An early interactive web drama, Online Caroline invited users into a personalised narrative through emails, a simulated webcam and an evolving online world.

In this desktop-recorded walkthrough, creator Tim Wright revisits Online Caroline, a pioneering work of early web-based interactive drama. Launched in 2000 on the UK internet service Freeserve, the project combined elements of soap opera, webcam culture and personalised online experience, inviting users to follow the life of its central character through an evolving website.

A simulated “live” webcam, constructed from sequences of still images, responded to each user’s behaviour, while registration systems and follow-up emails created a sense of direct, ongoing interaction. At a time when many people spent only a few minutes online each day, returning regularly to the site became part of the narrative experience.

The walkthrough also reveals the technical complexity behind the project and the challenges of preserving it today. Built using now-obsolete systems, including early web scripting and bespoke email engines, Online Caroline is difficult to recreate, highlighting the fragility of early interactive media.

In this screen recording, Tim Wright, one of the creators of the internet soap opera 'Online Caroline' visits the website where the series was hosted and guides the viewer through the audience experience.