🎭 Games vs. Story:
Ludology vs. Narratology Debate
🌟 Middle Ground: Games as narrative-rich spaces, not just traditional storytelling mediums.
🕹️ Games as Narrative Spaces
- Games aren’t always narratives:
Example: Tetris = abstract, expressive, not storytelling. - Tapping into narrative aspirations:
- 🎯 Utilizes genre roles, goals, and emotional cues.
- Narrative ≠ Linear story:
🌌 Games create new narrative possibilities.
🏰 Game Designers as Narrative Architects
- Focus: Spatial storytelling over plot.
- Design over writing: 🌍 Evoking immersive environments (e.g., dungeons, spaces).
- Environmental storytelling:
🎢 Inspired by amusement parks.
📊 Narrative Categories in Games
- 🌟 Evocative Spaces: Pre-existing associations (e.g., American McGee’s Alice).
- 🌠 Enacting Stories: Players act in plot points (e.g., Star Wars games).
- 🧩 Embedded Narratives: Stories within artifacts/spaces (e.g., Myst).
- 🌍 Emergent Narratives: Player-generated stories (e.g., The Sims).
✨ Examples and Influences
- 📚 Spatial stories: Inspired by epic authors like Tolkien, Homer, Verne.
- 🎡 Environmental storytelling: Techniques from Disney’s theme parks.
⚖️ Challenges and Opportunities
- Balancing interactivity and narrative control.
- 💡 Experimentation leads to narrative refinement.
🎨 Visual Elements
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- 📖 (Narrative)
- 🎮 (Games)
- 🧭 (Exploration)
🏁 Conclusion
- Key Idea: Games don’t replicate traditional narratives—they create engaging, story-rich environments.
🏗️ “Think of game designers as narrative architects.”
