Digital Storytelling
This quarter I have returned back to The Hero’s Story in Second Life. Each class I have learned new ways to contribute to this immersive Second Life narrative. It has been an amazing journey and I am sure this quarter isn’t any different. Here are some other projects I did working on this incredible project:
Premise and Purpose
The purpose of this project is to easy the transition for incoming students, helping them navigate the challenges and opportunities of their new academic life. It seeks to provide them with a sense of agency, purpose, and connection to a larger story, transforming what may have become a scary experience into a meaningful and transformative one. The premise of this project is to utilize the framework of The Heros Journey within a virtual world. The Heros Journey is the narrative that will guide and engage news students to peninsula college. What makes it engaging is the all inclusiveness of the Heros Journey, which resonates with so many people, combined with the creative and interactive storytelling techniques. The project aims to equip students with a structure for understanding their own journey.
My specific area of focus is Step 7. This stage represents the hero’s shift in perspective and strategy. Setbacks are inevitable; a student might struggle, face unexpected hurdles, or grapple with personal challenges. This stage compels the student to adapt. This is where true resilience and resourcefulness are forged.
The objects I will be contributing to this project is a “connection” board and a resource library.
Audience and Market
The primary intended users are incoming college students, potential transfers, or even people looking for a change. The audience is here to learn or are curious about the environment and can-or not- be savvy with technology. The project is relatable, relevant, and engaging. The use of this virtual world can appeal to them because of these elements.
Some other projects that exist like this one are, for example, online orientation programs, gamified learning, and student success platforms.
Medium, Platform, and Genre
Our work is designed for the interactive medium of a virtual world, specifically Second Life. and interactive narrative where the media used within this environment can be quite diverse. The core medium is the world itself and the Island you land on. Some strengths of this medium is that it creates a strong sense of presence and “being there,” it allows for real-time interaction with users and the environment, and its sense of space to create. Text-based communication is generally accessible to a wide range of users and supports diverse communication styles. With strengths come limitations, and though Second Life has very little I feel like these could slow a hero down. Second Life requires a computer and internet access and like anything with the internet can be laggy or glitchy depending on connection.
Narrative and Gaming Elements
The Hero’s Journey is a narrative and our work contains strong narrative elements. The story events are structured around the 12 stages of the Hero’s Journey. While the outline is established, there is room for flexibility and adaptation on how those events are portrayed and experienced in Second Life. In my specific step ” Adaptation of perspective and Approach” the challenge is that the hero shift in perspective and strategy, which can manifest in several ways, depending on what how I choose to represent it in Second Life.
The tone of the narrative is primarily encouraging and empowering. It’s to inspire the Hero to embrace challenges as opportunities for growth, develop resilience and problem solving skills, and believe in their own potential to succeed. This all happened within what feels like a game, a self-fulfilling game for themselves as the main character. The hero can win by overcoming personal fear or doubt, or give into personal fear or doubt, which then you can either earn rewards or experience setbacks. The goal is to motivate.
User’s Role and Point of View (POV)
The user will take on the role of a new student embarking on their academic journey, framed as a “hero’s journey.” They are the protagonist of this own story, navigating the challenges and opportunities of starting at Peninsula College. Within the Second Life environment, this will likely be represented by their avatar. The hero’s role is active they are not passive observers but controllers of their own experience. They can be the observer and the hero.
Characters
We have objects that we are creating to be presented throughout the journey on the hero walks the path. The objects are to enhance the hero’s story and create meaning.
Structure and Interface
The users experience begins with their arrival at step 1: The Ordinary World and end their experience with Step 12: Return with Education Elixir and Becoming the Mentor. Our project is to provide a clear narrative for the users experience and it can be use for progression and regression, because the hero can go back down the path and redo each step whenever they want.
Users are first person characters so they control their avatar.
Storyworld and Sub-settings
Second Life is where our project is set, on an island that represents and is inspired by the PNW. It is a magical island (from what I’ve seen of class photos) that is creative and diverse. As someone who didn’t grow up in the PNW I found this rather interesting and intriguing. Though it was virtual, to see something amazing that was inspired by the real thing would have made me want to see it even more.
User Engagement
I think The Hero’s Journey narrative is already engaging. People are drawn to stories and who doesn’t want to be the main character? It has active participation, interactive environment, and the story also offers a variety of experiences. Some key goals for the user wis becoming familiar with the school and its resources, connecting, and developing a sense of confidence and preparedness. These are important to the user because it can impact their personal wellbeing and future success. This experience will offer several forms of meaningful interactivity, such as, problem solving and decision making. Learning valuable lessons and development of positive habits can contribute to success or understanding.
Overall Look and Sound
I haven’t really thought about this yet but because we’ve been working on our visual vocabulary, animations would be fun.
Interactive Scavenger Hunt
The scavenger hunt can have elements of exploration. It can include our objects and correspond with each step in the journey. One physical interaction idea could be clues in virtual world could lead them to a physical location on campus, so that way they can get to know the campus as well.
Marketing of The Hero’s Journey
Social Media. Social media is always a big way to market something. By using this platform we can post advertisements, while also posting physical advertisements around campus. We could even send out a campus email with a little help from student marketing.
Object Mood Boards:
