Re: [Fwd: Gamasutra article]

[WFreitag@aol.com]

In a message dated 10/6/01 4:17:21 PM, TLambs1138@cs.com writes:

<< But if Shrek is on one side of the Perfect Line between story and 
interactivity, and Final Fantasy et all are on the other, I really look 
forward to the way we can walk that line.
 >>

Hi Jean,

I don't think Shrek and (either the games or the movie) Final Fantasy 
delineate any continuum between story and interactivity. To me they all 
appear to be at the same end of that continuum -- that is, they all are 
highly crafted stories with little or no interactive choice. We can disagree 
about the relative quality of the stories, but they all have in common that 
their authors remain firmly in control of the nature and sequence of all 
significant events. So I'd put Shrek and the FF movie at one extreme, with 
the FF games being just slightly separated from that endpoint (that is, 
offset slightly in the direction of more interactivity) to reflect their 
limited branching and their interactive mode of presentation. Quality IF goes 
a bit farther still, but is still pretty close to the "story end" in the 
overall scheme of things.

I suggest that the opposite end of that continuum is defined by "dumb" 
simulators at its extreme, with Erasmatron offset somewhat in the direction 
of more story quality but still near than end in the overall scheme of 
things. Oz/HAP worlds also live in that vicinity. It's likely that with the 
invention of additional craft, Erasmatron storyworlds can (and must) move 
farther in the direction of more story quality.

(I respect that some Erasmateers disagree with me on this, and regard the 
'tron as fundamentally a storytelling system -- that is, they take for 
granted the possibility of storyworlds that tell good stories -- while I see 
it as fundamentally a world simulator with potential story-quality still at 
issue.)

The continuum is indeed a fascinating one, but that Perfect Line often seems 
more like a tightrope over the Grand Canyon. With the middle section heavily 
greased. :-)

- Walt