Narration Structures

The one-sentence "definition" that should be in italics.

This pattern is a still a stub. Until then, Predetermined Story Structures provides many aspects relevant to Narration Structures in general.

Examples

Records of game instances of Chess can be seen as Narration Structures but this may be even more apparent when the chess pieces are presented as characters. "Through the Looking-Glass" by Lewis Carroll is an example of this although some artistic freedom is taken in the alternation of players moving. Another example is that Samuel Beckett includes an annotated Chess record in the novel "Murphy", and "Reunion" (a project by among others John Cage and Marcel Duchamp) used the structures emerging from Chess game instances to create music.

Using the pattern

Narration Structures in games can both be created or told as gameplay evolves. Emergent Gameplay, Player-Constructed Worlds, and Player-Generated Narratives are all patterns to support the former while the use of Predetermined Story Structures is the primary way in which narratives are revealed through the gameplay. Dedicated Game Facilitators can be used to not only reveal or present Predetermined Story Structures as appropriate, they can be used to choose between different ones depending on context. In addition, they can create new Narration Structures as needed if they have the right abilities; Game Masters naturally do but computer-based ones need algorithms to create new structures.

Having game elements that can carry the Narration Structures is a requirement for the pattern. Most essential is the presence of Characters that can have goals and Agents that can perform actions in accordance to these; Player Characters and Algorithmic Agents can create structures during gameplay, so together with Dedicated Game Facilitators the process can become a joint one.

Can Instantiate

Internal Rivalry,

Can Be Instantiated By

Alien Space Bats, Betrayal, Character Defining Actions, Character Development, Construction, Enemies, Game Items, MacGuffins, Non-Player Characters, Scenes, Social Dilemmas, Speedruns, Storytelling,

Can Be Modulated By

Character Development, Creative Control, Diegetically Outstanding Features, Focus Loci, Game Element Insertion, Inaccessible Areas, Non-Consistent Narration, Non-Player Characters, Open Destiny, Player-Created Characters, Thematic Consistency,

Games that support Pottering at least partly work against Narration Structures since the Pottering activity specifically does not result in noteworthy events.

Narrative Aspects

Narration Structures is a Narration Pattern.

Consequences

Narration Structures of any type in a game offers a chance for players' to have Narrative Engrossment.

Relations

Can Instantiate

Internal Rivalry, Narrative Engrossment

Can Modulate

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Can Be Instantiated By

Agents, Algorithmic Agents, Alien Space Bats, Betrayal, Character Defining Actions, Character Development, Characters, Construction, Emergent Gameplay, Enemies, Game Items, MacGuffins, Non-Player Characters, Player Characters, Player-Constructed Worlds, Player-Generated Narratives, Predetermined Story Structures, Scenes, Social Dilemmas, Speedruns, Storytelling

Can Be Modulated By

Character Development, Creative Control, Dedicated Game Facilitators, Diegetically Outstanding Features, Focus Loci, Game Element Insertion, Game Masters, Inaccessible Areas, Non-Consistent Narration, Non-Player Characters, Open Destiny, Player-Created Characters, Thematic Consistency

Possible Closure Effects

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Potentially Conflicting With

Pottering

History

An revised version of the pattern Narrative Structures that was part of the original collection in the book Patterns in Game Design. Large aspects of it has been refactored to be part of Predetermined Story Structures.

Acknowledgements

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