Narrative in games - presenting a case for emergent narrative
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Most videogames have a tendency to come packaged with a story on the box (Juul, 2001). Does this make them narrative? Game scholars like Aarseth argue against the perspective due to structural differences between the two (Aarseth, 2004). In this paper we analyze these key design conflicts between games and pre-scripted narratives. We will try to investigate if there is a possibility for creating narratives in games, which will result in a series of guidelines for Emergent Narrative. To test the framework proposed, we will apply it in a game revolving around life in a shanty town (favela) in Rio de Janeiro. 1 Introduction A story can be defined as “a series of logically and chronologically related events that are caused or experienced by actors which is represented in a particular way.” (Bal, 1997) While a videogame’s gameplay is defined as “the degree and nature of the interactivity that the game includes, i.e., how the player is able to interact with the game-world and how that game-world reacts to the choices the player makes.” (Rouse, 2001) Stories have been presented in videogames for a long time. Mario (Nintendo Creative Department, 1985) was explained to be on a mission to save the princess; the player is trying to save earth against an alien invasion in Space Invaders (Taito Corporation, 1978). The transition to better graphics saw stories take an even deeper and central role in videogames. Developers could make detailed adventure games with engaging stories such as The Secret of Monkey Island (Lucasfilm Games, 1990) and Grim Fandango (LucasArts, 1998). Players had to push and prod the objects in the game world until the game recognized a pre-determined combination had been successfully achieved to reveal the next story plot. Most computer games provide the player with a vast variety of options during gameplay. They can walk around, interact with objects, shoot guns, and talk to other people in the level, etc. 1 However when it comes to the story, the experience is limited to the same outcome (or a predefined finite number at best). Each play session of The Secret of Monkey Island will always reveal the same three pirate objectives to the protagonist, which will always have the same hurdles to overcome. This feature of narrative 1 Incidentally all of those mechanics are present in some games like Mass Effect 2 (BioWare, 2010)
Most videogames have a tendency to come packaged with a story on the box (Juul, 2001). Does this make them narrative? Game scholars like Aarseth argue against the perspective due to structural differences between the two (Aarseth, 2004). In this paper we analyze these key design conflicts between games and pre-scripted narratives. We will try to investigate if there is a possibility for creating narratives in games, which will result in a series of guidelines for Emergent Narrative. To test the framework proposed, we will apply it in a game revolving around life in a shanty town (favela) in Rio de Janeiro.
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