Story In Relation to Game

Why Stories?

• In general:– Illuminate the human condition– Make you feel something– Help you learn something– Fun

Stories

• In Games:– New medium – new ways to tell

stories– Keep people playing to the end– They end – feeling of

accomplishment instead of exasperation or boredom

– Good experience will sell the next game

How?

• In General:– Beginning Stability– Middle Disruption– End Resolution

How? (continued)

Drivers of Drama•Conflict•Mystery

Stakes –Raised•Life•Food•Shelter

Love•Companionship•Reproduction

How? (continued)

Stakes•Comfort•Money•Fashion•Fame•Power•Social standing•Control of others•Control of your own destiny

Story in Games

• Narrative to Start then forget it– Who are you?– Who are they?– Why do you want to kill each other?

• Are there other stories to tell that don’t involve life and death stakes? Are there other mechanics to play than violience?

Story and Games

Story Delivered in the Structure of Games

• Story is same for all players• Play stops at each obstacle until it’s

overcome• Examples:

– X-Wing– TIE Fighter– Myst– Tomb Raider– Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

Linear story

Linear story• Advantages

– Complete narrative control– Player sees all content or quits

• Disadvantages– Play stops until obstacle is overcome– No replayability– Player may quit

• More than one path from beginning to end• Players have varying degrees of success yet can continue• Examples:

– Wing Commander– Balder’s Gate– Planescape Torment– King of Dragon Pass– Europa 1400: The Guild

Branching Storyline

Branching Storyline

• Advantages– Players make choices that affect

their entire game experience– Replayability– Some narrative control – major plot

points• Disadvantages

– Unseen content– Some game experiences better

than others

Emergent Storylines• Broad rules lead to stories that emerge during play• Winning conditions dictate end of game, not narrative• Examples:

– Civilization– Falcon 4.0– X-Com– Daggerfall

Emergent Storylines

• Advantages– Every game has unique story– Player feels totally in control– Replayability

• Disadvantages– Very difficult to generate good stories– Very little narrative control

How do we write in-game stories?

• Story space as opposed to linear narrative– Discovery as a means of storytelling– Scripted action sequences– Found stories

Linear/Branching/Emergent

• Task 3– For each of the 3 story writing styles above cite an example of a game that

you have either played or researched.– Discuss how the story is delivered in your example and how that complies to

the type of delivery– Discuss the strengths and weaknesses within this story and the story delivery

method itself– Draw conclusions about the methods of story delivery. Consider how

appropriate these methods are in relation to games. Does one have more potential than another? If so why?