Interactivity

The concept of the word interactivity is often being questioned. Aarseth (1997) rejects its use and utilises - ergodicity, a term derived from the Greek words ergon and hodos, meaning work and path respectively. Ergodic texts are categorised as texts where ‘nontrivial effort is required to allow the reader to traverse the text’. Aarseth thinks that the term interactivity carries with it ideological implications of an equality between the user and interactive text, while at the same time, remaining rather vaguely defined. The word interactivity, when broken down into two parts means, inter: between and active: participating, doing something. It does suggest participation in action, in contrast to being passively involved. Traditional storytelling/films will usually necessitate passive observation, but interactive content requires more than passive observation - it will require interaction from an audience/user and also provide an element of choice and control. This is where problems can begin to occur as the more choice and control that is given by interactivity, the more the narrative structure can begin to fragment and the framework can become enormous and confusing.

I have been researching narrative structures and will go into more detail regarding these in my next entry; but I have decided that it will be best to use some kind of branching narrative for the overall structure. Currently I am thinking of using a branching narrative that has parallel paths where the story reconnects at specific key storyline points. This should stop the narrative becoming too huge and ultimately fragmenting any specific structure and aims within the storyline.

Branching narrative with parallel paths

Research on Interactive animations

I had originally planned to create an animation around the poem 'The Door' by Miroslav Holub and have started a website based around this: The Lockless Door; but I have long been intrigued by interactive animations and this has been heightened by coming across some interactive films recently. They are classed as part art video game, part immersive entertainment. Touching Stories is an app featuring four interactive films made for the iPad. Touching Stories link. 

I think I can still incorporate the theme of the Door, but maybe make it interactive, the user could enter into other environments through different doors maybe.... 

Here is a link to Donna Leishman's interactive animation based around the theme of Red Riding Hood. I find this inspiring too, but would like to incorporate a mixed media style within my animation I think. 

Screenshots from Donna Leishmans Red Riding Hood (2000)

During my research around the Touching Stories app, I came accross a review which reads: Was very excited about the idea and it is definitely forward thinking, unfortunately the interaction is pretty banal and not really adding to the story. Also had a hard time figuring out how to navigate it. This is something I would need to be careful about. The interaction has to work effectively and although you want the user to have to think about how to navigate, it cannot be so difficult that they give up and don't bother immersing themselves into the world where the interactivity may lead them.