Comments on: Keyword: A link by any other name

by: New Arts magazine in and on Second Life - Dramatech Space

Wed, 16 Aug 2006 02:25:06 +0000

[…] The Magazine is now online at http://www.slatenight.com/. It will be available inworld and in pdf format very soon. Advertising space is available too. My first article is: ‘A Commanding Conversation’ and is a continuation of the ideas discussed here previously in this post on the poetics of keywords. In future articles I will be looking at how the gallery space and curatorial dynamics change in a virtual world and the writing and games specific to inside virtual spaces. […]

by: at WRT: Writer Response Theory

Tue, 15 Aug 2006 04:23:50 +0000

by: Jeremy Douglass

Tue, 02 Aug 2005 18:21:56 +0000

Christy, if it is okay with you and Mark, I’d like to propose we move this comment up to a separate post on the WRT homepage and leave an abbreviated comment here linking to it. This is a substantial response, and deserves its own URL / discussion thread.

by: Jeremy Douglass

Tue, 02 Aug 2005 18:18:41 +0000

Mark, it might be interesting for you to consider the case of "Multimedia TADS" (which was originally called HTML TADS) - it a version of the TADS IF language which allows the parser to output (among other things) clickable links, which are interpreted as parser input. This is an important hybrid case, because it also makes one realize the difference between NOUN and VERB NOUN interaction. When you click on a RAT, will that click be interpreted as EXAMINE RAT? PICK UP RAT? ATTACK RAT? ....

by: Jeremy Douglass

Mon, 01 Aug 2005 22:14:06 +0000

Even if the *typical* IF input isn’t creative, the potential that a text might contains unstructured or creative input (PET DOG, REMEMBER MY FAMILY, WHISTLE) colors the experience of the interactor significantly. The point is not that most inputs in a given IF be original in form - it is that, if even a single non-standard input is required to complete the traversal, then the interactor can’t simply operate the text as if by Xbox controller (”N, S, W, UP, GET X, PUT Y IN Z…”) - that is because there aren’t standard buttons or interfaces for what they have to do - they need to first create the button in their mind, then press it.

When even a single command will be non-standard, the task of reading constantly includes guesswork about potential interaction. And, unlike keywords / topics / links, these may only be impled: (”The dog shifts awkwardly on his chain, and tries itch his back against the post.” > PET DOG “The dog arches into your hand and whines discontentedly as you pat him on the back.” > SCRATCH DOG “Relieved at last, the dog slumps down and falls asleep.”)