The Interpretive Engine is a location-based narrative, which can be accessed on any laptop with Wi-Fi. Storytelling merges with wireless communication. The early history of the telecommunications and transportation industries inspires this story, told by 6 characters. In the Industrial Era communications, navigation, and transportation systems existed side by side in an interdependent network. These technologies as well as the profound philosophical, theological, and social shifts that ushered them in figure prominently in this story.
Characters include The Hungry Ghost, who worked in the Bureau of Time and wanders between 1884 and the present; her Guardian; children contemplating the meaning of time and space, and a Narrator.
The characters are accessed through 1885 and 1950 maps of Fresno. You are represented in the middle of the map interface at all times by an asterisk-like symbol. Simply use the arrow keys on your keyboard to navigate around the map and trigger the characters in the story. Your symbol must collide with other Character symbols to trigger audio content. The various characters can be recognized by the icon representing them on the map.
You can shift the timeframe and other aspects of the story by clicking on these icons. The icons indicate the function or source of various story elements, and they also allow you to interact with the story. You can pause the story at any time, and continue from the same place again at anytime by launching the story icon on your desktop.
