1. Interactive Storytelling
EST310/ISE340
Fall 2011
Tony Scarlatos

2. 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

3. 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

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

5. 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

6. 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

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

8. Branching Dialog Example

9. Branching Story Example