Interactive Storytelling is a relatively new form of digital media in which the story is not dictated by the plot of the story. Instead, the author creates the story setting, characters, and situations that the story must address, but how the user experiences that story depends on their own interactions with the digital story world. This form of storytelling offers a number of challenges to the designer. From the standpoint of an interactive design project, the challenge begins by defining the medium. What are the qualities of story that can be represented by a certain type of media?
Answering this question is not as simple as it seems. In order to answer this question, one must identify what forms and technologies can be used for Interactive Storytelling. Basically, one wants to capture the essence of what an interactive story is trying to accomplish. This involves the use of text, images, sounds, and other types of media. The purpose is to capture the "emotion" of the story while allowing the users to move through the media.
Another challenge is in the area of the protagonist. In most cases, it is the creator of the interactive story who the audience identifies with, and therefore it is important that a consistent level of reality be maintained throughout the project. For example, if the story is about a virtual doll, does it matter if the viewer does not actually touch or see the doll? The answer is no. In this case, the virtual reality should be defined as the set of interactions that the creator believes the audience will have with the virtual character. In short, we want the audience to be immersed in the world in which the interactive story is telling.
Story telling through words can take some learning, even for someone who is used to doing it through television and movies. However, many of today's technological advancements allow people to create and enjoy amazing interactive experiences without ever having to take a class or prepare for one. A person can sit down at their computer, select a type of interactive storytelling and get started right away. The best part is that this technology can be used for more than just story telling; it can be used to help educate people as well!