Dynamic, User-Centered Resolution in Interactive Stories

Abstract

One of the most important parts of a story is its ending. This is the point in which all open questions and conflicts in the narrative must be resolved. This paper presents a dynamic resolution method for interactive stories. The type of stories we support allows the user to participate as one of the characters and influence dynamically the development of the plot. The rest of the cast consists of discrete computer characters. Our resolution method takes into account the motives of the user character to decide on: (i) the outcome of all character actions and (ii) the presentation sequence for these outcomes. The decision process is based on the current story context. In addition, it addresses the need to avoid ambiguities, to preserve consistency and to create suspense during the end. We have integrated this method in PEGASUS, an interactive story system set in ancient Greece.