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Interactive Storytelling

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May 1, 2024 3 minute read

Interactive storytelling has recently become increasingly popular in the video game industry, but the fact is that the history of interactive storytelling goes back as far as the 1940s. As its name suggests, interactive storytelling is any kind of storytelling that actively involves the person receiving it. This can include the reader choosing the next event in a story, being given options in the story that affect the outcome, or even creating their own characters and events.

Interactive Storytelling in Video Games

When most people think of interactive storytelling, they immediately think of video games. This is largely because choice-based video games have skyrocketed to popularity over the past decade. Some of the most well-known narrative video game franchises are interactive, allowing players to affect the outcome of the game and create their own experiences. Games like The Walking Dead and Life is Strange series have shown the world just how overwhelmingly compelling games with impactful choices can be, and many other video game genres have begun implementing the same mechanics.

The rise of mobile devices has also led to an explosion in popularity for interactive storytelling. With the massively widespread adoption of smartphones, anybody at any time can pull out their phone and begin playing an interactive story. Interactive story apps such as Episode, Choices, and Chapters are regularly at the top of the most downloaded game apps.

Interactive Storytelling In Other Mediums

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Reading list

We've selected seven books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Interactive Storytelling.
Presents a player-centered approach to interactive storytelling, and discusses how to design stories that are engaging and meaningful to players.
Practical guide to creating interactive stories for a variety of media, including film, television, and video games. The author well-known game designer and author.
Practical guide to creating interactive stories for mobile devices, and covers the different techniques and tools that can be used.
Guide to creating interactive stories for a variety of media, including film, television, and video games.
Explores the future of interactive storytelling, and discusses how it will impact entertainment and other areas of life.
Practical guide to interactive storytelling, and includes exercises and examples to help readers learn how to create their own interactive stories.
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