Let’s Talk Alex is a piece of interactive fiction made in Twine that simulates what it’s like to try and leave an emotional and mentally abusive relationship. It is part of an independent research project I did at the University of Central Florida.
Development
I spent several months working on various prototypes of Let’s Talk Alex. I experimented with different writing styles and tested them to see which most effectivly had the desired effect. I wanted the audience to be unsure what was the “right” answer.
I decided to implement this by making the antagonist more nuanced by giving them some positive qualities. The memories the player reads have positive as well as negative aspects, making it harder to determine where the antagonist crosses a line.
Gameplay Video
Note: The video is restricted to 18+, so it does not work when embedded
Let’s Talk Alex Documentation
To learn more about the development and style of Let’s Talk Alex, check out the Game Design Document
Research
Over the course of the three months I researched a number of pieces of interactive fiction, as well as some short fiction, to get a solid understanding of the genre and what approaches I could take. The subjects of these critiques were were on Some Space, Yellow Wallpaper, Turandot, The Golden, States of Awareness, Queenlash, Miss No Name, Midnight. Swordfight., Harmonia, Depression Quest, Cactus Blue Motel, and Bogeyman.
From these critiques helped me determine what direction I wanted to go stylistically, as well as my writing style and how hyperlinks were utilized. While some pieces I critiqued were better then others, each provided me with helpful insight into the dos and don’ts of interactive fiction.
Critiques
To read the critiques I wrote for this project, click the links below.
Stephanie C Smith 