Interactive Digital Narrative

The book is concerned with narrative in digital media that changes according to user input—Interactive Digital Narrative (IDN). It provides a broad overview of current issues and future directions in this multi-disciplinary field that includes humanities-based and computational perspectives. It assembles the voices of leading researchers and practitioners like Janet Murray, Marie-Laure Ryan, Scott Rettberg and Martin Rieser. In three sections, it covers history, theoretical perspectives and varieties of practice including narrative game design, with a special focus on changes in the power relationship between audience and author enabled by interactivity. After discussing the historical development of diverse forms, the book presents theoretical standpoints including a semiotic perspective, a proposal for a specific theoretical framework and an inquiry into the role of artificial intelligence. Finally, it analyses varieties of current practice from digital poetry to location-based applications, artistic experiments and expanded remakes of older narrative game titles.

(Source: Routledge catalog copy)

1. Introduction: Perspectives on Interactive Digital Narrative Hartmut Koenitz, Gabriele Ferri, Mads Haahr, Diğdem Sezen and Tonguç İbrahim SezenSection I: IDN HistorySection I Introduction: A Concise History of Interactive Digital NarrativeHartmut Koenitz, Gabriele Ferri, Mads Haahr, Diğdem Sezen and Tonguç İbrahim Sezen2. The American Hypertext Novel, and Whatever Became of It? Scott Rettberg3. Interactive Cinema in the Digital Age Chris Hales4. The Holodeck is all Around Us — Interface Dispositifs in Interactive Digital Storytelling Udi ben Arie and Noam KnoellerSection II: IDN TheorySection II Introduction: The Evolution of Interactive Digital Narrative Theory Hartmut Koenitz, Gabriele Ferri, Mads Haahr, Diğdem Sezen and Tonguç İbrahim Sezen5. Narrative Structures in IDN Authoring and Analysis Gabriele Ferri6. Towards a Specific Theory of Interactive Digital NarrativeHartmut Koenitz7. Emotional and Strategic Conceptions of Space in Digital Narratives Marie-Laure Ryan8. A Tale of Two Boyfriends: A Literary Abstraction Strategy for Creating Meaningful Character Variation Janet H. Murray9. Re-considering the Role of AI in Interactive Digital Narrative Nicolas SzilasSection III: IDN PracticeSection III Introduction: Beyond the Holodeck: A Speculative Perspective on Future Practices Hartmut Koenitz, Gabriele Ferri, Mads Haahr, Diğdem Sezen and Tonguç İbrahim Sezen10. Interaction Design Principles as Narrative Techniques for Interactive Digital Storytelling Ulrike Spierling11. Post-Hyperfiction: Practices in Digital Textuality Scott Rettberg12. Emergent Narrative: Past, Present and Future of an Interactive Storytelling Approach Sandy Louchart, John Truesdale, Neil Suttie and Ruth Aylett13. Learning through Interactive Digital NarrativesAndreea Molnar and Patty Kostkova14. Everting the Holodeck: Games and Storytelling in Physical Space Mads Haahr15. Narrative Explorations in Videogame Poetry Diğdem Sezen16. Artistic Explorations: Mobile, Locative and Hybrid Narratives Martin Rieser17. Remaking as Revision of Narrative Design in Digital Games Tonguç İbrahim Sezen