a looking-glass book

michael mateas

scott pointed these (1) links (2) out to me at the beginning of the semester. then classes happened. i hadnt forgotten, but with the semester winding down, i have begun thinking about next year.

i feel like i have been slightly skitzo in the stuff i have looked at this semester.

it all comes down to the same thing i was feeling at vcu - i care about relationships. not necessarily romantic ones (though usually thats my focus), but how two people relate and deal with each other.

sadly, facade isnt available for download yet (fall 2003). it looks like something right up my alley - in fact, witnessing a couple's relationship crumble at party sounds right. the fact that this is touted with: "This work is unlike hypertext narrative or “interactive fiction” to date in that the computer characters actively perform the story without waiting for you to click on a link or enter a command." so it one-ups my work for michelle this semester (though that isnt saying a ton).

but where he is trying to code this interaction, i am interested in it being immersive, perhaps with actors. same concepts, but why reinvent the wheel? we are speaking of stories that could take place in real life. why not use the tools we have gained over the last thousands of years and instead focus our efforts in technology to ways to enhance the story. as opposed to reinventing it?

but im not turning my nose up at this work - i certainly think there is a huge place for ai's that can pass the turing test (this from the guy who about a year ago madly wanted to build a bot for aim). so im not opposed, just wondering if thats the best place to look and work right now to make exciting interactive narratives.

back to thinking and reading.