NEW MEDIA: Patchwork Girl – Getting Started

Of course I downloaded this and got right into it without having much of an idea how this particular program works.  Manual?  I don’t need no stinkin’ manual!  Until later.  When I thought the CD was a lemon.  Then I blamed the computer.  Then the blame fell squarely on me.

I recognized immediately the Storyspace layout, so that put me one clue closer, however I still saw no story.  Sometimes I’d click a button or a link and  the whole thing faded away to a lovely ash color blank screen.  Honestly thought I was doing things to this poor piece accidentally in my clumsy explorations that would ruin it forever–or worse, render it as useless as a scratched LP.  And with the warning on the CD that I could use it only on this PC and no other (we have four), SG decided to check out the manual.

But only for a second; I’ve never been one to take direction well, preferring to walk off the cliff proudly by myself rather than follow the crowd down the trail.  So I played a bit more, found text, found story, and found what I think is the purpose; to map your journey as you go, and save it.  That’s so you can take a different road next time, or not get lost, or get lost somewhere in a different place and time.

I like it–it intrigues me in the half hour I’ve had to muck about.  But I shall play Susie Girl Scout and maybe spend a few minutes with the manual before I head out on the trail again tomorrow.

This entry was posted in NEW MEDIA. Bookmark the permalink.