Narrativa de videojuegos, game seeds

1. Design & Research
Action Design Principles
Game Design
Game as Narrative
Oct 2008 - C.Berg D&R : AD Principles : GD : Game as Page 1
Narrative

2. The Protagonist
• Main Character: which the player controls.
• His engagement creates the conflict that
drives the story.
Oct 2008 - C.Berg D&R : AD Principles : GD : Game as Page 2
Narrative

3. Characters
• Allies: acting along
side the main
character.
• Antagonist: character
or force acting against
the main character.
• Minor characters:
having small impact
on the story’s
outcome.
Oct 2008 - C.Berg D&R : AD Principles : GD : Game as Page 3
Narrative

4. Foil character
• Contrasts with the protagonist, and so highlights
various facets of the main character's
personality.
• Sherlock Holmes, Doctor Watson
• Moonlighting: Maddie Hayes & David Addison
Oct 2008 - C.Berg D&R : AD Principles : GD : Game as Page 4
Narrative

5. Game’s Character Design
Constraints & Gameplay Driven!
Oct 2008 - C.Berg D&R : AD Principles : GD : Game as Page 5
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6. Narrative in Games
• Embedded: players can experience a
game narrative as a crafted story
interactively told.
• Emergent: players can engage with
narrative as an emergent experience that
happens while the game is played.
• Every game is a mix of both approaches!
Oct 2008 - C.Berg D&R : AD Principles : GD : Game as Page 6
Narrative

7. Embedded narrative
• Narrative structures directly authored by the
game designer that serve as a frame for
interaction.
• Linear progression: traditional sequential
narrative, inserting story chapters between levels
• Adventure Game: embedded content-based
narrative.
• Branching story structure (“Choose Your Own
Adventure” series of gamebooks)
Oct 2008 - C.Berg D&R : AD Principles : GD : Game as Page 7
Narrative

8. Premise
• Setting: exposition of a story
• Introducing the main characters, universe,
time, relationships, prevailing status-quo.
Oct 2008 - C.Berg D&R : AD Principles : GD : Game as Page 8
Narrative

9. Dramatic Arc
• Meaningful, Escalating Conflict: creating a sense
of Tension, Time Pressure & space of Uncertainty!
• The Protagonist faces an Obstacle that keeps him
from accomplishing his Goal.
Oct 2008 - C.Berg D&R : AD Principles : GD : Game as Page 9
Narrative

10. Emergent Narrative
• Players interact with a game system to
produce a narrative experience unique to
each player.
• The Sims: more system-based design
approach, in which the game rules
represent a space of emergent narrative
possibility that plays itself out differently
every time.
Oct 2008 - C.Berg D&R : AD Principles : GD : Game as Page 10
Narrative

11. Storytelling in games
• In most games, story is limited to back-
story: sort of elaborate version of premise.
• Back-story: gives a setting and the context
for the game conflict and it may also
create motivation for the characters.
Oct 2008 - C.Berg D&R : AD Principles : GD : Game as Page 11
Narrative

12. Assignment
• Create a Character (from scratch)
– Write a short description (illustrated when
possible)
• Imagine its very first adventure!
– Write the Synopsis (the story in short, 1 page
max)
– Write the Premise (1page max, illustrated
when possible)
• Work in pair
Oct 2008 - C.Berg D&R : AD Principles : GD : Game as Page 12
Narrative