Version 1.0
The Intention vs. The End Product
The original intention of the project was to create a hypertextual story that could be read in a number of different ways (like a choose-your-own-adventure story) with one beginning and one ending.
The idea was to have a number of alternative/interwoven plotlines for the reader to follow. The end product has this on a very minor scale. The reader is presented with a few optional alternatives to experiencing a little scene here and there (e.g. making a cup of coffee or not), or some optional information (e.g. what's on the radio), and there are a few minor plot alternatives (e.g. following Silki's investigations instead of what's happening with John). On the whole the developing of concepts dominated the creative process and left little room to consider the original intention to have alternative/sub-plots.
However, something that came out of the end product that was not in the original intentions was the scope of exploration with hypertext. Admittedly I only used a few actual gimmicks, but I used them in ways that I had not originally intended to. For instance, the automatic refreshing I used in ways I had not originally thought of. I had discovered the flashing sequence on another webpage and had borrowed it, but soon discovered that I could do 'fades' by coding a gradual cycle which, when tested, looked effective. I also used creative gimmicks as well as technical gimmicks; for example, the section of the plot that takes place as a sequence of e-mails, the section where John talks to Silki on his computer screen.
On the whole the end product is not quite what I had intended, but has surpassed the original intention in other places and certainly in potential. The intention was, after all, to create a 'short story' version of something that could be expanded upon and continue to grow. The end product has shown me areas to expand and ways to expand that I had not originally considered. (See Where Next? for my thoughts on future versions.)