Handbook on Interactive Storytelling

HANDBOOK ON INTERACTIVE STORYTELLING
 
Discover the latest research on crafting compelling narratives in interactive entertainment
 
Electronic games are no longer considered "mere fluff" alongside the "real" forms of entertainment, like film, music, and television. Instead, many games have evolved into an art form in their own right, including carefully constructed stories and engaging narratives enjoyed by millions of people around the world.
 
In Handbook on Interactive Storytelling, readers will find a comprehensive discussion of the latest research covering the creation of interactive narratives that allow users to experience a dramatically compelling story that responds directly to their actions and choices.
 
Systematically organized, with extensive bibliographies and academic exercises included in each chapter, the book offers readers new perspectives on existing research and fresh avenues ripe for further study. In-depth case studies explore the challenges involved in crafting a narrative that comprises one of the main features of the gaming experience, regardless of the technical aspects of a game's production.
 
Readers will also enjoy:
* A thorough introduction to interactive storytelling, including discussions of narrative, plot, story, interaction, and a history of the phenomenon, from improvisational theory to role-playing games
* A rigorous discussion of the background of storytelling, from Aristotle's Poetics to Joseph Campbell and the hero's journey
* Compelling explorations of different perspectives in the interactive storytelling space, including different platforms, designers, and interactors, as well as an explanation of storyworlds
 
Perfect for game designers, developers, game and narrative researchers, academics, undergraduate and graduate students studying storytelling, game design, gamification, and multimedia systems, Handbook on Interactive Storytelling is an indispensable resource for anyone interested in the deployment of compelling narratives in an interactive context.

List of contents

Preface viii
 
1 Introduction 1
 
1.1 Interactive storytelling 3
 
1.1.1 Partakers 6
 
1.1.2 Narrative, plot and story 7
 
1.1.3 Interaction 9
 
1.2 History of interactive storytelling 11
 
1.2.1 Theatre 12
 
1.2.2 Multicursal literature 14
 
1.3 Role-playing games 15
 
1.3.1 Hypertext fiction 16
 
1.3.2 Webisodics 16
 
1.3.3 Interactive cinema 17
 
1.3.4 Television 19
 
1.3.5 Games 20
 
1.4 Summary 24
 
Exercises 24
 
2 Background 28
 
2.1 Analysis of storytelling 28
 
2.1.1 Aristotle's Poetics 28
 
2.1.2 Visual storytelling 33
 
2.1.3 Structuralism 37
 
2.1.4 Joseph Campbell and the hero's journey 47
 
2.1.5 Kernels and satellites 49
 
2.2 Research on interactive storytelling 50
 
2.2.1 Brenda Laurel and interactive drama 53
 
2.2.2 Janet Murray and the cyberbard 55
 
2.2.3 Models for interactive storytelling 56
 
2.2.4 Narrative paradox and other research challenges 57
 
2.3 Summary 62
 
Exercises 62
 
3 Platform 66
 
3.1 Software development 67
 
3.1.1 Model-view-controller 68
 
3.1.2 Interactor's interface 70
 
3.1.3 Designer's interface 73
 
3.1.4 Modding 73
 
3.2 Solving the narrative paradox 74
 
3.2.1 Author-centric approach 76
 
3.2.2 Character-centric approach 79
 
3.2.3 Hybrid approach 80
 
3.3 Implementations 82
 
3.3.1 Pioneering storytelling systems 82
 
3.3.2 Crawford's IDS systems 84
 
3.3.3 Stern's and Mateas' Façade 85
 
3.3.4 Experimental systems 86
 
3.3.5 Other systems 87
 
3.4 Summary 88
 
Exercises 89
 
4 Designer 92
 
4.1 Storyworld types 93
 
4.1.1 Linear storyworlds 94
 
4.1.2 Branching storyworlds 96
 
4.1.3 Open storyworlds 99
 
4.2 Design process and tools 102
 
4.2.1 Concepting the storyworld 102
 
4.2.2 Iterative design process 109
 
4.2.3 Evaluating interactive stories 111
 
4.3 Relationship with the interactor 114
 
4.3.1 Focalization 114
 
4.3.2 Story as message 115
 
4.4 Summary 117
 
Exercises 117
 
5 Interactor 121
 
5.1 Experiencing an interactive story 122
 
5.1.1 Onboarding - from amnesia to awareness 124
 
5.1.2 Supporting the journey 124
 
5.1.3 Is there an end? 126
 
5.1.4 Re-experiencing an interactive story 127
 
5.2 Agency 128
 
5.2.1 Theoretical and perceived agency 129
 
5.2.2 Local and global agency 130
 
5.2.3 Invisible agency 130
 
5.2.4 Limited agency and no agency 131
 
5.2.5 Illusion of agency 131
 
5.3 Immersion 132
 
5.3.1 Immersion types 132
 
5.3.2 Models for immersion 133
 
5.3.3 Flow 134
 
5.4 Transformation 135
 
5.5 Interactor types 136
 
5.5.1 Top-down analysis 137
 
5.5.2 Bottom-up analysis 140
 
5.5.3 Discussion 141
 
5.6 Summary 141
 
Exercises 143
 
6 Storyworld 146
 
6.1 Characters 147
 
6.1.1 Perception 148
 
6.1.2 Memory 149
 
6.1.3 Personality 150
 
6.1.4 Decision-making 154
 
6.2 Elemental building blocks 157
 
6.2.1 Props 157
 
6.2.2 Scenes 160
 
6.2.3 Events 161
 
6.3 Representation 162
 
6.3.1 Visual 164
 
6.3.2 Audio 165
 
6.4 Summary 167
 
Exercises 167
 
7 Per

About the author

Jouni Smed, PhD, holds his doctorate in Computer Science. He has twenty years of experience in the game development, from algorithms and networking in multiplayer games to game software construction, design, and interactive storytelling.
Tomi 'BGT' Suovuo focuses on the virtual barrier in mediated interaction, particularly between multiple users. He has taught Principles of Interaction Design for four years.
Natasha Skult is an active member of the Finnish and international game developers community as the Chairperson of IGDA and founder of Hive - Turku Game Hub.
Petter Skult, PhD, obtained his doctorate in 2019 in English language and literature from Åbo Akademi University. He is a game designer and writer.

Summary

HANDBOOK ON INTERACTIVE STORYTELLING

Discover the latest research on crafting compelling narratives in interactive entertainment

Electronic games are no longer considered "mere fluff" alongside the "real" forms of entertainment, like film, music, and television. Instead, many games have evolved into an art form in their own right, including carefully constructed stories and engaging narratives enjoyed by millions of people around the world.

In Handbook on Interactive Storytelling, readers will find a comprehensive discussion of the latest research covering the creation of interactive narratives that allow users to experience a dramatically compelling story that responds directly to their actions and choices.

Systematically organized, with extensive bibliographies and academic exercises included in each chapter, the book offers readers new perspectives on existing research and fresh avenues ripe for further study. In-depth case studies explore the challenges involved in crafting a narrative that comprises one of the main features of the gaming experience, regardless of the technical aspects of a game's production.

Readers will also enjoy:
* A thorough introduction to interactive storytelling, including discussions of narrative, plot, story, interaction, and a history of the phenomenon, from improvisational theory to role-playing games
* A rigorous discussion of the background of storytelling, from Aristotle's Poetics to Joseph Campbell and the hero's journey
* Compelling explorations of different perspectives in the interactive storytelling space, including different platforms, designers, and interactors, as well as an explanation of storyworlds

Perfect for game designers, developers, game and narrative researchers, academics, undergraduate and graduate students studying storytelling, game design, gamification, and multimedia systems, Handbook on Interactive Storytelling is an indispensable resource for anyone interested in the deployment of compelling narratives in an interactive context.

Additional text

Interactive storytelling is a popular research area without a disciplinary framework where contributions are usually coming from different disciplines such as computer science, communication studies, games studies or film studies. This book, on the other hand, employs an interdisciplinary approach and provides an innovative framework to analyze interactive narratives. Students can use the book to understand the theory of interactive narrative and its impact on game design. Professionals can buy the book for a better understanding of the recent developments and approaches in this domain.

- Barbaros Bostan, Bahcesehir University

The Handbook on Interactive Storytelling provides a remarkably clear introduction to what stories and storytelling are, their operation, and how they can be analysed and understood, and then proceeds to present various solutions for creating interactive storytelling. Rich in examples and loaded with concrete assignments, the Handbook is an excellent textbook on a significant, evolving phenomena, discussing art, techniques, users, as well as the conceptual and theoretical dimensions of interactive storytelling. The book is packed with insights, drawing from classic works of interactive fiction, story-driven computer games, interactive drama, and many scientific, artistic, and technological experiments. It should be of high value for students in game studies, interaction design, literary studies, drama, and computer sciences alike.

- Frans Mäyrä, Professor & Director

Tampere University & The Centre of Excellence in Game Culture Studies

Report

Interactive storytelling is a popular research area without a disciplinary framework where contributions are usually coming from different disciplines such as computer science, communication studies, games studies or film studies. This book, on the other hand, employs an interdisciplinary approach and provides an innovative framework to analyze interactive narratives. Students can use the book to understand the theory of interactive narrative and its impact on game design. Professionals can buy the book for a better understanding of the recent developments and approaches in this domain.
 
- Barbaros Bostan, Bahcesehir University
 

The Handbook on Interactive Storytelling provides a remarkably clear introduction to what stories and storytelling are, their operation, and how they can be analysed and understood, and then proceeds to present various solutions for creating interactive storytelling. Rich in examples and loaded with concrete assignments, the Handbook is an excellent textbook on a significant, evolving phenomena, discussing art, techniques, users, as well as the conceptual and theoretical dimensions of interactive storytelling. The book is packed with insights, drawing from classic works of interactive fiction, story-driven computer games, interactive drama, and many scientific, artistic, and technological experiments. It should be of high value for students in game studies, interaction design, literary studies, drama, and computer sciences alike.
 
- Frans Mäyrä, Professor & Director
 
Tampere University & The Centre of Excellence in Game Culture Studies

Product details

• Authors: Natasha Skult, Natasha et a Skult, Natasha et al Skult, Petter Skult, J Smed, Joun Smed, Jouni Smed, Jouni (University of Turku Smed, Jouni Suovuo Smed, Smed Jouni, Tom Suovuo, Tomi Suovuo, Tomi 'bgt Suovuo, Tomi 'bgt' Suovuo
• Publisher: Wiley, John and Sons Ltd
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 30.06.2021
• EAN: 9781119688136
• ISBN: 978-1-119-68813-6
• No. of pages: 224
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > IT, data processing > Application software; Informatik, Visualisierung, Computerspiele, computer science, End-User Computing, Computer-Ratgeber, Spezialthemen Informatik, Computer Science Special Topics, Visualization & Computer Graphics, Visualisierung u. Computergraphik, Computer Game Software