Description of the M is for Nottingham? Project:

This project combines collaborative Web writing, mystery game, introduction to the history and sights of Nottingham, and a live drama to take place during the Incubation 2 Conference in July, 2002.  M is for Nottingham? allows writers to join together at a collaborative Website in the spring of 2002 to create a persona, interact with others, and find clues to the mystery on the Web and in the virtual haunts of Nottingham. 

Then, during the actual conference, volunteers will arrive in costume and play out the denoument of the mysterious corpse (a drama structured by the growth of the sleuthing activities of the Website); players and members of the audience will be invited to participate.  

In addition, a panel on the day following will investigate the characteristics of interactive Web drama and writing.  Panel members will discuss the meta-discoveries:  how can interactive drama be structured?  What elements of collaborative Web stories can be carried over into live drama?  What interfaces arise as a result of the blending of the real with the virtual?  What autonomies are possible for interactive agents?

Briefly, the process consists of five steps.  First, all conference attendees and interested writers will be invited to join the drama on the Web.  Second, at the Website, players will choose a persona (either a "stock character" or one they create).  Third, players will use the Website as a base for the collaborative writing of the action, insights, and dialog for the mystery plot.  Fourth, upon arrival in Nottingham, some players may want to do on-site investigation at the conference site.  Fifth, on the appointed evening, players and audience will meet in the "conservatory" to participate in the denoument of the mystery.  Some alert sleuths may notice actual persona of the drama in costume during the events of the conference.  

The script of the online drama is being archived for future reference. 

Find out more about Nottingham on the WWW.

Read what has been written in the Book.  Write your own episode.

Find another site.

Create a Character

Return to Great Hall

© M.D. Coverley 2002

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"the last letter of the 
Name has been written"