1st Lecture (Dramatic Elements of Game).pptx

Lecture

1. 2nd Lecture Aleem Raza Riphah Institute of Media Sciences Three Act Structure and Narrative Design

2. Narrative Design? A story or a description of a series of events. It is obvious that they can be found in the medium of games, whether it is a story that help us and make sense of the game or a story told by the game. Narratives are everywhere and they are used for everything. Narrative in general helps us to process information and make sense of things in our lives Story can be highly relevant for creating your gameplay and will help give your formal game elements necessary meaning.

3. Components of Narrative SITUATION: Stories revolve around changing states (going from an initial state towards a sequence of changing states), which are representative of the events that drive a story. FORM: Stories provide common anchors in them, which allow us to process them using patterns and repetitions. Every aspect of a story and a theme can have patterns and repetitions to it. CHARACTER: In stories, we like to personify events to make them relevant to us. The character of a story (and this can be different from personas in stories) is created out of signs.

4. Components of Narrative Games do fit this definition in some way. The game having a beginning state, state changes and resulting outcomes. ( Salen and Zimmerman) For games, it is often better to start more abstractly (i.e., with a game’s formal elements) than with the story.

5. Components of Narrative There are two mechanism of narrative: The game can feature an interactive narrative, where the story is told to the player.  Embedded  narrative elements are used to create the story. The game can feature an emergent experience, where the story is told by the gameplay that players engage in.  Emergent  story elements are created during play and arise from the activity within the game system.

6. Three Act Structure A story into beginning, middle and end. Aristotle referred to this as Protasis (Setup), Epitasis (Escalation) and Catastrophe (Resolution). The first act serves as the introduction to the story. The middle act is usually the longest part of the story, where all the complication happens and a dramatic reversal can occur. In first Act, it is important to make the hook and the initial problem relevant to the players. They need to care enough to start playing toward the first goal. 

7. Three Act Structure The core mechanics of the game is done together with introducing the narrative setting. The main problem of your main character needs to be identified by the end of the first act. Act two is where the real struggle for the main character or protagonist of the story begins. The second act allows writers to introduce many new subplots to the game. At the end of act two, the story seems over and about to end in defeat for the protagonist.

8. Three Act Structure At the beginning of act three is where they start to see hope again and the main goal of the story is being resolved. This is where an either positive or negative irreversible resolution occurs

9. Freytag Pyramid

10. Freytag’s Pyramid EXPOSITION: Everything and everyone is introduced. COMPLICATION: A problem occurs. RISING ACTION: The problem is becoming even more problematic and challenging. CLIMAX: This is the point where nothing seems to be able to get any worse. FALLING ACTION /DENOUEMENT: The consequences and reactions following the climax.

11. Freytag’s Pyramid RESOLUTION: Everything that was set into action in the above steps falls into place. (This does not necessarily have to be solution to the main problem and can also be negative.) CONCLUSION: The atmosphere and emotion with which you want to leave the player.

12. Dramatic Elements of Games STORY: As we already discussed above. The story in games relies on the uncertain outcome in games. CHALLENGE: This is a sense of accomplishment and enjoyment in the game. PLAY: There are different types of play and players. PREMISE: This establishes the main action in the game within its setting. CHARACTERS: These are the narrative agents of the game, they help us tell the story to the player.

13. Challenge Challenge in games does relate to player skill. The player could complete certain tasks in the game, which is where their feeling of satisfaction came from. when talking about a state of player skills matching the game challenges is called Flow. Flow is the zone where our skills match the game’s challenges.

14. Challenge

15. Elements for Flow Following are the elements discussed in your Game Design workshop textbook: A challenging activity that requires skills The merging of action and awareness Clear goals and feedback Concentration on the task at hand The paradox of control The loss of self-consciousness The transformation of time The experience being an end in itself

16. Play Play can occur in many different ways. It might not seem like a meaningful activity, but it can help us acquire skills. The sociologist Roger Caillois distinguishes between four types of play: Agôn (Competitive Play) Alea (Chance-based Play) Mimicry (Make-believe Play) Ilinx (Vertigo Play) Along the dimension of freedom of gameplay activity, he distinguishes between: Ludus (Rule-based Play) Paida (Free-form, Improvisational Play)

17. _Play PAIDA LUDUS Agôn (Competitive Play) Wrestling Chess, Football Alea (Chance) Rolling Dice Card Games Mimicry (Simulation) limitation Film & Theater Ilinx (Vertigo) Dancing Tightrope Walking

18. Premise The premise must establish the following: Time Place Main character(s) Objective Action that propels the story forward

19. Characters Game characters are the vehicles that transport a game’s story. Characters often work on a psychological level for us, they mirror our own feelings, wishes and desires. The main character of a story is called the protagonist, who can be in conflict with a main opposing character, which we call the antagonist. Following methods of Characterization: Wants . What does the character really want? Needs . What does the character need? Hopes . What does the player or audience hope for? Fears . What is the player or audience afraid of?

20. Features for Characters Following are the 10 distinguishing features that made player characters valuable: UTILITY:  Some characters are valuable because of what they can do. INVESTMENT:  Some characters are valuable because they represent a player’s time, effort, and achievements. COMMUNICATION:  Some characters have value because of what their appearance communicates to a social group. Memory:  Some characters are collections of the player’s memories, recording a player’s activities in the game. ENJOYMENT:  Some characters are valuable because they are simply fun to play.

21. Features for Characters RELATIONSHIPS:  Some characters are meaningful because they represent relationships with other players or groups. NEW EXPERIENCE:  Some characters are valuable because of the new experiences that they enable. CREATIVITY:  Some characters are platforms on which the player can create aesthetically-pleasing forms. SOCIABILITY:  Some characters are valuable because they allow the player to engage in activities with friends. SELF-EXPRESSION:  Some characters are valuable because they allow a player to express a wide variety of personal attributes or beliefs.

22. THANKS Do you have any questions? [email protected] + 92 336 5593698