Play with Learning

Where was I? Location-based Stories

I’ve been thinking about location-based stories with some very bright students at the University of Bradford [I'm privileged to spend about 10% of my time lecturing].  I thought I would share the simple overview that I gave to them.

As David Polinchock over at FutureLab comments, location-based stories have exists as long as people have told stories but social and mobile media have transformed traditional methods and opened up exciting new possibilities.

There are at least 3 broad categories of new location-based stories:

• Static
• Wandering
• Virtual

Static

broadcastr

Static stories are pinned to a single physical location. New York-based Broadcastr sees itself as “an answer to the transient nature of social media” by “unlocking pictures and audio relevant to where you are.”  It aims to create an historical archive of stories around the world, in addition to providing instant access to stories happening at the moment.  The site allows you to listen to stories tied to specific places as well as share you own tales.

Although you can visit Broadcastr from anywhere via the web, the real impact of it is consuming the stories in situ – the act of standing in setting of the recollections is a powerful emotional experience.

The Getting Closer app by Krissy Clark makes that process easier by automatically triggering audio replays when you arrive physically at the location.

The Street Museum app by the Museum of London does a similar thing with historical photographs linked to places in the UK capital.

Other digital artists have extended this idea to link sites together to create journeys.

Wandering

kidmapped

Tim Wright‘s ‘Kidmapped‘ is a great example of using technology to retrace some literary steps.  The project follows chapters 14–27 of Robert Louis Stevenson’s ‘Kidnapped’ and the story of David Balfour running for his life across the Highlands, sometimes accompanied by tough and rebellious Alan, sometimes pursued by the English army. Tim says that it ” seemed so visceral and exciting to me that I wanted to try it for myself.”

Tim’s blog combines the retelling of the story in the original setting with his own experiences of travelling the path and an invitation to join in either in person along the route or online.  It’s a very intimate but accessible insight into the literature that provides a new way of understanding classic literature.

we tell stories - 21 steps

The We Tell Stories initiative by Penguin and Six to Start explores original digital storytelling techniques and one in particular focusses on location-based tales.  Chris Cummins’ story The 21 Steps (based on The Thirty-nine Steps by John Buchan) tells of Rick, a man with a checkered past who finds himself mixed up with a dangerous organization that wants him to smuggle a mysterious vial into Scotland. A blue line traces Rick’s path across satellite images from Google Maps as you work your way through the story by clicking on location markers.

The Langwitches blog has some very useful instructions on using Google Maps for digital storytelling.

Virtual

da vinci code webquest

Stories don’t have to stay in real world locations to encourage travelling: the web provides a treasure trove of places to visit.  Bernie Dodge coined the phrase “WebQuest” to describe a structured online exploration across multiple sites and it’s as good a term as any to talk about virtual location-based stories.  Although mainly used to define consciously educational activities, the framework offers an interesting way of linking virtual sites into a coherent story.  Random House’s The Da Vinci webquest is a simple example of how a multitude of websites and related activities can be tied together but still it’s more of a treasure hunt that a ‘proper’ story (that is, one that enjoys any of Aristotle’s Six Elements).  I’d love to hear of better examples.

One of the questioned raised during the session was whether placing a story in its actual setting detracts from its ability to fire the imagination.  Its an interesting thought.  All too often new technologies are used lazily as a shortcut to ‘novelty;’ we’re left feeling dissatisfied by superficial projects that haven’t undergone the rigour associated with tradition forms of ‘published’ media.  For me, the real potential for location-based stories is in their ability to make experiences deeper and more moving – and that’s worth working at.

Media for learning

workshop

I’ve had the pleasure of working with Head teachers, Principals and education officers in the West Bank this week as part of my work with Karen Ardley for UNRWA.

We talked about the relative strengths and weaknesses of the media available to us for the leadership development programme we’re putting together.  Some of the points are (inevitably) similar to my thoughts on multiplatform formats.

Achieving the right blend is important for a number of reasons:

• Fitness for purpose

Maximising the capabilities of media: Recognising that human experiences might be best communicated through video, while complex theoretical ideas lend themselves to print.

• Accommodating learning preferences

Understanding that our attitudes towards learning are different and that providing ‘something for everyone’ is more likely to engage our audience across the piece.

• Reinforcement

Offering multiple perspectives and varied experiences of the same point helps learners absorb, remember and contextualise information and ideas.

• Texture

The programme will take many hours to complete and the issues are complex and challenging, a varied blend helps to create ‘texture’ in the experience.  This texture helps maintain interest and motivation.

It was a fascinating discussion; I’ve summarised the ideas below.

We recognised that such an activity is fraught with ambiguity.  It is hard to disentangle the medium from the means.  Likewise some characteristics are dependent on use context.  Still, it provided a useful catalyst for the group as we considered the most effective way of distributing content across media.

What do you think?

Multiplatform & technology articles

Some of the recent articles I’ve seen about about multiplatform, transmedia and technology:

Multiplatform

Tools of attraction: creating multimedia content for games and TV shows. From the Guardian http://j.mp/ivcuIB #multiplatform

Ed Cotton: We Need Creative Hybrids – Why Transmedia Is Becoming Mandatory  http://j.mp/jHZLQv

Transmedia

Defining Transmedia http://j.mp/ljJ5by

Jeff Gomez – Storyworlds: The New Transmedia Business Paradigm http://j.mp/lJQqyK

How transmedia projects can help you make money http://bit.ly/jB4fdf

Technology

A Simple Way to Throw Applications Between Your Computer and Your Phone, While They’re Running | Popular Science http://j.mp/kOBgSS

British Library launch classic book reading app. From BBC News http://j.mp/kXcym3

Kinect, Wii U, 3D and the future of the living room: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-13695160

Exclusive (and magical) review on #iOS5 on #ipad http://j.mp/j9rsxU

Disney Tactile Device Lets Games and Movies Literally Send Chills Down Your Spine | Popular Science http://j.mp/ilonmP

Tweets this week

twitter

Some of the articles that have caught my eye this week.

Games

• The seduction secrets of video game designers from The Observer http://j.mp/jXRfP4
• Interesting article from @gamasutra – Unsocial ‘Social’ Games http://j.mp/kaItTZ
• RT @dripster: “Hollywood shuns intelligent entertainment. The games industry doesn’t. Guess who’s winning?” http://bit.ly/iEcxHk

Psychology

• Value of art? Men who visit galleries, museums & theatre enjoy better health and are more satisfied with life. From BMJ http://bit.ly/mSaZ3k
• The value of self-talk – Thoughts That Win from Association for Psychological Science http://j.mp/mhVnLF
• 10 differences between your brain and a computer http://j.mp/mqyXRA
• Satisfaction with life and the level of state intervention go hand in hand according to study http://j.mp/ih6lOV
• RT @TheEconomist: The OECD has launched its Better Life index to measure well-being as an alternative to GDP http://econ.st/lThxJR
• Economic Recovery is Stronger in States Where People are More Optimistic http://j.mp/lbG3PP

Social Media

• RT @BBCCollege: Social networks vs TV – top ten fascinating stats: http://bbc.in/jAHEYL
• Interesting paper by @mweller: Higher education and the promises and perils of social network http://j.mp/lIwuhK
• BBC – Newsbeat – Facebook should allow under 13s says Mark Zuckerberg http://bbc.in/jEHVeA

Multiplatform

• #BBC scraps #multiplatform commissioners. Report in Broadcast http://bit.ly/lKhCcY
• RT @SkillsetSSC: #FastTrain Multiplatform Production presentation from @Kirsty_Hunter now storified! http://ht.ly/52KZL

Learning

• Study highlighting benefit of physical activity for improving learning http://j.mp/mp4imS
• RT @SirKenRobinson: Nicely ironic piece on the trouble with innovation in education: http://wapo.st/jmiGeK
• RT @Propellernet: How social media and game mechanics can motivate students - http://on.mash.to/ieEOyQ – making learning fun?!

User Experience/ Usability

• RT kai_en_ong Our very talented Kutlu on: BBC Internet Blog: BBC World Service Language Websites: user experience and typography - http://bbc.in/jSHbeR
• RT @mylesrun: The State of iPad Usability http://feedly.com/k/kvcQ6p Good old Nielsen – stating the obvious and upsetting folks.

Random

• Something a bit random – ever wanted a really sharp knife? Watch this from PopSci http://j.mp/l1ZOZ9
• Turning 8-Bit Pixel Art Into Cute, Bubbly Vector Drawings from Popular Science http://j.mp/lQ70Kv
  
• RT brainpicker 30 ways to experiment with shadows in your photos – the ultimate guide to shadowplay http://j.mp/ks0OQo
• RT @robinbloor: Surely it’s no coincidence that the word “listen” is an anagram of the word “silent”.
• RT @LozKaye: Credit to BBC and ACE for releasing http://digitalcapacity.artscouncil.org.uk/ under Creative Commons. #digicaparts

Multiplatform formats

multiple screens

I talk to people a lot about multiplatform productions and transmedia storytelling and one of the first points we discuss is the plethora of options available to producers.  All too often, multiplatform productions are a last minute addition to a TV show and are rarely more ambitious than a programme support website – merely offering more random detail about the production rather than extending and enriching the user’s experience.

I talk about the glue of interactive narrative elsewhere but I thought it might be worth sharing the list of platforms and their relative characteristics.  I know it’ll be incomplete so I’d really welcome your comments.

There are three broad categories of platform available to us:

• ‘Broadcast’
• ‘Online’
• ‘Live’

Broadcast

My use of the word ‘Broadcast’ in this instance covers media that is distributed after being produced by ‘professionals’ for mass consumption.   I include Internet and post transmission versions of linear media in the online section because of control user have over their use.

Controversially, I’d include Twitter and blogging in my broadcast formats because although they present themselves as intimate, they are actually the Internet equivalent of publishing for individual.  It’s still about authorship and mass distribution but access is more personal and the ability to feedback more immediate.

Online

By ‘Online’ I mean interactive digital platforms including computers, mobiles and consoles.

Real World

And finally, those things I class as Real World.

The crucial point about this exercise is the recognition that certain formats are better at certain tasks – film and books are great for long form storytelling, the web is unparalleled in offering access to information.  I’m sure there are many delivery methods that I’d missed, but one thing is clear – if you want to be truly multiplatform, there are lots of options and using the most appropriate will transform your product.

TV – the social media

broken television

In the last few years, some commentators have predicted the death of television, some even championed it, declaring that it was obsolete – superseded by interactive media that offer true user participation. They cite massive user figures for the likes of Facebook, World of Warcraft as evidence that traditional media is on it’s way out. Linked with data that charts a declining number of viewer hours, it is a compelling case. But assertions of the imminent demise of broadcast media may be premature.

Last weekend, 20 million people in the UK watched the final of X-factor. It followed a week of Coronation Street where more than 10 million viewers tuned in for every episode. Tonight millions are watching the finale of The Apprentice.  By anyone’s measure they are impressive numbers.

However, it isn’t the figures that make broadcast remarkable – it is the event it becomes.  All the criticisms of linear media – the lack of viewing control, the fixed presentation, the dictated sequencing – are precisely the aspects that continue to endear the format to the masses.  Sometimes, and particularly after a day at work/ school/ activity of any kind, we don’t want to ‘sing for our supper’, we just want to sit back and be entertained.  In these circumstances, we want to be spoon-fed high quality, low effort content.  Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean mindless, senseless, emotionless programming (although arguably even that has its place) rather we want to envelop ourselves in the creativity of media producers that are better than us.  It’s not just the luxury of revelling in expert craft that makes it valuable to us – it’s the knowledge that others are having the same experience (if not in the same place, at least at the same time).

Newer media lacks a defining moment. Although benefitting from the long tail which accumulates many users over time, each instance sits is a separate fragment of time.  It means that everyone has a uniquely individual experience.

Where television continues to dominate is as the basis for next-day conversation. It is the preeminent catalyst for workplace/ classroom discussion because it provides a shared reference.

There are tremendous opportunities for simultaneous narrative and two-screen experiences but for the time being, television remains the social media.

Games, Narrative & Storytelling

storyteller

Following my series on narrative formats, I thought it worth thinking a little about the relationship between narrative, storytelling and games more generally.

Storytelling and narrative are central components in many forms of entertainment.  In traditional dramatic media, the authored story engages the viewer emotionally through a set sequence of predetermined pieces of information, like beads on a string.  If the term ‘story’ describes characters, events and plot, then ‘narrative’ describes how the story is told.

The relationship between narratives and games is well documented yet it remains contentious.  At the heart of the stormy relationship is the apparent contradiction between predetermined storytelling and user control, and existing and emergent story lines.

At one end of the scale, the use of traditional narrative structures within games takes its inspiration from classic literature and Hollywood and delivers finely crafted, but largely fixed, story lines in which the player has a walled garden of opportunity.  At the other end, hypertext narrative suggests stories that emerge entirely according to the user’s interactions with the game environment.

Commercial computer games rarely choose one of the extremes when approaching narrative.  Instead, they seek to balance participation with presentation.  This judgement is not purely artistic, there are serious pragmatic considerations with delegating control to the user or not.  Given story lines provide context and player-character motivation as well as helping to control the pace of the user experience and providing respite in the activity.  However, almost all single-player games structure play around a narrative containing a clear goal, some ultimate triumph and a defined finale.

‘Serious’ games have clear objectives for player achievement that are transferable to spaces outside the game world; they are rarely ends in themselves but mechanisms to improve skills in other domains.  Serious games tend to provide virtual facsimiles of their target environment and its behaviour to facilitate easier transfer.  Central to this portrayal is the structured, and therefore restricted, presentation of events, actions and consequences: within serious games, the role of the narrative becomes more pronounced.

However it is not just games, serious or otherwise, that benefit from the effective combination of storytelling and control. Just about any activity that involves communication benefits from the right balance between receiving and doing.  Get it right and the user feels part of the experience, get it wrong and they remain separate and disengaged.

Exploring Interactive Narrative – Simultaneous

I had thought that I would be able to conclude the series on interactive narrative with a flourish talking about 2-screen TV, this being the season for reality shows and all.  Alas, for reasons known best to the broadcasters, this year’s incarnations of Strictly Come Dancing, The Apprentice and others are bereft of the social media accoutrements that they enjoyed last year.

simultaneous narrative

2-screen TV describes a version of simultaneous narrative that complements and supports ‘live’ events.  It is a situation whereby the audience ‘participates’ in a parallel but linked environment.  The BBCs’s Apprentice Predictor was typical.

The Apprentice sets Twitter alight every broadcast.  The target audience are particularly network-savvy and opinionated.

Recognising that the community already existed, was engaged and vocal, the BBC gave them somewhere to gather – the Predictor website.  Although ‘live’ for the duration of the series, the Predictor came into its own during the broadcast with viewers able to comment on the proceedings and in a beautiful playful way, attempt to predict who was going to be fired.

Roo Reynolds wrote about it and included this video clip of the Predictor in action:

strictly social

Another BBC show, Strictly Come Dancing, created Strictly Social as a vehicle to support simultaneous activity during the broadcast.  It provided a structured focus for chat, comments and audience scoring.  Comically, it also offered the facility to cheer and boo, virtually.

The fact that the participation wasn’t acknowledged in the broadcast (in any more meaningful way that advertising the existence of the site), let alone influencing the judging did not detract from the audience’s pleasure – it put them in touch with thousands of like-minded individuals to create a unique shared event.

Lots of shows now host simultaneous online communities that chatter away during the broadcast (although one might argue they are not providing anything more than Twitter or Facebook except channel advertising).  However, Channel 4′s Seven Days actually allowed users to communicate with the onscreen participants for real.  Their ChatNav website offers a direct line to the show’s stars and promises to influence the course of events.

In real life, Twitter has provided a ‘back channel’ for conferences for some time. It enables audiences to discuss the presenter’s current topic in the background.  It can be a highly disruptive activity – in both a positive and negative way.  At its best, audience comments can be incorporated into the presentation, either in the form of discussion or to help the presenter tailor the talk more appropriately.  At its worst, it can fatally undermine the presenter’s talk by damining it with a barrage of criticism.

What all these illustrate is the ability to engage an audience without necessarily offering them any real control but the fellowship of community instead.  And that community writes its own story and defines its own narrative.

The whole Interactive Narrative series is:

• Linear narrative
• Parallel narrative
• Non-linear narrative
• Branching narrative
• Dynamic narrative
• Simultaneous narrative

P.S. If anyone can offer an explanation for the premature demise of 2-screen TV from UK broadcasting, please let me know.  c

Exploring Interactive Narrative – Dynamic

dynamic narrative

So far as we’ve considered interactive narratives, all the models have had one thing in common – a predetermined ending.  Like it or not, the authors of the experience have, more or less, decided when it ends.  Dynamic narratives offer users object-oriented storytelling which extends for as long as the user wants or the narrative elements allow.

These dynamic experiences may contain discrete storylines (in the form of implicitly linked events) but have multiple connections to other event nodes built into them.  This allows the user to construct a narrative at will and where the relationship between characters or the plot revelation unfolds unpredictably.

This model potentially provides a high degree of personalisation because it opens the door to optional elements.  Of course, you may want all users to see all the pieces regardless of the sequence but this ‘pick and mix’ approach is the essence of user-defined journey.  In learning terms, this is illustrates the user’s ability to choose components between an initial diagnostic and a summative assessment.

Finally, experiences without end.  In games such The Sims, without declared goals or a finite number of prepared events,  there can be an implied or emerging narrative as stories evolve from a dynamic play environment.  These open-ended experiences develop a continuing story through the behaviour and interactions of characters and forces within the milieu.  The unfolding events are entirely determined by user actions and world rules – that is things happen according to fixed algorithms but are conditional on unpredictable use.

Although simulations and game worlds may not contain pre-authored dramatic events, they create their own storylines.  Lisbeth Klastrup describes them as “tellable events…which would retrospectively make good stories” (pdf).  In these unending stories, the user can play forever but it is arguable that without the imposition of goals, the experience never reaches a satisfying conclusion – something that a good author always delivers.

The whole Interactive Narrative series is:

• Linear narrative
• Parallel narrative
• Non-linear narrative
• Branching narrative
• Dynamic narrative
• Simultaneous narrative

Exploring Interactive Narrative – Non-linear

As an alternative to the different routes between common events offered by parallel paths, non-linear narratives offer the user the chance to control the order of the stages between the beginning and the end of the experience.

non-linear narrative

Again all the content is predefined but the user can sequence the material in a manner of their choosing, rather like connecting assorted lengths of pipe.  Although every viewer receives the same introduction to the narrative and, in most cases, the same ultimately successful conclusion, they choose their own route through the elements.

Each story segment has to be self-contained without any dependency on prior experiences because of the inability to know where the user is coming from but collectively the elements work like a jigsaw puzzle to present the full picture.  Puzzle adventures such as Myst demonstrate this approach by offering a free roaming experience through related challenges.  Only at the end, when all the pieces have been explored is the storyline fully understood and the conclusion sensible.

The random rearrangement of elements is the basis for films such as Momento and, more recently, Inception but in traditional media it is the author who determines the sequence.  If they do it well, they seed each sequence with sufficient clues to simultaneously reward and tease the viewer.  These gentle interdependencies help reinforce the experience.  The educational thinker John Dewey identifies the educational importance of continuity by arguing that every experience takes something from previous events and modifies the perception of those that come afterwards.  Most valuable experiences only “live fruitfully and creatively in subsequent experiences” he says in his book Experience and Education (p28) [summary].

The crucial aspect of this non-linear model is its ultimate need for completeness: although it doesn’t matter what order the user examines the content, for it to make sense, they have to see it all.

The whole Interactive Narrative series is:

• Linear narrative
• Parallel narrative
• Non-linear narrative
• Branching narrative
• Dynamic narrative
• Simultaneous narrative