What is "interactive storytelling"?

Summary

This video introduces the concept of interactive storytelling, exploring its various forms, such as video games, role-playing games, and improvisational theatre. Unlike conventional storytelling, where the audience is passive, interactive storytelling allows the audience to shape the story. The video highlights the spectrum between non-interactive stories and full simulations, focusing on the balance between author control and audience participation. It also introduces key terms like 'storyworld,' 'designer,' and 'interactor.' The course will cover the history, theory, and practical aspects of creating digital interactive stories, emphasizing the roles of platforms, designers, interactors, and storyworlds.

Takeaways

• 📚 Interactive storytelling involves the audience actively shaping the story, unlike traditional storytelling where the audience is passive.
• 🎮 Video games are a common form of interactive storytelling, allowing players to affect the narrative.
• 🧙‍♂️ Role-playing games, whether digital or live-action, are another example of interactive storytelling, where players' choices directly influence the storyline.
• 🎭 Improvisational theater is an interactive medium where actors respond to audience input, demonstrating that interactivity can be non-digital.
• 👨‍🏫 Teaching and tour guiding are similar to interactive storytelling because they adapt to audience reactions and involvement.
• 📖 Conventional storytelling (e.g., books, movies) has no audience interaction, with complete control in the hands of the author.
• ⚖️ Interactive storytelling lies between traditional storytelling and simulations, balancing author control with audience participation.
• 🕹️ The more interactive the experience, the less control the author has, shifting story control to the audience.
• 🌍 In interactive storytelling, the designer creates a 'storyworld' where multiple potential stories can unfold based on user input.
• 🤖 Interactive digital storytelling uses platforms that allow users (interactors) to influence and experience dynamic storyworlds.

Q & A

What is the definition of interactive storytelling given in the lecture?

Interactive storytelling is a form of storytelling that allows the audience or participant to influence the story and its progression. It is characterized by a level of interactivity where the audience can shape the narrative, making it a more participatory experience compared to conventional storytelling.

How does interactive storytelling differ from conventional storytelling?

In conventional storytelling, the audience is a passive receiver with no ability to alter the story, which is entirely controlled by the author. In interactive storytelling, the audience, referred to as the 'interactor,' has the ability to influence the direction of the story, creating a more dynamic narrative experience.

Why might video games be closely associated with interactive storytelling?

Video games often involve narratives where the player can make choices that influence the outcome, allowing them to interact directly with the story. This interactivity is central to video games and makes them a common example of interactive storytelling.

What are some examples of non-digital interactive storytelling?

Non-digital examples include tabletop role-playing games, live-action role-playing (LARP), and improvisational theater, where the participants can actively shape the narrative in real-time through their actions and choices.

How does the lecture describe the role of the 'designer' in interactive storytelling?

The 'designer' in interactive storytelling creates a storyworld—a setting where multiple narratives can occur, allowing the interactor to make choices that influence the story. The designer's role is to build the framework and elements, like characters and settings, that participants interact with, rather than controlling a single story.

What is a 'storyworld' in the context of interactive storytelling?

A storyworld is a designed environment filled with characters, props, scenes, and events that provide the foundation for various possible stories. It allows interactors to navigate and influence the narrative, creating a unique story experience each time they engage with it.

What is the 'spectrum of interactivity' described in the lecture?

The spectrum of interactivity ranges from no interactivity, where the audience is a passive receiver of a fixed story (like in films), to full interactivity, where the participant has complete freedom to shape the experience (like in a simulation). Interactive storytelling lies between these extremes, with varying levels of audience influence.

Why is the term 'interactor' used instead of 'audience' or 'spectator' in interactive storytelling?

The term 'interactor' emphasizes the active role of the participant in interactive storytelling. Unlike a passive 'audience' or 'spectator,' an interactor can make decisions and engage with the story in ways that shape its progression.

How does interactive storytelling incorporate feedback between the story and the interactor?

Interactive storytelling creates a feedback loop where the interactor's choices influence the story, and the story, in turn, prompts further choices by the interactor. This bidirectional interaction distinguishes it from conventional storytelling, where the audience cannot affect the narrative.

What are the four essential elements of interactive storytelling mentioned in the lecture?

The four essential elements are the platform (which supports interactive storytelling), the designer (who creates the content), the interactor (who experiences and influences the story), and the storyworld (where the narrative unfolds and can vary based on interactor choices).