The fragmented notes of an anti-hypertexter:
can video games be considered hypertext narratives?
Elliot: no, because a game is conventional environment in which you can move around. traditional hypertext is linking to different interfaces, not within the same environment. it’s interactive narrative, not a hypertext narrative
Jasmine: yes, because they are user driven and change as you may never reach different parts of the game because of choices you make. you must piece together the story upon the fragments you experience
Adrian: a bit of both: ludology vs. narratology – ludic thinkers just want the games, not the narrative + the game. ball and chain, tic tac toe, etc: you can have games without narrative, and therefore they don’t need a story to be a game. Tetris has no narrative. hypertext is primarily about narrative and games as games are not about storytelling. they’re about a set of procedures defined by a notion of winning. you can’t win a story, you read them. they’re different conceptional universes.
Brian: doesn’t play games enough to comment.