MacGuffins
Game elements specifically used to drive the narration in games.
Like movies, many games include storylines that drive the characters actions. One common design structure for both cases are to make use of game elements or characters that all agents goals resolve around, be it to rescue, destroy or protect. Such narrative devices are called MacGuffins and do not themselves need to be active or even present in games for them to function.
See also the Wikipedia entry[1] for the concept.
Contents
Examples
Princess Peach Toadstool is kidnapped in many of the Super Mario series of games, and players main goal as Mario is to rescue her. There are however exceptions to this structur, e.g. Super Mario Bros. 2 and the Mario Kart series, and in Super Princess Peach the roles are reversed.
Capture the Flag game modes are examples of using MacGuffins in games very close to the original usage in movies. This can quite easily be noticed from the flags in the Quake series having no effect on gameplay except where they are, and the content of the briefcases that teams fights over in the Team Fortress series are never revealed.
Using the pattern
The exact nature and attributes of MacGuffins are not the most important parts of creating them. In fact, MacGuffins do not need to exist even as game elements, they can be shown only through Cut Scenes or only be referred to and never be shown (and these two can be combined).
Characters
Game Elements
Tools
Privileged Abilities
Diegetically Outstanding Features
Diegetic Aspects
MacGuffins need to comply with the Alternative Reality of a game, that is not break Diegetic Consistency, it they are not to become Alien Space Bats.
Narrative Aspects
MacGuffins are devices for creating Narration Structures, and as such primarily narrative in aspect.
Consequences
The main purpose of MacGuffins is to provide Predetermined Story Structures and thereby Narration Structures in games.
Relations
Can Instantiate
Alien Space Bats, Predetermined Story Structures, Narration Structures
with ...
Can Modulate
Can Be Instantiated By
Can Be Modulated By
Possible Closure Effects
Potentially Conflicting With
History
New pattern created in this wiki.
References
Acknowledgements
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