An authoring framework for interactive narrative with virtual characters [Elektronische Ressource] / von Ido A. Iurgel

Sujets

• Informatik

Informations

• Publié par: technischen_universitat_darmstadt
• Publié le: 01 janvier 2008
• Nombre de lectures: 23
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 3 Mo

Extrait

An Authoring Framework for Interactive Narrative with
Virtual Characters


Vom Fachbereich Informatik
der Technischen Universität Darmstadt
genehmigte

DISSERTATION

zur Erlangung des akademischen Grades eines
Doktor-Ingenieurs (Dr.-Ing.)

von
Dipl.-Inform. Ido A. Iurgel, M.A.
geboren in São Paulo, Brasilien



Referenten der Arbeit:
Prof. Dr. José L. Encarnação, Technische Universität Darmstadt
Prof. Dr. Marc Alexa, Technische Universität Berlin
Prof. Dr. Adérito F. Marcos, Universidade do Minho, Portugal


Tag der Einreichung: 02.08.2007
Tag der mündlichen Prüfung: 21.09.2007


Hochschulkennziffer D17








Darmstadt 2008

Table of Contents
Kurzfassung .......................................................................................................................... 1
Abstract ................................................................................................................................. 2
1 Introduction and Overview .......................................................................................... 5
2 Interactive Narrative: Ideas, Concepts, Applications, and Experiences .................. 15
2.1 What is “Interactive Narrative”? An Introduction to the Fundamental Intuitions 15
2.1.1 The Intuition behind the Fascination of Combining Interaction with Narration ...................... 15
2.1.2 Discussion and Elaboration of the Intuitions ............................................................................ 16
2.1.3 Preliminary Summary .............................................................................................................. 18
2.2 Concrete Interactive Narrative Concepts and Applications ..................................... 19
2.2.1 Core Concepts of Interactive Narrative .................................................................................... 19
2.2.2 Façade – Plot Centered Interactive Narrative ........................................................................... 22
2.2.2.1 Application Design ......................................................................................................... 22
2.2.2.2 Technology ..................................................................................................................... 26
2.2.3 FearNot! – Emergent Interactive Narrative .............................................................................. 27
2.2.3.1 Application Design ......................................................................................................... 27
2.2.3.2 Technology ..................................................................................................................... 29
2.2.4 Other Applications in the Research Area of Interactive Narrative ........................................... 30
2.3 Discussion – The Problems of Application Design of Interactive Narrative ........... 32
2.4 The “Wickedness” of Interactive Narrative Research .............................................. 33
2.5 Conclusion – Many Aspects of Interactive Narrative are Still Questionable .......... 37
2.6 Authoring for IN ........................................................................................................... 37
2.6.1 The Experiences of Other Researchers..................................................................................... 38
2.6.2 The Increased Requisitions Posed to the Author ...................................................................... 40
2.6.3 Discussion – Well Founded Formalisms and Methods versus Procedural Genius ................... 41
2.6.4 Definitions of Content Creation and Concrete versus Abstract Authoring .............................. 42
2.6.5 Conclusion and Summary – The Properties of a Suitable Authoring Framework ................... 44
3 Story Structures and Story Persons ........................................................................... 46
3.1 Drama Theory ............................................................................................................... 46
3.1.1 Searching for a Place for Interactivity within Drama Theories ................................................ 46
3.1.1.1 Categories of Story Structures ........................................................................................ 46
3.1.1.2 Story as Revelation of Deep Personality Layers ............................................................. 47
3.1.2 Interactivity as a Specific Kind of Problem Solving ................................................................ 48
3.1.2.1 The Importance of Typicality ......................................................................................... 49
- I -
3.1.2.2 Interactivity and the Inner Self of the Protagonist .......................................................... 50
3.1.2.3 Natural Langue Interaction as a Game Challenge .......................................................... 51
3.1.3 Conclusion and Summary – How Interactivity can be Combined with Stories ....................... 51
3.2 Emotion and Personality .............................................................................................. 53
3.2.1 Introduction – The Standard Theories ...................................................................................... 53
3.2.2 Discussion – Standard Theories are “Trivial” .......................................................................... 56
3.2.3 Conclusion – A Generic Authoring Framework Should Not Rely on Standard Theories ........ 57
4 A Hybrid Visual Formalism for Authoring IN ......................................................... 60
4.1 Motivation ...................................................................................................................... 60
4.2 Directed Graph Basis – Harel’s Statechart ................................................................ 64
4.2.1 Extending the Statechart by “Reentering Transitions” ............................................................. 68
4.2.2 Extending the Statechart by “Reference Frames” .................................................................... 69
4.2.3 Extending the Statechart by Conditions and Actions Associated to Compounds .................... 70
4.2.4 Notation .................................................................................................................................... 71
4.3 A Hybrid Visual Formalism for Activation Engines ................................................. 73
4.3.1 Introducing Activation Engines ................................................................................................ 74
4.3.2 Combining Statecharts and Activation Engines ....................................................................... 78
4.4 Conclusion of the Presentation of the Hybrid Formalism ......................................... 86
5 “Cyranus”: An Extensible Framework for Visual Formalisms for Authoring ....... 88
5.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 88
5.2 A Reference Architecture for Storytelling .................................................................. 88
5.3 Formats .......................................................................................................................... 95
5.4 Conclusion ................................................................................................................... 100
6 Applying Cyranus and the Hybrid Framework ....................................................... 101
6.1 Art-e-Fact..................................................................................................................... 101
6.1.1 Application Design ................................................................................................................. 102
6.1.2 Employing Cyranus ................................................................................................................ 107
6.1.2.1 Handling Various Input Devices ................................................................................... 107
6.1.2.2 Handling Text Input ...................................................................................................... 118
6.1.3 Evaluation .............................................................................................................................. 123
6.1.4 Conclusion of Art-e-Fact ........................................................................................................ 126
6.2 Ask & Answer ............................................................................................................. 127
6.2.1 Application Design ................................................................................................................. 127
6.2.2 Applying Cyranus .................................................................................................................. 135
- II -
6.2.3 Conclusion of Ask & Answer ................................................................................................ 141
6.3 Virtual Human with Social Intelligence .................................................................... 141
6.3.1 Application Design ..........................................