Digital Narrative is...

What is the definition of digital narrative? In reality, a digital narrative work can be simply a derivative of a printed work presented in electronic format, or it could be a narrative that exists purely and functions effectively only if presented in an electronic format. An example of a narrative that depends on digital media for its functionality is a video game, whereas a text could exist and function in printed or digital format. However, as in the case of the text, particularly text such as Patchwork Girl, the digital format changes the dynamics completely and adds to the narrative itself, making it dependent on its digital format, and allowing for the reader to determine the path of reading, and therefore, the narrative to some degree. Some other common examples of digital narratives include digital video blogs, computer and video games, websites, and podcasts. Doubtless, electronic means of storytelling widens the options for a storyteller to present a story, broadens the story's accessibility (such as worldwide web distribution) and the delivery style within the media itself can actually make or break the story.

Examples

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I Ching- "Book of Change"

As one of the oldest chinese texts, I Ching was written and intended to assist Buddhist monks in answering difficult moral and philisophical questions. It is not a narrative, and essentially served as a 'self help' or divination text. On any given page, the reader or inquirer would find one of 64 passages. This passage would be broken into six lines of text, commonly referred to as Hexograms. The content of the readings within the book are a blend of both the philisophical and precognitive . However, the passages would only appear to have meaning/relevance if the inquirer already attempted deep thought and meditation prior to the Hexagram's reading.

I Ching's relation to the modern digital narrative is in it's accessability. It was written with the understanding that anyone could read the text starting from any point. This point was decided either by the inquirer's choosing or by fate in picking his or her numbers at random. Because of this, the book is less instructional and more motivational: a tool to enlighten a question one already knows the answer to. This makes the reader feel at least partly in control. Freedom for the reader to be somewhat in control of the outcome of the story is something many digital narratives attempt in order to differentiate themselves from typical narrative structure.

• A Nonlinear book of Chinese philosophy
• Read 1 of 64 passages at the reader's discression
• Receive philosophical assistance to any of lifes problems
• More than one version exists; there is even an [www.facade.com/attraction/iching/|electronic version] on the web, although the text originally existed in printed form.

Aggripa

• Poem sold in a hardbound book containing a computer disc
• The poem is presented in a one time use disc which scrolls across the screen at a static pace
• User has no control over rate of poem's revealing, and is forced to experience it exactly as it was intended
• This form of Digital Narrative removes all but only 2 choices to the reader, limiting the reader's ability to determine or alter the course or feel of the narrative: Read or Don't Read

Dictionary of Khazars - Pavic

• 2 Versions of the same narrative- Male and Female "dictionaries"
• Story is essentially the same, save for a single paragraph
• This single paragraph can vastly change the reader's understanding
• The variation is meant to inspire dialog between two readers, rather than one person reading both

Queneau Sonnets

• Different combinations of 14 lines to create a new sonnet

Tarot Cards

Originally Tarot cards served as a different type of playing deck; however our culture has converted it to a widely known trick for divination readings. Interpretted similarily to I Ching, a open-ended question is posed to the deck hoping it to reveal the answers to their dilema. The cards are then cast after shuffling (the rules of shuffling differ from deck to deck and the owners of them) and then each spread (or how the cards are dealt) are interpreted by their positions and their vertical orientation (right side up, or reversed.) The true meaning of the divination reading is interpretted by the back story from each of the cards. All of these stories then come together as a whole to give some insight into the person's struggles, composed similarly to a hypertext.

Twelve Blue: Hypertext

• Traditional hypertext
• Links do different things

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KateModern: Video Blog

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Adventure: Video Game- Atari 2600

Adventure was the first video game of it's kind which attempted to merge the feeling of exploration found in text adventures with the graphical interface of the Atari 2600. Unlike other electronic games of it's time, Adventure was not limited to one static environment with the sole goal of a high score. As was typical of the time, Adventure had several different game modes which were essentially difficulty levels. Game 3 included a randomization feature where the mazes, item placement, and enemies would vary with each play further extending the game's interactivity. The game could seemingly be played out in any way the player chose, making each experience unique to the player.

This idea of a unique experience has become the framework for most every form of digital narrative since. Whether it's participating during the "Viewer Response" section of local news coverage, or participating in player versus player (PvP) combat in the World of Warcraft. The freedom of choice and control is important to the modern day audience.

• Classic adventure-RPG
• Based on the text adventure, Colossal Cave Adventure
• Explore a maze of castles fighting bats and dragons
• Included the first easter egg in an electronic game (the coder's name) and as a result, the first credited 'author' of a game

Oregon Trail

The game is based on real-life event known as the Oregon Trail, and is to designed to teach players about the pioneer life during the 19th century. The player start as a leader and leading the settler travel from Missouri to Oregon in wagons. The game itself gives player some situation which settlers encounter during the period, and player have to make decisions based on their judgement. Some of the situation include winter months hit, low foods, dying ox, or diseases. Different decisions will effect the outcome, and the goal is to get to Oregon in best possible way with high score.   Linear adventure story Deviations in the middle

WoW(World of Warcraft)

An massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) created by Blizzard Entertainment was released in November of 2004 to critical acclaim. Currently one of the most popular (and profitiable) games to ever exist, the World of Warcraft drops players in a giant, simulated fantasy-world. The player can personalize their avatar and gain abilities and noteriety by playing the game well and often. Interaction with other players, as well as a continuing backstory develop a myriad of individual player stories. The science fiction of the 3D world is what makes players believe it is real, allowing them spend hour after hour on in the virtual world. One of the most notable accomplishments of the title is the game's ability to draw in a large audience to participate in the world, which further emphasizes the concept of a living, breathing society in which players can actively explore and interact with.

Zork

Originally written on a 1960's DEC PDP-10 mainframe computer, Zork was created by 4 MIT nerds well before the Personal Computer boom of the 80's. It was written as an attempt to expand the ideas laid down by Willie Crowther's Colossal Cave, much like the Atari game Adventure. Zork was the first PC game many had ever encountered, and since its release, Zork has become synonymous with Text Adventures. The intention of Zork was to stimulate not only the right side of the brain but also the left; puzzles abound in a world evnisioned in the imagination of the player.

• Text adventure
• Initially released for the TRS-80, and later for Texas Instruments and Apple computers
• Today, Zork can be downloaded for free at Infocom's homepage

Encyclopedia

• Entirely non-linear
• Links all over the place

Holodeck

• Hamlet on the holodeck

The House of Leaves

• Non-traditional novel
• Text does different things on page
• Original version had ASCII code on front page which yielded a song

Dakota - Young

• Story is told at one pace, controlled by poet, not reader
• Text takes over your screen
• Sensory overload

(Dave: This is a really strong page, it needs perhaps refining in some of the prose, as it makes sense to someone who knows the material, but needs more contextualization, more careful development of the ideas being presented. Also perhaps some grouping of the material, along with links and pictures seem like a good idea.)