Is it possible? Twine + dynamic, interactive 360 images/pictures/videos (Thinglink)?

Question

I am researcher working on two international projects that aims at exploring digital storytelling co-created by schoolkids in different parts of the world and then these stories are shared. The aim is to make the children see that we as humans, are all interconnected.

I have a basic understanding of Twine but am looking for answers to a couple of questions before I delve into the complexities of advanced Twine.

I was wondering if its possible to:

1. Use Twine combined with 360 images and or video?

2. Use Twine combined with annotated 360 images? (like Thinglink, or another?)

3. Is it possible to use Twine with interactive 360 images that links to another 360 image? (like clicking on the door in the first image and then get transported to the next image. From one node to another. Thinglink has this feature but can it be implemented/embedded into Twine?)

4. Would you recommend Twine 1 or Twine 2 for this project? Would you recommend other software for non-linear storytelling and annotating interactive 360 images?

5. What 360 camera would you recommend that is high quality and sturdy built with good support?

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Answer 1

The story HTML file created by 'Twine' (*) is just a single page HTML/CSS/JavaScript based web-application, so generally you can do anything in one that you can do in any such web-application created by other Web Development tools.

If the particular 3D image or video technologies can be used within a standard HTML page or within a HTML/CSS/JavaScript based web-application then they should be able to be used within a 'Twine' story HTML file, but some effort may be required to make it happen.

I don't know the ThinkLink product you mentioned but based on information within this page it appears that all the iinformation & images releated to your '3D image' need to be stored on their server, and that they expect you to navigate to their server to experence the '3D image'. If this is the case then it should be possible to use a HTML iframe element to at least 'embed' the visual output of the '3D image' from their server within the contents of a Twine Passage. This in theory should also allow the user to interact with that '3D image' but it may take effort to allow the story itself to know about any such interaction.

The story HTML files created by either of the Twine applications (1.x or 2.x) should support doing the above, so would such a HTML file created by the TweeGo compiler. Personally I would use the SugarCube 2.x story format if I was trying to implement such a solution using Twine, because it has better built-in support for JavaScript and you are likely going to need to use that language if you want the story to know about the interactions with the 3D image.

I can't answer question 5, as it's outside my area of knowledge.

Comments

Thank you so much for this comprehensive answer. This helps alot.

I will look into SugarCube 2.x.

Would you recommend Twine 1.x or 2.x?

"Personally I would use the SugarCube 2.x story format if I was trying to implement such a solution using Twine, because it has better built-in support for JavaScript and you are likely going to need to use that language if you want the story to know about the interactions with the 3D image." - By this do mean that potentially I need to do some programmeing? Or is it just to avoid compatibility issues?

I hope it is okay that I return with more questions for you as I delve into the nitty gritty of Twine, SugarCube and Thinglink.

:)

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> Would you recommend Twine 1.x or 2.x

I feel hesitant recommending one Twine application over the other because:
a. I believe such a choice depends greatly on an individuals personal preferences.
b. I personally find the 2.x application cumbersome to use (1).and have a bias towarded 1.x

Twine 2.x has what is know as a Single Document Interface (SDI) because it only allows you view/edit the content of a single Passage at a time, this feature can makes things easier for beginners but can also make it more difficult to work on a more complex story project. This application is still being actively developed, and it has the larger user base.

Twine 1.x has what is know as a Multiple Document Interface (MDI) because it allows you to view/edit the content of multiple Passages at the same time, this feature can be more difficult for beginners at the start but it can make working on a more complex story project a lot easier. This application is no longer being developed, but there are many users that still use it or have swapped to it for personal reasons.

> By this do mean that potentially I need to do some programmeing?

If all you want to do is 'embed' the visual output of the 3D Image within the contents of a Passage and if all the 'user-interaction' with that 3D Image is handled by the 3D Image server, then you might not need to do any JavaScript programming. However if you want the story itself to know about and react to those 'interactions' then you will likely need to use JavaScript to code the relevant functionallity required for that to happen.

(1) I am a professional Software Developer and used to using more adanced Text Editors / Intergated Development Environments to build software, including 'Twine' based stories. I rarely use the Twine applications, generally only when necessary to debug peoples issues with the applications themselves or when working on other Developer's projects that require the use of those applications.