15 Conceptual Shifts Moving from games to interactive storytelling

1. People, not things! “The proper study of man is man himself.”

2. The primacy of interactivity Interactivity is the sine qua non of software

3. Screw Graphics! Interactivity has primacy Graphics only supports interactivity What graphics do you need for storytelling?

4. Ditch plot Stories have plot Storytelling is not the same as stories Story is data, storytelling is process Interact with process, not data

5. “What does the user DO?” NOT “What does the user see?” NOT “What does the user hear?” Inter ACT ivity

6. What are the verbs? The verbs define the application More verbs means more expressive power

7. Linguistic User Interface command line interface: 20 verbs GUI: 100 verbs LUI: >1000 verbs

8. Sapir-Whorf can’t do natural language Sapir-Whorf: language mirrors reality stories have toy realities ergo use a toy language

9.Language = reality Don’t design reality, then fit language Don’t design language, then fit reality Design them together, as one entity Requires a powerful authoring system Our version is Deikto

10. Inverse Parser Parser analyzes sentences User must conform to parser Invert the process, and the user rules!

11. Ditch space Gamers are obsessed with spatial (3D) Spatial reasoning Stories use social reasoning Star Trek has no map

12. Programmers are not storytellers! Ergo, storytellers must “program”

13. Algorithms Animate! Interactivity is about what people DO. They make choices Choices are context-dependent Express that context-dependence with algorithms

14. A Programming Language for Storytellers Sappho Color-coded No acronyms Syntax errors are impossible Totally frigorific!

15. Kinder, Gentler Math Bounded Numbers Special arithmetic for storytellers All numbers fall between -1 and means “absolute lowest possible” 0 means “average” +1 means absolute highest possible”

From Linear to Interactive Storytelling Who is Laura J. Mixon? An engineer and professional science fiction writer with five books out and a sixth on the way. What the heck is she doing up here? I share Chris’s vision for interactive storytelling. I’m here to provide a storyteller’s perspective.

From Linear to Interactive: First, what is a story? A character in a setting with a problem. The protagonist confronts escalating challenges (plot). At the end – The Protagonist solves the conflict (resolution), and We figure out what it is all about (theme).

The same in both linear and interactive forms – Actor (character) Stage (setting) Prop (important object, or maguffin) From Linear to Interactive: Storytelling elements

Different for linear versus interactive! Linear storytelling: Plot (unbroken chain of events). Interactive storytelling: Verbs – (atomized Plot – many different possible threads). Verbs must be reusable, iterative, and incremental From Linear to Interactive: Storytelling process

The Interactive Storyworld: Implications Interactive storytelling – Spiral, incremental, and iterative. Non-player Actors must have their own goals. Player must sense – Increasing tension and building stakes. A resolution at the end.

Emerges from events (just as with traditional story). Inextricably linked to characters and events. As important to interactive storytelling’s success as it is to traditional story. The Interactive Storyworld: What about theme?

Interactive storytelling: Shares elements with the traditional form, but – Stitches them together in a totally new way. Means taking a big conceptual leap, but – Gives the storyteller complete control over the creative process. The Interactive Storyworld: What does it add up to?

Interactive Storytelling: The Revolution Lessons from the past: Henry Fielding’s Tom Jones (first novel) D.W. Griffith’s “The Birth of a Nation” (first movie) Whole new industries sprung up from these. The authoring tool, a demo storyworld, and tutorials available – pioneers needed! Join us at Storytron.com