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Interactive Digital Narratives

Winter 2025 - Anastasia Salter

DGAH 120

Contents

Course Description

Contemporary forms of interactive digital narrative, ranging from electronic literature to games, demonstrate the affordances of the computer as a site of storytelling. Working from the prehistory of Oulipian constrained writing through to early hypertext experiments of authors such as Shelley Jackson to contemporary games such as Kentucky Route Zero, we will develop an understanding of both the history and current trends in born-digital literary experimentation and practice. Through the lens of these digital texts, we will explore the potential for reimagining the “book” through new interfaces, interactions, and technologies. No knowledge of code is necessary.

The course is divided into two units, with corresponding creative projects:

Students will have two personally-designed short interactive digital narratives completed at the conclusion of the course.

Course Objectives

Materials and Texts

Required books include:

In addition, students may opt to purchase games for their critiques: however, free options will be available for all critique prompts. We will be close-playing interactive digital narratives in class together every week.

Evaluation and Grading

Points Assignment Summary  
30 In-Class Making* - Every week, we will work on collaborative and individual creative exercises to conceptualize, prototype, design, develop, and test games. In-class exercises cannot be made up, but one can be missed with no penalty.  
15 Twine Hypertext - Building on the in-class exercises, students will develop their own complete interactive hypertext in Twine, incorporating complex interactivity and digital storytelling with at least two meaningful endings.  
15 Ren’Py Game - Building on the in-class exercises, students will develop their own complete visual narrative game in Ren’Py, incorporating environments and characters to tell a story.  
30 Interactive Digital Narrative Critiques - Students will write three short papers reflecting on works of interactive digital narrative, selected from the provided lists for each genre or approved by the instructor.  
10 Final Reflection - The final exam will consist of a take-home reflection putting forth a personal design philosophy, informed by course readings and games.  

Grades are calculated out of 100 following a standard letter scale. Digital projects and critiques will be accepted up to three days late with no penalty. Attended is expected, but only in-class exercises are formally graded: if you miss a class, a summary of what you missed will be posted along with slides and any other materials in the Moodle.

Weekly Schedule

All readings should be completed before the listed class meeting. Generally, Tuesday meetings will focus on lecture and discussion, with close play of games, while Thursdays will involve making exercises and build towards the two creative projects: however, this will vary as we progress. Works listed as “play together” will be explored in class, no need to play ahead!

Week One: Choose Your Own Adventure - January 7th and 9th

Week Two: Imagining the Book - January 14th and 16th

Week Three: Twines & Hypertext - January 21st and 23rd

Week Four: Interactive Fiction - January 28th and 30th

Week Five: Electronic Literature - February 4th and 6th

Week Six: Digital Poetics - February 11th and 13th

Week Seven: Visual Novels - February 18th and 20th

Week Eight: Adventure Games - February 25th and 27th

Week Nine: Environmental Storytelling - March 4th and 6th

Week Ten: Play and Critique - March 11th

Take-Home Final Exam: Reflective Writing - Due Monday, March 17th