Title

Theory and Practice of Non-linear and Interactive Narrative

Teacher

Ed Barrett

Contact

http://barrett-2.mit.edu/narrative/

Place

MIT, Comparative Media Studies Program

Semester

Spring 2000 Workshop in Potential Narrative
this course has been offered since 1992

Course

graduate and undergraduate students

Description

This course has been offered since 1992. Formerly entitled "Structure and Interpretation of Non-linear and Interactive Narrative", it examines the potential for dynamic narrative in traditional media like novels and films and as well as in computer-based stories and games. The course focuses on the creation of electronic stories and games using simple authoring systems and multimedia software tools. Students present and constructively critique one another's work in progress in a workshop setting aimed at expanding the representational powers of a new creative medium.

Topics

-Introduction to Potential Narrative
-Introduction to Hypertext
-Introduction to HTML
-Show & Tell (What are your favorite examples of web hypertext narratives?)
-Hypertext Workshop (Prepare an outline for your hypertext project)
-Hypertext Presentations
-Narrative Experiments in Film
-Video Workshop
-Production Week
-Film/Performance Presentations
-Sow & Tell (What are your favorite games that actually had some sort of narrative?)
-Game Design
-Games and Stories
-Game Workshop
-Game Presentations
-Award Ceremony

Sources
(Selection)

-Gallery of Student Stories 1996-8 (works within this course): web.mit.edu/21w765j/www/genres.html
-Alan Ayckbourn, "The Norman Conquests" (1988)-Zork: A Computerized Fantasy Game: www.csd.uwo.ca/Infocom/Articles/ieee.html
-Jorge Luis Borges, "The Garden of Forking Paths" (1941)
-Movie "Groundhog Day" (1993)
-Eliza

Scholary
Sources
(Selection)

-Joseph Bates, "The Role of Emotion in Believable Agents"
www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs.cmu.edu/project/oz/web
/papers.html
-Vannevar Bush, "As We May Think": www.isg.sfu.ca/~duchier/misc/vbush/
-Georg P. Landow, "Hypertext 2.0" (1997)
-Lenny Foner, "Entertaining Agents: Julia", http://foner.www.media.mit.edu/people/foner/Julia
-Brenda Laurel, "Computers as Theater" (1993)
-Janet Murray, "Hamlet on the Holodeck: The Future of Narrative in Cyberspace" (1997): http://web.mit.edu/jhmurray/www/HOH.html
-Vladimir Propp, "Morphology of the Folktale" (1928;1968)
-Sherry Turkle, "Life on the Screen: Identity in the Age of the Internet" (1995)
-Joseph Weizenbaum, "Eliza-- A Computer Program for the Study of Natural Language Communication between Man and Machine" (1966)

Comments

The primary focus of the class is the development of narrative projects. Projects can be web sites, computer games, live action role-playing games, videos or improv performances. Students are invited to propose interesting projects to illustrate their perspectives of the subject matter. All project proposals must be approved by the instructors. Students have to complete three main projects, evenly scheduled through the semester: Hypertext (individual or group) (Week 2-5), Film/Performance (group) (Week 6-9), Game (group) (Week 10-13). At the end of a semester, an informal award ceremony will give bragging rights to students who have completed exceptional work.
Classes consist of lectures, lab sessions and student oral presentations
No programming experience is necessary.