Greetings!

My name is Gene Goldmintz and I am a fourth-year history major minoring in Russian Studies and East-Central European Studies. I have taken literature courses in the past, and the readings I found most thought-provoking were those which were told by an unreliable narrator. Examples of such characters include Jonathan Swift's Gulliver as well as Venichka of Venedikt Erofeev's Moscow the End of the Line.

I am looking to create an interactive story in which the protagonist is unclear of his origins, casting his character and his past exploits into the shadows, leaving a blank slate for the player. This is intended to engage the player on a more personal level, generating a more intimate connection with the player-character on a degree impossible through traditional media.

One perceived difficulties with this experiment is the inherent contradiction between gameplay and narrative. If I, as the writer and designer, am looking to deliver a particular narrative of self-discovery and possible self-delusion how does this contend with a player-controlled character who may bypass certain narrative branching paths. In a word, the difficulty lies with the interactive medium itself while simultaneously providing for the unique richness of the experience.