“What Happened Here?” Environmental Storytelling

1. Matthias Worch and Harvey Smith GDC 2010, San Francisco “What Happened Here?” Environmental Storytelling

2. Before We Get Started • Please silence your cell phones • Please fill out your comment cards • Download slides for comprehensive written notes • Richard Rouse III: "Environmental Narrative: Your World Is Your Story" Friday, 9:00am - 10:00am, Room 125 (North Hall)

3. Session Overview • Part 1: Game Environments • Part 2: Environmental Storytelling  • Part 3: Practical Techniques for Traditional Environmental Storytelling • Part 4: Systemic Environmental Storytelling • Part 5: Conclusions and QA

4. Part 1 • Game Environment • Definition

5. Game Environment Definition • Constrains and guides player movement through physical properties and ecology • Uses player reference to communicate simulation boundaries and affordance • Reinforces and shapes player identity • Provides narrative context

6. Game Environment Definition • Constrains and guides player movement through physical properties and ecology • Uses player reference to communicate simulation boundaries and affordance • Reinforces and shapes player identity • Provides narrative context

7. Bioshock A decadent new year’s eve party gone wrong

8. Physical Properties and Ecology Constrains and guides player movement through physical properties and ecology.

9. Affordance and Simulation Boundaries Environments use player reference to communicate affordance and simulation boundaries.

10. Affordance and Simulation Boundaries Sign points out alcohol Tickets point towards register Environments use player reference to communicate affordance and simulation boundaries.

11. Affordance and Simulation Boundaries Can I cut a rug?

12. Player Identity The environment reinforces and shapes player identity.

13. Player Identity

14. Narrative Context The environment provides narrative context.

15. Environmental Storytelling

16. Part 2:Environmental Storytelling Definition

17. Environmental Storytelling Staging player-space with environmental properties that can be interpreted as a meaningful whole, furthering the narrative of the game.

18. Association of Elements A man is tying his shoes, breaks the lace in anger, throws shoe out window Screams and curses The audience understands that he doesn't really hate that shoe

19. Association of Elements This example explains a concept: subtext Applied to environmental storytelling: "Relies on the player to associate disparate elements, interpreting them as a meaningful whole." Film fails to define this for games in a practical sense Movie audiences watch...directed gaze Players explore

20. Player Perception and Problem Solving

25. Photographer Robert Polidori ventured into New Orleans just days after hurricane Katrina ravaged the city.

26. Dead Gold Fish - Chain of Events

27. Dead Gold Fish - Chain of Events "Fundamentally integrates player perception and active problem solving, which builds investment."

28. After The Flood

29. After The Flood

30. After The Flood

31. Interpretation

32. Interpretation • Designer had some intention, but believes strongly in white space • See also: Jordan Thomas, "White Space," speech given at Teeside University, UK "Invites interpretation of situations and meaning according to players' views and experience."

33. Telegraphing

34. Telegraphing "Can help the player navigate an area by telegraphing." 

35. Environmental StorytellingFunctions Relies on the player to associate disparate elements, interpreting them as a meaningful whole. Fundamentally integrates player perception and active problem solving, which builds investment. Invites interpretation of situations and meaning according to players' views and experience. Can help the player navigate an area by telegraphing.

36. More precisely, why is interpretation compelling? Active Involves the player, who brings his own experience Jean Piaget articulated mechanisms by which people learn Play, discovery and interaction are key to learning Investment by doing, participating Why Is Environmental Storytelling Compelling?

37.  The player is pulling the narrative self-paced, less expository Player is active participant in an internal dialog The act of interpretation gains meaning compare to gameplay: a dialog between player and game Result: Familiar world, self reinforced More complete, more immersive Why Is Environmental Storytelling Compelling?

38. Self-pacing adapts to player's thirst for knowledge Little Sisters’ bedrooms spaces in Bioshock: Why Is Environmental Storytelling Compelling?

39. Fallout 3: Child slaver den. Lounge tables near poles with chains. A teddy bear. Wow.  The Law of Closure (Gestalt Psychology) Compare to "Understanding Comics" What is important is what happens between the panels Why Is Environmental Storytelling Compelling?

40. Why Is Environmental Storytelling Compelling? "What changes Guard_03 from an abstract obstacle into a person? Did someone get hurt in this alley? What does the innkeeper do with his free time? Answering these questions transform the game space into a coherent world. Meaningful narrative is inferred by players if you give them cues but leave them the space to imagine." Steve Powers, Disney

41. Part 02 Summary Environmental Storytelling Functions • Relies on the player to associate disparate elements, interpreting them as a meaningful whole • Interpretation is compelling • Fundamentally integrates player perception and active problem solving • Builds investment • Invites interpretation of situations and meaning according to player's views and experience  • The Law of Closure • Helps the player navigate an area by telegraphing

42. Part 3: Practical Techniques for Traditional Environmental Storytelling

43. Practical Techniques • Establish a discernible chain of events • Ensure that event engages the player • Echo the world at large • Create characterization • Minimize disconnects between the player's possible actions and pre-scripted setups

44. Causality "Establish a discernible chain of events."

45. Causality The "Dead Goldfish" chain of events.

46. Causality Chart for the L4D whiteboard example:

47. Puzzle Structures "Making Your Players Feel Smart: Puzzles As User Interfaces" (Randy Smith, GDC 2009)

48. Causality • Puzzle structures are a practical tool to visualize and examine environmental storytelling setups • Puzzle structures can communicate ideas: • in design documents • to environment artists • to outsource teams • in GDC talks

49. Causality

50. Causality