hypertext

Hey, everybody! The link for my hypertext is www.etcarlson.com/hyper.html.

Let me know what you think!

As was discussed in class on Friday, it would be impossible for a work like Twelve Blue to be translated to a theatrical release without removing the hypertextual elements and reducing it to a straightforward narrative. The nature of cinema demands a captive audience, and, as movies are traditionally made for wide release then later transferred to video, most filmmakers are justifiably tied to conventional storytelling methods. Because interactive fiction and hypertext came into their own in the VHS age, film was not a medium that was open to them.  read more »

Someone suggested in class that it would be difficult for people to enjoy hypertext media because it takes the control out of the reader's hands in the sense that we don't know what's coming and don't always get what we want. However, in the case of "Twelve Blue" I feel like the problem isn't lack of control but that actually the control has been given over to us by the author and that is what makes us uncomfortable.

When we read narratives we expect some one else to do all the work for us: plan the story line, and write it out so we can follow it. With interactive fiction, like choose your own adventure stories, we say we like the fact that we are in control of the paths the story is taking. Yet, the story has been planned out already and while the conclusions may vary, there are only a limited amount of possible endings that have already been drawn out for us.  read more »

There are several types of readers nowadays: those that like to read for the sheer experience of it, those that like to read in order to gain more knowledge or perspective, etc. However, the fact of the matter is that nowadays most readers are reluctant ones. I'm sure that many of the students in our own school don't particularly enjoy reading but only do it because they are required to. For those individuals it's obvious that hypertext fictions like "Twelve Blue" are not an ideal leisure activity.

But in class someone even admitted to being frustrated with "Twelve Blue" despite their passion for reading. I think the explanation to that is not found in the text but in our society. Generally speaking, I feel like the majority of our society, or to in a more narrow sense our student body, are very polarized thinkers. As students we like to get to the point, give us the answer and cut out anything that's irrelevant. This polarized attitude is what probably made it difficult for hypertext fiction to take off. Because although there are those people who like the idea of leaving thoughts and problems floating in the air without a solution, those people are few.  read more »

I know many of us have expressed our ideas as to why interactive fiction was never able to make the fortunes traditional literary forms have. I believe that people have an innate desire to read. Reading allows one to escape all that reality and enter into a world that is strictly their own; one that is created just in their own minds as well as the author. Reading allows all of us to quietly demonstrate our own creativity without fear of someone finding out our level of creativity.
I know in my own life sometimes the thought of my creativity being displayed for others stifles those ideas. However, I have always been able to submerse myself into fiction and create my own narratives. Since I was young this has been my way to escape.
So to answer the question, "Why has interactive fiction not taken off?" I believe it is because people truly desire traditional forms of narrative, in which they can escape reality. Interactive fiction requires thinking and action on the reader's part. However, traditional reading only involves a couch, a snack, and an eager mind!