What's Your Story?
An article describing ways that digital storytelling can be used for business presentations and other corporate means. It combines digital video stories with live storytellers to liven up corporate presentations. The creator of this form of presentation, Dana Atchley, passed away in 2000, but his website detailing his presentation, Next Exit, is still available.
Storytellers of the New Millennium
This article details some of the different forms of digital storytelling, as well as who is studying it. It also breaks down the art of digital storytelling into sections: Digital Self-Expression (such as hypertext fiction), Performance Art on the Web (like MUDs and chatrooms like The Palace, where Waiting For Godot was staged, like I mentioned in an earlier post), and Pursuit of Personal Story. It also goes on to detail what interactive CD ROM games are. It doesn't seem to discuss games in a traditional sense, as they seem to focus on the "interactive" part rather than the "game".
StoryCorps
StoryCorps is a project dedicated to recording and telling the life stories of people who come to the website. The stories are documented in audio files, and made available to the public through free CDs or on public radio. The intention seems to be to preserve the stories of these people beyond their lifetime.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Sunday, October 05, 2008
What is digital narrative, anyway?
Center for Digital Storytelling, non-profit collection of digital fiction
The stories aren't written, they're told in video. Not strictly "literature," but an interesting experiment in storytelling. Some of the stories are accompanied by short paragraphs written by the creator, to place the story in a context and why it's important to them, like Calling Me by Leah Grear.
Tech Head Stories, collection of stories and cornucopia of information on digital narrative
I wasn't so sold on the idea of digital narrative in the multimedia sense being akin with literature until I came across this website, and read the opening blurb on the main page:
Most of the site turns out to be fairly flat, but there is a discussion of the interactive story which is largely focused around a discussion of games and their narrative. Could be a good precursor to looking at the story in video games.
Clicking for Godot, discussion of a digital stage for a traditional play
Discussion of the virtual stage. A group put on Waiting for Godot in a chatroom performance. Article also has some good information on other types of digital literature on the subsequent pages. Interesting stuff!
The stories aren't written, they're told in video. Not strictly "literature," but an interesting experiment in storytelling. Some of the stories are accompanied by short paragraphs written by the creator, to place the story in a context and why it's important to them, like Calling Me by Leah Grear.
Tech Head Stories, collection of stories and cornucopia of information on digital narrative
I wasn't so sold on the idea of digital narrative in the multimedia sense being akin with literature until I came across this website, and read the opening blurb on the main page:
Welcome electronic pilgrims, cyber surfers, techno outriders one and all. You have arrived at Tech Head Stories. Gather around the electronic fire, lounge in the cyber cafe, take your place in the cyber salon. The shifty-eyed lounge lizard in the back, yes, the one behind you, mutters, "What's in it for me? What's inside?" Glad you asked me that, Pilgrim. Since you've asked, there are tales of tech and tales of bone head woe. Interested in multimedia? Digital Cinema? Digital Storytelling? Do you want to make these things? The crowd leans forward, listening intently. How about story structure and digital technology? No matter, there's something here for you. The shifty eyed pilgrim cocks a wary eye. Do you want more than a digital press release? The crowd murmurs.
At Tech Head Stories we go beyond tools, we explore visions, messages, and meanings created with digital tools. Even the Pilgrim nods his head. Here we sing songs in praise of the body electric. If it deals with technology or stories you'll find something inside. So all you seekers of techno wisdom and truth, info slackers with time to spare, come browse our pages before you return your travels on the information silk roads through cyberspace. Linger a while and hear some Tech Head Stories.
Most of the site turns out to be fairly flat, but there is a discussion of the interactive story which is largely focused around a discussion of games and their narrative. Could be a good precursor to looking at the story in video games.
Clicking for Godot, discussion of a digital stage for a traditional play
Discussion of the virtual stage. A group put on Waiting for Godot in a chatroom performance. Article also has some good information on other types of digital literature on the subsequent pages. Interesting stuff!
Saturday, October 04, 2008
Supplemental Information on Digital Narrative
digital narrative sound and vision
This site offers users modules on what digital narrative is, and users can create their own. It's all focused on using a variety of media for storytelling, which prompts an interesting question in this research: what qualifies as digital "literature"? Is storytelling on the web now completely multi-media? Where does that place works that only contain a smaller portion of writing? I'm hoping to figure out some of these questions as I go, but if you have any input on them, by all means, let me know :) Back to the site: Because of the nature of the modules, it also provides a good list of resources for other websites and books pertaining to digital narrative. As it happens, one of the books it lists - First Person: New Media as Story, Performance and Game by Noah Wardrip-Fruin and Pat Harrigan, is one that I own, so I'll take a look through it by my next blog post and let you know if there's anything that may pertain to what you're looking at - even if it isn't examples of digital fiction, which is what I'm meant to me looking for.
Lev Manovich, software-based cultural forms
I briefly looked through Lev Manovich's work on software-based cultural forms, but his predominant focus is on images and video. He does however have an interesting article called Alan Kay's Universal Media Machine (the link is a .doc file), in which he discusses the use of the personal computer to imitate forms of older media, which I thought may pertain to the transformation of the written word from book to interactive narrative.
Other notable sites:
http://www.tads.org/if.htm - Good explanation of interactive fiction, which I mentioned in my first blog post
This site offers users modules on what digital narrative is, and users can create their own. It's all focused on using a variety of media for storytelling, which prompts an interesting question in this research: what qualifies as digital "literature"? Is storytelling on the web now completely multi-media? Where does that place works that only contain a smaller portion of writing? I'm hoping to figure out some of these questions as I go, but if you have any input on them, by all means, let me know :) Back to the site: Because of the nature of the modules, it also provides a good list of resources for other websites and books pertaining to digital narrative. As it happens, one of the books it lists - First Person: New Media as Story, Performance and Game by Noah Wardrip-Fruin and Pat Harrigan, is one that I own, so I'll take a look through it by my next blog post and let you know if there's anything that may pertain to what you're looking at - even if it isn't examples of digital fiction, which is what I'm meant to me looking for.
Lev Manovich, software-based cultural forms
I briefly looked through Lev Manovich's work on software-based cultural forms, but his predominant focus is on images and video. He does however have an interesting article called Alan Kay's Universal Media Machine (the link is a .doc file), in which he discusses the use of the personal computer to imitate forms of older media, which I thought may pertain to the transformation of the written word from book to interactive narrative.
Other notable sites:
http://www.tads.org/if.htm - Good explanation of interactive fiction, which I mentioned in my first blog post
Friday, October 03, 2008
Tinkering with Building
Today involved a little more practice with Second Life, and reading up on some of the building elements. After a lot of mucking around with different elements, I managed to construct my first chair (that's me sitting in it):
While it isn't the most glamorous object - I had a friend describe it as a leopard print toilet - it's a start, and I'm feeling more comfortable with some of the building tools.
I've also come across some helpful (if not slightly profane) Second Life building tutorial videos, which has offered some excellent advice (these notes are mostly for my own reference as I'm learning, but they're very helpful to have!):
- Camera controls: ALT + Click on object, can spin camera around that object, as well as in and out; ALT + CTRL + Click on object, can move camera up and down as well as spin
- Under the View menu, you can select whether the property lines display or not, to make sure you don't build on your neighbours' property
After some more video basics, I tinkered with actually putting walls and windows together on the property. It's slowly coming together, although it's still a ways off yet! I've left what I was doing on the property, although I'll likely rework it beyond recognition as I learn more about the building process.
While it isn't the most glamorous object - I had a friend describe it as a leopard print toilet - it's a start, and I'm feeling more comfortable with some of the building tools.
I've also come across some helpful (if not slightly profane) Second Life building tutorial videos, which has offered some excellent advice (these notes are mostly for my own reference as I'm learning, but they're very helpful to have!):
- Camera controls: ALT + Click on object, can spin camera around that object, as well as in and out; ALT + CTRL + Click on object, can move camera up and down as well as spin
- Under the View menu, you can select whether the property lines display or not, to make sure you don't build on your neighbours' property
After some more video basics, I tinkered with actually putting walls and windows together on the property. It's slowly coming together, although it's still a ways off yet! I've left what I was doing on the property, although I'll likely rework it beyond recognition as I learn more about the building process.
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