Ernest Adams
Constanze Bausch
Steve Bürk
Monika Halkort
Beate Hundsdörfer
Steffen Knop
Rainer Kürvers
Klaas Kuitenbrouwer
Raimo Lång
Simon Løvind
Mark Meadows
Andrew Otwell
Stephan Richter
Dick Rijken
Michael Rüger
Inga von Staden
Florian Thalhofer
Michael Valeur
Niels Wolf

Interactive Narrative

Mark Meadows

Lecture and Case Studies

Module 1: Tuesday, June 4 th through Wednesday, June 5 th 2002

Abstract

Parallax: The Role of Perspective in Interactive Stories

This session will look into some of the techniques and aesthetics of presenting perspective for today's emerging forms of the narrative art.
From Giotto to Everquest, the perspective of the viewer has had critical impact on his interpretation and interactions with visual stories. If we stand in the wrong place in the superior chapel of Assisi, Giotto's paintings make no sense. If we are facing the wrong direction in Ultima Online, the story there makes no sense, either. In interactive forms of narrative - specifically 3D representations - the author of the story needs to consider multiple visual perspectives simultaneously. He becomes more of an architect than a writer. We know from cinema that our visual perspective influences our emotional perspective, so the camera is our new graphical user-interface to narrative spaces and visual stories.
Additionally, in traditional narrative, authors have had to choose a single emotional perspective to tell their story. Consider Notre Dame de Paris, by Victor Marie Hugo. Which perspective was used to tell the story? Esmeralda's, The Priests, Quasimodo's? Why did Hugo choose the emotional perspective he did? And how do visual and emotional perspectives relate?
Questions asked include:

Course Outline

This session will look into some of the techniques and aesthetics of presenting perspective for today's emerging forms of the narrative art. Students will be expected to analyse and develop interactive narratives. The class moves from foundation studies to workgroups that are expected to generate their own narrative outlines.

Day One: Interactive Narrative Overview

Morning Track: "Narrative, Imagery, and Interaction"

This study session looks at the multiple methods of analysis that classic linear narrative, visual imagery, and digital interaction allow. The study session also looks at the techniques that authors of these artforms have used for centuries. These three artforms are considered first separately and then as a comparative study so that the tools that designers and authors have available are understood from a general perspective of theory as well as a specific theory of application. The intent is that two different understandings of interactive narrative emerge - that of the reader's view and that of the author's.
Among the different approaches to interactive narrative analysis the study session will consider multiple forms of narrative structure such as nodal, modulated, and open plot structures. These will be viewed as a hybrid of interaction structure and narrative structure. Alternative methods will be considered as well.
Conversation, questions, and discussion is included. A 20-minute break occurs in the middle of the track. Allotted time: 3 hours.
Lunch Break.

Afternoon Track: "The Vanishing Point"

The afternoon track then continues into the specifics of the artform and examines the progressions of perspective through different forms of narrative. Edgar Allen Poe and Jorge Luis Borges are considered. Classical art (such as painting and photography) architecture (Chartres) cinema (the first onscreen kiss) and video games are used as means of uncovering some of these lessons.
Discussion of classic forms of representation are covered so that the different forms of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd person narrative forms are identified. The relationships between visual and emotional perspective are presented and considered as a narrative tool.
Conversation, questions, and discussion is included. A 20-minute break occurs in the middle of the track. Allotted time: 4 hours.

Day Two: The Role of Character and Perspective

Morning Track: "The Character of the Interactive Narrative."

The role of the character (protagonist, antagonist, etc) is studied and multiple concrete examples are taken into consideration. Banja, Deus Ex 2, St_Elmo, and Memex Engine are each examined and discussed. Students are provided with materials and narrative examples and encouraged to read these to form their own understandings.
Conversation, questions, and discussion is included. A 20-minute break occurs in the middle of the track. Allotted time: 3 hours.
Lunch Break.

Afternoon Track: "The Crosshairs of Perspective"

The afternoon track is dedicated almost entirely to analysis and consideration of the material that was studied while keeping in mind the lessons learned in day one.
Conversation, questions, and discussion is included. A 20-minute break occurs in the middle of the track. Allotted time: 4 hours.

Media

Media Studied During Session