Funny, you don't look HBO Bluish

September 30, 2009 4:20 PM

Non-linear storytelling taken to a new level, HBO's Imagine website features film and audio clips combined with press clippings in a 3D space which you can navigate at your will. It also includes some "cube scenes" which play from multiple angles at once, revealing hidden events which require you to view the scene from all angles to get all the details. [warning - Flash-to-the-gills design]

The rather confusing 3D navigation can be gotten around with the "chart your progress" nav button at the top of the screen. Viewing all the segments unlocks a "the dots connected" video which helps provide some linearity to the story.

posted by hippybear (7 comments total)

Whoa, this works surprisingly well... and I like it... But truth be told I don't really have the kind of time to sit and figure this out and would rather get sent 30 second videos of trick basketball shots or kittens playing with bunnies or something. Who knew working 60 hours a week would make you crave simplicity?
posted by Lacking Subtlety at 4:51 PM on September 30, 2009

I just started playing with it, and while I don't like the aesthetic (music, acting, cliche feel), I'm very impressed with the concept. I would like it even more if you we're just given access to the footage with no guidelines of how it's supposed to come together. A brave concept.
posted by anigbrowl at 4:54 PM on September 30, 2009

The Cube thing is not a good interface. Showing four videos at once would be better. Having a 3-D schematic of the location would be even better.
posted by demiurge at 5:47 PM on September 30, 2009

I haven't tried this, but I have a feeling I will have to choose between taking the pirate gold and exploring the mysterious side passage.
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 8:01 PM on September 30, 2009

I haven't tried this, but I have a feeling I will have to choose between taking the pirate gold and exploring the mysterious side passage.

The pirate gold is full of snakes, and the mysterious side passage is full of more snakes. You should have tugged on the skeleton's chin back on page 122.
posted by Uppity Pigeon #2 at 10:03 PM on September 30, 2009

Wow. System-hogging bloat-a-vision.
posted by Thorzdad at 6:57 AM on October 1, 2009

Oh, so this is what's going on in Adams Morgan right now. I wondered what the HBO cube was about, but wasn't actually curious enough to google it. It didn't seem to be getting much of a reaction last night - for the most part the "crowd" was a few people standing around looking confused.
posted by EvaDestruction at 7:35 PM on October 9, 2009