King of Space

King of Space is a work of electronic literature by author Sarah Smith. This interactive narrative is set in a collapsing solar system aboard an abandoned starship, where an escaped terrorist encounters the last star-captain and his ship's Priestess. The story weaves elements of gaming into a dark science-fictional ritual of fertility and regeneration.

King of Space
King of Space was influenced by the literary and digital landscape of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Sarah Smith initiated the work in 1988 (text) and collaborated with Mark Bernstein (programming). Mark Bernstein developed Hypergate, an early hypertext system based on this Hypercard.

Published in 1991 by Eastgate Systems, Inc., this collaborative effort between writer and programmer contributed to the unique interactive nature of the narrative. During production, the creators saw King of Space as a test piece for technology and what could be possible when technology influences the narrative.

King of Space: Reconstruction of a Narrative Game
In 2022, students from the Washington State University at Vancouver Creative Media & Digital Culture (CMDC) program undertook a comprehensive reconstruction of the original 1991 game King of Space, this was called King of Space: Reconstruction of a Narrative Game. This reconstruction involved a ground-up overhaul, incorporating new art and illustrations, multiple mini-games, interactive environments, and complex gameplay, breathing new life into this interactive narrative experience.

Plot
Set within the confines of the abandoned starship, known as the Greatship, amidst a plague-ridden and divided solar system. Tam Rosse, an escaped terrorist, repeatedly meets the last star captain and the enigmatic Priestess, with their relationships oscillating between adversaries, comrades, and lovers.

Characters
● Tam Rosse, twenty-three, the POV character for three out of the five stories

● Lady Nii, the intelligence of the Greatship

● King Brady, the last survivor of the Greatship

● Aster, eighteen, a Priestess now on her first assignment

Story structure and navigation
The story initially follows a linear path but continually presents readers with crossroads that lead to multiple branching paths, all determined by the reader's choices. As the narrative progresses, readers encounter pivotal decision points where their choices influence the direction of the story. In the 2022 version of the game, a range of enhancements has been introduced to heighten reader immersion. These include the integration of new art and illustrations, the inclusion of multiple mini-games, and the creation of interactive environments. These additions offer readers a more immersive and engaging narrative experience, allowing them to delve deeper into the story and explore its diverse possibilities.

Publication history
Visual artist Matthew Mattingly and musical composer Michael Druzinsky also worked on King of Space. during a period when color and robust media in electronic literature were still emerging technologies. Despite the limitations of the time, the work offered a media-rich environment, featuring bitmapped images by artist Matthew Mattingly, 8-bit music by Michael Derzhinsky, and 2D animations by Mattingly, Bernstein, and others. This early form of interactive media comprised 317 screens of text and presented readers with 25 different possible endings.

Literary significance and critical reception
Sarah Smith's King of Space has been stated as a notable example of early electronic literature and science fiction in the digital medium. It is also regarded for its innovation in blending text with animation, mazes, puzzles, and games, showcasing the possibilities of hypertext. Robert Coover, August 29, 1993 New York Times Book Review, "Hyperfiction; And Now, Boot Up the Reviews" reviewed this work and called it hypertextually innovative and interactive. Others have also gone on to say that the work defies conventional categorization, reflecting the distinct nature of digital storytelling, where the roles of author and reader are clearly differentiated.