Unspooling Twine

Unspooling Twine: Practical Game Design as Writing and Research Pedagogy Justin Schumaker & C. McAllister Williams University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Computers and Writing May 27th, 2018 [[Proceed|proceed]]

Please direct your browser to twinery.org. Click on the "use it online" link in the upper right corner. Now, [[let's begin|begin]]

You awake in this space, clear and unending. This is a space of possibility. This is Twine. Before you, a tattered scroll floats by on an unfelt wind. You can focus your eyes on [[two names.|we]] Or you can turn your attention to the [[series of stars|why]] inked at the bottom of the scroll. Or you can use your energy to summon your hands and tear the scroll [[into pieces.|benefits]] You know in the deepest part of your heart that you must make choices. This space depends upon it.

You focus your eyes on the two names. As you look at them, they begin to form shapes, then bone, then skin. (link: "The first figure appears before you.") [Justin Schumaker is a PhD candidate in Media Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. His research interests include game design, games studies, and the end of capitalism.] (link: "The second figure appears before you.") [C. McAllister Williams very recently graduated with his PhD in Creative Writing-Poetry from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. His research interests include poetry, interactive stories, and the end of capitalism.] Both of these figures speak out of the same mouth, telling you that they are very invested in tbe intersection between writing and game design. You've decided you've had very much enough of these two homunculi and return your gaze to the [[scroll.|begin]]

You stare intently at the series of stars until your eyes go blurry. You can hear the (link: "The brightest star beckons you close.") [It tells you that you will become more familiar with this world, the world of Twine.] (link: "The second star whispers a song to you.") [Together we will consider the benefits of game design in relation to writing.] (link: "The largest star invites you to touch it.") [As you do, you realize that we'll make a short Twine game/text to better understand all of this.] You've had enough of stars, refocusing your eyes back on the [[scroll.|begin]]

You tear the scroll into tiny pieces. To your surprise, each piece becomes a tiny world, complete with civilizations, ecosystems, love, and death. You examine each world. In turn, they tell you their secrets. (link: "The first world is green and lush.") [It tells you this is a space that invites marginalized creators to express ideas & identities. free (with technology caveat) from capitalism. ] (link: "The second world is actually a giant city, bustling with energy.") [You discover that this space is home to a robust community, filled with lots of examples and tutorials. No programming experience is required to be a game designer] (link: "The last world you see is just endless ocean.") [This space is important becauase it is an approach to digital literacy based on doing things, making things. It allows everyone to be a creator.] Just as soon as these worlds appear, they vanish, returning to the endlessness of this space. In their stead, you see a version of yourself. It speaks to you. [[Listen.|writing]]

The other version of you speaks. The voice it has is your own. It speaks of this world. (link: "This world is important.") [Twine resists the separation between game, text, and writing.] (link: "This world is adaptive.") [21st century literacy is already trans platform and across media. Twine presents a practical approach for writing that works in digital spaces. Twine offers an opportunity to introduce and practice those approaches.] (link: "This world is about choices.") [Twine places importance upon choices, both those made by the reader/player and the creator. It places writing choices and rhetorical choices at the heart of its practice.] (link: "This world is for you.") [Twines can be anything. Poetry, essay, story, song or anything else the creator can imagine. It is designed to explored, manipulated, and expressive.] You nod your thanks to the other version of you. It snaps its fingers and before you appears a workbench. It gestures toward the object. It is your turn to [[build something.|build]]

Let us make something in this world. And let us not forget [[we're in this together.|resources]]

Print: Rise of the Videogame Zinesters--Anna Anthropy Writing Interactive Fiction with Twine--Melissa Ford Videogames for Humans: Twine Authors in Conversation--merritt k Digital: Twine Wiki The Interactive Fiction Database Philome.la