One of the things that is helpful in mixing media forms and exploring them simultaneously is that it focuses on the means and method and necessarily questions the purpose.
What then, is the lure of the story in text only form? I don’t think I’ve ever described a book as exciting, but rather interesting or well-written or as appealing toan emotion of feeling or causing deeper thinking in reaction.
Do I care about my character in Silent Hill 2? Enough to not want him (me as player) to get killed–but even that is in relation to the goal. If he gets killed–and it’s happened many times–I don’t feel bad, I feel frustrated and go back to the saved portion of the game while he was still alive and replay it to avoid his getting killed. Because if he dies, the story is over.
Just random thoughts here, but just as I am learning about new media methods, I think I need to focus on what I take for granted about the old. While adventure stories are certainly the focus of story in book form, we tend to relate to the characters in what they’re going through to make it a more meaningful experience in reading.
I also need to really get into Barthes’ S/Z to consider his thoughts and the reasoning behind reader interactivity that has helped spawn new media. Maybe sometimes we’d rather just sit back and read a master storyteller craft story.
The Lost Children: A Charity Anthology