Art 173
Interactive Digital Narrative

Instructor: Steve DiPaola  -   sdipaola@stanford.edu

Teaching Assistant: Alexis Tygenhof  -   tygenhof@stanford.edu

Offered: Fall 00/01

Course Number: 300-71-01

Schedule: TTh 7:00-9:00PM

Room: Cummings 127 (SUDAC)

Course Enrollment: 16

Course Description:

This intensive studio course focuses on developing interactive digital narrative skills by exploring real-time dramatic performance art in virtual environments. Topics include collaborative storytelling, 3D narrative environment creation, interactive dramatic structures, character development, virtual community constructs and online performance art.

The class will delve into how the definitions of author and audience are blurring (as well

as fiction and non-fiction) by exploring collaborative narrative environments. The course will culminate in a class conceived virtual performance within an online narrative environment.

Based on skill set and interest, the class will be divided into interconnected teams that will:

- research and write an interactive narrative script, or
- design and build a 3D narrative environment, or
- critique and document the social, dramatic, authorship aspects of the narrative process

and as a full team, integrate all these parts into a public interactive narrative performance that combines environment, online audience and actors, dramatic structure and social community dynamics.

Grading:

     Class Participation: 10%

     Final Assignment: 50%

     Total of non-final Assignments: 40%

Required Reading:

     Title: Hamlet on the Holodeck : The Future of Narrative in Cyberspace
     Author: Janet H Murray
     Info:    Paperback - 324 pages (1997)
               MIT Press; ISBN: 0262631873;

Contact:

Steve DiPaola: sdipaola@stanford.edu

Alexis Tygenhof:  tygenhof@stanford.edu

Class 1: Introduction to Virtual Narrative – Immersive Story Telling

Course description, requirements and assignments.

Blurring Roles: Author and Audience- -- Identity and Fiction

Cultural and structural analysis of stories, storytellers and audiences.

Class 2: Virtual Expression and Collaborative storytelling - Oct 5, 2000

Traveler Instructions

This class will combine class 1 and 2

Introduction to avatar-based virtual worlds as narrative vehicles.

Blurring Roles: Author and Audience- -- Identity and Fiction

Assignment 1: Explore and critique virtual community: people and spaces

Class 3: Web based Interactive Narratives - Oct 10, 2000

Assignment 1 Due

Interactive Narrative Principles: Hamlet on the Holodeck

Reading Due: Murray, Chapters 1-3

Screening: Web Based Interactive Narrative Art : Meadows

Assignment 2: Create an interactive narrative using hyper linked visuals and text

Class 4: Web based Interactive Narratives Continued - Oct 12, 2000

Interactive Narrative Principles: Continued (resource page)

Reading Due: Murray, Chapters 4-6

Screening: Web Based Interactive Narrative Art

Assignment 2 Cont.

Class 5: 3D Space: Narrative Environment - Oct 17, 2000

Reading Due: Murray, Chapters 7

Space: Atmosphere and Set Design (Onlive Space Authoring Doc 800k pdf )

Principles of 3D Design - Onlive Spaces

Class 6: 3D Space: Narrative Space Design Environments - Oct 19, 2000

Review Assignment 2 in Class ( bring in concepts/work)

3D Space: Narrative Space Design

Reading Due: Murray, Chapter 9 (optional 8 as well)

Class 7: 3D Space: Narrative Space Design Environments - Oct 24, 2000

Assignment 2 Due

Reading Due: Murray, Chapter 10

Intro to 3D Creation - Alexis

Hyperlinking between worlds: info vrs. environment

Assignment 3: Creating Narrative 3D spaces (Plan out a narrative space)

Class 8: Character Development - Oct 26, 2000

PurpleTears' space creation tutorial

PurpleTears' spaces

Review Assignment 2

Virtual Actor: Virtual Audience - Avatar Design: Interview with Stasia McGeeHee

Class 9: Collaborative Expression Systems - Oct 31, 2000

Assignment 3 Due

Virtual Actor: Virtual Audience

Halloween performance shorts - In class

Class 10: Interactive narrative: Putting it all together - Nov 2, 2000

Assignment 4: Plot Concepts

Description of final class project begins

Theme of project discussion

choose role:

- Set creator 3D or web

- Story script writer, virtual actor/performer

- Documenter

Class 11: Performance brainstorm and assignments - Nov 6, 2000

Assignment 4 Due

From idea to storyboard

Set plan: 2 Spaces with Sound for Performance

Script plan: Interactive Script with Text

Documentation Plan: Website design, screen shots, interviews, live camera work.

Class 12: From idea to Storyboard - Nov 8, 2000

Finalize project theme and interconnecting assignments for performance

Documentation begins: community interviews

Field trip to the SF Opera on Nov. 10 (be there at 3:50pm!)

stage door map

Class 13: Final Perfomance Plot and teams - Nov 14, 2000

Assignment 5: Final Project Plans

Basic Plot Finalized

Technical Pallette Discussed

Teams Chosen: Roles and Responsibilities

Teams List

Teams Roles and Assignment 5

Technical Doc

Plot Doc

Class 14: Team Planing - Nov 16

Studio work:

Working in teams on Assignment 5 and other final performance issues

Teams get Rough Draft from Writers

Class 15: Critique work in progress - Tues, Nov 21

Assignment 5 Due : Final Project Plans

Team presentations to full class

THANKSGIVING _ NO CLASS - Thurs Nov 23

Class 16: Critique work in progress - Nov 28

Studio work:

2D/Web Designers:

Writers:

Space Designers:

(Onlive Space Authoring Doc 800k pdf )

(RAS Sound Tool 730k exe )

Class 17: Dress Rehearsal - Nov 30

Final changes to

Performance Documentation

Set & Script

Class 18: Putting it all together - Dec 5

Last minute changes

Day of Performance assignments

Class 19: Performance - Dec 7

Interactive Virtual Performance in front of Public Audience

Documenting Event and Reactions

Documenting Event