Narratologically-Inspired Models for Interactive Narrative

An ICIDS 2015 workshop

December 1, 2015, full day
Copenhagen

Organizers:

Nicolas Szilas, University of Geneva
Fanfan Chen, National Dong Hwa University

 

The field of Interactive Digital Storytelling has largely underexplored the wealth of narrative theories. Therefore, this workshop aims at gathering both AI researchers and narratologists, with the shared goal of shaping the field towards what we have called “narratologically-inspired” models and systems.

Details:

Back in the early days of IDS when artistic work on this new media remained a mere dream, researchers in computing frequently referred to narrative or drama theorists. However, a genuine encounter and mutual illumination between these two ostensibly distant domains – Artificial Intelligence and narrative theories – remains to be realized. Since the end of the last century, relation between narratology and IDS has changed somewhat. AI research is now slightly more visible from the narratology point of view thanks to the growth of Digital Humanities. Yet the field of IDS has largely underexplored the wealth of narrative theories. It is time now for the field to get their second wind. The workshop thus aims at increasing the awareness of narrative theories and concepts for IDS community. Beyond analyzing existing accomplishments, that is available on the IRIS narrative wiki (http://tecfalabs.unige.ch/narrative), it will try to shape the field towards what we have called “narratologically-inspired models”.

Participants will be constituted in groups to work on the concepts proposed by contributors. Each group will have the task to elaborate an innovative IDS system based on the narrative concept and will prepare a “simulation” of this system using a role-playing approach that is by playing themselves the various components of the IDS system. After the role-play session, a general discussion will follow. Finally, participants will be engaged in adding new entries to the above-mentioned wiki, corresponding to the concepts discussed and worked out during the day.

Submission information:

Future contributors are asked to write a 1-2 page structured description comprising:

  1. A description of a narrative theory or concept;
  2. How the concept might be used in IDS systems.

One may submit more than one contribution. Selected authors will not present their contribution in a mini conference. Rather, their contribution will serve as a seed for further elaboration during the workshop.

Deadline for contribution: November, 6 November, 13, 2015
Deadline for participation: November, 20 November, 27, 2015

Please contact Nicolas or Fanfan at the addresses below to indicate your interest.

Contact information:

Nicolas Szilas, nicolas.szilas[ a_t ]unige.ch; Fanfan Chen, ffchen[ a_t ]mail.ndhu.edu.tw