The task was to create an interactive narrative using the program, Processing, which required four pages to tell the story. I was inspired by one of the storylines in The Simpsons Tree House Horror XII, where the family visits a gypsy and gets cursed after Homer ruins her shop. With hand drawn illustrations I wanted to create a playful spin on the story that involved the user as the main character. It begins outside of the gypsy’s shop, as the black cat slowly crosses your path to intimidate you, the user, to not go any further. If you do chose to continue the user would click the door. The next page shows the inside of the shop, filled with many objects and creatures that move on their own. Some of these actions include cockroaches on the floor moving, the flickering light of the candles, the potion set that glows as the mouse moves, the spider that moves up and down its web, and lastly the shrunken head who’s eyes follow the mouse. On the table is a crystal ball with a sign reading “DO NOT TOUCH”, if the user chooses to click the ball it leads to the next scene showing a figure, representing the user, stuck inside the crystal ball. If the user moves the mouse of the figure it moves side to side as if it’s in a panic trying to get out. The only way to break out of the crystal ball is to click it with the mouse. When doing so the final slide shows an angry gypsy with text saying “YOU BROKE MY CRYSTAL BALL!!!” to the right of her and a broken crystal ball in the background. The scene has a strobe effect to it to show her rage. If you click anywhere on the page the scene goes back to the beginning for the viewer to go through the story again.
The Gypsy’s Shop filled with moving elements.
The last page showing the result of breaking out of the crystal ball.