I-Storytelling

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IRIS Wiki - IS Systems - I-Storytelling

Availability

I-Storytelling (aka Friends) is an IS system which was developed as a research prototype. It is not available for download.

Technical Description

The interest here is in stories that have a well-defined storyline, from which many variants can unfold based on characters' interaction of user intervention. While many researchers agree on the use of planning formalisms to support characters' behaviour, there was little research in the representation of narrative knowledge itself, apart from the recurring reference to narrative functions.

Result Description (end user perspective)

Videos of several examples of the narratives generated by the planning system can be viewed here.

Authoring Description

The overall narrative authoring is processed via the encoding of the characters' roles using Hierarchical Task Networks (HTN). Characters are assigned primary or secondary roles which are described using a selection of decomposable tasks in the light of HTN planning systems.

Strong Points

  • Generativity of the HTN-based planning system.
  • Dramatisation of narrative situations.
  • User interactions' influences on the unfolding of the narrative in real-time.

Limitations

Control over the quality of the narrative generated.

Main Publications

  • Cavazza, M., Charles, F. and Mead, S.J. (2002). Character-based Interactive Storytelling. IEEE Intelligent Systems, special issue on AI in Interactive Entertainment, pp. 17-24. [1]
  • Cavazza, M., Charles, F. and Mead, S.J. (2002). Interacting with Virtual Characters in Interactive Storytelling. ACM Joint Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multi-Agent Systems, Bologna, Italy, pp. 318-325. [2]
  • Charles, F. and Cavazza, M. (2004). Exploring the Scalability of Character-based Storytelling. ACM Joint Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multi-Agent Systems, New York, USA, pp. 872-879. [3]

Supporting Narrative Theories

I-Storytelling is strongly linked to a computational model of Narrative units from Roland Barthes (structuralism).

Computational Model

IStorytelling relies on AI planning tools and techniques, namely HTN planning (STRIPS-like planner) pddl

Type of interaction

  • Physical interaction within the active spectator paradigm whereby the user is not embodied within the virtual environment.
  • Speech-based NL interaction where the user can provide advice, information, etc to the virtual characters.