What does the word artistic ignite in you? Does it render the picture of Taylor Swift performing ‘Style’ after her breakup, or is it an elevated spirit after you complete ‘God of Small Things’ by Arundhati Roy the nth time. The teary night during the climax of ‘96’ starring Trisha and Vijay Sethupathi. Here each of these uses distinct mediums- one represents itself through words, and the other employs visuals.
Conventional avenues, like writing, film, and music flares that creativity in you – but Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat engages you on another tangent, aiding that personal artistic experience. But of them can be altered using code. Therefore, code isn’t a medium like others; here, the coder facilitates you in unearthing your authentic voice – an element of personal experience, free from the reverberating sound of Rahel, Janu, or Taylor Swift.
In 1977, Colossal Cave Adventure, first interactive fiction, was the outcome of the amalgamation of fiction and code. Mostly, in fiction, you encounter the fictitious world of the protagonist, the protagonist is never you. Consequently, there exists a detachment between the protagonist and the reader. But in interactive fiction, the cool part is, this veil is torn, the protagonist is you. You have complete control over the narrative – a first-hand experience.
Many of the modern video games also follow the same trajectory of interactive fiction. These games comprise actors, sound effects, music, and much more. The luxury of virtual reality (VR) is right at your fingertips – the more critical question persists- Why should I watch when I can be? Therefore, interactive fiction or a VR game can create a celestial experience, conferring the liberty of an emotional bond. This bond is attained through a first-person perspective that you direct. Interactive fiction captivates you by providing an alluring experience through literature, narrative, and coding.
Data journalism is another field where you inform the public by scrutinizing data, and producing it in a form that the common man can comprehend. Interactive data journalism rests at a higher magnitude by the interface of data and models aiding us in our understanding. For instance, how government policy affects you and your loved ones makes it more personal and relevant to you.
In the era of Shakespeare to Arundhati Roy, the bond shared was never limitless. Instead, it had a strict barricade of abandoning their audience. Coding is the sole medium that provides interactive art, leaving no hurdles between the object and the spectators. It is a reciprocated relationship shared by our actions and art, an exclusive style of communication. The success of code and interactivity rests in the personal outcome.