Crafting satisfying narratives while preserving player freedom is a longstanding challenge for computer games. Many games use a quest structure, allowing players to experience content nonlinearly. However, this risks creating disjointed stories when side quests only minimally integrate with the main story. This talk introduces the problem of nonlinear storytelling in games and discusses our flexible, scene-based story system that reacts dynamically to the player’s actions. Learn more at http://gailcarmichael.com/research/projects/emergentstories

1. #GHC13
1:17 PM
Coherent Emergent
Stories
Gail Carmichael
Thursday October 3
2013
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2. Goal:
Good videogame stories
that react to the player.
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3. What is a Story?
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4. ACTORS
perform actions
THE WORLD
changes
EVENTS
relate to each other
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5. STORIES:
About people, not things
conflict
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6. Interactivity
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7. Understand
each other
Two or more
agents
Respond
properly
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8. Game + Story:
Why is it Hard?
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9. STORIES:
GAMES:
Linear
Non-Linear
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10. “Divergence from a story's path is
likely to make for a less satisfying
story; restricting a player's
freedom of action is likely to make
for a less satisfying game.”
Greg Costikyan
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11. What should we do?
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12. Complete freedom?
No freedom?
Somewhere in the
middle.
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18. Satellite Scenes
Available based on player action.
Allow player to choose consumption.
Dynamically modified to fit story.
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19. Availability via Modifiers
…space, motivation, goals,
knowledge, heroism, mood,
tension, relationships, theme,
character, setting, story
progression…
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20. Result:
A strong core story with
additional flexible but relevant
nodes that react to gameplay.
In other words, a coherent emergent story.
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21. Gail Carmichael
Instructor / PhD Student,
Carleton University
www.gailcarmichael.com
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22. Got Feedback?
Rate and Review the session using the
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To download visit www.gracehopper.org
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