An Interactive Movie

[Kadratis]

Hey guys,

I've been trying to find a tool or set of tools (freeware to software) that will help me set up a kind of movie where the person viewing the movie makes the choice of where the film heads.

For example, if anybody knows anything about the Star Trek interactive episodes developed by Simon & Schuster about 12 years ago or so, where they guided the person viewing the episode to make decisions that would move the storyline along (even changing the storyline with each choice that is selected). This was all done without the use of menu's as well. This has been my inspiration for a independent film I would like to shoot.

Is this even possible for standard DVD players?

Thanks for the help.

[guns1inger]

Yes, although if you want to do it for free you might have to compromise.

The fancy solution would be Buttons Over Video (BOV) along the lines of the Follow The White Rabbit option in The Matrix. At certain points the user can make a choice while the video is running, and the choice determines the branch they take. Almost seamless. I don't know if the free options handle BOV, and you also have seamless branching to take into account. DLP can come pretty close, otherwise it would be scenarist or DVD Studio Pro.

The simpler solution, which is easier to implement, would be to cut the video down to segments, and have a simple menu at the end of each segment which the user uses to select a pathway. Not quite as smooth, but any authoring tool can do it, and you don't have all the other technical issues to deal with either.

[Kadratis]

I mean, freeware to software (stuff that costs money). Thanks for the help, though.

[GeorgeW]

I mean, freeware to software (stuff that costs money). Thanks for the help, though.

Does that mean you want to do it completely "free", or that you want to do it with software that you can try, and if you like it then you will buy it?

Regards,
George

[guns1inger]

I mean, freeware to software (stuff that costs money). Thanks for the help, though.

Doesn't change my answer, regardless of software used. There are still only two basic approaches to a "choose your own adventure" - Button Over Video with branched streams, which is supported by only a few packages, most of which are very expensive, or cutting the video up and having menu based branch points - which can be done by pretty much any authoring tool.

What else do you want to know ?

[GeorgeW]

Doesn't change my answer, regardless of software used. There are still only two basic approaches to a "choose your own adventure" - Button Over Video with branched streams, which is supported by only a few packages, most of which are very expensive

Well there are some "free" options -- although they might take longer to create with alot more planning (and not as slick) as using software such as DVDLab Pro or DVD Architect...

Regards,
George

[Kadratis]

I mean, freeware to software (stuff that costs money). Thanks for the help, though.

Doesn't change my answer, regardless of software used. There are still only two basic approaches to a "choose your own adventure" - Button Over Video with branched streams, which is supported by only a few packages, most of which are very expensive, or cutting the video up and having menu based branch points - which can be done by pretty much any authoring tool.

What else do you want to know ?

The latter. But I think I've gotten pushed into the right direction. Thanks fellas.