5 Haitis Digital Storytelling. What is 5 Haitis? Digital narrative Themes – 2010 Earthquake...
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5 Haitis Digital Storytelling. What is 5 Haitis? Digital narrative Themes – 2010 Earthquake Characters – Omar – Bronte – Guerda Interaction – Character
What is 5 Haitis? Digital narrative Themes 2010 Earthquake
Characters Omar Bronte Guerda Interaction Character stories Scene
stories Character dialogues 2
Slide 3
Intro The concept Hyper/deep attention Serious games The 4 th
wall Other inspirations The process Character and narrative
development Graphics and Interactivity The critique 3
Slide 4
The Concept A sombre, serious subject An event of current
concern Something that would provoke thought, personalise the event
4
Slide 5
Katherine Hayles Hyper attention is characterized by switching
focus rapidly among different tasks, preferring multiple
information streams, seeking a high level of stimulation, and
having a low tolerance for boredom (Jan, 2008) Hyper / Deep
Attention How do we prefer to interact? Deep concentration on one
task Frequently shifting focus around multiple tasks Which is best?
Situation determines suitability 5
Slide 6
What about video games? A seeming paradox The key Interactivity
and rewards 1000 gamers involved in a study with University of
Rochester I wanted the narrative to Give users freedom to explore
and interact Provide rewards Provide multiple stimuli
simultaneously allowing choice Lots happening to keep users engaged
6
Slide 7
An example of hyper/deep attention media Emphasis on sound and
text Limited interactivity Text flashes up, animates in time with
music Stimulates hyper and deep attention WARNING contains flashing
images An inspiration for the text animation and speed 7
Slide 8
Serious Games Games for more than just entertainment When used
in training context can be termed game-learning Can be used to
engage users while at the same time delivering a serious message
Examples Darfur is Dying, Food Force, Floodsim 8
Slide 9
Users play refugees trying to survive Tasks include foraging
for water, helping their family, irrigation etc The experience is
deepened by the interaction The subject matter is handled
sensitively and seriously 9
Slide 10
A serious narrative I wanted the narrative to be serious,
allowing interaction in order to make a deeper impression 5 Haitis
is not a game No protagonist No main goals However it does allow
autonomy, interaction Users choose how to explore the narrative
Rewards are given in the form of details learnt The narrative does
progress 10
Slide 11
The 4 th Wall Represents the imaginary wall separating the
audience and the story Can be broken for dramatic or comedic effect
Used to involve the audience Tamara (1981) dissolves the 4 th wall
Takes place in a large house with ten actors performing
simultaneous scenes in the rooms Audience can choose how to
experience the play 11
Slide 12
5 Haitis and the 4 th wall The barrier between narrative and
audience is removed by allowing interaction Users must choose how
to experience the narrative Characters relate their stories
directly to the user apart from the conversations Everything
happens simultaneously allowing repeated viewings 12
Slide 13
Other Inspirations Waltz with Bashir Documenting the 1982
Lebanon war Stark, sombre, dark graphic novel style Evocative
soundtrack 13
Slide 14
Developing the Idea Initial idea Four characters in quadrants
Story set a year on from the earthquake An aftershock occurs The
user controls the choices of the characters Problems Time
limitations Not based on reality Too complex to programme 14
Slide 15
Three characters chosen Relate their histories Interact with
the scene Interact with the other characters Narratives occur
simultaneously, allowing the user to choose how to experience them
Scene Typical but fictitious Haitian location Based on
Port-au-Prince Time Frame Just before and then one year on from the
earthquake 15
Slide 16
Making Digital Storytelling Work Break the 4 th Wall Use
tension, uncertainty Employ a character arc Give characters
realistic flaws Employ role reversals 16
Slide 17
Creating realistic characters Character biographies and back
histories Character motivations should be reasonable,
understandable In digital fiction, no room for subtlety Avoid
stereotypes or twist them Use easy to understand language Realistic
speech and conversation Clear words and short, bite-sized pieces
17
Slide 18
Realistic dialogue In early versions, the dialogue was too
unnatural, formal Suggestions (James, 2009) Avoid on the nose
dialogue Reveal nuances of character personality Fit the words to
suit the character Characters generally interrupt each other Use a
subtext Employ humour Ensure the dialogue adds to/ moves the story
forward 18
Slide 19
The narrative structure 3 act structure Act 1 sets the scene
and context Pre-quake scene Act 2 develops the story, explores
conflict, relationships and themes Pre-quake ending in earthquake
Act 3 is the consequence of acts 1 and 2 Post-quake Exploratorium
model with fractals Users can explore bowls of freedom that are
connected together The story expands allowing players to explore
freely but following only one theme 19
Slide 20
Graphical Development The scene a composite of multiple photos
blended together 20
Slide 21
Interaction Built using flash Interaction achieved through
action script Narrative built using the iterator pattern This
allowed interruptions in back histories to occur and then resume
from same position All narrative in xml form Allowed definition of
timings, pauses, unique ids for narrative parts 21
Slide 22
Critique Main issues in development Believable characters
Unnatural speech Consistency Interactivity More features were
desired Character, scene animations More hot spots Structure
Exploration and multiple viewings 22