Gen Katz is editor of Games4Girls.com, an online zine that focuses on games that appeal to girls. For her exclusive Your Studio blogs, she writes about videogames, Princess Bride, and much more.

Your experience of something — a story for instance — depends upon how it is served.

When I go to a movie, I sit back and my attitude is, “Feed me, Seymour.” When partaking of the story in book form, I first circle like a cat to find a comfortable place and then I hunker down, ready to enter the author’s world. And think of how it feels to have the story read to you, like in The Princess Bride. Think of what that does to the experience. In the story’s video game form, I prepare to become adversarial. I’m ready to fight if need be, to scheme, to advance, and if the graphics and environment are great, ready to explore new land.

What started me on this train of thought was drinking coffee from a water glass instead of a cup. The glass was there, I poured the coffee into it, and drank it in a different way. Instead of holding the cup and sipping my coffee, I cupped my fingers around the glass and gulped the coffee down. It tasted different.

Back to the media. I am sure that designers and producers understand what container their audience brings with them. If they have it right, their audience becomes engaged and enters the game. Games require a more active participation on the part of the user. It will never be passive, whether you are bursting balloons, selecting dialog, deciding on what path to take, or where to shoot your opponent to do the most damage.

What you can do by engaging a person for 40 hours is awesome. Think of it. What would you do if you had a person’s complete attention for 40 hours? What story would you tell?

For now, however, I have to get back to my coffee.

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