Designing a Context-Aware Architecture for Emotionally Engaging Mobile Storytelling

Interactive Storytelling

Howard

et al. 2017

Abstract. Despite the increasing popularity of locative interactive stories their poetics are poorly understood, meaning that there is little advice or support for locative authors, and few frameworks for critical analysis. The StoryPlaces project has spent two years working with over sixty authors creating locative stories. Through analyzing the stories themselves, and interviewing readers, we have developed a simple writer's toolkit that highlights the challenges and opportunities offered by locative fiction. In this paper we describe our approach, and outline twelve key pragmatic and aesthetic considerations that we have derived from our experience and analyses. Together these reveal that the main challenge in locative literature lies in aligning the narrative text, the structural logic, and the demands and affordances of the landscape.

“…There are many examples of locative fiction including The iLand of Madeira [8], San Servolo, travel into the memory of an island [20], and a collection of stories around Dublin [17].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Developing a Writer’s Toolkit for Interactive Locative Storytelling

Packer

Interactive Storytelling

Howard

et al. 2017

“…However, the core principles of paper prototyping remained: that the authors were 1 Examples were HopStory [22], San Servolo [23], The Chawton House Project [26], Viking Ghost Hunt [20], and Riot! [8] able to construct the content and the associated rules and locations, but with minimal restrictions, to avoid preventing the authors from creating something we might not have anticipated.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…as discussed previously [12]. Similarly "San Servolo, travel into the memory of an island" [23] is a location aware work of fiction set around an island based sanatorium. Pittarello's narrative framework for San Servolo is based on earlier work on machine readable models of narrative carried about by Carnielli [11], and focuses of the delivery of "situations" based on a variety of contextual checks.…”

Section: Location Aware Fictionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Patterns of Sculptural Hypertext in Location Based Narratives

Proceedings of the 27th ACM Conference on Hypertext and Social Media

Hunt

Weal

et al. 2016

Location based narratives are an emerging form of digital storytelling that use location technologies to trigger content on smart devices according to a user's location. In previous work on the Canyons, Deltas and Plains (CDP) model we argued that they are best considered as a form of sculptural hypertext, but sculptural hypertext is a relatively unexplored medium with few examples, and limited critical theory. This means that there is little guidance for authors on what is possible with the medium, and no common authoring tools, both of which impede adoption and experimentation. In this paper we describe our work to tackle this problem by working with creative writing students to create 40 location based sculptural hypertexts using an approach similar to paperprototyping, and then analysing these for common patterns (structures of nodes, rules, and conditions used for a poetic purpose). We present seven key patterns: Parallel Threads, Gating, Concurrent Nodes, Alternative Nodes, Foldbacks, Phasing, and Unlocking. In doing so we see some overlap with the patterns identified in traditional (calligraphic) hypertext, but in many cases these patterns are particularly suited to sculptural hypertext, and hint at a different poetics for the form. Our findings refine our original CDP model, but also present a starting point for educating writers on how to approach sculptural stories, and form a foundation for future location-based authoring tools.

“…From the games sector works include 'Viking Ghost Hunt' [17] where players hunt down the ghosts of Dublin using an augmented reality system, or 'University of Death' [4] a hybrid reality system that requires its players to adopt specific roles and behaviours and utilise real world props and clues alongside digital information. In contrast, works of location aware fiction such as 'San Servolo, travel into the memory of an island' sometimes have more complex rules, based not just on location but other contextual factors such as weather and reader's history [21]. Location-based interactive fictions are comparable to 'Walking Sims', games where readers explore virtual spaces and interact with objects triggering narrative sequences, San Servolo even echoes the first popular example 'Dear Esther' which also takes place on an island [20].…”

Section: Location Aware Narrativementioning

confidence: 99%

Snow White Is Missing: An Interactive Locative Story for Dementia Patients

Hicks

Charles

et al. 2017

E-Learning and Games

Abstract. With the increasing prevalence of powerful mobile technology, interactive entertainment is also becoming increasingly mobile. This can also be said for a range of applications including those pertaining to mental and physical health which are also looking to take advantage of the increase in mobile technology to create digital interventions and other treatment based software for mobile devices that can benefit from the mobile deliver form. In this paper we propose a new form of serious game in this vein: therapeutic locative interactive fiction. These are interactive story experiences, read while on the move, that respond to the readers environment and location context, and have therapeutic value. The locative nature of these stories enables therapeutic activities connected with out door spaces, and allows for content to enrich users, the readers of locational context. We present a demonstration of this concept through our own therapeutic locative interactive narrative: Snow White is Missing, and detail both its design from an interactive narrative and therapeutic activity perspectives.