This week's reading discussed the approaches and problems involved in interactive media's storytelling and narrative.
The author started us off with computer gaming. He mentioned that with advanced technology, cinematic camera angles and visual provide narrative but still don't provide a story. The cinematography and visuals can aid in narrating an pre-made story though, like Star Wars. But mainly story telling is a linear plot with progression, not about the player's exploration.
A middle ground to this is an emergent narrative. Those provide a framework that players or groups can build off of and make their own narratives. One example was The Sims because users could create and share their own photos in the form of photo albums.
Interactive literature is also something that was looked at in this essay. This includes writing where there are multiple points of view, paths can be chosen by the reader, and/or hyper linking text. I honestly don't even know what any of this is. I'm assuming an example is some sort of online book that lets you pick your own path via links? Sort of like an online "choose your adventure" book.
Later, the author discusses dramas and how they relate to game play. He used this chart
Dramatic narratives Literary narratives
Enactment Description
Intensification Extensification
Unity of Action Episodic Structure
This compares dramas to literature. This reflects the story vs. narrative argument. Dramas relate to non story driven games where the player can make their own path. Literature is related to story driven games, aka linear plots.
Lastly the author talks about Murray's three aesthetic categories for the analysis of interactive
story experiences: immersion, agency, and transformation. Immersion is how much the player involves themselves in the game. Where things in the game deviate from real life but still feel real. Agency is the feeling of empowerment that comes from being able to take actions in the world whose effects relate to the player's intention. Transformation refers to how well the player becomes the character they are playing.
The author started us off with computer gaming. He mentioned that with advanced technology, cinematic camera angles and visual provide narrative but still don't provide a story. The cinematography and visuals can aid in narrating an pre-made story though, like Star Wars. But mainly story telling is a linear plot with progression, not about the player's exploration.
A middle ground to this is an emergent narrative. Those provide a framework that players or groups can build off of and make their own narratives. One example was The Sims because users could create and share their own photos in the form of photo albums.
Interactive literature is also something that was looked at in this essay. This includes writing where there are multiple points of view, paths can be chosen by the reader, and/or hyper linking text. I honestly don't even know what any of this is. I'm assuming an example is some sort of online book that lets you pick your own path via links? Sort of like an online "choose your adventure" book.
Later, the author discusses dramas and how they relate to game play. He used this chart
Dramatic narratives Literary narratives
Enactment Description
Intensification Extensification
Unity of Action Episodic Structure
This compares dramas to literature. This reflects the story vs. narrative argument. Dramas relate to non story driven games where the player can make their own path. Literature is related to story driven games, aka linear plots.
Lastly the author talks about Murray's three aesthetic categories for the analysis of interactive
story experiences: immersion, agency, and transformation. Immersion is how much the player involves themselves in the game. Where things in the game deviate from real life but still feel real. Agency is the feeling of empowerment that comes from being able to take actions in the world whose effects relate to the player's intention. Transformation refers to how well the player becomes the character they are playing.
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