Interactive narrative operated by introducing encounter events

• US 20040091848A1
• Filed: 10/06/2003
• Published: 05/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Keith Gerard Nemitz
• Original Assignee: Keith Gerard Nemitz
• Inventors: Nemitz, Keith Gerard
• Granted Patent: US 7,309,283 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/365
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/47 involving branching, e.g. choosing one of several possible scenarios at a given point in time
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/58 by computing conditions of game characters, e.g. stamina, strength, motivation or energy level
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/69 by enabling or updating specific game elements, e.g. unlocking hidden features, items, levels or versions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/609 for unlocking hidden game elements, e.g. features, items, levels
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/632 by branching, e.g. choosing one of several possible story developments at a given point in time
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/65 for computing the condition of a game character

Abstract

An interactive presentation and/or entertainment system, such as interactive personal computer software and/or interactive, live theater, allows participants to determine the events that occur throughout a story. Given simulated environments and story characters within them, the player introduces elements, picked from a list, which advances the narrative, event by event. Feedback about the current state of the situation or characters provides motivation to choose subsequent events. These events change situations, environments, and/or the characters within the narrative. As a result, greater flexibility and control with less confusion is achieved over previous methods and apparatuses. The story can be rewound and/or played with different choices, resulting in different outcomes. Source image/sound/description data may include prerecorded video, prerecorded audio, prewritten description, live acting, computer-based audio, computer-based imagery, computer-generated dialogue, and/or computer-generated characters. The range of events available are limited only by the design of the narrative, not this apparatus.

Claims

1. A method for executing and presenting an interactive narrative, one that allows a user of the invention to actively determine the sequence of a narrative'"'"'s events, comprising:

(a) a simulated environment where the narrative occurs;

(b) simulated, autonomous characters who are involved in the narrative;

(c) elements identified which could be introduced into the narrative;

(d) presenting a list of the elements to the user;

(e) allowing the user to choose from the list of elements;

(g) advancing the narrative by enacting events resulting from elements introduced;

(f) modify or update, indirectly, the simulated characters and other objects involved in the event enacted as a result of the user'"'"'s choice;

whereby the user of the invention controls the course of the narrative, but not necessarily the characters.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the lists of elements may either be determined during the design and implementation of a product based on the invention or are generated as a result of events previously presented during the product'"'"'s execution.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the number of events presented to the user are drawn from a finite set of elements allowed to be introduced within a section of the narrative, such as a chapter or a locale.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying said list of elements, each element in the list is identified by a symbol, word, or phrase representing the principle object driving the event.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein static events are those events which play out exactly the same, when they are selected by the user and enacted.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein dynamic events are those events which might play out differently due, directly or indirectly, to previously occurring events.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the user is allowed to interact with the narrative during the execution of an event either for the purpose of affecting the outcome of the event or for the activity'"'"'s sake itself.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein characters in the narration, upon the conclusion of an event, may act in a story neutral manner to maintain the story'"'"'s continuity until the user selects which element will be introduced next to advance the narrative.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the behavior or mindset or inventory of characters simulated in the narrative are modified or changed during the playing out of an event or as a result of playing out an event.

10. A method of providing feedback about a simulated character'"'"'s attributes, mindset, behavior, inventory or other status, presented within an interactive narrative in which users introduce elements to advance the story, such that users of this invention are better prepared to choose elements for advancing the narrative.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein goals, determined by simulated characters in the narrative, are presented to motivate and guide users of the invention in their choice of elements for advancing the narrative.

12. A method of restoring from its current state to a previous state, an interactive narrative in which users introduce elements to advance the story, by skipping backwards individual or multiple steps of the sequence of events already presented, allowing the user to reverse or rewind the narrative.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the narrative may be rewound by steps greater than individual events, as might be appropriate to the narrative'"'"'s medium;

examples are;

scenes, acts, chapters, levels, settings, and locales.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the element introduced to continue the narrative from a rewound state may be different from one used previously to advance the story from said rewound state.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein it'"'"'s restoring mechanism may save or store a specific sequence of events that has been played, for the purpose of continuing at an indefinite time later, reviewing, or sharing it with others.