Immersive Online Content.

June 6, 2002 8:55 AM

Immersive Online Content. The first in a series on digital storytelling techniques, from the Poynter Institute. Examples include stories on baggage inspection, water conservation, the Florida 2000 election and touch screen voting.
posted by sheauga (7 comments total)

The baggage inspection game was very good. I recommend trying it.
posted by Faze at 9:20 AM on June 6, 2002

That baggage-inspection game is via my site and my subject (I'm travel editor at MSNBC.com). We have very some good interactive producers here. (In best Homer Simpson voice: In your face, CNN!)
posted by GaelFC at 9:36 AM on June 6, 2002

After that comment, I'll never doubt crunchland again.
posted by eyeballkid at 9:56 AM on June 6, 2002

The NYT had two superior examples using Flash for the "102 Minutes/Fighting to Live as the Towers Died" feature. Here's Jason's helpful navigator of the stories and associated materials.

Still, this sort of ancillary journalism is extremely labor-intensive. You're not going to start seeing "immersive" treatment of the school board budget meetings. You might see interactive treatments of, say, different redistricting options, but it won't be immersive in that sense.
posted by dhartung at 10:24 AM on June 6, 2002

And as a note regarding usability of this sort of content: I couldn't play the #$#% baggage game, because half the time the x-ray images only appeared as they were already passing off the conveyor. Shouldn't MSNBC's Flash people be smart enough to do a pre-load?
posted by dhartung at 10:32 AM on June 6, 2002

As much as I'm embarrassed to say it, I've been impressed with CBS' site for their (admittedly tired) "Survivor" show. Notably, the flash content online here:

Rating Trends
Sole Survivor Poll Results
Challenges
Tribal Council Voting History

For the "Survivor" buff I imagine it's a cool way to interact with a lot of information. And I think they've laid it out in a fun and easy-to-digest form ... which is important, for this particular audience.
posted by Fofer at 11:25 AM on June 6, 2002

Am I the only one who thinks of drowning when people talk about immersive experiences?
posted by jjg at 11:46 AM on June 6, 2002