Interaction, Virtuality, and Heavy Rain: An Exploration of Character and Interactive Narrative

Undergraduate Honors Thesis

Citations

Citeable URL: https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/undergraduate_honors_theses/ht24wj81x

Abstract

This thesis has been a departure from the traditional English classes offered to me at the University of Colorado at Boulder and a journey into a passion of mine: character. While I had originally planned to write about characterization in the more traditional world of Jane Austen novels, in 2011 the interactive narrative Heavy Rain caught my attention. I have seen many games, but the narrative strength of this particular piece meant that I could not forget about it. With a focus on character, I wrote a thesis focusing on the historical, present, and future development of the interactive narrative. There are not many published books and articles on this particular subject, but I was incredibly lucky to have the opportunity enlist the aid of scholar Maire-Laure Ryan in discussing and critiquing my own ideas. Through this project, I have come to the conclusion that interactive narrative is an important vessel for the future of literature, and the development of stories such as Heavy Rain is incredibly exciting for the genre.

Creator