Interactive Storytelling EST310/ISE340 Fall 2011 Tony Scarlatos

Why storytelling? Provides context for competition Sustains player interest in a long game Marketing (especially for serialization) Dramatic Tension – empathy for the avatar’s outcomes Gameplay Tension – engagement in the game’s outcomes

Interactive Narrative – Challenges of a New Art Form Agency – the ability of the player to determine the narrative May present too many choices to the player Wait for player response/choice interrupts the flow of the game Impossible to implement infinite choices Dialog often carries the story, but how does the designer get the player to stop fast-forwarding through the dialog? Cut scenes provide narrative too, but also periods of no interaction

Anatomy of an interactive narrative Input Player Events UI Core Mechanics Player Output Game Events Narrative Events Storytelling Engine

Linear Stories Less content that has to be developed Engine is simpler and easier to implement Less bug-prone Limits player agency Greater emotional power

Non-linear Stories Branching Usually only 2 branches for each decision Immediate, deferred, and cumulative consequences Difficult to implement Player must play the game repeatedly to see all the content and experience all the scenarios

Design Strategy Foldback – some branching but one ending Give the illusion of greater choice (agency) than there actually is

Branching Dialog Example

Branching Story Example