Alpha Centauri Forums
The Game
Alpha Centauri as literature
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Alpha Centauri Forums
The Game
Alpha Centauri as literature
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| Author | Topic: Alpha Centauri as literature |
| Deadron |
posted 02-19-99 02:51 AM ET  
Over time there have been lots of theories about what hypertext novels and interactive fiction should look like and how they should work. Most of these ideas have seemed unrealistic to me, because they depend on the reader being motivated to read through the story several times and try different paths. While it's certainly possible for a story to be that motivating, it's probably rare. Alpha Centauri, I think, really shows the direction for interactive fiction. By having a game engine at the core, and then intertwining the game play with a developing story that might only be experienced in random pieces each time you play, AC provides the motivation required to play often enough to encounter the full story. I'd love to see future games (or AC sequels) take this further, providing several story threads which you will cross in random order and at random points while playing, such that it takes maybe dozens of games to encounter all of the stories with all their possible endings. Janet H. Murray's recent book, "Hamlet on the Holodeck" has excellent insights on this sort of thing, and contains much detailed discussion of fiction as employed in games from the first adventure games through Civilization... |
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