Hartmut Koenitz

Towards a theoretical framework for interactive digital narrative

The emerging artistic practice of interactive narrative in digital media marks a profound departure from traditional narrative. The application of traditional narrative theory for interactive narrative is problematic, since the affordances of digital media challenge many underlying assumptions of theories related to non-digital media. This paper proposes a theoretical framework for interactive storytelling, which addresses these concerns by foregrounding system (the digital artifact) and process (the user interacting with the system) over the product-centered view of legacy media. On this basis, protostory, narrative design, and narrative vectors are proposed as new terms to more adequately describe the structure of narrative in interactive digital storytelling. This move is also relevant for practical design given the influence theoretical concepts have on concrete implementations.

Design Approaches for Interactive Digital Narrative

While authoring has long been a concern for researchers engaged in interactive narrative, generalized design approaches have been less of a focus. At the same time, the need for design conventions to aid in the creation of artifacts has long been recognized, starting with Murray’s 1997 Hamlet on the Holodeck. However, unlike in the related field of game design, widely accepted, generalized conventions are still elusive. In this paper I investigate the state of affairs and identify several broad trajectories in the scholarly treatment of interactive narrative authoring. I propose a process and a set of design heuristics developed in my practice of teaching interactive digital narrative.

First Steps towards a Unified Theory for Interactive Digital Narrative

As the domain of Interactive Digital Narrative matures, it becomes increasingly important for researchers to understand the conceptual differences and underlying theories in the different approaches. This paper presents new theoretical perspectives on the fragmented theory and practice within the domain and proposes first steps towards a unified theoretical framework for the domain. The paper is informed by the discussions between theorists and practitioners at two workshops held by the authors.

Five Theses for Interactive Digital Narrative

The field of Interactive Digital Narrative (IDN) can look back at more than 25 years of research. Considerable technical advances exist alongside open questions that still need full attention. With the discussion of five crucial aspects - narrative analysis, interoperability between different implementations, sustainability of digital artifacts, author-centered view, and user-focused perspective - the paper starts a conversation on successful methods and future goals in the research field.

Genres, structures and strategies in interactive digital narratives: analyzing a body of works created in ASAPS

The Advanced Stories Authoring and Presentation System (ASAPS) has been used to build 60 interactive digital narratives (IDN) so far. The paper briefly discusses several salient aspects of the system, including the bottom-up approach of the project and observations from using the tool for teaching in an academic setting, as well as related work. Next, we describe several outstanding examples of ASAPS narratives before analyzing visual styles, narrative genres, and structural aspects, as well as identifying additional narrative strategies.

Extensible tools for practical experiments in IDN: the advanced stories authoring and presentation system

Research on the emerging form of interactive digital narrative (IDN) concerns both theory and practice. The approach discussed here combines a theoretical framework introduced previously with a concrete implementation in the form of the Advanced Stories Authoring and Presentation System (ASAPS), a software package that aims to foster experimentation by providing tools which are easy to use. Furthermore ASAPS differentiates itself from other authoring tools by emphasizing extensibility and collaboration with other software. Therefore, the first implementation of this tool set foregrounds a flexible, modular architecture over computational sophistication.

Mapping the Evolving Space of Interactive Digital Narrative - From Artifacts to Categorizations

Categorizing Interactive Digital Narrative (IDN) works is challenging because artistic and technological approaches constantly evolve. At the same time, a range of theoretical approaches from neo-Aristotelian perspectives to applications of post-classical narratology have applied many markedly different analytical perspectives, making an overall comparison difficult. This position paper expresses the need for novel, dynamic and multidimensional mappings and explores an early selection of categorizations for IDN works across different approaches.

Breaking Points — A Continuously Developing Interactive Digital Narrative

Breaking Points is an interactive digital narrative (IDN) that puts the user in the position of a young woman who feels trapped in a daily routine she would like to escape from. The narrative design connects more important decisions with seemingly trivial ones and presents the user with immediate and delayed consequence in the form of narrative feedback, for a complex and more life-like experience. By aligning the experience of a single walkthrough with a day in the life of the heroine, the project invites replay. The project is also a study of authorial challenges and opportunities offered by different authoring modes, namely the switch from coding from scratch to the ASAPS environment. As the project is prepared for release on touch-based tablets, the paper focuses on how changes in the underlying technology have afforded continuous reshaping of the narrative.

Do We Need a New Narratology for Interactive Digital Storytelling? A Workshop on Theory at ICIDS 2009

The workshop explores Narratology as applied to Interactive Digital Storytelling. It presents different strands in established Narratology and the foundations they are built on. Then it discusses different attempts to apply and reconcile Narratology with Interactive Digital Storytelling. The workshop is designed to expose these differences by applying different concepts to the analysis of different digital artifacts and open up a discussion of theory that is mindful of diverse approaches and integrates practical considerations.

Towards a Shared Vocabulary for Interactive Digital Storytelling

As a new research domain matures, it becomes increasingly important for researchers to agree on a shared vocabulary. For researchers in Interactive Digital Storytelling, this is a particular challenge, because researchers come from many different domains and bring their own terminology with them. This workshop exposes and explores the differences in meaning and terminology of key terms such as “story” in different academic disciplines related to Interactive Digital Storytelling. In order to minimize confusion and misunderstandings in the academic discussion within the field and with outside disciplines, the workshop explores ways towards a shared vocabulary for Interactive Digital Storytelling.