Modeling and formal verification of gaming storylines

Video games are becoming more and more interactive with increasingly complex plots. These plots typically involve multiple parallel storylines that may converge and diverge based on player actions. This may lead to situations that are inconsistent or impassable. Current techniques for planning and testing game plots involve naive means such as text documents, spreadsheets, and critical path testing. Recent academic research [1] [2] [3] examines the design planning problems, but neglect testing and verification of the possible plot lines. These complex plots have thus until now been handled inadequately due to a lack of a formal methodology and tools to support them. In this dissertation, we describe how we develop methods to 1) characterize storylines (SChar), 2) define a storyline description language (SDL), and 3) create a storyline verification tool based in formal verification techniques (StoCk) that use our SDL as input. SChar (Storyline Characterization) help game developers characterize the category of story line they are working on (e.g. linear, branching and plot) through a tool that give a set of guided questions. Our SDL allows its users to describe storylines in a consistent format similar to how they reason about storylines, but in such a way that it can be used for formal verification. StoCk accepts storylines, described in SDL, to be formally verified using SPIN for errors. StoCk is also examined in three common use cases found in the gaming industry used as a tool 1) during storyline creation 2) during quality assurance and 3) during storyline implementation. The combination of SChar, SDL, and StoCk provides designers, writers, and developers a novel methodology and tools to verify consistency in large and complex game plots.Electrical and Computer Engineerin

Player agency in interactive narrative: audience, actor & author

The question motivating this review paper is, how can computer-based interactive narrative be used as a constructivist learn- ing activity? The paper proposes that player agency can be used to link interactive narrative to learner agency in constructivist theory, and to classify approaches to interactive narrative. The traditional question driving research in interactive narrative is, ‘how can an in- teractive narrative deal with a high degree of player agency, while maintaining a coherent and well-formed narrative?’ This question derives from an Aristotelian approach to interactive narrative that, as the question shows, is inherently antagonistic to player agency. Within this approach, player agency must be restricted and manip- ulated to maintain the narrative. Two alternative approaches based on Brecht’s Epic Theatre and Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed are reviewed. If a Boalian approach to interactive narrative is taken the conflict between narrative and player agency dissolves. The question that emerges from this approach is quite different from the traditional question above, and presents a more useful approach to applying in- teractive narrative as a constructivist learning activity

Facilitating qualitative research in business studies - Using the business narrative to model value creation

This is a conceptual paper supported by empirical research giving details of a new Business Narrative Modelling Language (BNML). The need for BNML arose given a growing dissatisfaction with qualitative research approaches and also due to the need to bring entrepreneurs, especially those with little training in management theory, closer to the academic (as well as practitioner) discussion of innovation and strategy for value creation. We aim primarily for an improved communication process of events which can be described using the narrative, in the discussion of the value creation process. Our findings, illustrated through a case study, should be of interest to both researchers and practitioners alike

Ideological “Smackdown”: A Textual Analysis of Class, Race and Gender in WWE Televised Professional Wrestling

The focus of this study is an in-depth intertextual examination of how the WWE in 2010 and by extension contemporary professional wrestling in general represents a microcosm of modern cultural ideology. The study examines three major areas in which this occurs. The first of these areas is that of class values. This section focuses on the establishment and extension middle-American values, defined as those values generally shared by the middle-class of the United States. The second section of this study focuses on how the WWE uses racial commodification in the treatment of people of color. Using concepts of Marxist power and Critical Race Theory this section breaks down the use of stereotypical imagery connected with Blacks and Hispanics and theorizes to possible social effects such representations may cause. The final section within this analysis focuses on female representation within the masculine melodrama that is professional wrestling as epitomized by the WWE. Specifically, the section examines the use of mean girl imagery through the lens of Marxist power theories. The section theorizes that by building on a mean girl archetype within villainous characters, the WWE essentially creates a target that embodies most/all of those characteristics deemed unattractive or unappealing in females. Considering the finding and analysis of the main three sections the final discussion extends the study by suggesting further research to test audience recall and response to the imagery and representation examined within this study

Development of an Emergent Narrative Generation Architecture for Videogames

Emergent narratives can enhance a video gaming experience. However, the use of this storytelling form in videogames is in its infancy. Many existing emergent narrative generation systems are limited in authorial creative control, story world flexibility, user freedom and/or general storyline maintenance. In this thesis, we designed a robust architecture for generating emergent narratives to use in videogames, and tested the architecture in a prototype game simulation. The architecture continuously presents pre-written plot fragments with fulfilled preconditions, providing authorial control over the story’s components and general direction. The user navigates the plotlines and shapes the story through their unrestrained decisions. Architectural components monitor these actions and respond appropriately to ensure a cohesive story. Yet, the narrative generation framework remains separate from specific Game World mechanics, maintaining compatibility with any story world. The proposed architecture offers flexible emergent narrative generation and can provide a framework for future emergent videogame development

Emotion-driven interactive storytelling.

Interactive storytelling has attracted plenty of research interest in recent years. Most current interactive storytelling systems follow a goal-oriented approach to story representation, i.e. the user is engaged with the story through fulfilling a number of goals rather than empathising with the characters and experiencing anenriched emotional experience (Pizzi and Cavazza 2007). This fails to satisfy potential users who are oriented to traditional media, such as movies (Louchart et al. 2008) and demographic groups who are interested in attractive and challenging stories (Duh et al. 2010). Given this consideration, an emotion-driven interactive storytelling approach is proposed in this research. In contrast to the goal-oriented interactive storytelling approach, emotion-driven interactive storytelling attempts to create an engaging emotional experience, and involve the user’s emotion with the characters. More importantly, the user’s emotions, evoked by empathising with the characters, determine the character’s behaviours and therefore have an impact on the whole storyline. In this sense, emotions, as a driving force, directly and explicitly contribute to storytelling and the user experience. An interactive video was made by re-editing existing TV material to interpret the concept of emotion-driven interactive storytelling. The examination of user experience of playing this interactive video revealed that non-gamers were more likely to be emotionally involved with the interactive video and empathise with the character. Participants in this group also exhibited higher enjoyment and engagement than gamers. In addition, females were found more likely to empathise with the character and satisfy with the storyline. However because the TV material used to make the interactive video was female-oriented, males failed to enjoy and engage themselves as much as females. But it is important to note that in comparison to males’ previous experience of watching TV Ugly Betty, emotion-driven interactive storytelling increased their enjoyment and engagement. Therefore, emotion-driven interactive storytelling enriches the approach to developing interactive storytelling systems and has the potential to provide an engaging user experience to some types of users. Future research possibilities are discussed with respect to a wider population and research where materials suitable for both genders are presented

Modelling change using a novel business narrative modelling language

Paper publicado no site da workshop.Purpose – This paper is developed in the realm of strategic change communication. The purpose of this paper is to present our Business Narrative Modelling Language (BNML) as a tool for facilitating change. Design/methodology/approach – The paper draws on the experience of the authors and on a literature review of other modelling techniques which are seen to be mainstream alternatives to our BNML. Several case studies (involving action research as well as other research methods) have been performed using BNML and inspire the text. Findings – We have found that as concerns the management of strategic change most important of all is to be able to change the mindset of entrepreneurs, senior managers and other key leaders in organizations. In one case in particular, this involved moving from desperation to the possession of a positive vision for the future - BNML helped provide a new vision in a down-to-earth way, comprehensible across the organization, at all levels. Research implications – The potentially negative attitude towards the narrative and storytelling and pictorial representations needs to be overcome and it is necessary to devise new methods to inspire change at all levels in organizations. Practical implications – It is our conviction that the importance of communication, and how it aids change initiatives, should be duly appreciated. We hope to show in our future research efforts that BNML can help to achieve change objectives. Originality and value – This paper contributes to change management theory building on Eriksen (2008) – change is of a personal nature – and Quinn et al. (2000) – change must occur in the mind. Neurologist Damásio (2000) has shown that the feeling of what happens is like a “film in our brain” which we try to reproduce and reinforce with our BNML which proposes an innovative modelling language and business narrative and uses them as a communication tool in a dialogue for change. Paper type – Conceptual paper

Damsels in discourse: Girls consuming and producing identity texts through Disney Princess play

This is the postprint, author's accepted manuscript version of this article after peer review.Drawing upon theories that reconceptualize toys and artifacts as identity texts, this study employs mediated discourse analysis to examine children’s videotaped writing and play interactions with princess dolls and stories in one kindergarten classroom. The study reported here is part of a three-year ethnographic study of literacy play in U.S. early childhood classrooms. The specific focus here is on young girls who are avid Disney Princess fans and how they address the gendered identities and discourses attached to the popular films and franchised toys. The study employs an activity model design that incorporates ethnographic microanalysis of social practices in the classroom, design conventions in toys and drawings, negotiated meanings in play, and identities situated in discourses. The commercially given gendered princess identities of the dolls, consumer expectations about the dolls, the author identities in books and storyboards associated with the dolls, and expectations related to writing production influenced how the girls upheld, challenged, or transformed the meanings they negotiated for princess story lines and their gender expectations, which influenced who participated in play scenarios and who assumed leadership roles in peer and classroom cultures. When the girls played with Disney Princess dolls during writing workshop, they animated identities sedimented into toys and texts. Regular opportunities to play with toys during writing workshop allowed children to improvise and revise character actions, layering new story meanings and identities onto old. Dolls and storyboards facilitated chains of animating and authoring, linking meanings from one event to the next as they played, wrote, replayed, and rewrote. The notion of productive consumption explains how girls enthusiastically took up familiar media narratives, encountered social limitations in princess identities, improvised character actions, and revised story lines to produce counternarratives of their own

A Survey on Event-based News Narrative Extraction

Narratives are fundamental to our understanding of the world, providing us with a natural structure for knowledge representation over time. Computational narrative extraction is a subfield of artificial intelligence that makes heavy use of information retrieval and natural language processing techniques. Despite the importance of computational narrative extraction, relatively little scholarly work exists on synthesizing previous research and strategizing future research in the area. In particular, this article focuses on extracting news narratives from an event-centric perspective. Extracting narratives from news data has multiple applications in understanding the evolving information landscape. This survey presents an extensive study of research in the area of event-based news narrative extraction. In particular, we screened over 900 articles that yielded 54 relevant articles. These articles are synthesized and organized by representation model, extraction criteria, and evaluation approaches. Based on the reviewed studies, we identify recent trends, open challenges, and potential research lines.Comment: 37 pages, 3 figures, to be published in the journal ACM CSU

Make-A-Story: Visual Memory Conditioned Consistent Story Generation

There has been a recent explosion of impressive generative models that can produce high quality images (or videos) conditioned on text descriptions. However, all such approaches rely on conditional sentences that contain unambiguous descriptions of scenes and main actors in them. Therefore employing such models for more complex task of story visualization, where naturally references and co-references exist, and one requires to reason about when to maintain consistency of actors and backgrounds across frames/scenes, and when not to, based on story progression, remains a challenge. In this work, we address the aforementioned challenges and propose a novel autoregressive diffusion-based framework with a visual memory module that implicitly captures the actor and background context across the generated frames. Sentence-conditioned soft attention over the memories enables effective reference resolution and learns to maintain scene and actor consistency when needed. To validate the effectiveness of our approach, we extend the MUGEN dataset and introduce additional characters, backgrounds and referencing in multi-sentence storylines. Our experiments for story generation on the MUGEN and the FlintstonesSV dataset show that our method not only outperforms prior state-of-the-art in generating frames with high visual quality, which are consistent with the story, but also models appropriate correspondences between the characters and the background.Comment: 10 page