Interactive games have a pull to them that other games and stories don’t have. Reading a new story or playing a new game is still enjoyable, but making choices and having input into the game helps the player feel as if they created something. Games where the player has real consequences for their actions keep the player invested. We want to feel control over the narrative, because by contributing to the narrative, the game becomes “ours” in a way. Undertale has received lots of praise for this, by remembering the player’s actions even after resetting the save. Bandersnatch is another great example of interactive fiction.
For example, the appeal of VR is to completely immerse the player in the world. Even if you can see everything in clear detail and view a magnificent view, you haven’t contributed anything, or made any real decisions, or felt heard. The term “immersive” can mean visual immersion, or it can mean having to make choices and facing the results of those actions. These aspects are the appeal to interactive fiction.
From the Harvesting Interactive Fiction video, I believe poetry should be included in gaming and storytelling. (Of course I’m saying this, as a creative writing major lol.) I admire games that have lyric descriptions and moving dialogue. When the language is eloquent, but not distracting, poetic wording can be very appealing to readers.
Do you think there can be a middle ground between interactive games and other types of games? Will gaming start to include more interactiveness in the future, due to the player appeal?
Intro to Digital Texts and Media 