The idea behind Inform 7 is very interesting. This program synergizes literature in the form of text and videogames. An individual does not need to be literate in software programming or game design to create a quality piece of work. While creating Crushin’ the Russian, I spent a large amount of time searching online for assistance and found little help. It was frustrating. I would try to pinpoint where I made an error in the script, make a change, and play the game over until I get to action that isn’t working properly. All of this usually ended in disappointment. It is immensely time consuming.  read more »

House of Leaves is horrifying. The back bone of this book is a film, The Navidson Record, and is just as startling. However this supposed movie does not even exist, or so we think. I find it difficult to understand why this is so. After all, the plot, script, and stage directions already exist. Surely a movie depicting The Navidson Record would sell tickets and disturb audiences just as the book has. So why not? Maybe it is Danielewski's intent for this to remain a mystery. Maybe it would be far to expensive and complicated to produce. Maybe a movie would ruin the mystery of the novel. I dont know. I know I am not alone in hoping one day I will paying $12 to see The Navidson Record. Here is a sample of what we can expect:  read more »

By now we've all realized House of Leaves is a trip. Does anyone else find themselves relating to Johnny and Navidson far to much? Do these uncomfortable similarities suggest I to am going crazy? Sleepless nights. Inability to focus. Occasional paranoia. While reading HoL one feels the monster creeping behind their shoulder, the questioning of reality, the endless chasm in an impossible room, the occasional urge to hit the bottle. Maybe I should not be reading this book. I find more likely that this is its intent. To question what is real. Danieleweski's incorporation of colors, vernacular that stimulates the senses, citations, and computer generated text all synergize to create an intimate text that engulfs the readers mind, much like Johnny's dilemma.

In the final chapter of Electronic Literature by Katherine Hayles, the author addresses the fear shared by many young authors; that literature, primarily in the form of books, will soon be extinct. Their concerns are that more people now refer to online sources of text, movies, and videogames. These entertainment outlets have grown exponentially in the last ten years, concurrently detracting from the time people spend reading print. However, there are sources of literature that serve the same purpose as print and interact with the reader in the same way. For example, Kindle an electronic book, of sorts, can download books from Amazon to be read on a screen; much like one would view print. Also, an iPhone application can wirelessly download books from the Internet to be read anywhere while fitting into your pocket.  read more »

Bioshock is the first RPG game I have played. I usually stick to the sport or war games which rarely have a story line. Role Play Game's have a bad connotation in my mind. I assumed one who finds interest in a game such as this spends most of their free time in a dark room with a bag of potato chips trying to take over a fictional world. This may be cynical, but I did not see the point. Although the game play in Bioshock was sometimes repetitive(resulting in an occasional nap), the plot maintained my interest and I felt obligated to kill the next Big Daddy and reveal more of the story. I don't want to spoil a great ending, so I will not go into specifics, but Bioshock has left me wanting more and the ending leaves the opportunity for a great sequel. Bioshock 2, set to release in September of 2009, promises many improvements to an already impressive game. A multiplayer mode is expected to be the most significant upgrade(ha) in which a gamer can chose to be a human, Splicer, or Bid Daddy and battle in various online games. Hopefully its plot and setting will be as interesting, if not more, than Bioshock.

I have played videogames for most of my life. From Mario Brothers on the NES to Halo 3 on the 360, I’ve always found an escape, whether it is from homework, parents, or friends, in assuming a role in a virtual world. I’m one of millions of people across the world that embraces this experience. It is until only recently that I have examined why, no matter how old I get, I continue to spend my time interacting in a society that has little to no effect in the real world. In life, you are rarely in control of your surroundings or the events that take place. Every choice, word, or action one makes can have a profound and lasting effect, whether it be good or bad. This phenomenon has yielded various forms of entertainment, such as books, movies, and music. These are made for the masses, but written by the few. These do, much like video games, provide an outlet from the real world. However, you cannot make choices or have any effect on the outcome of the work. This is why I have appreciated video games for most of my life. This is also, as I believe, the point to our class, electronic literature.  read more »