Weekly Reading/Writing Prompt

GAME DESIGN AS NARRATIVE ARCHITECTURE

By Henry Jenkins

In the article Game Design as Narrative Architecture the author Jenkins explores the importance of narrative and storytelling techniques in games. He gives some examples of simple game play like Tetris that had no story line and early games of Atari. I personally remember playing Pitfall 2 and it being the first game that I beat. In the start of the game there is the end or goal on the same scene and you try to rescue a lion. The narrative of the story was in the owner’s manual and wasn’t involved in the game play. It was similar to the game design of Monopoly. The player knew the start and the ending. Jenkins argued that the story for the game should not be left up to the game designer. They are more experienced on the how the level is laid out and what objects to interact with. Another example brought up by the author is Shenmue. This was another game I played back in the day. For me it’s interaction was ahead of its time but as one the of the point’s brought up in the article the story takes away from the game play. “Carson suggests that part of the art of game design comes in finding artful ways of embedding narrative information into the environment without destroying its immersiveness and without giving the player a sensation of being drug around by the neck:” This is important to get the balance of story and game play.

Introduction to Game Time / Time to play

–An examination of game temporality

by Jesper Juul

Time is important in a game. Jesper goes into detail about what time means as far as the game and actual time. In the game like Tetris the play time is continuous but in Quake III the play time and event time is equal. A difference between play time and event time can be a jump in time. Like the game Simcity where the play time could be 10 minutes but the event time could be years. This may help to engage the player for this type of simulation game but in other case it may lose the player. A lot of games have cut scenes, allowing to save the game, and this can take away from the overall game play.

Towards a Game Theory of Game

by Celia Pear

Towards a Game Theory of Game by Celia Pear the author brings up good points about making video games into movies and how sometimes they are lacking. Like with Lara Croft, the connection between the player and the audience can be totally different. In the game its ok that the character is not that developed because the interaction is between the player and the character is delivered through the controller and keeps them engaged. While in the movie, the character of Lara Croft has to be developed in order for the audience to be attached to the character. The key to the game is that it is incomplete and it must be for the player to complete the story.

These are all important elements of game play and game design. Pear and Jenkins statement that the story and narrative of the game is a key part of the interaction between the player and how engaged they are. Jesper describes that interaction and breaks down that interaction into play time and event time. A lot of what I do professionally is trying to keep the player engaged and this is important for my work at National Institute of Standards and Technology.

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