Adaptive Digital Narrator
A system to support adaptive digital narrative for children

Introduction

Adaptive Digital Narrator (ADN) is a system developed to support adaptive digital storytelling for children in the age range of 9 to 12 using branching storytelling. The system developed is a result of research done at the University of Queensland in Australia. The work is significant as evaluation of the system indicates that such branching storytelling supports a child's creativity and imagination better than currently existing linear technologies such as a story book. The system is fully extensible and can be opened up in any text editor so characters and how the story starts or ends can be easily modified.

Telling a story

In Adaptive Digital Narrator, the child user can choose two endings within the story, a “good” ending, or an “evil” ending. The path that they decide to take is ultimately dependent on the choices they make through the options available to them. In Adaptive Digital Narrator, “good” is represented by giving other characters in the story things that they like. Likewise, “evil” is represented by giving other characters things that they dislike. Things which that a character neither likes nor dislikes are neutral items, and do not significantly affect the story. All items can be found in environments within the story. The main character, or the user’s character, can move from one environment to the next, picking up these items and giving them to other characters.

Screenshot of the application

Box enclosure two shows the navigation menu. Options are provided here which can be selected by the user to progress the story. These options are related to exploring (such as moving to different environments) the story world and acting (such as picking up objects) on the story world. The result of his/her actions are shown in the narrative screen, which is box enclosure one. Box enclosure three allows the user to create their character representation in the story. Representation is broken down into gender, name, and physical representation. Box enclosure four allows the user to turn narration on or off. Turning this option on will provide an audio narration of the story as it is being shown in the narrative screen.

Download links

Currently the application has limited help other than the information mentioned on this page. A manual is available for use. If you are interested in obtaining the manual please contact us. The application is restricted to only a few executions before it expires. If you are interested in obtaining a full version please purchase it from the software store. To run the software extract all files into a folder then double click on the "pig" icon.

» Download the trial version of Adaptive Digital Narrator now

» Listen to the ABC interview conducted on Friday 23rd June 2006 regarding Adaptive Digital Narrator (mp3)