Difference between revisions of "Predetermined Story Structures"

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== Using the pattern ==
 
== Using the pattern ==
 +
[[Predetermined Story Structures]] are explicit [[Narration Structures]] that designers create before gameplay begins.
 +
 
PSS is when the design has already decided how the narration structures should be used.
 
PSS is when the design has already decided how the narration structures should be used.
  
Common story elements related to the physical aspects of [[Game Worlds]] include
 
[[Alien Space Bats]], [[MacGuffins]],
 
[[Traces]],
 
  
[[Inaccessible Areas]],
+
Games commonly create [[Predetermined Story Structures]] in relation to how players move in [[Game Worlds]] (similar to aspects of the narrative Monomyth<ref name="Monomyth"/> pattern and the "Road Movie"<ref name="Road Movie"/> genre). Common story elements related to the physical aspects of [[Game Worlds]] include [[Alien Space Bats]], [[Big Dumb Objects]], [[Environmental Storytelling]], [[MacGuffins]], and [[Traces]]. [[Clues]] can also be used, as long as they work within the [[Thematic Consistency]]. These elements can be compartmentalized by [[Inaccessible Areas]] and [[Levels]] and [[Conditional Passageways]] can be used to progress a game's narration by opening up new areas. [[One-Way Travel]] can hinder players from spending time in areas which no more narration is supposed to take place within. [[Quests]] can motivate players to move between places in [[Game Worlds]], as can gameplay specific goals such as [[Reconnaissance]], [[Rescue]], and [[Traverse]].
[[One-Way Travel]],  
+
[[Conditional Passageways]],  
+
  
[[Levels]],
 
  
[[Reconnaissance]],  
+
[[Scenes]],  
[[Quests]],
+
 
+
[[Environmental Storytelling]]
+
  
 
mod
 
mod
[[Big Dumb Objects]],
 
 
[[Switches]],  
 
[[Switches]],  
 
[[Traps]]  
 
[[Traps]]  
  
 
[[Persistent Game World Changes]] based upon story events is a way to clearly indicate development of the game narration.  
 
[[Persistent Game World Changes]] based upon story events is a way to clearly indicate development of the game narration.  
 +
 +
 +
[[Scripted Information Sequences]],
 +
  
  
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[[Information Passing]],  
 
[[Information Passing]],  
 
[[Main Quests]],  
 
[[Main Quests]],  
[[Rescue]],
 
[[Scenes]],
 
[[Scripted Information Sequences]],
 
 
[[Sidequests]],  
 
[[Sidequests]],  
[[Traverse]]
 
  
[[Clues]] together with [[Thematic Consistency]]
 
  
 
[[Invulnerabilities]] together with [[NPCs]]
 
[[Invulnerabilities]] together with [[NPCs]]
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[[Ability Losses]],  
 
[[Ability Losses]],  
 
[[Alien Space Bats]],  
 
[[Alien Space Bats]],  
 +
[[Big Dumb Objects]],
 
[[Conditional Passageways]],  
 
[[Conditional Passageways]],  
 
[[Controllers]],  
 
[[Controllers]],  
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=== Can Be Modulated By ===
 
=== Can Be Modulated By ===
[[Big Dumb Objects]],
 
 
[[Companions]],  
 
[[Companions]],  
 
[[Dedicated Game Facilitators]],  
 
[[Dedicated Game Facilitators]],  
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<references>
 
<references>
 
<ref name="Gamebooks">Wikipedia [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamebook entry] for ''Gamebooks''.</ref>
 
<ref name="Gamebooks">Wikipedia [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamebook entry] for ''Gamebooks''.</ref>
 +
<ref name="Road Movie">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_movie Entry] for "Road Movie" on Wikipedia.</ref>
 +
<ref name="Monomyth">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monomyth Entry] for "Monomyth" on Wikipedia.</ref>
 
</references>
 
</references>

Revision as of 15:19, 28 July 2014


Narration structures whose order presentation in a game exists before game instances begin.

This pattern is a still a stub.

Examples

As books that provide players with gameplay while reading, Gamebooks[1] like The Warlock of Firetop Mountain, Scorpion Swamp, Clash of the Princes, and the Lone Wolf series have Predetermined Story Structures.

Using the pattern

Predetermined Story Structures are explicit Narration Structures that designers create before gameplay begins.

PSS is when the design has already decided how the narration structures should be used.


Games commonly create Predetermined Story Structures in relation to how players move in Game Worlds (similar to aspects of the narrative Monomyth[2] pattern and the "Road Movie"[3] genre). Common story elements related to the physical aspects of Game Worlds include Alien Space Bats, Big Dumb Objects, Environmental Storytelling, MacGuffins, and Traces. Clues can also be used, as long as they work within the Thematic Consistency. These elements can be compartmentalized by Inaccessible Areas and Levels and Conditional Passageways can be used to progress a game's narration by opening up new areas. One-Way Travel can hinder players from spending time in areas which no more narration is supposed to take place within. Quests can motivate players to move between places in Game Worlds, as can gameplay specific goals such as Reconnaissance, Rescue, and Traverse.


Scenes,

mod Switches, Traps

Persistent Game World Changes based upon story events is a way to clearly indicate development of the game narration.


Scripted Information Sequences,


Can Be Instantiated By

Ability Losses, Controllers, Quests, Cutscenes, Factions, Helpers, Information Passing, Main Quests, Sidequests,


Invulnerabilities together with NPCs

Can Be Modulated By

Companions, Dedicated Game Facilitators, Detective Structures, Ephemeral Goals, Factions, Feigned Die Rolls, Freedom of Choice, Game Masters, Helpers, Information Passing, Loading Hints, Melodramatic Structures, New Abilities, Permadeath, Persistent Game Worlds, Privileged Movement, Puzzle Solving, Quick Time Events, Red Herrings, Spawning, Summary Updates, Temporal Consistency,


Diegetic Aspects

Interface Aspects

Narrative Aspects

Predetermined Story Structures is a Narration Pattern.

Consequences

Can Instantiate

Character Defining Actions, Companions, Cutscenes, Narration Structures, Luck, Predictable Consequences, PvE, Storytelling, Tension

with Clues

Gain Information, Gain Ownership

Can Modulate

Alternate Reality Gameplay, Boss Monsters, Characters, Character Development, Freedom of Choice, Gain Competence, Player Characters

Potentially Conflicting With

Freedom of Choice, Persistent Game Worlds, Player Elimination, Procedurally Generated Game Worlds, Randomness, Replayability, Self-Facilitated Games, Unwinnable Games

Death Consequences when these can apply to Characters important to the narrative

Relations

Can Instantiate

Character Defining Actions, Companions, Cutscenes, Narration Structures, Luck, Predictable Consequences, PvE, Storytelling, Tension

with Clues

Gain Information, Gain Ownership

Can Modulate

Alternate Reality Gameplay, Boss Monsters, Characters, Character Development, Freedom of Choice, Gain Competence, Player Characters

Can Be Instantiated By

Ability Losses, Alien Space Bats, Big Dumb Objects, Conditional Passageways, Controllers, Cutscenes, Environmental Storytelling, Factions, Helpers, Inaccessible Areas, Information Passing, Levels, MacGuffins, Main Quests, One-Way Travel, Persistent Game World Changes, Quests, Reconnaissance, Rescue, Scenes, Scripted Information Sequences, Sidequests, Traces, Traverse

Clues together with Thematic Consistency

Invulnerabilities together with NPCs

Can Be Modulated By

Companions, Dedicated Game Facilitators, Detective Structures, Ephemeral Goals, Factions, Feigned Die Rolls, Freedom of Choice, Game Masters, Helpers, Information Passing, Loading Hints, Melodramatic Structures, New Abilities, Permadeath, Persistent Game Worlds, Privileged Movement, Puzzle Solving, Quick Time Events, Red Herrings, Spawning, Summary Updates, Switches, Temporal Consistency, Traps

Possible Closure Effects

-

Potentially Conflicting With

Freedom of Choice, Persistent Game Worlds, Player Elimination, Procedurally Generated Game Worlds, Randomness, Replayability, Self-Facilitated Games, Unwinnable Games

Death Consequences when these can apply to Characters important to the narrative

History

New pattern created in this wiki.

References

  1. Wikipedia entry for Gamebooks.
  2. Entry for "Monomyth" on Wikipedia.
  3. Entry for "Road Movie" on Wikipedia.