Future of the Book

If.book BookCamp Melbourne Writer’s Festival 2 Sept 2011

Interesting Things to Follow-Up from Non-Linear Narrative Session

1) Video Game Stories by Harrison Polites

Here are a few interesting video game stories that I have stumbled upon. Hopefully this will prove that video game story telling is much more in-depth than the general public realise. These aren’t quick video’s either. Some may require a little commitment in order to get a sense of the game’s story.

Its pretty self explanatory with each set of videos. Just follow the numbers in the title of the video and you shouldn’t get lost. Email me if there are any problems. Here’s what I found:

Heavy Rain – Playstation 3.
A plot driven murder mystery where the plot develops based on choices made by the player. Tthis was the few games I could remember that does separate story-telling and gameplay. It’s considered by gamers to be one of the most innovate story driven games. Despite not being as ‘action oriented’ as other games it still sold quite well. The games hyper-realism means that there are some mundane opening scenes – but it really picks up about half way through. http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=B28B28FF84CAD4C5 . They are all in order on this page.

Bioshock – Playstation 3
The story is told through ‘radio’ messages the player receives through out the game. Its about a 1940’s underwater utopia gone wrong. A city that was built with the sole principal of not binding progress with ethics or socialism. A pure capitalist society. Chaos ensues When they discover how to alter DNA and give humans super-natural abilities. It serves as the catalyst for a class struggle that tears the city apart. Since there is no separation between story and gameplay- you will need to watch the entire game to understand the story. http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=673B9D9225D56AA9 . It is quite scary and gruesome at times – you have been warned.

Final Fantasy X – Playstation 2
My favourite video game story. It has it all: A father-son conflict, love interest, conspiracy, religion, interesting characters and full of plot twists that are really well worked into the story. I may be idealising – I first played this game when I was 14 and only realised how entangled and meaningful the story was after a re-played it last year. This one may be the easiest to watch, as people have created story only videos which cut out gameplay.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZvHpJj7QwE – this is the most summarised version. Though the quality isn’t great. It will give you a general sense of the story.

2) Visit From the Goon Squad (2010) is a work of fiction by American author Jennifer Egan.
An unusual narrative structure.
3) Inanimate Alice by Kate Pullinger
Transmedia fiction, A digital Novel

4) ‘The Ozymandias project’: a digital anthology of creative writing by Andraya Stapp-Gaunt. Article makes reference to Petrelli and Wright.
Andraya Stapp-Gaunt “‘The Ozymandias project’: a digital anthology of creative writing”. Literacy Learning: The Middle Years. FindArticles.com. 05 Sep, 2011. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_6949/is_1_19/ai_n56920523/
5) Petrelli, D. and Wright, H. (2009). ‘On the writing, reading and publishing of digital stories’
PETRELLI, Daniela and WRIGHT, Hazel ‘On the writing, reading and publishing of digital stories’

Available from Sheffield Hallam University Research Archive (SHURA) at:
http://shura.shu.ac.uk/2926/

6) Campbell’s Book of Waste
7) How to Make Gravy: A to Z, A Mongrel Memoir Author: Paul Kelly
8) ‘This One Time’ collection
‘This One Time …’ is a collection of surprising true stories, the sort of stories you might share with friends or hear from a stranger at a party. Published by http://www.eastoftheweb.com/

The intereractive section showcases works that allow the reader to interact with the story’s narrative and characters. You can find out more about each of the subgenres by following the links to Interactive Fiction, Art Games, Alternate Reality Games, Hypertexts

9) Publisher
The Electronic Literature Organization (ELO) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 1999 to promote and facilitate the writing, publishing, and reading of electronic literature. Since its formation, the Electronic Literature Organization has worked to assist writers and publishers in bringing their literary works to a wider, global readership and to provide them with the infrastructure necessary to reach one another.
10) Max Barry Machine Man

Interesting Things to Follow-Up from Non-Linear Narrative Session

11) Splitting Image is one of Australia’s most technologically advanced digital Pre-Press companies, servicing Publishers, Graphic Designers, Photographers and Printers.

http://www.splittingimage.com.au/

12) Kate Pullinger
http://www.katepullinger.com/
Transliteracy is currently defined as ‘the ability to read, write and interact across a range of platforms, tools and media from signing and orality through handwriting, print, TV, radio and film, to digital social networks.’
See Flight Paths and Inanimate Alice