Further on Down the Digital Road: narrative design and reading pleasure in five New Media Writing Prize narratives.

Abstract

A review, supported by reader responses, of five highly regarded interactive digital narratives.The five selected pieces have all been winners or shortlisted for the interactional new Media Writing Prize. This paper discusses whether developments in narrative design, around interface, use of media, and narrative structures, have enhanced reader satisfaction. Issues identified in earlier reader-response studies are found to be still present, but several aspects present less obstruction for readers. Some indications are noted: writers may be using more familiar interface design conventions, narrative structures are becoming less fractured and hyper-link dependent; multi-media are better integrated into the narrative design.