Vocab Term: Interactive Paradox

Definition: The choice of authors permitting users to have control over certain aspects of a narrative creates, or has to potential to create an interactive-paradox. This often occurs in gaming worlds where there is a focus on narrative-driven story elements. The more an author reigns in certain narrative choices a user’s character can make, the more control the author has over their narrative vision. However, the more an author allows users to make a near unlimited amount of choices within an open world, the more the author is relinquishing control over their narrative vision – which can cause a narrative to not have a satisfactory or sometimes coherent structure.

DH Source: When an author gives interactive control of a character to a user, there ends up being less narrative driven story elements within a game. The paradox has to do with how much autonomy is given to “act and react without explicit authorial constraint” (Ryan 293).

Commentary: This explanation provides context for why games are excluded from being viewed as literature. Popular games tend to involve a certain relinquishment of narrative control regarding the cause-effect actions that a player is able to make. For example, if an author is attempting to have a DH related narrative vision, then there isn’t a lot of recourse other than to limit certain aspects of interactivity.

Mauri-Laure Ryan. “Interactive Narrative” The Johns Hopkins Guide to Digital Media, Johns Hopkins University Press, 2014.