Abstract

Using critical code studies, this dissertation examines the Twine story format Snowman. Despite existing books on the authoring tool Twine, a central part of its functionality, what it names "story formats," is rarely covered. This study steps into this gap and, based on my own experiences through working on story formats and documenting examples using Twine, explores the greater social context of the story format Snowman through examining its source code. This dissertation consists of three chapters, each using a different set of research methods. First, the metaphor of a stack is used to better understand how software like Snowman is based on a past of other, older concepts and functionality. Second, the concept of a network is applied to better understand how software projects often rely on relationships of trust and hidden labor. Third, two other story formats, which are based on Snowman, are compared through first using a distant reading approach to find structures and then a closer reading to review how they are different. This research presents not only a greater emphasis on story formats missing from existing scholarship but also positions the story format Snowman as an important, but often overlooked, part of Twine's history.

Notes

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Graduation Date

2023

Semester

Summer

Advisor

Salter, Anastasia

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

College

College of Arts and Humanities

Degree Program

Texts and Technology

Identifier

CFE0009706; DP0027813

URL

https://purls.library.ucf.edu/go/DP0027813

Language

English

Release Date

August 2023

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Doctoral Dissertation (Open Access)

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