The Relationship Between Fiction and Technology

By: Amana Bukhari Gustavo Medina Aaron Brensberger Konstantin Manevich The Relationship Between Fiction and Technology

Amana Fiction and Computers • Fiction and computers are interconnected • Fiction is imagination • Technology is reality • Computers benefit to every aspect of life • Choose any profession • Benefits to current fiction • Especially useful for writers and publishers

Amana Publishers Use Computers • Publishing software • Smart technology • E-mail to communicate with the writers • Easy to get reviews from writers

Amana Writers Use Computers • E-mail to interact with the world easily • Using the Internet to research • Increased involvement between readers and writers • Writing Blogs • Twitter and Facebook

Gustavo What is Interactive Fiction? • Interactive fiction is a good way to explain how fiction and technology goes hand in hand because technology uses the idea of interaction to enhance the experience of reading/writing fiction.

Gustavo Video Games and Interactive Fiction • Video Games are a good example of interactive fiction because with the use of computer technology creators create a fictional world/character where the user can experience the story that the inventor created to not only understand the story but get an idea of why the creator(s) made the video game.

Gustavo God of War Example(Video Game) • To refer to interactive fiction, I used an example to explain it a little more. The video game “God of War” is based on Greek mythology and is set in ancient Greece. You play as a Spartan named Kratos who embarks on a journey of vengeance to defeat the gods, losing his humanity in the process. • While using the setting of Greek Mythology as a fact, the idea of actually seeking vengeance from the gods and creating devastation to the land is purely (imaginary) fiction. The technology used to build this experience helps players to gain an experience that is vivid as if it were a book because you are learning about the story and characters as you continue with the story.

Gustavo Mario Example (Video Game) • Mario is an example of fiction and technology because this character inspires and leads people to do other pieces of work and literature, not to mention is the most popular character in gaming history so far. Mario is a fictional character in the Super Mario video game franchise by Nintendo. • This fictional character was created to coincide with an ape known as Donkey Kong in his own game. The story of Donkey Kong and Mario branched off to their own portions and different stories. This fictional character makes a solid bridge between fiction and technology because it allows the user to experience the fictional story that is Mario with the experience of playing this character and his fellow companions in video games and other forms of technology.

Gustavo Tech To Fiction(Game to Book & Vice-Versa) • So let’s imagine if this game was a book before it was a video game. The novel would be before the technology and the imagination would come from the reader and the words from fictional piece. Technology would be used to amplify the experience of fiction and learn throughout the story to not only get a better understanding of the story but why the creator made this game as well.

Aaron Fiction of the Past Influences Technology of Today • Sci-fi to “Sci-fact” • Movies • TV shows Robocop HAL 9000

Aaron Consumer-based Technology • Handheld Communicator from "Star Trek" (1984) →Cell phones (1991) • Universal Database from "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" (1981) →Wikipedia (2001) • Video phone from "Metropolis" (1926) →Skype (2006) • Voice command computer from "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" (1976) →iPhone's Siri (2011)

Aaron More Advanced Technology • Animal Cloning from "Jurassic Park" (1993) → Dolly the Sheep (1996) • Death Star laser from "Star Wars" (1977) →Tactical lasers (1998) • Hover Car from "The Jetsons" (1988) → M200G Volantor (2007)

Konstantin A Closer Look at Science Fiction • Fiction isn’t a tool for prediction, but it can act as a device to inspire and focus the imagination • Different types of science fiction: • Thought provoking and cautionary – “a what if?” (ex: economic collapse or robots taking over the world) • Metaphorical – using futuristic setting to examine a current problem • Exploration of new technology • Fiction element (setting) can inspire

Konstantin Fiction, the near future, and the day after tomorrow • Fiction is bad at predicting, good at inspiring (ex: no flying cars, robot servants) • It is always the hardest to look at the day after tomorrow. (Rephrase) • Writers take inspiration from the world around them • Science fiction writers are often inspired by their current technology (ex: ) • Current technologies that are inspired by fiction are in process of achieving their full potential (flexible display, star trek’s replicator – 3D printer, holographic displays – cars, phones)

Konstantin Technological Advancements (Inspired by Fiction) in the Process of Becoming a Reality in the Future • Electroencephalography – technology influences fiction (controlling devise with mind, e.g. Ghost in the Shell) , which in turn influences development of technology (explanation + examples) • Computers as fast as the human brain • Artificial intelligence: robots + related (self-driving cars - ex: Ray Bradbury “the pedestrian”) • Digital Assistants (ex: phones, Siri, airport) • Green-renewable technologies (ex: Jules Verne “20,000 leagues under the sea” – hydrogen fuel technology)

Conclusion Extra Media • Social e-book • M200G Volantor

The Relationship Between Fiction and Technology