Dynamic adaptation of a narrative across different types of digital media
Techniques for dynamically adapting the presentation of a narrative to a user across a plurality of digital media are provided. In one embodiment, a computer system can maintain a narrative state for the narrative and, upon request, transmit a copy of the narrative state to a first digital medium client operated by the user. The first digital medium client can be configured to present the narrative to the user via a first digital medium in the plurality of digital media. Upon receiving the copy of the narrative state, the first digital medium client can adapt, based on the copy of the narrative state and one or more first rules, its presentation of the narrative to the user via the first digital medium. The first digital medium client can then update the copy of the narrative state based on portions of the narrative consumed by the user and transmit the updated copy to the computer system.
1. A method comprising:
maintaining, at a server system, a narrative state for a narrative to be presented to a user across a plurality of digital media; and
in response to determining that the user has logged into a first client system, transmitting, by the server system, a copy of the narrative state to the first client system, wherein the first client system is configured to present the narrative to the user via a first digital medium in the plurality of digital media, and wherein upon receiving the copy of the narrative state, the first client system is configured to:
adapt, based on the copy of the narrative state and one or more first rules, the first client system's presentation of the narrative to the user via the first digital medium, wherein the adapting takes into account information included in the copy of the narrative state that identifies portions of the narrative which have already been consumed by the user while operating a second client system different from the first client system, the second client system being configured to present the narrative via a second digital medium different from the first digital medium;
update the copy of the narrative state based on portions of the narrative consumed by the user via the first client system; and
upon determining that the user has logged out of the first client system, transmit the updated copy of the narrative state to the server system for storage on the server system.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the narrative state includes a set of narrative content units and metadata associated with each narrative content unit indicating whether the narrative content unit has been consumed by the user.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the narrative state is implemented as a key-value store, each narrative content unit being represented as a key in the key-value store and the metadata associated with the narrative content unit being represented as a corresponding value in the key-value store.
4. The method of claim 2 wherein each narrative content unit corresponds to a conversation exchange or scene within the narrative.
5. The method of claim 2 wherein adapting the presentation of the narrative comprises determining which portions of the narrative should be presented next to the user in view of the narrative content units that have already been consumed by the user.
6. The method of claim 2 wherein updating the copy of the narrative state comprises updating the metadata for each content unit consumed by the user to reflect its consumed status.
7. The method of claim 2 wherein the narrative state further includes a timestamp associated with each narrative content unit, the timestamp indicating a time at which the narrative content unit was consumed by the user.
8. The method of claim 2 wherein the narrative state further includes one or more links between related narrative content units.
9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
transmitting, by the server system, the updated copy of the narrative state to a third client system operated by the user, wherein the third client system is configured to present the narrative to the user via a third digital medium in the plurality of digital media that is different from the first digital medium and the second digital medium, and wherein upon receiving the copy of the narrative state, the third client system is configured to:
adapt, based on the updated copy of the narrative state and one or more second rules, its presentation of the narrative to the user via the third digital medium, the adapting taking into account information in the updated copy of the narrative state identifying portions of the narrative previously consumed by the user via the first client system and the second client system.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein the third client system is further configured to:
further update the updated copy of the narrative state based on portions of the narrative consumed by the user via the third client system; and
transmit the further updated copy of the narrative state to the server system for storage on the server system.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting the updated copy of the narrative state to the server system for storage on the server system comprises:
identifying, by the first client system, portions of the narrative consumed by the user via the first client system; and
transmitting metadata associated with the identified portions to the server system, without transmitting any metadata associated with portions of the narrative not yet consumed by the user via the first client system.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein the server system is configured to modify the narrative state maintained on the server system based on aggregate behavior of a plurality of users.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein the server system is configured to modify the narrative state maintained on the server system based on a predefined non-user-driven trigger.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of digital media include one or more of a digital video, a video game, an electronic book, a web site, or a virtual reality world.
15. The method of claim 1 wherein the first digital medium is a digital video and wherein the second digital medium is a video game.
16. The method of claim 1 wherein the server system is operated by a creator of the narrative.
17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon program code executable by a server system, the program code causing the server system to:
maintain a narrative state for a narrative to be presented to a user across a plurality of digital media; and
in response to determining that the user has logged into a first client system, transmit a copy of the narrative state to the first client system, wherein the first client system is configured to present the narrative to the user via a first digital medium in the plurality of digital media, and wherein upon receiving the copy of the narrative state, the first digital medium client is configured to:
adapt, based on the copy of the narrative state and one or more first rules, the first client system's presentation of the narrative to the user via the first digital medium, wherein the adapting takes into account information included in the copy of the narrative state that identifies portions of the narrative which have already been consumed by the user while operating a second client system different from the first client system, the second client system being configured to present the narrative via a second digital medium different from the first digital medium;
update the copy of the narrative state based on portions of the narrative consumed by the user via the first client system; and
upon determining that the user has logged out of the first client system, transmit the updated copy of the narrative state to the server system for storage on the server system.
18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17 wherein the program code further causes the computer system to:
transmit the updated copy of the narrative state to a third client system operated by the user, wherein the third client system is configured to present the narrative to the user via a third digital medium in the plurality of digital media that is different from the first digital medium and the second digital medium, and wherein upon receiving the copy of the narrative state, the third client system is configured to:
adapt, based on the updated copy of the narrative state and one or more second rules, its presentation of the narrative to the user via the second digital medium, the adapting taking into account information in the updated copy of the narrative state identifying portions of the narrative previously consumed by the user via the first client system and the second client system.
19. A server system comprising:
a processor; and
a memory having stored thereon program code that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to:
maintain a narrative state for a narrative to be presented to a user across a plurality of digital media; and
in response to determining that the user has logged into a first client system, transmit a copy of the narrative state to the first client system, wherein the first client system is configured to present the narrative to the user via a first digital medium in the plurality of digital media, and wherein upon receiving the copy of the narrative state, the first client system is configured to:
adapt, based on the copy of the narrative state and one or more first rules, the first client system's presentation of the narrative to the user via the first digital medium, wherein the adapting takes into account information included in the copy of the narrative state that identifies portions of the narrative which have already been consumed by the user while operating a second client system different from the first client system, the second client system being configured to present the narrative via a second digital medium different from the first digital medium;
update the copy of the narrative state based on portions of the narrative consumed by the user via the first client system; and
upon determining that the user has logged out of the first client system, transmit the updated copy of the narrative state to the server system for storage on the server system.
20. The server system of claim 19 wherein the program code further causes the processor to:
transmit the updated copy of the narrative state to a third client system operated by the user, wherein the third client system is configured to present the narrative to the user via a third digital medium in the plurality of digital media that is different from the first digital medium and the second digital medium, and wherein upon receiving the copy of the narrative state, the third client system is configured to:
adapt, based on the updated copy of the narrative state and one or more second rules, its presentation of the narrative to the user via the third digital medium, the adapting taking into account information in the updated copy of the narrative state identifying portions of the narrative previously consumed by the user via the first client system and the second client system.