| |
| Author |
Message |
< Quotes ~ Ira Nayman: Suspension of disbelief in interactive media |
| Michael |
 Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2005 9:54 pm |
 |
|
Site Administrator
Joined: 07 Jun 2002
Posts: 8065
Location: Gent, Belgium
|
Anything which tends to remind a participant of the artificiality of a work will destroy the suspension of disbelief, undermining the participant's esthetic appreciation of the work. Interactive media are more prone to this destruction of suspension of disbelief than other media: after all, what could be more artificial than periodically asking a participant to click a mouse or type in a command? The more choice a participant in a work is given, the more the person is required to input commands into the computer; each time a command is input, whether it is typed in or affected by a mouse or other device, the participant risks having his or her suspension of disbelief broken.
http://www.lespagesauxfolles.ca/Academic/Chapter5.htm |
Last edited by Michael on Thu Mar 31, 2005 9:56 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
   
|
| Michael |
| Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2005 9:56 pm |
|
|
|
Site Administrator
Joined: 07 Jun 2002
Posts: 8065
Location: Gent, Belgium
|
One possible way of dealing with this problem, paradoxically, is to have the branching choices come one after another so quickly that the participant literally does not have time to become consciously aware of the artifice; this is the preferred method of video games. It is, however, difficult to imagine this approach succeeding with an interactive film adaptation of, say, a Jane Austen novel; clearly, it is limited.
http://www.lespagesauxfolles.ca/Academic/Chapter5.htm |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
| Michael |
| Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2005 10:59 pm |
|
|
|
Site Administrator
Joined: 07 Jun 2002
Posts: 8065
Location: Gent, Belgium
|
The example of video games does, however, suggest a general principle which creators of interactive art would do well to keep in mind: the more involved the participant is in the forward motion of the story (whether it be how a relationship develops or how best to beat up a kung fu opponent), the less intrusive the mechanical means of making decisions will seem. As designer Phil Saunders explains, drama can be created, and the suspension of disbelief maintained, in a work of interactive fiction by creating in the mind of the participant "The anticipation of what's through the next door."
http://www.lespagesauxfolles.ca/Academic/Chapter5.htm |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
All times are GMT + 2 Hours
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
|
