[After a brisk nap]

Originally Posted by After a brisk nap

Well, my point is that in a multi-branched story, the meaning and impact of each branch is affected by the existence of other alternatives. Let's take Macbeth as an example. As it exists, the story of Macbeth tells about an ambitious general who, following a prophecy by three witches, assassinates his king, takes the throne, in paranoia slaughters those he considers his rivals, and rules as a tyrant until overthrown. This storyline sends a number of messages, for instance that a usurper cannot be a good king. Now, imagine that Macbeth: The Adventure Game allowed players to change the course of this story, so that Macbeth seizes the throne and wipes out his rivals, but then in repentance devotes his reign to peaceful reconciliation and public improvements. Or choose to tolerate his rivals, only to find that they're as ambitious and ruthless as himself and have him killed within the month. Or a version where he ignores the witches' prophecy, remains loyal to his king, and finds himself made royal heir as a reward.

Crucially, these alternative Macbeth stories actually change the meaning of the original Macbeth. Awareness of them influence how we interpret the first story. Even more importantly, if all the versions are equally ranked, they start to cancel each other out. Is it a tragedy or a comedy, a heroic epic or a cautionary tale? If Macbeth can be a tyrant or a benevolent sovereign, then he isn't really either. If he can do anything, then he has done nothing. At the point of complete freedom, you have no story, just a sandbox.

Originally Posted by Squinky

See, I'm reading what you've written, and am thinking all the while "Wow! I would SO enjoy playing such a game!" Yes, linear stories have strengths of their own, but I believe that interactive stories have potential as well, much of it as of yet untapped. And the existence of the latter will by no means eradicate the existence of the former, as it seems that many fear. Saying, for example, that I shouldn't waste time creating interactive stories when I could be writing a much better, traditional linear adventure game instead, well, that's almost like saying that [insert favourite screenwriter/director here] shouldn't be making movies because s/he could be writing a deeper, richer novel instead.

On the whole thread of creating interactive versions of literary classics with multiple possible paths through it, this story might offer an interesting case study. Basically, a bunch of French researchers created an interactive version of Madame Bovary.