Interactive Fiction - NR

I didn’t realize how embedded interactive fiction is with electronic literature. I never saw video games in this light. Computer games allow electronic literature to expand to different crowds. These interactive games allow for the author to connect with the player through its text. These text phrases help direct the player and helps them visualize the game. I liked that in Electronic Literature, Scott described video games as puzzles “…many games are valued because they are hard and therefore deliver a challenge to the gamer as competitor- and narrative engagement.” (Rettberg 99). While I was playing Zork I found out that there were many words that the program didn’t know. The game was quiet restricting on what you could do, but I enjoyed playing it. I know that the game went through many revisions, and I’m impressed how these students came together to make this game. 

One of the video games that intrigued me from the chapter was Galatea, by Emily Short. This video game is a single person interactive literary themed game. The player has conversations with a statue to learn more about the story, however there is no one answer to this story. I enjoyed the instructions at the start of the game along with the helpful hints. It’s very interesting to have a conversation with a work of art. One of the verbs that really stood out to me was “drill.” When I asked about the drill the statute was telling me how she was scared that the artist would drill too deep into her eyes which was quite morbid. I can see how people get hooked to these games because I keep yearning for information on the statue and artist. I kept trying to piece all the information I was gathering together, but realized that there is no concrete end point. I believe I played this game for so long because of Emma’s style of writing. The ending of the game left me with a line that was mind-bending “I am what you think I am; I am what your treatment makes of me.” This had me reevaluating the whole story.