I was surprised by how fond I quickly grew of the experimental 1992 film I’m Your Man when it was shown as part of the Night Trap screening. It was presented as a complete product of its time, an experiment in interactive film that came straight from the depths of nineties cheesiness and never really caught on.
But I think there was something special not about the movie itself but about the experience of seeing it. Collectively, we as the audience decided what to see next, and it was that collectiveness that made the experience feel almost magical. I already knew there was a certain joy to seeing a film in a theater–it is one of my favorite activities, after all–and enjoying the film in a group setting with others. The one key difference here was that it felt like we were all a part of it.
The characters would occasionally speak to the audience, and the audience voted on what to see next or what might happen next. Together, we influenced the story, and communally we acted as the story’s fourth major character. It’s a special diversion from traditional film, uniting an audience more than any of them can.
The Night Trap playthrough was similar, but it wasn’t quite the same, given that there was just one player at a time for that. But there was still the excitement of trying to figure things out together, laughing together at the cheesy lines, and singing together to the theme of the game. (I may still happen to listen to it on my phone.)
Still, both of these playthroughs showed me something I had never had the opportunity to experience before, the excitement of an audience working together for a playthrough of a game.
Personally I wasnt a huge fan of this type of game, but its great to hear the perspective of someone who found the experience very enjoyable! Definitely a lot of points and elements I can agree on even if the overall feeling isnt the same. Great Post!
Interesting read and I share the same sentiment of appreciating these kinds of games. The combination of movie plots + the player’s/audience’s own choices also reminded me of the Choose Your Own Adventure game genre and recent examples like Telltale’s The Walking Dead where the main storyline follows a set path like in traditional movies, but many of the main decisions are made by the player, similar to that of Night Trap except it’s only for one player and not really for communal play.