In looking at the narrative aspects of the four different computer examples we shall see how diverse computer-mediated narratives can be. Let me note that the narrative elements of all of these hypermedia experiences have more to do with the authors' choices within this medium and less to do with the medium itself. In Myst and Riven, we are in richly detailed worlds, alone for the most part, exploring and looking for clues and hints that reveal more of the story and allow us further into the game. Myst and Riven thrive in setting. The worlds and the atmosphere created within these worlds is paramount. Next comes theme, an implicit need to carefully explore these worlds. And finally character and plot come into play on very low levels. You are the main character (an electronic Sherlock Holmes) and there are some other characters involved - Atrus, Catherine, Sirus and Achenar, and Gehn. But mostly you are alone, wandering through these worlds trying to piece together the story. The plot suffers the most here. Outside of a magnificently persistent atmosphere and sense of exploration, there are very few ups and downs and points beyond just exploring more and unraveling more story as you solve more puzzles. The authors themselves complained that it was extremely hard for them to develop any variety of narrative tensions. They felt stuck with relying on the user to propel the story, and struggled to find ways to add more spice while still allowing as full a range of interactivity as possible (Carroll, "(D)Riven"). And so the story is truly one where you are the driver. It does not proceed without you there unraveling it. You learn more about Myst and Riven as you make your way deeper into the worlds.

This reliance on the user being able to figure out the story, has led to an interesting boon in guidebook and fan websites that offer you clues for completing the game successfully, and also in revealing all the little secrets tucked away in the worlds. So, while it is possible to play your way through the story and finish without having seen everything, these guides tell all there is to know and see. They completely break down the puzzles and nooks and crannies and lay bare the entire story. Once upon a time this would have been looked on as cheating, but now it has developed into part of the experience. For example, often the creators will put in secret little features that you can intentionally or accidentally stumble upon. They are called Easter eggs, because you have to look for them. People often share with each other the various eggs they have found and it becomes a part of the narrative experience (and opens the experience up to a community of people who have played the games). The stories related in Myst and Riven are immensely rich in atmosphere and the spirit of exploration.

Whereas Myst and Riven have a community that has formed around the games to help each other play them fully, Ultima Online has a community within it. Myst and Riven are solo pursuits. You can play with several people sitting around one computer, but the perspective is solo. There is one "player" within the game with agency to propel the story forward. So you play alone with your CD in your computer and then you can talk about it with friends. Ultima Online is an internet-based game that allows thousands of people to play together, each from their own unique perspective, interacting with each other within the world of Brittania. Ultima Online is strong on character. You assume one and it is your character that you grow with as you play. The world comes next. You develop yourself in the dungeons & dragons fantasy word. Then plots and themes come into play. There are storylines to pursue, mostly quests and whatnot, and the themes are all over the map, all dependent on the community of players and their interests.

Now, one thing I need to note is the technical difference between a CD-ROM and an internet-based experience. With a CD-ROM you have an experience that is delivered on a disc. This disc is a read-only copy, so once you get the game, that is the game you have. If you want another version of the game, the game company may release a patch, or you just have to buy another disc. While the experience is dynamic and interactive, the assets (graphics, programming, etc) are not; they stay the same. The internet is a completely different beast. The game is something in which you log on to another server (a computer that stays online constantly) to experience the game. The assets exist in a forum where they can be seamlessly (or not so seamlessly) updated as often as you want. So, the game could change radically; it could look different, have new features, new stories, new everything. Ultima Online exists in this fluid medium of the internet. You log on and interact with thousands of others, and Origin often places storylines within these worlds. There are quests to go on and things to do, but often the players themselves form communities that interact with each other and the stories are completely developed within the framework of this world. You assume a role (a character) and then you grow your character in this world by doing things with others. The stories all fit in this framework, but they are as varied as the people who are playing. There have been tales of the 100 troll naked streak (each troll being a different player) and of the drunken bash thrown to complain to Lord Briton (Garriott) about the state of affairs.

And like Myst and Riven, a community has developed outside the game world. There are tons of fan websites and chat rooms where people get together and talk about Ultima Online. And in a bizarre development, people have begun selling their characters and online possessions in the real world. So someone who has taken a character and developed the character to expert levels and has a huge castle and lots of gold has sold all of the above on ebay for $5,000. So, these people are making money on their work, there can be a financial reward for the reader/author of this Ultima Online world. So, the stories of Ultima Online while framed by Origin and Britannia and truly shaped and experienced by the players themselves.

MitterNachtSpiel is unlike the others in that it is a much more abstract and artistic experience. Like Myst and Riven, it is a CD-ROM, but that is where any similarity ends. It is heavy on theme and setting. You are playfully performing a theatrical piece with a moonlit cast of characters. These characters are iconic to the point of abstraction. You see them in a scene and then you see a scene in them. And the plot is fairly nonexistent. You play with them. You see them play. It is a magical movement of sights and sounds. It leaves you with a sense of wonder and joy. It is a story so simple (playing with the moon and friends) yet so surreal, seeing how recursive iterations of images and sounds associate and interweave as you perform a multimedia art piece with the moon.