XR projects are a form of narrative under interactive conditions, of interactive digital narrative (IDN). As such they challenge many conventional notions of narrative. Building on earlier work by Brenda Laurel (1991), Pamela Jennings (1996) Janet Murray (1997/2016) on the topic, as well as warnings about the limitations of earlier approaches (Hausken 2004), this talk will engage the question of what interactive digital narrative means from both theoretical and practical perspectives. In particular, it will argue for the need of speciifc theoretical approaches and present the SPP model (system process product) (Koenitz 2015) as a means to conceptualize IDN. Building on cybernetics, system theory and cybernetic art (Ascott 1963/1968), the SPP model foregrounds aspects of system building, dynamic instantiation, participatory co-creation, and replay. The implications of this specific turn in IDN for scholarly and practical work will be discussed, with the final part focusing on implications for design and the potential of XR to represent complex topics.
4. BACKGROUND
VIDEO PRODUCTION
JOURNALIST
CTO OF A STARTUP
MA IN INFORMATION SCIENCE, GERMAN LITERATURE,
POLITICS (FU BERLIN)
CERTIFICATE IN MEDIA RESEARCH (FU BERLIN)
PHD IN DIGITAL MEDIA (GEORGIA TECH)
5. MAIN PROPOSER AND CHAIR
EXPLORING THE USE OF INTERACTIVE DIGITAL NARRATIVES TO
REPRESENT COMPLEX TOPICS
EU GRANT CA 18230 INDCOR
(STARTED DECEMBER 6, 2019, 4 YEARS, AVERAGE GRANT
AMOUNT 500.000 EUROS)
CURRENTLY 120 MEMBERS, 33 COUNTRIES
9. [IDN IS AN] EXPRESSIVE NARRATIVE FORM IN
DIGITAL MEDIA IMPLEMENTED AS A
COMPUTATIONAL SYSTEM [...] AND EXPERIENCED
THROUGH A PARTICIPATORY PROCESS
Koenitz, 2015
10. INTERACTIVE DIGITAL NARRATIVE (IDN)
IS NOTONEFORM
IDN ENCOMPASSES A RANGE OF MANIFESTATIONS,
INCLUDING
NARRATIVE VIDEO GAMES, INTERACTIVE
DOCUMENTARIES, JOURNALISTIC INTERACTIVES,
AR/VR EXPERIENCES…
11. ARE IDN EVEN POSSIBLE?
OR - THE DOMINANCE OF
LITERARY EURO-CENTRIC
CONCEPTIONS OF NARRATIVE
12. IDN
All narrative is like the novel (or movie)
IDN is not like the novel
IDN is deficient, because
THE CIRCULAR LOGIC AGAINST IDN
IDN does not fulfill the expectations of the novel
20. GAMES RESIST MANY OF THE MORE COMPLEX
THEMES WE CAN IMAGINE, SUCH AS LOVE,
AMBITION, AND SOCIAL CONFLICT, BECAUSE
THEY ARE NOT EASILY IMPLEMENTED IN RULES
Jesper Juul, 2005
31. NARRATIVE [IS] A FORGIVING, FLEXIBLE
COGNITIVE FRAME FOR CONSTRUCTING,
COMMUNICATING, AND RECONSTRUCTING
MENTALLY PROJECTED WORLDS
David Herman, 2002
37. WHAT’S IN A WORD?
INTRODUCTION (KI)
DEVELOPMENT (SHō)
TWIST (TEN)
CONCLUSION (KETSU)
38. EXAMPLE NARRATIVE
• INTRODUCTION (KI): IN OLD TIMES, COPYING INFORMATION BY HAND
WAS NECESSARY. SOME MISTAKES WERE MADE.
• DEVELOPMENT (SHŌ): COPYING MACHINES MADE IT POSSIBLE TO
MAKE QUICK AND ACCURATE COPIES.
• TWIST (TEN): TRAVELING BY CAR SAVES TIME, BUT YOU DON'T GET
MUCH IMPRESSION OF THE LOCAL BEAUTY. WALKING MAKES IT A
LOT EASIER TO APPRECIATE NATURE CLOSE UP.
• CONCLUSION (KETSU): ALTHOUGH PHOTOCOPYING IS EASIER,
COPYING BY HAND IS SOMETIMES BETTER, BECAUSE THE
INFORMATION STAYS IN YOUR MEMORY LONGER AND CAN BE USED
LATER.
39. IN PLAIN ENGLISH
1. INTRODUCE THE STATUS QUO.
2. DEVELOP THE STATUS QUO’S WORLD.
3. INTRODUCE A SURPRISING ELEMENT.
4. EXPLAIN THE ELEMENT’S CONNECTION/
RELEVANCE TO THE STATUS QUO.
40. LORD OF THE RINGS
1. HOBBITS LIVE IN A WONDERFUL QUAINT WORLD.
2. WE EXPLORE THIS WORLD, AND THEN THE WIDER WORLD
OF MIDDLE EARTH AS THE RING IS TAKEN ON A QUEST.
3. SURPRISING ELEMENT: DUE IN LARGE PART TO THE
BETRAYAL BY BOROMIR, FRODO AND SAM HAVE TO TAKE
THE RING TO MORDOR BY THEMSELVES.
4. THEY DO THIS, AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP IS STRAINED BY
AND GROWS THROUGH THIS HARDSHIP.
41. WHY IS THIS RELEVANT?
NARRATIVE CAN BE CONCEPTUALIZED AND REALIZED
DIFFERENTLY (AND THIS HAS WORKED WELL FOR EONS)
MANY ALTERNATIVE MODELS TO DOMINANT WESTERN
FORMS EXIST
EVEN SOMETHING AS SEEMINGLY ESSENTIAL AS CONFLICT
IS NOT
THE RAISON D’ETRE FOR VR NARRATIVE IS TO DO
SOMETHING THAT CANNOT BE DONE (WELL) IN EXISTING
FORMS - AWARENESS OF ALTERNATIVES IS THE FIRST STEP
43. KOENITZ, H., DI PASTENA, A., JANSEN, D., DE LINT, B., MOSS, A. (UPCOMING) THE MYTH
OF ‘UNIVERSAL’ NARRATIVE MODELS: EXPANDING THE DESIGN SPACE OF NARRATIVE
STRUCTURES FOR IDN, ICIDS 2018, CHAM: SPRINGER INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHING
50. DIFFERENCE TRADITIONAL FORMS AND IDN
Interaction
Computer w/
Software
Output (can be
fixed by recording)
)
Design/Programming
Creator
IDN
Writing
Author
Output (is fixed)
Book
{
Not in
traditional
media
52. PROCESS
SYSTEM
PRODUCT
PRODUCT - STORY
SYSTEM - PROTOSTORY
PROCESS - INSTANTIATION
SPP MODEL (KOENITZ 2015) FOR IDN
POTENTIAL
NARRATIVES
INSTANTIATED
NARRATIVES
PERFORMANCE/UX
DESIGN
RECORDED OUTPUT
53. AN INTERACTIVE NARRATIVE
DESIGNER CREATES A DYNAMIC
SYSTEM CONTAINING A PROTOSTORY
(SEVERAL DIFFERENT POTENTIAL
NARRATIVES) WHICH IS INSTANTIATED
THROUGH A PROCESS OF
INTERACTION INTO STORY PRODUCTS
56. JANET MURRAY (1997/2016)
INTERACTOR INSTEAD OF READER
PROCEDURAL, PARTICIPATORY, SPATIAL,
ENCYCLOPAEDIC TO DESCRIBE THE FUNDAMENTAL
ASPECTS
IMMERSION, AGENCY, TRANSFORMATION ARE THE
AESTHETIC QUALITIES
57. MURRAY:
FUNDAMENTAL ASPECTS OF THE DIGITAL MEDIUM
PROCEDURAL
CAN EXECUTE A PROGRAM INDEPENDENTLY
PARTICIPATORY
READERS/VIEWERS BECOME PARTICIPANTS
SPATIAL
EXPERIENCE IS A TRAVERSAL OF SPACE
ENCYCLOPEDIC
NO PRACTICAL LIMITS TO CONTENT DEPTH
58. MURRAY: AESTHETIC QUALITIES
IMMERSION
THE EXPERIENCE IS CAPTIVATING
AGENCY
THE AUDIENCE CAN MAKE MEANINGFUL CHANGES
TRANSFORMATION
BOTH THE INTERACTOR AND THE WORK ARE
TRANSFORMED
64. "YOU CAN'T THINK OF IT IN
TERMS OF PREVIOUS
MEDIUMS BECAUSE IT'S SO
COMPLETELY DIFFERENT,“
MAUREEN FAN ON
NARRATIVES IN VR, BAOBAB
STUDIOS, 22.11.2017
66. WHERE DO WE START?
BY EMBRACING THE EXPERIMENTAL NATURE OF XR
BY LOOKING OUTSIDE OF LITERATURE, FILM AND
ESTABLISHED NEWS FORMATS
BY ADOPTING A SPECIFIC CONCEPTUAL FRAMING
AND VOCABULARY
69. WHY…
IS THIS NARRATIVE A FIT FOR XR?
CAN THIS NARRATIVE NOT BE COVERED WELL WITH TRADITIONAL
MEANS?
DO WE WANT THE AUDIENCE TO HAVE INFLUENCE ON THEIR PATH
AND BE CO-CREATORS?
ARE WE OK WITH REDUCED CONTROL AS CREATORS?
AND FINALLY
HOW DOES THIS CREATE A COMPELLING EXPERIENCE?
73. MURRAY:
FUNDAMENTAL ASPECTS OF THE DIGITAL MEDIUM
PROCEDURAL
CAN EXECUTE A PROGRAM INDEPENDENTLY
PARTICIPATORY
READERS/VIEWERS BECOME PARTICIPANTS
SPATIAL
EXPERIENCE IS A TRAVERSAL OF SPACE
ENCYCLOPEDIC
NO PRACTICAL LIMITS TO CONTENT DEPTH
74. MURRAY: AESTHETIC QUALITIES
IMMERSION
THE EXPERIENCE IS CAPTIVATING
AGENCY
THE AUDIENCE CAN MAKE MEANINGFUL CHANGES
TRANSFORMATION
BOTH THE INTERACTOR AND THE WORK ARE
TRANSFORMED
79. CYBERBARDIC PRINCIPLE
CYBERBARD (IDN AUTHOR) ≠ LITERARY AUTHOR/FILM DIRECTOR
“NARRATIVE ARCHITECT,“ A SYSTEM DESIGNER CREATES
OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPLORE AND EXPERIENCE
NO READERS/VIEWERS BUT INTERACTORS
“I WILL SIT BACK AND WATCH WITH AMAZEMENT WHAT THE
AUDIENCE WILL DO WITH IT.”
80. MOTIVATION PRINCIPLE
AARSETH: “NON-TRIVIAL EFFORT” (ERGODIC)
THERE NEEDS TO BE A REWARD FOR PUTTING WORK IN
ELSE THE INTERACTOR LOSES INTEREST
WHAT CAN BE THIS REWARD? KNOWLEDGE ABOUT A
CHARACTER, OVERCOMING A CHALLENGE, AN INTERESTING/
DIFFICULT SITUATION, OBVIOUS/HIDDEN GOALS ETC…
81. INITIAL INTEREST PRINCIPLE
HOLISTIC: WHERE CAN I TAKE THIS?
CHARACTER: WHO WILL THIS CHARACTER TURN INTO?
PERSPECTIVE: IS THIS THE WHOLE STORY? WHAT OTHER
SIDES TO IT EXIST?
CHALLENGE: WILL I REACH THE SUMMIT?
END CONFUSION: WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT?
83. CONCRETE STRATEGIES
AMBIGUOUS CHOICES
SMALL NARRATIVE GAPS (FOR THE INTERACTOR TO FILL IN)
TEMPORARY REMOVAL OF CONTROL (SO CONTROL
BECOMES MORE PRECIOUS)
SURPRISES (SPARINGLY)
AVOID EXCEEDINGLY HARD/PLAINLY OBVIOUS
84. CONCRETE STRATEGIES 2
DELAYED CONSEQUENCES – MAKE THE INTERACTOR
AWARE THAT THEIR CURRENT CHOICE COULD
MATTER IN THE FUTURE (CF. WALKING DEAD GAME)
SCRIPTING OF THE INTERACTOR (MURRAY 1997) -
PROPERLY FRAME THE INTERACTOR IN A ROLE
(ELIZA/KAREN)
85. OPPORTUNITY MAGNITUDE PRINCIPLE
AMOUNT OF NARRATIVE MATERIAL AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR
INTERACTION
PROBLEM FOR TIGHT PRODUCTION BUDGETS AND DEADLINES
PRIORITIZE INTERACTIVE OPPORTUNITIES OVER LENGTH OF
EXPERIENCE
IDN STAGECRAFT IS OK
91. 1. INTERACTION CONVENTIONS FOR NAVIGATING THE
SPACE
2. CUES TO ENTICE US TO NAVIGATE
3. DRAMATIC COMPOSITION OF THE EXPERIENCE TO
REWARD US FOR BEING IN ONE PLACE RATHER THAN
ANOTHER
4. A FOURTH WALL EQUIVALENT TO MAKE CLEAR
WHAT WE CAN AND CANNOT DO
