Matrix Online: WarCry Interviews the Founder of Gamics.com!

RumblingSky: We're here with Nathan Ciprick, founder of Gamics.com. Say hi, Nathan.
Nathan Ciprick: Hi, Nathan!
RumblingSky: Perfect! Welcome.
Nathan Ciprick: Thanks for having me.
RumblingSky:: Okay. So, what are Gamics? What's all the fuss about?
Nathan Ciprick:: A Gamic is a form of comic using video game screenshots, and comic book layout art. The name comes from jamming GAmes and coMICS together. Gam-Ics.
RumblingSky: So, you're using screenshots as the framework of an online comic?
Nathan Ciprick: correct
RumblingSky: What inspired you to start Gamics?
Nathan Ciprick: It started with "Path to the Force" from Star Wars Galaxies as a Sunday afternoon hobby for me. From how good their camera system is, the quality of the screenshots that are produced, and the art in general, it hit me one day. "Hey, I can make a comic with that."
RumblingSky: Wow, that's cool!
Nathan Ciprick: I've always been a gamer (ambidextrous Pong at age 6) and I read comics for about 10 years or so. I always thought it'd be cool to write a comic, but my drawing skills were lacking so it never really happened.
RumblingSky: So the concept just came naturally to you, then?
Nathan Ciprick: Not really. It took a lot of work to figure it all out. The first "Path" took me a good 10 hrs or so to make. Now, I can have a dozen screenshots with no story and turn it into a finished 2 page update in under 2 hours.
RumblingSky: Speaking of that, what goes into making a Gamic?
Nathan Ciprick: The story is first. That's the important part to me. I'm a writer and I love to tell stories.
RumblingSky: Indeed...
Nathan Ciprick: I will know where I want to take the story, then its a matter of figuring out, "Okay, what has to happen?" I'll do bullet points of the story outline, then go into the game to get my shots. I'll plan the layout art, then write it based on how the layout turned out. Finally, I put the in the text for the layout.
RumblingSky: So, it's more akin to screenplay writing?
Nathan Ciprick: Not entirely. In a script, you can't write what a character is "thinking". It's all action and dialogue. I studied scriptwriting at university. Gamics, to me, are more a cross between novel writing and scriptwriting
RumblingSky: I see.
Nathan Ciprick: I found in the comics I was reading, it would cost 5 bucks for the book, but I'd be done reading it in 2 minutes. That's the reason I eventually stopped. Well, that and Superman becoming blue and made of electricity.
RumblingSky: LOL
Nathan Ciprick: So, for Gamics, I'm using the style of writing I employ with short story and novel writing. I've read a lot of comics in my time. I know what they're about. "Path to the Force" is a prime example. It's an episodic story where you never know where its going to go from update to update.
RumblingSky: Wow, I hadn't looked at it that way before.
Nathan Ciprick: Exactly, people "tune in" each week to see what E'nac will do next. I fear for the day I stop that Gamic that there'll be a revolt
RumblingSky: Do your Gamics have anything to do with the official storylines?
Nathan Ciprick: Sort of, yes. That's key for Gamics. I treat the original material with RESPECT! I love what they've created so I just put my twist on it. In "Path," I had R2 and 3P0 accompany E'nac for 4 or 5 episodes. I also gave an explanation of "why" the Ewoks worshipped 3P0 when he went there in Return of the Jedi. I love to kind of brush up against the movies.
RumblingSky: So then, "Path" is in synch with the timeline of Star Wars Galaxies?
Nathan Ciprick: Yes
RumblingSky: I see.
Nathan Ciprick: The game SWG takes place between New Hope and Empire. So, I had a Rebel refer to Hoth, I had Han refer to a Star Wars book, etc. However, for Final Fantasy Eleven, "Tales of the Crystal Few," I tried something original. After all, there is no similar story per se for that one. I gave the main character, Tiyra (named after my wife Tara) her own unique quest.
RumblingSky: How did that go over?
Nathan Ciprick: Very well, there are some very flattering posts in support of it. At the time, I was starting to learn how to make my stories more layered with "Tales." Now, for my EQ2 Gamic, it is a philosophical debate of "we are one" vs. "we are many," a yin-and-yang story of my good character vs. the evil character, and a fish out of water story for the two characters as well.
RumblingSky: I know people are dying to know what direction you're planning to take with your upcoming MxO Gamic. Can you give us a little something about your plans? :-)
Nathan Ciprick: Actually, I'm a bit hesitant to go too much into the story for Matrix right now because I think I have a really unique idea. I know a lot about the Matrix, the meanings of (read a number of books, online articles, etc.) and I read some of the works of the philosophers who were major influences of the Wachowskis. I had a number of thoughts for the original sequels which didn't turn out to happen, so I get to use them.
RumblingSky: Such as...?
Nathan Ciprick: Well, One being "alternate universes." We've all heard that theory, yes? That there is an alternate universe, or thousands of them, that are just the same as ours.
RumblingSky:: Well sure.
Nathan Ciprick: The city, or the world, has 6 billion people. I bet the machines had more than 6 billion humans plugged in; therefore, they'd actually have to be running multiple servers running the same thing. So, my character in the game, will be able to jump "game servers" as though he was jumping alternate universes.
RumblingSky: That's sure to make for an interesting story.
Nathan Ciprick: Again, I wish I could get into it more, but... I'd hate to let too much slip. I've got to leave you wanting to know more. That's not actually even the concept. It's just one thing that'll happen.
RumblingSky: What about people who come up to you and ask how to make their own Gamics? Do you host the work of others?
Nathan Ciprick: Yes! I have 2 consistent contributors so far. One guy actually does a comedy take on it. It's very funny stuff.
RumblingSky: No kidding. Was his the one about the Rodian looking to score some brandy?
Nathan Ciprick: LOL, yes. I also have 2 brothers from Denmark (11 and 13) who love Gamics and are busting their butt to improve their skills. I have also started the "Character Page"
RumblingSky: Oh? What's that?
Nathan Ciprick: I love the different looks people create in MMO's and the biographies they write. So, they can send me a screenshot of their character and any info they want displayed. I'll put it together in a one page Gamic and post it for them. There are a half dozen or more of those so far and they are all different.
RumblingSky: That's a fantastic service!
Nathan Ciprick: It's cool to see what people come up with. They can make their own or have me do it. I also have a "Tips and Tricks," section to share all the secrets I've learned this past year and a half for making Gamics. For me, its a way for a budding writer, or a long-term writer, to get their stories read; to do something new.
RumblingSky: Well, let's get serious for a minute. I'm sure you've looked into the legalities of it all. I would think that anything which enhances the quality of a company's product would be beneficiary. How do you see it?
Nathan Ciprick:Yes, that is definitely a point of interest. When i started "Path," I didn't think about it so much. Swgcenter.com was willing to host it and I thought that was great. Then, I went to E3 last year and I met Rich Vogel, Director and SOE working on Star Wars Galaxies and told him what I was doing. He said "That's amazing!" and gave me his card to forward him the link. The SWGNewsletter in December did a write up on my story as well.
RumblingSky: Awesome! So you're finding support from the design companies?
Nathan Ciprick: So far, so good. Plus, all the resource sites out there, your Matrix site included, are using copyrighted material without permission. I'm doing the same thing, just a bit differently. I definitely DO want to do something official for the game companies. I think for now I just need to get the idea out there
RumblingSky: It's along the same lines of a fan / news site, technically speaking.
Nathan Ciprick: Yes, a fan site, exactly. It's me saying, "I love your games, I love what you do, here's what I do as an homage to all your work"
RumblingSky: Have you considered selling your work to them? I mean, surely the companies who have a product you use now, like SWG for instance.
Nathan Ciprick: Indeed. Gamics.com has only been live for less than 3 months, now. So, for the past couple months, I've been focusing on getting content online so people have a reason to keep coming back. I update the site every day with something new. My next goals are to focus on what to do with all of this. I would LOVE to see a Gamic Book printed and in comic stores
RumblingSky: That has to be a lot of work, despite how you've fine tuned it.
Nathan Ciprick:
It is a lot of work, yes. Because I've "fine tuned it," people see it and think, "I can do that too." Then, they try it and say, "Oh, that's actually really hard."
RumblingSky: LOL... no doubt
Nathan Ciprick: It's not just taking a screenshot. I have seen a million movies so I have an eye for what a shot should be. You need an "eye," for what you're doing. Then there is the writing, which is a hard gig in and of itself.
RumblingSky: That it is.
Nathan Ciprick: It takes years and years of practice until your not looking at your older stuff and saying, "what the hell was I thinking?"
RumblingSky: This would seem to be a tremendous undertaking. What are your hopes for the future?
Nathan Ciprick: The future? Well, many things, actually. This could turn into a game writing job. After all, I get a huge audience for Gamics. I'd like to have game companies working with me to create Gamics for them. Gamic books could then start to appear in comic stores. Gamics could then become a new word in the dictionary! LOL. You get the idea. :-)
RumblingSky: Of course, if you never reach, you'll never get it... so we certainly wish you the best. You've really got something amazing here.
Nathan Ciprick: Well, thank you.
RumblingSky: No, thank you for taking the time out to come chat with us. I'm always amazed when I take a look at your work. I wish you the best of luck and I'm looking forward to see the direction you decide to take with the Matrix Online Gamic.
Nathan Ciprick: Thanks for having me!

Head on over to http://gamics.com and see what all the fuss is about. You will not be disappointed!