In this talk, Jesse Schell tries to show how the fifteen properties of living structures defined by Christopher Alexander apply to game narrative.

1. The Nature of Order
in Game Narrative
Jesse Schell
GDC 2018
Game Narrative Summit

3. Einstein Alexander

4. Tesla Dickinson Melville
Van Gogh Dick

5. Alexander

7. Each one of us has, somewhere in his heart,
the dream to make a living world, a universe.

9. EgolessExact Eternal
Alive Whole Comfortable Free

10. Alive

13. Whole

14. Comfortable

15. Free

16. Exact

17. Egoless

18. Eternal

19. EgolessExact Eternal
Alive Whole Comfortable Free

40. Dot: Little
Ghost: Medium
Board: Big

41. Alas, Poor Yoshi!
I knew him, Luigi, a
dino of infinite jest.
Medium
Small
Big
(Dialog)
(Characters)

48. Mechanic: Realistic Manipulation
Transformation: Teaches Real Lab Skills
Fantasy: Lab Genius World Championship

60. Good
Skills0 (Low) (High) ∞
Flow
Channel
∞
(High)
(Low)
0
Challenges
Boredom
Anxiety

61. Better
Skills0 (Low) (High) ∞
Flow
Channel
∞
(High)
(Low)
0
Challenges
Boredom
Anxiety

63. LevelCutsceneLevelCutsceneLevelCutsceneLevelCutsceneLevelCutscene

92. C8H8O3

96. All lyrical work must, as a
whole, be perfectly
intelligible, but in some
particulars a little
unintelligible. –Goethe

114. Innate Complexity Emergent Complexity

115. The Dots in Pac-Man…
• Establish the goal (eat
all the dots)
• Earn points
• Create a pleasing
sound of progress
• Earn extra lives
• Show progress toward
clearing the board
• Slow down Pac-Man,
creating meaningful
strategy

126. Thanks!
Slides: jesseschell.com
Email: jesse@schellgames.com
@jesseschell

127. Images and stuff
• https://img00.deviantart.net/8bc7/i/2015/076/8/d/god_s_creation_by_wannesvdv-
d8m2e27.jpg
• https://fineartamerica.com/featured/koi-pond-with-lily-pad-flower-and-bud-black-and-
white-sally-rockefeller.html
• 15 patterns sketches: Kubala Washatko Architects
• Orbitals: By PoorLeno (talk) - the English language Wikipedia (log).Original text: I created
this work entirely by myself. References:Forinash, Kyle. Hydrogen W Simulation. Indiana
University Southeast. Retrieved on 2008-12-18.Tokita, Sumio; Sugiyama, Takao; Noguchi,
Fumio; Fujii, Hidehiko; Kobayashi, Hidehiko (2006). "An Attempt to Construct an
Isosurface Having Symmetry Elements". Journal of Computer Chemistry, Japan 5 (3):
159–164. DOI:10.2477/jccj.5.159., Public Domain,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5854697
• Many images are from the various books of Christopher Alexander, contact me for more
information.