Using the readings, describe "interactive fiction." How does the ability of the user to play a role in understanding the literature enhance or evolve the way we interpret literary artifacts? What disctinctions are there between playing video games and engaging in interactive fiction?
Interactive fiction is a type of literature that depends on the user's input to create meaning. Whereas a standard book will have writing from page one till the final page, interactive fiction is categorized beneath electronic literature and utilizes technology to encourage the viewer to take action in order to continue the narrative. The distinction here is that this new form of literary expression is designed to be dependent on the viewer's interpretation of the medium. For example, visual cues throughout a story on the web may require action to continue, such as clicking on an object or typing in a response. These coded actions then progress the story to the next step, where continued interaction ultimately rewards the viewer with a resolution of some sort.
Much like those children's books which had multiple endings and making descisions on what to do at the end of a chapter would lead to a different outcome, interactive fiction lets the reader become a player in the story. Though the literature most likely already has defined endings, it is the illusion that any given choice will affect a change in the story itself that makes the interactivity so enticing. I can't begin to count the number of times I've read a book or seen a movie and thought "That character should've done something else, I never would've made that decision." Here, the narrativer offers an opportunity to at least feel some sort of control in the action and direct it to a pre-determined end. Similar to a maze, the interactivity is undoubtedly limited to the constraints of the where the story will resolve itself, however it is the twists and turns along the way that bring the reader into the narrative and make them feel like they have a choice.
The difference between a video game and interactive fiction is that video games let the viewer interpret in order to configure actions, while with this type of fiction the viewer configures in order to interpret meaning. This is to say that, in any given video game, narrative cues are provided for the purpose of leading the user to configure some sort of action and progress in the goal of finishing the game. However, interactive fiction provides the opportunity to configure, by means of making choices, investigating objects, talking to someone, etc. which ultimately leads to the end goal of resolving the narrative. Though both mediums take aspects of one another to engage the user, its the emphasis on narrative that makes interactivity more of a literary artifact than video games.
I believe that becoming a part of the experience is a classical way to learn. Throughout my primary education (which was here in the US) enacting was important. We even have games, like House or Doctor, where we take up roles. In my college education, however, roleplaying is sidelined. Interactive Fiction seems to try and go back to those earlier times, but such experiences seem slow. The knowledge one gains is less concrete and more uncertain. Interactive Fiction seems to be better as a game, than literature.
ReplyDeleteThese are good questions and a nice attempt at working through answers.
ReplyDeleteI thought you answered your question pretty well. However, there are a lot of different types of video games out there that make them as different from each other as a video game is different from the child's story book that you mentioned, some of which follow story lines while others have no plot at all. How would these different types of video games be classified when taking interactive fiction into account?
ReplyDeleteI really liked the point you made about the "illusion" of choices that make the story itself "enticing" because it is entirely the truth that the individual does not have free choice in the game, hypertext, or electronic literature. The choices available are programmed into the media, and the illusion is what keeps people playing. This illusion of choosing the adventure, choosing the outcome are really no choices at all since there is a limited amount of choices in the first place. That illusion can be confining if there are not enough choices, and confusing when there are too many. Finding that perfect balance is what makes people continue to play those games even with that illusion in place.
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