the play is the thing

1. The Play is the Thing Storytelling in Gaming Kim Pearson

2. What�s the place of storytelling in gaming? Is it important to the gameplay? Necessary for something you play for a period of time. Provides goals, creates an immersive environment. Importance depends on genre: eg, Tetris. Can provide motivation, helps human relate to the game. More complex games are story-driven. Allows you to become part of the story, to drive it. Story should match gameplay. Action should follow logic of the story. Doom is an example of a fun game that doesn�t have much of a story. Or does it?

3. Role of stories, continued Gameplayers expect stories now Pamphlets describing backstory can enrich, create community Important, but secondary to gameplay Storytellers like games with stories

4. What is interactive storytelling? Storytelling that is affected by user/audience action/reaction Example: Sheherazade� 1,001 Arabian nights But�what do we mean by storytelling? King Schariar, legendary King of Samarkand found he had been deceived by his wife and as punishment had his wife and a succession of three thousand virgins (one each night) put to death. Against her father's protestations, Sheherazade volunteered to spend one night with the King. Once in the King's chambers, Sheherazade asked if she might bid one last farewell to her beloved sister Dunyazade, who had secretly been prepared to ask Sheherazade to tell a story during the long night. The King lay awake and listened with awe to Sheherazade's first story and asked for another, but Sheherazade said there wasn't time as dawn was breaking, and regretfully so, as the next story was even more exciting. And so the King kept Sheherazade alive as he eagerly anticipated each new story and after one thousand and one adventurous nights, the King had not only been entertained but wisely educated in morality and kindness by Sheherazade who became his Queen. The present form of The Thousand and One Nights is completely Muslim in spirit and is thought to be native to Persia or one of the Arabic speaking countries. It is one of the few examples of a woman seen as a heroine in an Arabic country. http://www.wic.org/artwork/shehera.htmKing Schariar, legendary King of Samarkand found he had been deceived by his wife and as punishment had his wife and a succession of three thousand virgins (one each night) put to death. Against her father's protestations, Sheherazade volunteered to spend one night with the King. Once in the King's chambers, Sheherazade asked if she might bid one last farewell to her beloved sister Dunyazade, who had secretly been prepared to ask Sheherazade to tell a story during the long night. The King lay awake and listened with awe to Sheherazade's first story and asked for another, but Sheherazade said there wasn't time as dawn was breaking, and regretfully so, as the next story was even more exciting. And so the King kept Sheherazade alive as he eagerly anticipated each new story and after one thousand and one adventurous nights, the King had not only been entertained but wisely educated in morality and kindness by Sheherazade who became his Queen. The present form of The Thousand and One Nights is completely Muslim in spirit and is thought to be native to Persia or one of the Arabic speaking countries. It is one of the few examples of a woman seen as a heroine in an Arabic country. http://www.wic.org/artwork/shehera.htm

5. Storytelling redux

6. But when is life ever simple? Narratives are constructed via scene and sequel, which can contain their own narratives Narratives depend on meta-narratives for meaning Reconsider Sheherazade

7. The meta-narrative of Sheherazade Islamic morality tale Religious, cultural context establishes her character, explains her power Decontextualized, 1001 nights is just a fairytale collection

8. Reading Sheherazade

9. Storytelling redux

10. Storytelling elements Plot: Linear, closed Character: defined by evocative imagery, actions Supporting characters Pacing, tension Masterplots

11. What does this have to do with gaming? While not all games use the kind of narratives Crawford alludes to, many evoke existing culturally-based narratives However, game players don�t have universal points of reference, so game has to work on more than one level The following games are basically the same: score points by lining up objects. What distinguishes them? Is this storytelling?

12. Sample Yahoo! games Jewel Quest Alchemy Avalanche Cubis Any storytelling here? Ho about this one: Alabama Literacy Test

13. Gaming sometimes Uses culturally resonant narratives as an aid to game play Uses narrative as a pretext for game play rather than an prominent element Still, even a skeletal storyline sets parameters for character development, rules of play, esthetics, structure, etc But the kind of game we�re building doesn�t use such a simple structure

14. Multilinear narratives

15. Crash Popular film using multilinear, open-ended narratives Plot carried forward by a series of �crashes� Opening dialogue establishes theme and its multiple meanings Let�s watch the trailer

16. Story elements Plot � and twists Setting: sound, interior-exterior, hazy lighting Character delineation � how do we come to understand who the man and woman in the car are? Evocative scenes � in film and in game

17. Debriefing What are the levels of storytelling in the game? Whatis the purpose of the game? How effective is it?

18. Some concluding observations Games often use implicit, rather than explicit narrative devices The extent to which the user recognizes and embraces the narrative aspects of the game can depend on the cultural understanding of the player(s) Multilinear narratives need to have the certain elements of the plot spelled out early. Your thoughts?