, 16 May 2013 09:00:25 -0700intro<iframe width="400" height="300" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/acVo-kTzIgo?wmode=transparent&autohide=1&egm=0&hd=1&iv_load_policy=3&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&showsearch=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br/><br/><p>I’ll be speaking at the <a href="http://nordicgame.com" target="_blank">Nordic Game Conference</a> next week about how to connect with players. You know who knows how to connect with her audience? BJORK. <3</p>http://susanoconnorwriter.com/post/50581970468http://susanoconnorwriter.com/post/50581970468Thu, 16 May 2013 08:59:00 -0700<a href="http://www.vulture.com/2013/04/read-soderberghs-state-of-the-movie-biz-speech.html">Read Steven Soderbergh'€™s San Francisco International Film Festival Keynote</a>: <p><blockquote class="link_og_blockquote">A certain kind of rodent might be smarter than a studio when it comes to picking projects.</blockquote></p>http://susanoconnorwriter.com/post/49339639070http://susanoconnorwriter.com/post/49339639070Tue, 30 Apr 2013 22:07:39 -0700<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/30/science/may-britt-and-edvard-moser-explore-the-brains-gps.html?smid=tu-share">A Sense of Where You Are</a>: <p>May-Britt and Edvard I. Moser are exploring the way the brain records and remembers movement in space, which they speculate may be the basis of all memory.</p>http://susanoconnorwriter.com/post/49221825128http://susanoconnorwriter.com/post/49221825128Mon, 29 Apr 2013 18:01:48 -0700<p>In a few weeks I&#8217;ll be participating in this panel at the Neurogaming Conference; should be interesting, to say the least. </p> <div> <p><strong>11:15 - 12:15         Feeling Human - Emotional <span class="il">Gaming</span> Platforms</strong></p> <div>What new technologies are being used to track, react to and incorporate human emotions into the <span class="il">gaming</span> experience? This panel of experts will share how facial analysis, skin conductance level, voice measurement, and eye tracking are broadening the opportunities for game design.<br/><ul><li>Tan Le, <em>Founder and CEO</em>,<strong> <a href="http://www.emotivlifesciences.com/" target="_blank"><strong>Emotiv Lifesciences<br/></strong></a></strong></li> <li>Mike Ambinder, <em>Experimental Psychologist,</em> <strong><a href="http://www.valvesoftware.com/" target="_blank">Valve</a></strong></li> <li>Susan O&#8217;Connor, <em>Writer</em><em>,</em> <strong><a href="http://susanoconnorwriter.com/" target="_blank">Susan O&#8217;Connor Writing Studio</a><br/></strong></li> <li>Ingmar Gutberlet,<em> International Director</em>, <a href="http://www.smivision.com/" target="_blank"><strong>SMI Vision</strong></a></li> <li>J Moses, <em>President and Founder</em>, <strong><a href="http://thechiplatform.com/" target="_blank">TheChiPlatform</a></strong></li> <li><strong>Moderator:</strong> Hugh Bowen, <em>President and Founder</em>, <a href="http://www.bowenresearch.com/" target="_blank"><strong>Bowen Research</strong></a><strong><br/></strong></li> </ul></div> <div></div> </div>http://susanoconnorwriter.com/post/48704105129http://susanoconnorwriter.com/post/48704105129Tue, 23 Apr 2013 10:44:00 -0700<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/21/arts/television/amy-schumers-comedy-central-show-from-the-inside.html?hpw&_r=0">Amy Schumer's Comedy Central Show, From the Inside</a>: <blockquote class="link_og_blockquote"> <div>The new Comedy Central show that spins around Amy Schumer is as much the work of its staff as of its central player, as a six-month observation of the process reveals.</div> </blockquote> <p>What alternate reality is this? I could read this kind of thing all day. Want to go to there!</p>http://susanoconnorwriter.com/post/48285504791http://susanoconnorwriter.com/post/48285504791Thu, 18 Apr 2013 09:51:00 -0700<a href="http://www.gamerevolution.com/features/game-writers-have-the-toughest-most-underappreciated-job-in-the-industry">Review of our GDC talk</a>: <p>“<span class="manifestoContent">As the demographics of game audiences have become older and wiser, and the construction of storyworlds have become more complex and realistic, gamers have come to expect grand narrative experiences worth the premium price of $60, amidst the sea of cheaper mobile, downloadable, and online titles. Video game writers, now more than ever, are the underdogs worth rooting for. They are the heroes who have the power to change the video game industry forever—and we should <em>let </em>them.” Shazam! That is a hell of a takeaway from our talk. Thank you Nicholas Tan!</span></p>http://susanoconnorwriter.com/post/47221058143http://susanoconnorwriter.com/post/47221058143Thu, 04 Apr 2013 00:00:00 -0700press<iframe width="400" height="225" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/yml1UGgXoEc?wmode=transparent&autohide=1&egm=0&hd=1&iv_load_policy=3&modestbranding=1&rel=0&showinfo=0&showsearch=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br/><br/><p>Hits shelves March 5th! Very glad to have been a part of this project. Congratulations to the whole team for doing such an amazing job. Tomb Raider #Reborn Trailer </p>http://susanoconnorwriter.com/post/44582058864http://susanoconnorwriter.com/post/44582058864Wed, 03 Apr 2013 17:10:00 -0700press<a href="http://www.slideshare.net/robblewis/gdc2013-magidplay-spangamebizmodels">Great Story = More $</a>: <p>Free-to-play games are HUGE. How can pay-to-play games compete? Quality. “Storyline and gameplay experience matter most - they always have.” Check this survey for more.</p>http://susanoconnorwriter.com/post/47210020535http://susanoconnorwriter.com/post/47210020535Tue, 02 Apr 2013 12:27:00 -0700<iframe class="tumblr_audio_player tumblr_audio_player_46014771101" src="http://susanoconnorwriter.com/post/46014771101/audio_player_iframe/susanoconnor/tumblr_mk2yloCtDa1rpv8le?audio_file=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tumblr.com%2Faudio_file%2Fsusanoconnor%2F46014771101%2Ftumblr_mk2yloCtDa1rpv8le" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" scrolling="no" width="500" height="169"></iframe><br/><br/><p>One of modern cinema’s most celebrated writers, Kaufman’s work includes surreal fantasy Being John Malkovich, cerebral sci-fi Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and comedy drama Adaptation. In this lecture held at BAFTA on 30 September 2011, he discusses the techniques of writing for the big screen.</p>http://susanoconnorwriter.com/post/46014771101http://susanoconnorwriter.com/post/46014771101Mon, 01 Apr 2013 14:05:00 -0700SoundCloudBAFTAPodcast<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/04/technology/personaltech/fun-intrigue-and-drama-in-adventureland.html?src=recg">Fun, Intrigue and Drama in Adventureland</a>http://susanoconnorwriter.com/post/47220273380http://susanoconnorwriter.com/post/47220273380Sun, 31 Mar 2013 00:00:00 -0700<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/b4c514d48b222f1b684e008305c9afe0/tumblr_mia6neJd8k1rpv8leo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><a href="http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/186432/the_writers_job_if_breaking_bad_.php" target="_blank">My latest Gamasutra article is now online</a>. In it, I take a look at what would be gained - and lost - if this show ever became a console video game. I also geek out on the general amazeballs nature of this show. </p>http://susanoconnorwriter.com/post/43172189041http://susanoconnorwriter.com/post/43172189041Fri, 15 Feb 2013 13:35:38 -0800press<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/285f2d40c5bc2de6ee5b8462a618ad84/tumblr_mhlqrccVum1rpv8leo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>I’m excited to announce that my <a href="http://tedxbeaconstreet.com/susanoconnor/">TEDx talk is live</a>! I feel honored to be part of this project. Thanks to everybody at Beacon Street for their support.</p> <p>And believe it or not, in real life I talk a mile a minute. The whole time I am speaking here, I am silently telling myself “girl, slow down, and don’t fall off the stage…” I guess it worked.</p>http://susanoconnorwriter.com/post/42108650545http://susanoconnorwriter.com/post/42108650545Sat, 02 Feb 2013 08:50:00 -0800press<a href="http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-02-15-the-naughty-dog-difference">The Naughty Dog Difference</a>: <p>Hooray! </p>http://susanoconnorwriter.com/post/43451801006http://susanoconnorwriter.com/post/43451801006Fri, 01 Feb 2013 18:08:00 -0800<p><span>Susan is a strong narrative firefighter who can identify problems and provide both broad and detailed solutions. Her thoughtful approach is rooted in structure and process - she can quickly get to the heart of a story, bring important elements to the surface, and help smooth out the rough edges. Susan is a great collaborator who thrives under pressure. Her great sense of humor and easy manner makes her a pleasure to work with. In tough situations, she&#8217;s the picture of grace under pressure. Where others might throw their hands up and retreat, she is always happy to jump into the fray and get things done&#8230; likely with a smile on her face!</span></p> <p><em>- John Stafford, Narrative Designer, Crystal Dynamics</em></p>http://susanoconnorwriter.com/post/44583066767http://susanoconnorwriter.com/post/44583066767Sat, 26 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0800testimonials<p><img alt="image" height="134" src="http://media.giantbomb.com/uploads/0/776/246183-2k_marin_large.jpg" width="165"/>I was lucky enough to work with Susan when she came onto my project at 2K Marin. Her insight and focus on the clarity and structure of story did wonders for the game, and having her narrative expertise present was a boon to all the level designers, as an advisor and collaborator. When my responsibilities extended into joining the Story Group on the game, her direct input on my writing and the process as a whole was invaluable.</p> <p><em>- Steve Gaynor, Designer, 2K Marin</em></p>http://susanoconnorwriter.com/post/17617570934http://susanoconnorwriter.com/post/17617570934Mon, 14 Jan 2013 12:14:00 -0800testimonials<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/b69eb693de594a1f6239c5344bc37691/tumblr_mhlqdngGNY1rpv8leo1_400.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Unannounced AAA console title</p>http://susanoconnorwriter.com/post/42108083046http://susanoconnorwriter.com/post/42108083046Fri, 11 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0800portfolio<a href="http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/12/25/game-theory-challenging-the-industry/?smid=tu-share">Game Theory: Challenging the Industry</a>: <p>What role does diversity — of players, creators and games — play in pushing the medium forward?</p>http://susanoconnorwriter.com/post/40037378239http://susanoconnorwriter.com/post/40037378239Tue, 08 Jan 2013 13:42:29 -0800<a href="http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/12/26/game-theory-video-games-are-more-like-ballet-than-movies/?smid=tu-share">Game Theory: Considering Video Games as Ballet</a>: <p>Playing games is as much about motion and gesture as it is about witnessing what occurs on a screen.</p>http://susanoconnorwriter.com/post/40037304594http://susanoconnorwriter.com/post/40037304594Tue, 08 Jan 2013 13:41:34 -0800<a href="http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/12/26/game-theory-a-playwright-on-the-art-of-video-games/?smid=tu-share">Game Theory: A Playwright on the Art of Video Games</a>: <p>For games to take their rightful place among other creative works, it’s important to ask what they achieve that other forms cannot.</p>http://susanoconnorwriter.com/post/40037232333http://susanoconnorwriter.com/post/40037232333Tue, 08 Jan 2013 13:40:39 -0800