Hypertext as a Lens into Interactive Digital Narrative

Abstract

Interactive Narrative is blessed with a myriad of forms, this richness makes it hard to compare IDN systems or to develop general theories and tools as each example can seem like a special case. We take the approach of using hypertext as a method of inquiry to explore the similarities of different IDN forms. Using the Interactive Process Model to scope our analysis we systematically examine IDN from the perspective of hypertext structure. We show that hypertext can coherently explain the transition functions (the parts of the system that manages narrative state) across calligraphic, sculptural (storylets), adaptive, database driven, parser, and game narratives. In doing so we define a Hypertext Lens, made of layers of lexia state, story state, world model, and story engine. We also show how sculptural systems, parser fiction, and game narratives make use of interaction and presentation engines that complement and build upon these structures. Rather than trying to reconcile hypertext and IDN our approach instead presents hypertext as a useful thought pattern for approaching IDN that can bridge the gap between IDN forms and clarify their relationships to one another. Our analysis clearly shows a fluidity of form, encourages experimentation, and provides a mechanism through which theory can be applied widely.

Strange Patterns: Structure and Post-structure in Interactive Digital Narratives

“…Narratology applies just as much to IDN as it does to traditional storytelling forms, for example Wood uses the fabula/syuzhet distinction [10] to talk about different types of interactive narrative games and experiences; however in IDN the focus is often on the interactive element, so Wood uses her analysis to distinguish between those where players have agency over the fabula (so can dictate the outcome of the narratives) and those where they have agency over the syuzhet (the outcome is fixed, but they have control over how it is revealed). In both cases the player agency is managed by an interactive structure, which can be thought of as a kind of state machine managed by a story engine [11]. A simple example would be a hypertext structure, where the state machine is defined through a set of nodes and links.…”

“…Adaptive links are the most common, these have conditions that must be met before those links can be seen or followed. Adaptive Links are a key micro structure in IDN (in tools such as Twine, and can be traced back to early systems such as StorySpace where they were called Guard Fields [27]), but in the last twenty years an alternative structure has emerged: the Storylet, which is the basis of sculptural hypertexts [11]. At their most basic storylets are a piece of media with a set of constraints that must be met before that media can be viewed, and a set of behaviours that can set variables to meet those constraints [28].…”

“…For example, a paragraph of text that describes a car accident and which sets a variable to remember this fact, coupled with a second paragraph that describes the aftermath but which requires that variable to be set before it can be read. A set of storylets creates a sculptural hypertext [11]. This contrasts with Calligraphic hypertexts built with links.…”

“…The effect on the authoring experience is significant. For example, combining storylets and links allows StoryNexus authors to create sculptural hypertexts with many choices [11], whereas StorySpace 3 supports both networks of links and storylets, but separates them into different spaces [34]. Storylet support has also recently been added to Twine (which is otherwise based on adaptive links) showing that new micro patterns can also be added to tools over time, expanding their expressive power.…”

NHT’22: Narrative and Hypertext 2022

“…Hypertext and Interactive Digital Narratives offer many exciting possibilities to readers in the form of interactive literature where the reader has agency over the Syuzhet and/or Fabula of the narrative, leading to increased dramatic engagement [3]. Narrative games also have a hypertextual core, and expand the set of mechanics through which reader (or players) can interact with the story [2].…”