Antoinette LaFarge: Interactive Narrative

INTERACTIVE NARRATIVE: Studio Art 100

Instructor: Antoinette LaFarge
Spring 2005
Tu-Th 3:30-4:50 in AITR 190

DESCRIPTION

This course is structured like an intensive workshop, during which students will complete a number of interactive and/or nonlinear narrative projects. Coursework will focus on understanding and exploiting a wide range of narrative and structuring techniques, including multiple points of view, modularity, seriality, repetition, fragmentation, navigational metaphors, forking storylines, genre, language choices, plot and character development, and closure. Although the projects will include a substantial amount of writing, an important goal of the class is to learn how to work with narrative in a variety of non-textual ways. Students will have a chance present their projects several times during the quarter and will be expected to productively critique each other's work during presentations. The course will also analyze interactive, nonlinear, collaborative, and multimodal narrative in a range of media, including the web, role-playing games, print, oral storytelling, and installation art. Students are expected to be already able to work in HTML or in programs that afford interactivity (e.g. Flash, Director), as software skills will not be taught in this class.
Prerequsites: 65A and either 65B or 65C.

REQUIREMENTS

Requirements for this class include all of the following:

Use your @uci.edu email account for all communications
Do all assigned projects and readings. Only one assignment may be turned in late without penalty; otherwise late assignments will be automatically dropped 1 grade.
Participate in class discussions of readings and related issues.
Participate in class experiments and critiques.
Attend all classes. Attendance is mandatory; 3 "late to class" = 1 absence, and 3 absences = a grade of F for the semester. Web surfing, emailing, and online chatting are not acceptable during class time.

Grading will be based on the following criteria:

Projects and other assignments (45%)
Class participation, experiments, and discussion of readings (40%)
Attendance (15%).

Readings for the course will be available in two forms:

online through links on this page
through xeroxed handouts.
Assignments

You are expected to complete all assigned readings on time.
You will develop several interactive narrative projects during the quarter.
Since class time will be devoted primarily to presentations and discussions, be prepared to spend considerable time working on your projects outside of class.
Resources

Check here for open hours of all labs,including AITR 190 (aka the ArtsTEC lab).
The UCI Disability Services Center provides and coordinates support services for students with disabilities.

SCHEDULE-- subject to sudden changes

DATE TOPICS READINGS ASSIGNMENTS

WEEK 1

April 5 Course introduction. Presentation/analysis: nrrative strategies in Riven
(none)

(none)

April 7 Presentation/analysis: Amy Alexander, "The Multicultural Recycler". Auriea Harvey and Michael Samyn, "The Tale of Tales: Eight". Narrative types.

Definition of narrative
Hypertext Lexicon
Hypertext Terms

Begin work on Project 1.

WEEK 2

April 12 Project 1 presentations (all).
(none)

Be prepared to present your project in class.

April 14 Presentation/analysis: MMPORPGs. Discussion of reading.
P. David Lebling et al, "Zork: A Computerized Fantasy Simulation Game"

Begin work on Project 2.

WEEK 3

April 19 Pressentation/analysis: "Commuter's Theater". Structural issues in hypermedia. Discussion of reading.
Mark Bernstein, "Patterns of Hypertext"

Work on Project 2.

April 21 Project 2 presentations (part 1)
(none)

Be prepared to present your project if you are in Group 1.

WEEK 4

April 26 Project 2 presentations (part 2)
(none)

Be prepared to present your project if you are in Group 2.

April 28 Presentation/analysis: Laurie Anderson's "Puppet Motel". Discussion of reading.
Jorge Luis Borges, "The Garden of Forking Paths"

Begin work on Project 3.

WEEK 5

May 3 Project consultations. Discussion of readings.

Milorad Pavic, "The Glass Snail: A Pre-Christmas Tale"
Milorad Pavic, "Dictionary of the Khazars"

Work on Project 3.

May 5 Project consultations.
"Stained Word Window"

Work on Project 3.

WEEK 6

May 10 Presentation/analysis: Selections from ARTIntact.
(none)

Work on Project 3.

May 12 Project 3 presentations (part 1)
(none)

Be prepared to present your project if you are in Group 1.

WEEK 7

May 17 Project 3 presentations (part 2)
(none)

Be prepared to present your project if you are in Group 2.

May 19 Presentation/analysis: Collaborative net art.
"Learning to Love You More"

Begin work on Project 4.

WEEK 8

May 24 Aspects of collaborative writing.
Addventure
Crimescene.com
The Company Therapist "Fiction Factory"
"Tag You're It"

Work on Project 4.

May 26 Presentation/analysis: Wikis, blogs, and related collaborative projects
Wikipedia
"The Book of Roofs"

Work on Project 4.

WEEK 9

May 31 Guest Artist
TBA

Presenters in Group 1 must provide a one-page summary of project and sample of text from their project.

June 2 Final Presentations 1
Read materials provided by today's presenters.

Presenters in Group 2 must provide a one-page summary of project and sample of text from their project.

WEEK 10

June 7 Final Presentations 2
Read materials provided by today's presenters.

Presenters in Group 3 must provide a one-page summary of project and sample of text from their project.

June 9 Final Presentations 3
Read materials provided by today's presenters.

WEEK 11: FINALS WEEK

TBD (if needed for final projects)

	INTERACTIVE NARRATIVE: Studio Art 100 Instructor: Antoinette LaFarge Spring 2005 Tu-Th 3:30-4:50 in AITR 190
	DESCRIPTION
	This course is structured like an intensive workshop, during which students will complete a number of interactive and/or nonlinear narrative projects. Coursework will focus on understanding and exploiting a wide range of narrative and structuring techniques, including multiple points of view, modularity, seriality, repetition, fragmentation, navigational metaphors, forking storylines, genre, language choices, plot and character development, and closure. Although the projects will include a substantial amount of writing, an important goal of the class is to learn how to work with narrative in a variety of non-textual ways. Students will have a chance present their projects several times during the quarter and will be expected to productively critique each other's work during presentations. The course will also analyze interactive, nonlinear, collaborative, and multimodal narrative in a range of media, including the web, role-playing games, print, oral storytelling, and installation art. Students are expected to be already able to work in HTML or in programs that afford interactivity (e.g. Flash, Director), as software skills will not be taught in this class. Prerequsites: 65A and either 65B or 65C.
	REQUIREMENTS
	Requirements for this class include all of the following: Use your @uci.edu email account for all communications Do all assigned projects and readings. Only one assignment may be turned in late without penalty; otherwise late assignments will be automatically dropped 1 grade. Participate in class discussions of readings and related issues. Participate in class experiments and critiques. Attend all classes. Attendance is mandatory; 3 "late to class" = 1 absence, and 3 absences = a grade of F for the semester. Web surfing, emailing, and online chatting are not acceptable during class time. Grading will be based on the following criteria: Projects and other assignments (45%) Class participation, experiments, and discussion of readings (40%) Attendance (15%).		Readings for the course will be available in two forms: online through links on this page through xeroxed handouts. Assignments You are expected to complete all assigned readings on time. You will develop several interactive narrative projects during the quarter. Since class time will be devoted primarily to presentations and discussions, be prepared to spend considerable time working on your projects outside of class. Resources Check here for open hours of all labs,including AITR 190 (aka the ArtsTEC lab). The UCI Disability Services Center provides and coordinates support services for students with disabilities.
SCHEDULE-- subject to sudden changes
DATE	TOPICS	READINGS	ASSIGNMENTS
WEEK 1
April 5	Course introduction. Presentation/analysis: nrrative strategies in Riven	(none)	(none)
April 7	Presentation/analysis: Amy Alexander, "The Multicultural Recycler". Auriea Harvey and Michael Samyn, "The Tale of Tales: Eight". Narrative types.	Definition of narrative Hypertext Lexicon Hypertext Terms	Begin work on Project 1.
WEEK 2
April 12	Project 1 presentations (all).	(none)	Be prepared to present your project in class.
April 14	Presentation/analysis: MMPORPGs. Discussion of reading.	P. David Lebling et al, "Zork: A Computerized Fantasy Simulation Game"	Begin work on Project 2.
WEEK 3
April 19	Pressentation/analysis: "Commuter's Theater". Structural issues in hypermedia. Discussion of reading.	Mark Bernstein, "Patterns of Hypertext"	Work on Project 2.
April 21	Project 2 presentations (part 1)	(none)	Be prepared to present your project if you are in Group 1.
WEEK 4
April 26	Project 2 presentations (part 2)	(none)	Be prepared to present your project if you are in Group 2.
April 28	Presentation/analysis: Laurie Anderson's "Puppet Motel". Discussion of reading.	Jorge Luis Borges, "The Garden of Forking Paths"	Begin work on Project 3.
WEEK 5
May 3	Project consultations. Discussion of readings.	Milorad Pavic, "The Glass Snail: A Pre-Christmas Tale" Milorad Pavic, "Dictionary of the Khazars"	Work on Project 3.
May 5	Project consultations.	"Stained Word Window"	Work on Project 3.
WEEK 6
May 10	Presentation/analysis: Selections from ARTIntact.	(none)	Work on Project 3.
May 12	Project 3 presentations (part 1)	(none)	Be prepared to present your project if you are in Group 1.
WEEK 7
May 17	Project 3 presentations (part 2)	(none)	Be prepared to present your project if you are in Group 2.
May 19	Presentation/analysis: Collaborative net art.	"Learning to Love You More"	Begin work on Project 4.
WEEK 8
May 24	Aspects of collaborative writing.	Addventure Crimescene.com The Company Therapist "Fiction Factory" "Tag You're It"	Work on Project 4.
May 26	Presentation/analysis: Wikis, blogs, and related collaborative projects	Wikipedia "The Book of Roofs"	Work on Project 4.
WEEK 9
May 31	Guest Artist	TBA	Presenters in Group 1 must provide a one-page summary of project and sample of text from their project.
June 2	Final Presentations 1	Read materials provided by today's presenters.	Presenters in Group 2 must provide a one-page summary of project and sample of text from their project.
WEEK 10
June 7	Final Presentations 2	Read materials provided by today's presenters.	Presenters in Group 3 must provide a one-page summary of project and sample of text from their project.
June 9	Final Presentations 3	Read materials provided by today's presenters.
WEEK 11: FINALS WEEK
TBD	(if needed for final projects)