How to enter a fictional realm / tutorial (2017)

Using the format of a YouTube tutorial, How to enter a fictional realm is a handy didactic guide for accessing the realm of Tamriel with a non-native character. Located in the so-called open world of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Tamriel is not exactly easy to enter and navigate. In addition to offering practical tips for getting a virtual self into Tamriel, the video examines the agency of digitised personas and what entering a foreign, hostile landscape might mean for a character striving to maintain a consistent and persistent narrative. Thinking of a virtual self as a self-contained identity reaching past incidental existence, the work urges the viewer to consider the relationship between two agents, the player and their alter ego. A seemingly straightforward gesture - visiting Tamriel - causes problems ranging from the loss of identity to fictive character memory inconsistencies, not to mention an overall lack of narrative compliance.

Running time: 9 min