#game narrative

[hasellia]

BOTW felt like it was telling the player; "Nature is an important part of who you are as a fellow creature of this Earth, and maybe building guardians of mass destruction isn't a good idea."

TOTK seems like it's telling the player; "Every tree is a potential enemy that's out to fucking get you! Burn. Surely, nothing bad has ever come from building guardians of mass destruction!"

[heartmachinez]

Hyper Light Breaker: Meet PB

PIVOTING TOWARD CHARACTER-BASED STORYTELLING

A while ago, we shared that we were developing Hyper Light Breaker with a limited form of character creation in mind - our player “characters” would be specific species, all following the same character archetype. The goal was to reduce animation scope down significantly by sticking with the single archetype.

As time went on, however, we discovered that a specific story was taking shape. And it needed to be told through a discrete cast of characters with their own backstories, motivations, and personalities.

We are now pivoting away from broader character customization, in favor of enriching player experience and empathy through highlighting each of these unique characters and their journeys through the world. We are still retaining customization in the form of offering near limitless loadout options, hub options, and other ways for players to have agency over this world.

With that said, please meet…

PROTOBREAKER

PB was featured prominently in our Announcement Trailer, but the character’s identity and role in the Hyper Light universe has been shrouded in mystery since. We’re now ready to share a little more about her.

You meet PB in the Hotel Lobby of the Hub, the launch point for all of your ventures into the Overgrowth. A former highly skilled Breaker herself, she now works a desk job where she assigns and oversees Breaker missions.

PB has a long history in this world. But she is generally reserved, and minces few words. It is up to you to uncover her past, and play a crucial role in writing this new chapter in her story.

PB IN THE WORLD OF HYPER LIGHT

PB has a unique role in Breaker’s narrative. The abandoned wilds of the Overgrowth are shrouded in mystery, and PB has been here since they were first sealed away from the rest of the world.

Within the Breakers, PB is your commander, so she passes along your marching orders from Breaker HQ. But like you, she’s curious about the Overgrowth’s mysteries. In particular, she wants to learn the goals and motivations of the Crowns—why do they fight the Breakers? What are they protecting, and why?

PB knows many secrets about this place, but she’s not quite sure which of them are relevant to the mystery. When you discover some brand new information about the Crowns or the Overgrowth, you’ll bring those stories back to PB. She’ll share her own memories with you, and help you put the mystery together.

PB has a few secrets herself, too. She’s been living in the Overgrowth for a long time, and she seems to have a strange personal connection to the Crowns. If you help her discover more about the Overgrowth, she may share some of her history with you!

LET US HEAR FROM YOU!

How do you feel about our character-based storytelling process?

What do you think happened to PB?

Blaze

0 notes

[darkdemeter]

Wolf And The Marvels - concept cover reveal. Project is still in alpha, all material is subject to alterations in the future.

An interactive choice based game-narrative on carrd. Inspired by titles such as Telltale Games' The Wolf Among Us, you will take on the role as Sheriff. A dark and gruesome mystery falls over New York and the Avengers are being pinned to take the blame. Determined to clear their name, you will get to the bottom of this case, even if it gets you fired or killed.

None are so hardy to trust a wolf to do good by the people, it's in your nature to prey upon the weaker sheep, but Wanda Maximoff has complete faith in you. For a city poisoned by illusion, corruption and fear, a metropolis of skyscrapers never looked so small compared to you.

[fogaminghub]

🌌 Calling all gamers and sci-fi lovers! Tomorrow is the day you've been waiting for—Awaken – Astral Blade drops! Embark on a biopunk adventure as Tania, a unique bioengineered character, exploring the lush yet mysterious Horace Islands. This game is influenced by cinematic classics like Annihilation and Blade Runner 2049, making it a must-play!

With fluid combat mechanics, a rich narrative, and choices that impact your journey, this game is set to immerse you into its captivating world.

Get ready for the release on PS5! 🎮🚀 

[nicholasandriani]

A Journey Through 2023: Stories, Games, and Adventures

Can I be honest with you? Then again, you’re here for a reason my confidant. Certainly we can be truthful with one another. I mean that’s why we’re compelled to tell our stories. Whether fictionalized or not we’re displaying and sharing ourninternal struggles through whatever medium they require, The Bad News (full disclosure: this sucks. skip to “Good News” if you’re not in the mood) 2023 hit…

[omorales81]

🎮 Obsessed: just dropped on Xbox GamePass. It plays like the Matrix, looks like a comic book, sounds like A Clockwork Orange and vibes like a skate-or-die Hunger Games! #Gaming #Rollerdrome #GameNarrative #Dystopian #GamePass #SkateOrDie @rollerdrome

[churchinthedarkness]

The Church in the Darkness are long time guests of LudoNarraCon, the annual online festival about narrative games.  And we’re glad to be featured again for 2023, now with a 90% off discount!  Check out us and all the featured games on Steam right here:  https://store.steampowered.com/sale/LudoNarraCon

As part of LudoNarraCon, our project director Richard Rouse also participated in the panel Game Stories Told in Most Unexpected & Surprising Ways which includes Richard Dansky (of The Hunt:  Showdown), Daniel Benmergui (of Storyteller) and Latoya Peterson (of Insecure: The Come Up Game).  The panel is streaming all weekend long as part of LudoNarraCon, and  but also you can watch it anytime on YouTube right here:  

Not all the games features will all promise cults in the jungle, but there's more to life than joining the Collective Justice Mission.   Right?  Right?  

[qwertyprophecy]

You are the Dark Queen—the most powerful being of your entire universe. Your lair is breached by an aspiring hero—a pitiful thing, easily crushed.

Except they keep coming back.

PLAY ON ITCH.IO

[mariyamavliwala]

Blog Post #02- Open-World Storytelling in Games

The purpose of this blog is to investigate one interesting approach in environmental storytelling, where open-world games have become a world without depending on dialogue. Works I will be covering are The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Journey, each representing how environmental storytelling increases immersion and emotional attachment to the players. Lastly, I'll explain my point of view about this approach to storytelling in how gaming shifts to be a peculiarly engaging form of storytelling.

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What is an Environmental Narrative?

First and foremost, environmental storytelling refers to how stories are told through the setting, architecture, and layout of a game. Semiotics, by definition, is the study of signs and symbols and what they mean. Environmental storytelling works in much the same manner, offering "clues" through ruins and artifacts and spaces that players must interpret.

This is perhaps best summed up by writer Henry Jenkins, who claims that "narrative architecture" allows game settings to hold story fragments that players assemble through their exploration. Thus, one can say that environmental storytelling is an aspect of the improvement in the gamer's experience whereby the environment dynamically contributes to the storytelling.

As presented in the Game Maker's Toolkit video, "Environmental Storytelling – How Level Design Can Tell a Story" by Mark Brown, this video goes deep into how games can tell great stories using their environments without having to use spoken or written words. I chose the subject because environmental storytelling is just one of the most interesting areas of game design, at the same time being an important technique in boosting the player's immersion and providing a game world with life. This storytelling technique will let players organically discover a narrative through exploration of the environment rather than having it directly delivered. This, somehow, gives the feeling of immersion since the player seems to uncover, piece together fragments, and interpret for himself or herself.

It talks about how the worlds themselves can be a canvas for telling stories, how the objects in space can reveal history, culture, or even the emotional state of the characters. A worn doll on the floor of an abandoned home, for instance, may reveal a lot about the abrupt departure of its residents. The most potent narrative device in video games like Uncharted 4 and The Last of Us 2 is the environment. Without stating the specifics of what happened, a player may discover handwritten notes, photos, or even bloodstains that help put together a story. These are the kinds of discoveries that are satisfying.

Overall, this video discusses the high potentiality of in-game environmental narrative. It postulates that with everything-from world-building to level design-working together in harmony, the environment could tell stories that are as powerful as any cutscene or lines of dialogue.

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The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – A World of Silent Stories

Let me give a little background using The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Upon its release, its open-world design was considered revolutionary. By hiding clues in the landscape, it asks the player to piece together the past and understand the ramifications of the world's history; the environment itself is a key part of the storytelling. In this way, environmental storytelling keeps the player active within the unfolding narrative. Story breathes through the landscape in Breath of the Wild - the ruined temples, decayed structures, remnants of a world past prime. Players will put together a greater tale of storytelling sans words as they explore. This is also explained rather nicely in an article on Medium that explains how the world tells the story of the aftermath of Hyrule's fall through the medium of ruins, weathered monuments, and forgotten shrines.

I remember the first time playing it, finding shrines dotted around the overworld and how their design and positioning in abandoned areas really reflected the decline of the kingdom, with shrines being almost like silent reminders of a civilization lost. They made me contemplate the natural forces that molded this region. This type of environmental storytelling invites reflective contemplation. The world is to be explored and interpreted, not merely a place to be traversed. Every decaying building, every shattered statue, every serene woodland all contribute to the story being told. The weather and day-night cycles are examples of natural phenomena that enhance this storytelling technique. This is one of those games wherein everything-from the weather down to the architecture and the landscapes-tells the story of a people now extinct, proving the adage that not all stories are told by words. Sometimes, at times the most poignant of stories are spoken by surroundings.

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Red Dead Redemption 2 – The End of an Era

Next up is a masterclass of narrative and world-building in equal measure: Rockstar Games' Red Dead Redemption 2, set in the late 19th century. It uses the richly composited and elaborately detailed environment to make a statement for the end of the Wild West, examples including abandoned mining towns and overgrown railways that dot the expanse of the map.

In Red Dead Redemption 2, for instance: Limpany is a town abandoned, burnt to the ground, and it's a tale of corruption and tragedy without one line of dialogue. When first found, players can learn of the town's fate through visual clues-the charred buildings, scattered belongings, and a ledger that would suggest local corruption. These visual elements are all that's needed to communicate the story of loss and ruin. This is best conceptualized by the writer Ayn Rand, who said that it is the environment that one dwells in which shapes character and dictate the course of a character's actions. In this story, the settings are practically active in changing the characters. Arthur Morgan's campsite changes throughout the video game as his inner struggles do, along with the unraveling of the Van der Linde gang. For me, the beauty of Red Dead Redemption 2 is in how meaningful it can make every corner of its world feel. It's a game that begs to be explored, observed, and reflected on, crafting a very personal narrative experience.

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Journey – A Silent Pilgrimage

Finally, Journey by thatgamecompany pushes environmental storytelling to its limits by removing dialogue altogether, providing a unique example of how a game can convey deep themes and emotion without using a single word. The result is a minimalist yet profoundly emotional take on environmental storytelling, using color and terrain to evoke feelings of strength, despair, and rebirth. This is a multiplayer game where the player travels across the vast desert, ruins, and snow-capped mountains with a random companion whom one cannot talk to. The only means of communication is a musical chime, which fosters a unique sense of connection.

The best I can describe it is by referring to the murals scattered throughout the game. Ancient ruins, tall sand dunes, and hidden murals speak subtly of the rise and fall of an ancient civilization, leaving much to players for interpretation. Later in the game, the shifting landscapes-from sun-drenched deserts to icy peaks-serve as a reflection of highs and lows that are part of the emotional journey. It can be understood best through an article which appeared in The Gemsbok in which a crystal explanation has been given on how environmental design in the game of Journey evokes emotions among its players. Each landscape of the game isn't mere backdrops, part of the character's emotional arc. Due to the minimalist design in its core, this game has another meaningful benefit: it allows the player to project their interpretation onto the story, which turns it into a very personal playthrough. From the research done on the topic at hand, I find that not only was this an amazing idea for a narrative, but it also showed how simplicity in design can evoke powerful emotions. One could also argue that the video game use of the soundtrack complements the environmental storytelling in ways that enhance emotional impact.

In all aspects, what has been discussed on the blog proves that environmental storytelling, by allowing players to explore and find a narrative at their pace, possesses some transformative power. Games such as Breath of the Wild, Red Dead Redemption 2, and Journey are perfect examples of how this technique in storytelling can be stretched to show that environments can tell complex narratives, evoke emotions, and convey themes with no need for dialogue.

Therefore, environmental storytelling can be called a cornerstone of modern game design, joining players into the very fabric of activity within the game. One can quite clearly see from these representations that the environment in games is way more than a background; it tells its story.

Sources:

Jenkins, H. (2004). Game Design as Narrative Architecture. In N. Wardrip-Fruin & P. Harrigan (Eds.), First Person: New Media as Story, Performance, and Game. MIT Press.

Brown, M. (2017). Environmental Storytelling – How Game Worlds Tell Stories. [Video]. GameMaker's Toolkit. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwlnCn2EB9o&list=PLvMOqDcNPWsQ7aX0ndSiN9x861QRbhOKM [Accessed 24 December 2024].

Mulholland, J. (2021). Game Design: Environmental Storytelling. Available at: https://medium.com/@johnmulholland/game-design-environmental-storytelling-3574aff0ff2b [Accessed 24 December 2024].

Nintendo. (2017). The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. [Video Game]. Nintendo.

Rockstar Games. (2018). Red Dead Redemption 2. [Video Game]. Rockstar Games.

Thatgamecompany. (2012). Journey. [Video Game]. Sony Computer Entertainment.

[deception-united]

Writing Tips Master Post

Edit: Some posts may be deleted

Character writing/development:

Character Arcs

Making Character Profiles

Character Development

Comic Relief Arc

Internal Conflict

Character Voices

Creating Distinct Characters

Creating Likeable Characters

Writing Strong Female Characters

Writing POC Characters

Building Tension

Writing Grumpy x Sunshine Tropes

Plot devices/development:

Intrigue in Storytelling

Enemies to Lovers

Alternatives to Killing Characters

Worldbuilding

Misdirection

Consider Before Killing Characters

Foreshadowing

Narrative:

Emphasising the Stakes

Avoid Info-Dumping

Writing Without Dialogue

1st vs. 2nd vs. 3rd Perspective

Fight Scenes (+ More)

Transitions

Pacing

Writing Prologues

Dialogue Tips

Writing War

Writing Cheating

Worldbuilding:

Worldbuilding: Questions to Consider

Creating Laws/Rules in Fantasy Worlds

Book writing:

Connected vs. Stand-Alone Series

A & B Stories

Writer resources:

Writing YouTube Channels, Podcasts, & Blogs

Online Writing Resources

Outlining/Writing/Editing Software

Writer help:

Losing Passion/Burnout

Overcoming Writer's Block

Fantasy terms:

How To Name Fantasy Races (Step-by-Step)

Naming Elemental Races

Naming Fire-Related Races

How To Name Fantasy Places

Ask games:

Character Ask Game #1

Character Ask Game #2

Character Ask Game #3

Miscellaneous:

1000 Follower Post

2000 Follower Poll

Writing Fantasy

[richardrouse3]

I'll be back at LudoNarraCon (I believe this is the 6th one I've talked at) this weekend talking about Difficult Decisions & Moral Quagmires - Player Choices in Game Narratives in games with the wonderful Desiree Cifre, Garce P Fong, and Josh Sawyer. It's all streaming for free on Steam! come watch for free on Steam - looks like we're on first at 10am PT on Thursday! The talks should then Stream all weekend.

http://ludonarracon.com

http://ludonarracon.com/2024-speakers

[hoaxghost]

played it on a whim but now its gonna be stuck with me forever

[sourinksoda]

Bitter water [ Talen and Faolan’s youth ]

Two boys meet by the river on opposite beds, watching the other with intrigue and the urge to connect.

One early afternoon many, many moons ago, a young Talen was partaking in his daily routine of dozing off on the dusty banks of the river, when a noise distracts him enough to only just take notice of a wispy white dog? Or a boy, maybe? On the opposite bank.

Patting down the dust from his worn clothes, he curiously plucks a stone from the shallows, clumsily skimming the rock over their way. As it sharply clacks against the lone tree, something the size of a kid his age flinches behind it. Talen in glee lets out a call for them to skim it back.

A boy slowly pokes his head out from behind the tree, uncurling from its safety as he nervously fishes around the knoll for and picks up the small smooth piece of chipped slate. He steps over great roots making his way to the shore, pulling the knees of his bottoms away from the small splashes of water in his way.

Squinting over the water to Talen’s energetic figure he shyly barks back “I-I’m not sure how?”.

“It's easy!” a cheerful yell rings out as Talen, barely keeping balance, pushes all his energy into a full body gesture feigning the action to take. The boy perks up at the demonstration with an eager smile. Looking down at the stone, confidently rubbing his fingers into a firm grip, he winds his body back, before finally launching forward with all his might. In a flash the stone slipped loose, skipping at speed across the water landing with a sudden splash at both sides of the river.

“You did it!!!” muffled words heard under the warble of water, attempting to lift himself up out of the shallows, gasping, soggy and shocked.

With another great splash, feathered hands reach out for his, helping him to his feet.

“I haven’t ever seen anybody do anything like that on their first try! That was amazin’!” Talen remarks overjoyed at his new friend’s show of skill.

His face falling as their eyes meet, the boy near tears, cold and embarrassed. 

“I-I’m sorry” he splutters out.

“Here l-let’s”.

Talen helps the boy now looking more like a pup, back up onto his bank of the river under that lone tree, taking off and wrapping his old poncho around him.

“Sorry you got all wet”, he says quietly after a while, hanging his head and pulling at the grass under his clay clad wet boots.

The pup now, who seemed to look more boy-like, pulled the ratty poncho down, his head popping free, wiping away muddy hair, from his hazy blue eyes.

Looking down at the blades of torn out grass and small blue flowers at his toes, then to the boy sitting next to him.

“Do you- Do you know how to make these?” he says, threading and knotting two flower stems delicately together.

Talen looks up wary in his eyes, he doesn't meet the boy's gaze just yet, letting go of the clumps of grass as his eyes meet with the steadily forming chain of flowers.

“I’d seen my mom do those, didn't ever get shown how” he looks back to his clumps of grass doubtful.

“I could show you?” Muffled a reply from beneath the poncho.

“What? Show me? But…” he trails off, head sinking into his knees.

A baby blue flower pokes through, gently poking the tip of his nose.

“You showed me how to do that cool rock thing”.

Bursting down his own walls “But- but I made you fall!” Talen exclaimed.

The boy shines him a sheepish smile, twirling the chain of flowers between his fingers, “and it was fun! Fun to have a friend”.

Their eyes meet once again, all of the two’s anxieties having drifted away down stream, their shared deep desire laid bare and rang clear, all the two of them ever wanted was a friend.

Their arms strewn round one another in comforting reassurance as chuckles of muffled joyous laughter slipped between the cracks.

That day the two of them felt a wholeness they never had before, returning every day by the river to play, tell stories and grow up together.

Everyday until the red war came.

Hello, hello!

If you made it all the way down here conga rats! [a treat 4 u! 🥞]

Seriously tho thanks, I've been really trying to practice my writing for HeartFeller and other things.

This is the backstory to two key characters from my game, that isnt really in the game in this form [ at the moment anyway ], Talen Cairo and Lord Faolan Rend, theyre both around 7-10ish here.

Yes theyre dumb and in love also, love them alot.

[composeregg]

edit (10/23/2024) now that the poll is over: Original version, with 10 questions, from April 2023 here

And, given that the original is from April 2023, that means I can very easily say:

No, this was not an ISAT reference!

Just because I use parentheses and 2nd person pov and love the same concepts of what a time loop can do to a person doesn't mean it's ISAT

(Yes, I like ISAT, the original poll is why I was recommended the game! But if you look at the original, you can see all the origins of the options to choose from, including what spurred me on with the moss option from the replies)

If I were going to make something for ISAT, I would never be so vague, you can simply look at my ao3 for proof of that

[fogaminghub]

https://www.fogaminghub.com/post/master-the-mibu-rivalry-a-complete-walkthrough-for-rise-of-the-ronin

🌟 Immerse yourself in the world of Rise of the Ronin with our latest blog post on the Mibu Rivalry mission! 🎮✨ 

From taking down Serizawa to building a bond with Isami Kondo, we’ve got all the tips and strategies you need. Level up your gameplay and enjoy the adventure! 🏯💪

[foxx-queen]

as much as I get why lucanis is positioned as the one needed to kill ghilan'nain as the mage killer etc, I can't help but feel like it should've been davrin

like. there's something about the dalish elf with andruil's vallaslin, a grey warden, a monster hunter, hunting down the mother of all monsters, who creates monstrosities with the blight, who was once andruil's beloved.

ghilan'nain created the halla. she still cares for the halla, despite what she's become, despite being unable to create them anymore. davrin cared for the halla under his uncle's tutelage. assan cares for and nurses a sick and dying halla. assan, who's name means arrow in elven, when andruil's weapon was a bow, who's hunting instincts give way to something more protective.

davrin was taught the way of the three trees. it was created by andruil. andruil, the goddess of the hunt, also known as the goddess of sacrifice. davrin feels like a weapon sharpened to make that final sacrifice against the blight, a tool that once drove andruil mad, and has twisted ghilan'nain into something unrecognisable. andruil, blood and force, who loved a mortal for her creations and raised her to godhood.

would ghilan'nain see andruil in him? would that offer something more to her character than just oh she's evil?

the dalish tell a legend of ghilan'nain and a hunter who bested her. maybe it was a prophecy instead.