Introduction to Interactive Fiction

Catalog description

This course acquaints students with the electronic literature genres of choice-based and parser-based interactive fiction. We start with choice-based Twine and Ink games before moving on to the parser-based Inform, not only critically evaluating already existing games, but also learning how to write both fiction and criticism within these authoring systems. By the end of the class, students will learn several programming languages (Twine, Ink, Inform7), while also discovering new modes of humanistic inquiry in the digital age (multimodal criticism, source code analysis, and other digital humanities methods). No prior programming experience required.