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Outline
Interactive Narrative/Drama
Various approaches in Interactive Drama
IDtension
Conclusion/discussion
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Interactivity and story in videogames
3 types :
Description / exploration
ObstaclesCognitive = puzzles
Motor = fights, etc.{
Branching
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Branching...
Explosion!
Frustration...
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Interactivity and story in videogames
3 types :
Description / exploration
ObstaclesCognitive = puzzles
Motor = fights, etc.{
Branching Explosion!
Frustration...
6
« Interactive Drama »
Virtual world with characters
Player = one character
Narrative
The player can perform any action on the virtual world that the other characters can perform.
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Three main points of view
User point of view– role of the user– HCI
Author point of view– Role of the author– Authoring tools
Technical point of view– How to make it work– Models of narrative
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Intelligents agents– Videogames (Creatures, B&W, Sims, Babyz,etc.)– Narrative characters (Univ. Teesside)– Emergence...
Generic (multi)linearity– Plot points (CMU, Inesc)– Scene succession (B. Majerko, Facade)– Propp model (Darmstadt)
Simulation– Planning (NCSU, N. Sgouros)– Structural description (U. Aalborg, IDtension)
The approaches
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Example: Creatures
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Example : Creatures
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Example : Creatures
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Example : The Sims
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Example : Univ. of Teesside
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Example : Inesc
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Example : Façade
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Example: IDtension
The approach:
Simulate the narrative
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Metaphor # 1
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Metaphor # 2
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The theoretical model
Discourse Layer
Story layer
Perception layer
Intention, system of values.
Characters, goals, obstacle, actions,transformation, etc.
Cognitive factors,emotions
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The Architecture
World of the story
User Model
User
Theatre
Narrative Logic
Virtual Narrator
User ModelWorld of the story
Discourse / Story / Perception
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Zoom on the world of the storyCharacters
{-X}
Goals
{+Y}
Y
Tasks
XObstacle
Values
-1
0
attt
-1
0
ACTIONSDecideInformEncourageDissuadeAcceptRefusePerformCondemnCongratulate
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Zoom on the narrative effects
Ethical consistencyMotivational consistencyRelevanceCognitive loadCharacterizationConflictSuspense, surprise, spectacle
Realism
Cognitive
Emotions
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Example
Anna Bill Sylvie Mr D.
Rich
Witnesshas
retracted
Havemoney
Takeholidays
Out of Europe
Not rich
-1
0
-1
0
Buy witness
Kill witness
NO
N V
IOL
EN
CE
LA
WF
UL
LN
ES
S
Travel to Bangkok
Rob the bank
Joe Mrs D
Out ofEurope
Policeincredulous
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Simulation: Initial conditions
Joe wishes to to change Mr D. ’s testimony
Anna and Bill know thatAnna knows Joe could buy Mr D.Bill knows Joe could kill Mr D.
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Simulation: Two modes
Automatic generation
Interactive
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Results in automatic mode (1/2)• Anna tells Joe he could try to buy Mr D., the witness
• Joe accepts
• Bill tells Joe to kill Mr D.
• Joe refuses to do that.
• Joe tells Anna he could kill Mr D.
• Anna encourages him to do so!
• Joe tells Anna he wants to buy Mr D.
• Anna encourages him to do so
• Bill incites Joe to kill Mr D.
• Joe meets Mr D.
• He proposes him some money for changing his testimony, but Mr D. wants a lot of money, and Joe is not rich enough
• He then decides to get money
• He tells Anna about it
• Joe tells Sylvie he could kill Mr D.
• Sylvie dissuades him to do so!
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Results in automatic mode (2/2)
• Joe tells her he is trying to get money
• He tells Bill too about it
• Bill inform him that he could rob the bank
• Joe accepts.
• He tells Anna he wants to rob the bank
• Anna encourages him to do it
• He tells Bill about his intention two
• Bill encourages to do it
• He tells Sylvie about his intention
• Sylvie dissuades him to do so
• Joe robs the bank, and he is successful
• He pays Mr D.
• He obtains the withdrawal of testimony from MR D.
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Results in interactive mode
First turn:Anna tells Joe he could try to buy Mr D., the witness
• Joe tells Bill he could buy Mr D.• Joe tells Sylvie he could buy Mr D.• Joe tells Mr D. he wishes to change Mr D.’s
testimony• Joe tells Mrs D. he wishes to change Mr D.’s
testimony• Joe accepts to buy Mr D.• Joe refuses to buy Mr D.
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Results in interactive mode
Second turn:Bill tells Joe to kill Mr D.
• Joe tells Anna he wants to buy Mr D.
• Joe tells Bill he wants to buy Mr D.
• Joe tells Sylvie he wants to buy Mr D.
• Joe tells Mr D. he wants to buy Mr D.
• Joe tells Mrs D. he wants to buy Mr D.
• Joe tells Anna he could kill Mr D.
• Joe tells Sylvie he could kill Mr D.
• Joe tells Mr D. he wishes to change Mr D.’s testimony
• Joe tells Mrs D. he wishes to change Mr D.’s testimony
• Joe accepts to kill Mr D.
• Joe refuses to kill Mr D.
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Conclusion: key points
SimulationA broad model of narrativeFrequency, range, significance
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Open questions
(Im)possibility of IN
The HCI
The meaning of the action
Art or entertainment?
Market?
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