Interactive World-Building And Narrative Universe: Sketch Of An Open World Experience

Abstract

World-building is a concept that is gaining traction in Media Studies, Film Studies and Media Arts curriculum (Cf. the course CMS.807 Critical World-building at MIT and The World-building Media Lab at USC School of Cinematic Arts). The creative thinking pertaining to world-building has a lot of potential applications in the wider field of cultural and creative industries jobs. The world needs more narrative designers. Yet, in the current curriculum of media arts and film studies, the specific techniques of world-building are not studied. This project addresses the new design practice and culture in narrative media production through the concept of world-building and Open World Experience. The project is articulated to the teaching and learning objectives of SM2105 - "Narrative Strategies and Aesthetics of Time-based Media" (100 students, sem B 2017 & sem B 2018) co-teach by the PI and the co-PI in sem B 2017-2018 and in sem B 2018-2019. The course SM2105 constitutes one of the core course for BA students of creative media and one of the pillar of the undergraduate curriculum at SCM (along with programming courses and artistic courses). The teaching methods that will be developed along this project will enable an integrative approach to narratives and the students will be able integrate knowledge and assets acquired in other courses followed during their BA (at a technical level and in terms of logics of creation).