The Romantic Wrong is the title of an interactive computer game that looks self-consciously at romantacized violence in fantasy narratives. The digital medium combines cinematic, literary, and gaming techniques to explore the paradox that violence is negative and unethical, but also attractive, and to explore the cognitive boundary between its perpetration and spectation. To play, download and then double-click the game icon.

Notes for this version:
• Only the Start New Game and Options buttons are currently functional in the menu. If you have an older computer you may want to try some of the different graphics settings in the Options menu, as they will improve performance.
• Once you have started a new game, navigate by clicking and dragging the mouse in the direction you wish to walk. Rotate and raise/lower the view by clicking the second mouse button or, if you do not have a second mouse button, by holding the control key, and moving the mouse towards the sides or the top/bottom of the screen. You may also use the keyboard by pressing the keys assigned at the startup dialog. By default these are W, A, S, D or the arrow keys for navigation, and Q and E for rotation. Play around with these controls and find a style you like.
• Use the space bar to interact with things that are in front of you. Right now, you can open or close doors or talk to people. Elisa is wandering around in the courtyard on the first floor, waiting for you to wake up.
• You can't have a very protracted conversation with Elisa yet. I've been putting all my effort into just making it work so far, but the writing is coming, coming, coming!
• Some of the doors swing strangely and it's possible to get stuck in them. If this happens, try getting the door to move again with the interaction button. However, you may have to restart. Working on it.
• If you leave through the arch in the courtyard you'll end up on the island and there's no way to get back right now, so watch out.
• (Mac users) I'm sorry I haven't added a working quit button yet. I've really been meaning to. For now, just press command-Q and it will quit.