The narratives of Myst, Sandman, Ultima OnLine and MitterNachtSpiel serve not only as objects of study, but as inspiration as well. Learning from these narratives and incorporating them within my own will help me to tell how we can utilize multiple media, theories and stories to better express our own. These chosen objects of study will in a large part shape this study. Other objects would more than likely lead to a different study altogether, but I have carefully chosen objects that will offer up the most to my examination.

I chose Myst for several reasons. It is the landmark CD-ROM that first gave us a glimpse of what a hypermedia CD-ROM is capable. Riven is even more elaborate and better realized than Myst. At present it is illustrates the best in CD-ROM storytelling. It shows how "image, sound and narrative [are] woven into a new form of experience" of storytelling (Miles, 4). Also, it is by far the best and most contemporary example of a story that progresses across several media.

I chose Sandman because it is simply the best comic book series on two levels very pertinent to this study. Frank McConnell notes that the Sandman series is "one of the most extraordinary events in the history of comics" with a complex story related through images and words (1). Gaiman and many different artists have effectively and gracefully used the dance between images and words to tell these stories. Sandman is a great example of how two mediums can be blended into a new one. And Gaiman, as primary creator, has skillfully woven several older myths into his contemporary story, adding depth and resonance to the stories incorporated. He is blending older stories and myths within his new frame.

Ultima OnLine was chosen because it is one of the most dynamic and interactive stories that really does not evolve without the socially constructive participation of its audience. Myst and Riven have more lush and immersive graphics and atmosphere, but Ultima immerses the participants into a thriving environment in which they interact with others to shape the course of events. It is a "brilliant breakthrough" that shows how we will be "playing - and perhaps learning - in cyberspace" as we interact with others online (Kim, "Ultiman Online"). The stories are related and experienced, and the world is constantly changed, through the participants' performances within the Ultima story grand.

MitterNachtSpiel is one of the best examples of interactive art and narrative bar none. It uses the interface and the context to open up and encourage exploration. As J.C. Herz notes, this is how interactive pieces should be ("Making Art..."). It deftly weaves sounds and images together and uses iterations of both to build a thematic story arc.