Interactivity has been a part of entertainment for millennia. The ancient theater actors would often speak directly to the audience; a tradition which persists in the theater to this day. But the wonders of modern technology have brought interactivity to a whole new audience. We see glimpses of it in film and television, and even in literature.
Gaming is built on interactivity and choice. The ability to make your own decisions in games is the thing that sets them apart as a unique story telling medium. But their success has caused a phenomenon of gamification to spread through the broader entertainment world. Interactive fun is evolving and affecting all media. We explore the effects of gamification on interactivity in this article.
Interactive Games
Video games are built on a foundation of interaction. The player must take control of the main character in order to complete the story. Even earlier titles like Super Mario Bros. and Sonic the Hedgehog rely on some interaction between the customer and the product. But the game developers of the 21st century have truly taken interaction to a whole new level. Modern gaming experiences feature a slew of choices which can completely alter the course of the game. Choice-based story telling creates for a more engaging experience. It also adds replay value to a game that may not have had it otherwise.
The power of interaction is not exclusive to big names in gaming. Even online games are now able to forge a strong bond between gamer and game through a degree of interaction. We said before that even the simplest games rely on some sort of interactivity. That fact remains true even in online slot games and the rest of iGaming. The player must make the choice to spin the reels and actively do it before they can start the game after all. But there are also ways that slot makers find to boost the relationship between the player and the game. They do so by adding mascots and themes that may encourage the player or guide them on the right track.
Interactive Mobile Experience
Big budget games and iGaming titles are not the only ones that benefit from some sort of interactivity. The mobile gaming market is huge right now. Experts predict that it will continue to grow and may even become one of the most popular entertainment forms in the world. It is not surprising that game developers are doing their best to improve. Interaction plays a big role in how they approach said improvement.
The choice to control the story’s outcome is one of the best ways to get players engaged in a video game. Mobile game developers have found a way to make choice the gameplay itself. Choices: The Stories You Play is one of the most beloved mobile games on the market. The video game covers most aspects of daily life. It simultaneously delves into various genres; from epic fantasy to murder mystery. The player is at the center of it all, trying their best to make the right decision.
The success of the game has spawned dozens of imitators. Few of them reach the quality of the original mobile game itself. But plenty are just as entertaining and immersive as the title that inspired them. There are some that choose to cover a smaller range of genres and focus on romance or crime. There are even some choice-based games that go all in on the erotic side, and tell a spicy story that is engaging throughout. Interaction is indeed a big part of mobile entertainment. But it doesn’t end there.
Hollywood May Embrace Interactivity
We don’t traditionally think of film as an interactive experience. The actors are separated from the audience by both time and space. There have been films that break the fourth wall and acknowledge the viewer. But it is never the same as the acknowledgement we get from theatre actors or Broadway stage shows. There is simply a higher degree of separation between the audience and the film cast. Then how can Hollywood ever truly embrace interactive film making?
Truth be told it already has; at least to some extent. Film makers have found a way to allow the audience to choose their own ending when watching a film. At the core of this new way to approach entertainment is the streaming technology that has altered our perception of media. Streaming services are now most people’s primary way to engage with film and television. We can watch anything online, whether it be Disney classics or old episodes of The Twilight Zone. But how does streaming affect interaction?
Directors and filmmakers have taken advantage of the fact that their viewers are comfortably relaxing on their couch. During a pivotal moment in a film the story will pause automatically. The viewers are then given the option to make a choice regarding what comes next. It is how the film adaptation of the hit show Black Mirror managed to draw in a massive audience and thrill them even after most agreed the television series’ quality dropped. Black Mirror: Bandersnatch is an interactive film that puts audience participation above all else.
Why Interaction Works
People engage with entertainment differently. Some look for a two-hour relief from the real world. They can escape to a movie and distract themselves from the stress of the day to day. Others want to be fully immersed in a different world. Interaction is a great way to enhance the experience for the latter camp. Filmmakers and story-tellers can make the audience feel like they are part of the creation process by allowing them to control the story’s outcome. It is no wonder that immersive content is growing more popular. The ultimate goal of immersion and interaction is to build an entire world that the customers can take control of. That is why game developers are so deeply fascinated by the possibilities of virtual reality and its derivatives. The concept of a digital world that players can control themselves has always been one that grips us. It might become more than a science fiction dream in a few decades or so.