Interactive fiction

Let’s play a game!  mdooms/index.htm mdooms/index.htm mdooms/index.htm

Let’s play a game! Click on Student Showcase Scroll and click on Stealing the Stolen

Let’s Play a game!  Stealing the Stolen by two sixth graders, Rachel and Sabrina. Stealing the Stolen Stealing the Stolen

IF is a legitimate form of storytelling. Just as the protagonist in a novel figures a way out of a problem, so does the “interactor” in IF.

IF is a legitimate form of storytelling. Just as the protagonist in a novel figures a way out of a problem, so does the “interactor” in IF.

Why IF in the classroom?

IF supports reading  Develops metacognitive skills –Many IF works are mini-puzzles or word problems that entail logic and problem solving. Students must:  recognize and define the nature of the problem  stop, analyze, and reflect  represent the problem, “How do I…?”  evaluate possible solutions (i.e. Will this action result in an unpleasant outcome…like death!)

IF supports writing and other content areas  For students, IF can be an authentic assessment or enrichment for: –LA: descriptive writing and imagery –SS: historical simulations based on primary source documents –Sci: virtual lab –Math: convey understanding of math concepts

IF keeps students invested  Attracts… –Gamers –Creative writers –Logical thinkers  Motivates  Develops the whole brain for those right or left brain students

Getting to know the IF game  Introducing basic IF commands to students

Getting to know the IF game  In a class period students experience IF online with: –Nine Points –9:05  Other appropriate, but longer works are: –A Bear’s Night Out –Mother Loose –Lost Pig –Zork  All can be found at the Interactive Fiction Database

Learning to program IF  Download Inform 7 at:   Choose your preferred platform (MAC, Windows, or Linux)

Learning to program IF  In a class period, or block, students experience one or more of the following Inform 7 projects to see the program in action: –Engelberg Tutorial, Mark Engelberg (at –Step I – Rooms and People, Jeremiah McCall –Any of our Lake Zurich projects (copy and paste the documents into Inform7, but include any formatting that becomes lost!)

Visit this webpage for all files and links!

Resources Inform 7 download  Inform7 Handbook, Jim Aiken  Universities teaching IF (compiled by Emily Short)--condensed   Digital Composing, University of Vermont, Digital Composing Digital Composing  Virtual Worlds for Education, a course for practicing K-12 teachers taught by Anthony Hursh, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2009 Virtual Worlds for Education, a course for practicing K-12 teachers taught by Anthony Hursh Virtual Worlds for Education, a course for practicing K-12 teachers taught by Anthony Hursh  Archeologies of Story, University of Florida, 2008 Archeologies of Story Archeologies of Story  “Digital Writing in the Genres”, George Mason University, 2008 “Digital Writing in the Genres” “Digital Writing in the Genres”  “Interactive Narrative”, UCSC, 2007 “Interactive Narrative” “Interactive Narrative”  “Textual Media”, George Mason University, 2007 “Textual Media” “Textual Media”  “Introduction to New Media”, Stockton, 2007 “Introduction to New Media” “Introduction to New Media”  “Instructional Games”, Utah State University, 2007 “Instructional Games” “Instructional Games”  “AI”, Rochester Institute of Technology, 2006 “AI”  “Computer Game Design and Implementation”, University of Michigan at Dearborn, 2006 “Computer Game Design and Implementation” “Computer Game Design and Implementation”

Resources Universities teaching IF (compiled by Emily Short)--condensed  “Computer Game Studies”, UCSD, 2006 “Computer Game Studies” “Computer Game Studies”  “Digital Studies”, University of Maryland, 2006 “Digital Studies” “Digital Studies”  “Game Concept and Design”, University of Baltimore, 2006 “Game Concept and Design” “Game Concept and Design”  “Game Design”, University of Technology, Sydney, 2006 “Game Design” “Game Design”  “Writing for the Internet”, Seton Hill, 2006 “Writing for the Internet” “Writing for the Internet” Where to play Interactive Fiction  IF database of games   An alphabetical listing of all interactive fiction from the Interactive Fiction Archive (on Parchment)   2010 IF Competition   Infocom Adventures Online 

Resources IF in the middle and high school  Jeremiah McCall, high school History   Brendan Desilets, middle school English  Follow IF  Interactive Fiction for Middle School on Facebook  People’s Republic of Interactive Fiction   Nick Montfort, MIT   Get Lamp documentary 