Storytelling

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Storytelling
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Storytelling

• In the early days of video games, storytelling
  was usually only done in the context of adventure
  games.
• Modern video games of all genres can have some
  story elements.
• It might be a key part of the game, or it might
  just be to provide a setting and motivation for
  the game.
• Either way, it is important to understand how
  good stories are told.
• There are three key parts to any story
• Plot, setting, and characters.

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PlotThe Three Act Structure

• The basic structure of a good plot is really
  quite simple.
• A story must have a beginning, a middle, and an
  end.
• Each must be done properly for the story to be
  effective.

Act 2 The Middle
Act 1 The Beginning
Act 3 The End
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PlotThe Beginning

• A story begins the moment the player has a
  problem that is when the game should begin.
• Many writers, however, start the story before the
  beginning.
• They go over history, extensive background of the
  character, and so on. The action begins too
  late.
• Most good stories begin with the character
  already involved or engaged.
• You grab the players attention first, and fill
  in back story as you go along.
• Start with simple threats and obstacles that
  establish mood and setting, and begin to form and
  advance the story as these are overcome.

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PlotThe Beginning
Screen shot from the Legend of Zelda The
Ocarina of Time. It has a classic introduction
that involves the player right from the start.
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PlotThe Middle

• Once initial obstacles are dealt with, it is now
  time to provide more of the big picture.
• Give more background and motivations, and set the
  players actions in a larger context.
• Provide additional obstacles to the player
  throughout the story.
• Each time one is overcome, a new and harder one
  must be faced to reach the long-term goal.
• The best obstacles also require the hero of the
  game, and the player in turn, to deal with some
  kind of inner conflicts and challenges. To
  overcome these, growth of some form is required.

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PlotThe Middle
Act 1
Act 3
Act 2
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PlotThe End

• The story ends when the player achieves the
  long-term objective of the game.
• The last part of a game should bring together the
  themes and issues introduced throughout the
  game.
• In the last part of the game, the player must
  overcome the ultimate villain, the source of the
  obstacles throughout the game.
• In the end, there must be something or someone
  that does not want the player to succeed.
• To face off with this ultimate villain at the end
  of the story, and emerge victorious is very
  satisfying.

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PlotThe End
Screen shot from Mario 64. This is one of the
final scenes witha show down against the main
villain.
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PlotSummary

• Keep in mind the three act structure of the plot
  of a story.
• Remember this old writers maxim
• In the first act, you get your hero up a tree.
• In the second act, you throw rocks atyour hero.
• In the third act, you get the hero back down.

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Setting

• Setting is something usually done well in most
  modern video games.
• Graphics and sound technologies have advanced to
  the point where good settings can be easily
  created.
• Setting, however, is not just a physical
  location.
• It is the whole world created to tell your story.
• In creating this world, you should invent only
  one what if? and everything else should flow
  from this.
• After this, everything should be as real as
  possible without any contradictions.
• Choose a setting that will visually entertain.
• By keeping the setting vivid and consistent, you
  will more easily be able to immerse the player.

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Setting
Screen shot from Unreal Tournament 2003. Visuals
like these really help establish the setting of
the game.
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Character Development

• Characters can be the most fascinating part of a
  story.
• There are two basic philosophies here
• Avoid creating a strong central character only
  provide a bare outline, and allow the player to
  fill in the rest with themselves.
• Create a character with a well defined
  personality, attitude, and background.
• Success can be had either way.

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Character Development
Dooms generic space marine
Duke Nukem
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Character Development Creating a Character

• Creating a memorable character is hard, but the
  rewards can be great.
• Both artistically and commercially.
• Try to create a character that can be easily
  identified with by the player.
• Try to find problems that we all have as
  individuals and allow the player to fantasize
  that they can actually be solved through the hero
  created.

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Character DevelopmentNon Player Characters

• Non player characters fill an important role in
  many video games.
• They can reveal emotions and reactions that the
  hero cannot show.
• They help establish mood and tone in very
  effective ways that are difficult to do
  otherwise.
• Example
• Your hero should face down the ultimate villain
  without any fear.
• By having non player characters cowering in the
  background at the same time, this emotion can
  still be instilled in the game player.

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Character DevelopmentNon Player Characters
Screen shot from Golden Axe. The villagers
scream and flee at the villains assault. One is
being attacked to the rightbehind the dragon.
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Character DevelopmentNon Player Characters
Screen shot from The Thing. Computer controlled
team mates experience and display fear earning
and keep their trustis an important aspect of
the game.
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Character DevelopmentCharacter Growth

• Character growth in video games is often
  difficult to accomplish.
• We can have characters grow by improving their
  vital statistics, by making them stronger, and by
  granting them new abilities.
• This is not the same kind of growth found in
  traditional storytelling.
• The difficulty comes from the fact that the
  character is controlled by the player.
• Ultimately, growth is determined by the
  experiences had by the player in playing the game.

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The Effects of Interactivity

• Because of interactivity with the player, the
  storyteller of a game does not have sole control
  over the flow of the story.
• This is a tight balancing act the nonlinear
  freedom given to a player, and the linearity
  needed to have a well-constructed story.
• Again, the best way to overcome this is through a
  series of linearly connected open areas.
• Give the player freedom to meet challenges as
  they see fit, which can result to a variety of
  game experiences.
• These experiences are strung together in a linear
  fashion so that the storyteller still retains a
  good measure of control over the story.

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The Effects of Interactivity
Screen shot from Halo. The player traverses
several open areas strung together in a linear
fashion. Very well done.
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Storytelling Techniques

• In a video game, there are really two ways that
  storytelling can take place.
• Through the actions of the characters.
• Through dialog.
• If something is to be part of the story, it must
  show up in one of those two forms.

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Storytelling TechniquesCut Scenes

• Cut scenes are essentially out-of-game miniature
  movies.
• If you do not deliver professional-quality work,
  the game will suffer for it.
• Each cut scene should have specific goals.
• Develop characters.
• Introduce a new environment.
• Advance the plot.
• Establish mission goals.
• For best results, it is a good idea to
  collaborate with professionals to do this.

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Storytelling TechniquesCut Scenes
Screen shots from the original Wing Commander
(left) and Wing Commander IV (right). Both are
from cut scenes. The original game used cut
scenes between game sequences, while the fourth
entry in the series used them as a main
storytelling element.
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Storytelling TechniquesScripted Events

• Scripted events are brief sequences within levels
  that are usually triggered by some player
  activity.
• They can be pieces of dialog or small bits of
  action.
• They can provide back story, build character, or
  direct the player towards new goals.
• Be careful, however, that your scripted events do
  not break the players immersion!

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Storytelling TechniquesScripted Events
Screen shot from Oni. This is of a scripted
event where theheroine Konoko triggers a guard
to come through a previously locked door in
another part of the level. Removing the
guard, passage would then be free.
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Storytelling TechniquesDialog

• Good dialog sounds nothing like regular speech.
• We stumble, pause, and repeat ourselves. Dialog
  must crisp, to the point, and without a word
  wasted.
• Every line of dialog should advance the story and
  develop character.
• A few tips on dialog
• Never have a character say something in dialog
  that the player already knows.
• Keep dialog realistic, and consistent with the
  mood, setting, and characters in the dialog.
• There should be a purpose behind the dialog
  dialog without a point can be annoying and
  frustrating.
• When writing dialog, less is more. Keep it short.

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Storytelling TechniquesDialog
Screen shot of the Legend of Zelda Ocarina of
Time. Dialog is a critical point in advancing
the story, even if it is done in text form.
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Storytelling TechniquesDialog
Screen shot from Phantom Crash. The gameplay
itself is quite good, but theseemingly endless
and pointless dialog between the action can be
extremelyannoying and frustrating to the player.
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Storytelling TechniquesPuzzles and Obstacles

• As mentioned earlier, each puzzle or obstacle
  faced by the player in the game should some how
  advance the story.
• If they do not, the player will wonder what the
  point was in overcoming it.
• Again the puzzle or obstacle should be consistent
  with the story and the players role in how it
  unfolds.
• It must be reasonable for each puzzle or obstacle
  to exist and for the player to have to overcome
  it in order to complete their long-term
  objectives.

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Storytelling TechniquesPuzzles and Obstacles
Screen shot from Zork I. By finding a way into
the house, we advance the story and the player is
allowed to proceed further.