Analysis on the participation of fans in the Mass Effect game transmedia universe development

• Grant number: 13/09528-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: November 01, 2013
• End date: June 30, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Applied Social Sciences - Communications
• Principal Investigator: Leonardo Antônio de Andrade
• Grantee: Paula Toledo Palomino
• Host Institution: Centro de Educação e Ciências Humanas (CECH). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

We live in a moment of frantic change, where movies, books and electronic games unfold and blend between themselves, converging in a way never before seen. Information is more accessible, the fans are avid for them, and the interaction between author and audience is possible and tactile, making the process a multifaceted one. This research project aims to address the question of the fans participation in the transmedia universe of Mass Effect game, which extends in products for different platforms, like: comics, books, mobile apps, etc. Mass Effect is an RPG (Role-Playing Game) game genre that provides an immersive experience. It's online community is extremely active and eager for content. For this reason, in this research, we'll analyze the question os authorship, because this community's users participated in the creation of an extension of the story, making the creative process a two-way street, where the fan directly influences the story evolution and deepening of the universes. As a final product of this research, a branch of the main story will be developed, created exclusively by a group of fans, using RPG as a tool for creating collaborative narratives. The game will be played using Google Hangout. Through this process and the final product, we aim to exemplify in a practical way, one of the forms in which fans interact with the transmedia universe, changing and shaping it according to their tastes and perceptions of it. (AU)