A study of interactive narrative from user's perspective

The topic of interactive narrative has been under research for many years. Many regard the term itself as an oxymoron 1] 2], while others see narrative as an integral part of every interactive production 3] 4]. While there has been much research exploring the development of new algorithms that enable and enhance interactive narratives, there has been little research focusing on the question of how players understand and internalize their interactive narrative experiences. In this chapter, we discuss the interactive narrative experience as seen through the users‟ eyes. Specifically, we report on a study we conducted using a phenomenological approach to explore the participants‟ lived experience of playing an interactive narrative. We chose to use Façade, as an example interactive narrative for our study due to its accessibility and its focus on social relationships, conflict, and drama as its core mechanics. As we look into the experience of interactive narrative, we reflect on enhancements to the design of future interactive narratives and discuss open problems in the field of interactive narrative.