Tracery

Abstract: New communities of generative text practitioners are flourishing in novel expressive mediums like Twitterbots and Twine as well as the existing practices of Interactive Fiction. However, there are not yet reusable and extensible generative text tools that work for the needs of these communities. Tracery is an author-focused generative text tool, intended to be used by novice and expert authors, and designed to support generative text creation in these growing communities, and future ones. We identify the design considerations necessary to serve these new generative text authors, like data portability, modular design, and additive authoring, and illustrate how these considerations informed the design of the Tracery language. We also present illustrative case studies of existing projects that use Tracery as part of the art creation process.

Abstract: We present Tracery, an authoring tool for casual users to build grammars to generate interesting stories. While many modern story generation systems work to maintain narrative causality, generative systems like Racter show that non-causal and even nonsensical systems also have expressive power. Using design principles of direct manipulation and flow, Tracery is designed to allow users to author more stories with greater ease, and fully explore the affordances of grammar-based story generation. A small pilot test of users were able to quickly author engaging stories, and praised the system for its fun and usability.

Abstract: Around 1500 there arose in the Netherlands a highly refined variant of Late Gothic architecture that was nurtured by prominent patrons and artists through the 1530s. Designers emphasized recognizable tracery motifs that caught the eye, oriented viewers, and lent prominence to the parts of larger structures they adorned. Music and literature relied comparably on short melodic passages and verbal phrases, implying habits of perception deeply rooted in the culture. Further, distinctive tracery designs might serve as markers of identity, generic badges of individuals or institutions. Changes in social structure and conventions for representing public images were closely related to these developments.

Abstract: Origins and evolution of metal-framed constructions. History of earliest factories using iron columns and beams and churches with iron tracery windows. Importance of iron-framed multi-storeyed textile mills for industrial architecture. With photos and bibliography.