Synopsis and Brief Explanation
Synopsis and Brief Explanation
Titled "Pause and Effect, the Art of Interactive Narrative" this book examines story forms that users or readers "are able to affect, choose, or change." The book (published by new riders/Macmillan; 240-pages, 4-color, 10"x10" format) looks at the intersection of graphic design, narrative structure and interaction design. Its audience includes developers, programmers, designers, theorists, academicians, and students of new media. Narrative is everywhere and so, finally, this book is designed to appeal to anyone interested in storytelling, visual art, or literature.
The book claims that narrative and interactivity can be commensurate and that imagery is an important part of this combination. Imagery allows for less linear forms of reading and understanding information (also known as Non-Verbal Text in educational circles). Additionally, the book claims that classic interaction design serves as an excellent complement to classic narrative design as both are concerned with a linear flow of events that take place over time.
The book is divided into four parts: Theory, 2D, 3D, and Practice as this seemed both practical and reasonable.
This emerging artform of interactive narrative is defined as "a time-based representation of character and action in which a reader can affect, choose, or change the plot. The first, second, or third person characters may actually be the reader. Opinion and perspective are inherent. Image is not necessary, but likely."
Additionally, over a dozen examples of interactive narrative are highlighted in the book and interviews with these authors are included. Media types include print, television, movies, internet, and mobile technologies. Individuals interviewed are Marcos Novak and Scott McCloud. Projects reviewed include Ultima Online, Banja, Liquid Stage, Memex Engine, Deus Ex 2, and Jimmy Corrigan.
The book is graphically framed with a comic-based narrative and flipbook animation. The proof, despite its alcohol content, is in the pudding.
The book is intended to present multiple levels of reading. While the body of the text is of primary interest and has consumed the majority of the attention the book is also intended to be entertaining. For this reason we have placed a series of small comic-based narratives along the upper-outside corners of each page. These "flipbooks" are intended to work directly with the comic-line along the bottom for metaphorical, conceptual and narrative reasons. In short, all design is intended to work with all of the text.
Mark Stephen Meadows // pighed
