In this week’s workshop, we were given a narrative exercise where we had to come up with an object or word and write down sentences associated with whatever it was. Once this was done, we then had to form short stories based on these sentences and from them, branch out to different stories. My object was my box cutter from work and I ended up with fifteen different stories. I felt this exercise was very useful as it got the class thinking about interactive narratives and how to branch stories off into alternate directions to keep things interesting. It certainly got the creative juices flowing.
With a group of stories like this, I feel it could be easily turned into a net-based interactive narrative. I would create this with flash and upload each file to its own individual web page. Each flash file would contain each story, and each story would have animations in the background to help illustrate what is being said in the writing. Clicking on different buttons would send the user to another story that would be relevant to the individual button clicked. I would also include many extra buttons to play around with, as I find with online interactive narratives that people like to click on a number of different buttons and hear weird sounds and see little animations take place.
In terms of actually going about this technically, I would start with a background image in each flash file and then add the writing for each story on top in some creative way, such as trying to blend it in with the background. I would then gather sound files that are appropriate and embed them into each flash file. Buttons would be created, as with the animations and finally I would need to insert each flash file into separate web pages and link each web page to one another. This process would allow me to turn this type of exercise into a fully functional net-based interactive narrative.
In conclusion, I found this exercise to be very useful and relevant as it allowed for individual creativity and helped me practice branching out a story from a singular topic into many. Below I have inserted the narrative exercise that was completed:
Narrative Exercise 1
Object: My box cutter from work (1)
Associations:
- Can cause painful cuts
- Newer ones have a sharp razor edge
- Older ones have a blunt razor edge
- Used to cut open boxes
- Kept in pocket
- Blade can be taken out easily
- They are cold when not being used
- Easily replaced
- Metal
- Simple to use
Can cause painful cuts (2)
Box cutters can cause painful cuts to the skin, especially the fingers. The stinging sensation remains for a number of days. A constant, ticking reminder that the box cutter is more dangerous than it looks, or is it the person who is using it?
The box cutter appears to be an innocent object, but not for an old employee working for the local supermarket. To him, this is an object of deceiving power and one that leaves a stinging impression on his fingers on a weekly basis. The painful cuts from weeks past make him more careful time and time again as he opens box after box. But it doesn’t work, as the box cutter always gets the last laugh.
Getting the last laugh (2.1)
Their laughing had tortured him for many years at school. His bullies of years gone by still haunt his mind. That was, until the ten year high school reunion. He finally came face to face with his tormentors. They were fat, bald and now shooting birds at the airport. He was a multimillionaire with a super model girlfriend. The last laugh was definitely his.
Multimillionaire (2.1.1)
For some, becoming a multimillionaire is a top priority in life; while for others having a family and being a good person is their top priority. The real challenge is aiming for a perfect balance between the two, where both take their place and combine for an almost perfect happiness.
Kept in pocket (3)
The box cutter is generally kept in ones pocket. The pockets can become so full with a combination of important objects and useless crap that it can become lost. Retrieving the knife can sometimes require pulling out everything just to retrieve it, wasting precious seconds of work time. The pockets momentarily become black holes where everything is sucked in and nothing comes back out.
Precious seconds (3.1)
Seconds go by very swiftly, but in an important moment of conflict the seconds seem to slow down, just like a pause button does to a TV. A hit man can relate, with his hands on the trigger and ready to pull. The seconds become very precious and indecision hits the mind of the killer. The soon to be victim has once last memory in their final seconds. 1, 2, 3, Bang….
Memory (3.1.1)
The detective asked the victim once again if he had recalled anything from the night of the accident. He could not remember anything; his memory was blurred after the night of events that took place. Finally something started coming back to him, and he soon realised that he was not the victim, but instead the killer.
Cold when not being used (4)
Working early in the morning is bad enough, considering how cold it can be. Touching the box cutter for the first time though, at the start of a shift, is colder than the surrounding environment. The icy touch of the box cutter signifies that work has not been done for a number of hours, and that work once again needs to be done.
Surrounding environment (4.1)
There is no surrounding environment for a World of Warcraft user; their only focus is on the computer screen. The outside world is forgotten, the dog barking outside is an orc yelling on the battlefield, and mom calling for dinner is a night elf in the virtual bank. The windows are closed and the room is in darkness. The only environment is inside the mind of the user and computer.
Darkness (4.1.1)
As he opened his eyes he soon realised he was in complete darkness. The suffocating feeling began and his breathing started to become louder and louder. There was no room to move, he was literally in a very tight situation. Air was running out, fast. How could this have happened? How could he have been buried alive?
Used to cut open boxes (5)
The box cutter may be a simple tool, but without it, boxes of food cannot be opened in a timely manner. This allows the worker to slice open the box in three fluid motions, one swipe right down the middle and one on either end. The sticky tape is broken and the Holy Grail containing baked beans is opened, ready to be delivered to its temporary location on the shelf. The opening of a box with a cutter almost feels like a piece of art.
Fluid Motions (5.1)
The fluid motions of a professional athlete are something to behold. Years of training and perfection have caused their movements to look almost robotic, allowing them to perform their chosen sports to the maximum level. These motions make it look too easy, something to be amazed at by some, envied by others.
Perfection (5.1.1)
Rob strived for perfection in everything he did. It consumed his life, hour after hour. Everything needed to be perfect. His room always had to be clean, his car spotless and his homework completed on time. He failed an exam the next day at school, finally failing after so long. It actually did him the world of good, as just then, for the first time in his life, he realised that it is ok to fail as long as you try.
Newer ones have a sharp razor edge (6)
The newest of box cutters contain a razor sharp edge. You would think a simple tool like this would be harmless, but in fact can become dangerous when accidentally sliced against the skin. The razor sharp edge is designed for swiftly opening the boxes, not slicing into someone’s skin. Yet this edge is often used for alternate uses, giving it more than one story aside from opening a box.
Accidental (6.1)
Her death was purely accidental; nothing could have been done to prevent this disaster from happening. Her father blamed himself for the accident. He did not see her in the rear view mirror, as the music was blasting loudly and distracting his mind. He never listened to that music again, as if passing on his guilt to the music that was ‘accidentally’ playing in the background.
Distracting (6.1.1)
The pickpockets in Las Vegas are very distracting. They will make sure they knock something in front of you before reaching in your pocket at the speed of light, so fast that you have know idea what happened. Then they run into you, in the small chance that you may have felt something, to again distract you. They fool the person they are stealing from, but they don’t fool the cameras that are constantly watching.
By Michael Angus (S2587197)
