While writing for straight, linear media like films or novels requires certain skills, writing for video games requires a whole new set of skills. Writers need to contend with overlapping stories, different conclusions based on different actions taken by the player. It's challenging to create compelling digital storylines - and writers need help.
In video games, highly interactive stories are the way of the future, but what really makes a story interactive? What's the best way to create an interactive story? How much control should players be given? Do players really want that control in the first place? Do they even know what they really want, or are their stated desires at odds with their unconscious preferences?
All these questions and more are examined, carefully explained, and answered in this definitive book on interactive storytelling for video games. Features include clear and detailed descriptions of all major types of interactive stories, case studies of popular games (including Animal Crossing, Bioshock, Braid, Chrono Trigger, Donkey Kong, Fable, Fallout, Final Fantasy, Grand Theft Auto, Heavy Rain, Kingdom Hearts, Mass Effect, Metal Gear Solid, The Sims, World of Warcraft) and how players interact with them, notes from notable writers and game designers, and an in-depth analysis of the results of a national survey on player storytelling preferences in games. Game writers will get the expert advice they need to generate compelling and original game concepts and narratives for games.
Learn what makes a story interactive mainly: how to allow your players to interact with your story and affect the outcomes.
Explore popular styles and genres of games for of interactive storytelling (RPGs, Online Games, First person shooters, and more).
Create effective, original concepts and story lines with key components in mind: structure, process, characters, player desire, outcome.
*GOLD* for writers: Learn about what players want, what they expect, and how to create true and compelling player-driven experience - from case studies and interviews.
Case studies and interviews from the game writers themselves on developing interactive stories that deliver on their promise from TOP SELLING GAMES including: Animal Crossing, Bioshock, Braid, Chrono Trigger, Donkey Kong, Fable, Fallout, Final Fantasy, Grand Theft Auto, Heavy Rain, Kingdom Hearts, Mass Effect, Metal Gear Solid, The Sims, World of Warcraft.
Associated web site with: links to movies, web sites, game writer discussion boards and mailing lists. Additional research data from the studies conducted on game storytelling preferences. Valuable power point lectures for professors for each chapter of the book.
As technology advances, the push for highly interactive player-driven stories in video games has intensified. This book offers proven techniques and case studies from real-world games to help writers develop compelling structure, characters, player preferences and more.
Chapter 1: Game Stories, Interactivity, and What Players WantThe Importance of Stories
Stories in Video Games
Interactive Stories vs. Traditional Stories: The Great Debate
Summary
Things to Consider
Chapter 2: A Brief History of Storytelling in GamesThe Early Days
The Beginnings of Game Stories
Text Adventures and Interactive Fiction
RPGs, Adventure Games, and the Growing Importance of Stories
The Cinematic Evolution of Game Stories
Game Stories Today
The Limits of Storytelling in Games
Summary
Things to Consider
Chapter 3: The Hero’s Journey and the Structure of Game StoriesTypes of Stories Best Suited for Games
The "Best" Story Types
Using Non-Ideal Stories
The Hero’s Journey
What is the hero’s journey?
Structure of the Hero’s Journey
Stage 1: The Ordinary World
Stage 2: The Call to Adventure
Stage 3: Refusing the Call
Stage 4: The Mentor
Stage 5: The First Threshold
Stage 6: The Journey
Stage 7: The "Final Dungeon"
Stage 8: The Great Ordeal
Stage 9: The Prize
Stage 10: The Road Home
Stage 11: The Return
Modifying the Structure
Stage 1: The Ordinary World
Stage 2: The Call to Adventures
Stage 3: Refusing the Call
Stage 4: The Mentor
Stage 5: The First Threshold
Stage 6: The Journey
Stage 7: The "Final Dungeon"
Stage 8: The Great Ordeal
Stage 9: The Prize
Stage 10: The Road Home
Stage 11: The Return
Common Themes and Clichés in Game Storytelling
Common Clichés and Themes
The Amnesiac Hero
The Evil Vizier/Minister/Aide/Etc
No One Noticing the Evil Vizier/Minister/Aide/Etc
The Last of His Race
I am Your Father
A Party of Clichés
Saving the World from Evil
The Ancient Civilization
Why Clichés are Used
When to Use and When to Avoid Story Clichés
Rule 1
Rule 2
Rule 3
Rule 4
Summary
Things to Consider
Chapter 4: The Story and the CharactersStory Flow and Progression
The Importance of Proper Flow and Pacing
Don’t Neglect the Little Things
Keeping the Player Engaged
Character Development
Common Character Archetypes
The Young Hero
The Reluctant Hero
The Best Friend
The Special Person
The Mentor
The Veteran
The Gambler
The Seductress
The Hardened Criminal
The Cold Calculating Villain
Advantages of Using Archetypes
Disadvantages of Using Archetypes
Making Characters Believable
Character Actions and Decisions
Character Dialogue
How Much to Tell and Not Tell Players
The Importance of Backstory
How to Tell the Backstory
Earth and Beyond, the MMO
Deciding What to Tell
Sometimes a Mystery is Best
Summary
Things to Consider
Chapter 5: Making Stories EmotionalConnecting With the Characters
The Fine Line Between Drama and Melodrama
Making the Player Cry
Summary
Things to Consider
Chapter 6: Defining Interactive and Player-Driven StorytellingWhat makes a story interactive?
What makes a story player-driven?
Interactive Storytelling as a Spectrum
Fully Traditional Stories
Interactive Traditional Stories
Multiple-Ending Stories
Branching Path Stories
Open-Ended Stories
Fully Player-Driven Stories
How Stories are Classified
Games without Stories
Summary
Things to Consider
Chapter 7: Fully Traditional and Interactive Traditional StoriesFully Traditional Stories
Fully traditional stories, Video Games, and Why They Don’t Mix
Interactive Traditional Stories
Creating Interactive Traditional Stories
Player’s Characters Speaking Dialogue
The Strengths of Interactive Traditional Stories
The Weaknesses of Interactive Traditional Stories
Summary
Things to Consider
Chapter 8: Multiple-Ending StoriesCreating Multiple-Ending Stories
What types of endings should a game have?
Choosing Where to End the Game
How many endings does a game need?
Determining Which Ending the Player Sees
Multiple-Ending Stories and Sequels
The Strengths of Multiple-Ending Stories
The Weaknesses of Multiple-Ending Stories
Summary
Things to Consider
Chapter 9: Branching Path StoriesCreating Branching Path Stories
Types of Branches
Minor Branches
Moderate Branches
Major Branches
Deciding Where to Place Branches
How many branches should a story have?
Japanese Visual Novel Games
The Strengths of Branching Path Stories
The Weaknesses of Branching Path Stories
Summary
Things to Consider
Chapter 10: Open-Ended StoriesCreating Open-Ended Stories
The Main Plot
The Branches
The "Distractions"
The Strengths of Open-Ended Stories
The Weaknesses of Open-Ended Stories
Summary
Things to Consider
Chapter 11: Fully Player-Driven StoriesCreating Fully Player-Driven Stories
Creating a Setting
Creating Rules of Interaction
The Problem with Fully Player-Driven Stories in Video Games
MMOs
The Strengths of Fully Player-Driven Stories
The Weaknesses of Fully Player-Driven Stories
Summary
Things to Consider
Chapter 12: The Argument for the Supremacy of Player-Driven StorytellingThe Evolution of the Art Form
Giving the Writer Greater Freedom
Strengthening the Player - Character Bond
Giving the Player What He Wants
Summary
Things to Consider
Chapter 13: The Argument Against the Supremacy of Player-Driven StorytellingThe Fine Art of Storytelling
Time, Money, and Player Interest
The Added Time and Expense of Creating Player-Driven Stories
Adding Interaction at the Expense of Other Elements
Who is going to see it all?
Keeping the Story Interesting
Story Structure and the "Ideal" Chain of Events
The Problem with How We Think
Trying to Correct a Mistake
Loss of Impact
The Illusion of Control
Giving the Player What He Wants
Summary
Things to Consider
Chapter 14: What Players Really Want: The Most Important IssueDo players know what they really want?
The Survey
How important are game stories to players?
What Players Say They Want
Story Preferences by the Numbers
What Players Really Want
The Best Game Stories
Further Analysis
Do stories sell games?
Buying Habits by the Numbers
Further Analysis
Summary
Things to Consider
Chapter 15: The Future of Storytelling in GamesStories Then and Now
The Key Arguments
What Players Want
Looking Towards the Future
The Most Popular Types of Storytelling
A Future for Everyone
Things to Consider
Glossary
Appendix A: Game Writing Groups and Other Useful Resources
Appendix B: Survey Data
Bibliography and References