04 Bring Out Your Story

For a game to be interesting, we require a story. You need the story building and storytelling skills to pitch
into game designing. So, here are your basics on story building and storytelling.

What is a Story?
What happens and how it happens forms a story. A story has to be told in the right order to avoid
confusion and to make it understandable for the listeners. It needs a good narration that can enable the
audience to visualise the scenes and understand the emotions of the characters in the story.
 Advanced Game Design

Types of Stories
News Stories
called News StoriICs, events
h e s e are events that take plplae day
that take place everyday around us are
t
tories these stories viA internet, televiston, Ttn, nesJaper ald magazines
listen and
ay. We can view

Plays
Such stories can be hctional or non fo
a y s are stories enacted tor the purpose
of entertainment. tional
ln plays, there is a
parlicular
characters and enact n. intute
in
plays. people take up the role of ditlerent
that has to be tollowed, which is called the 3 Act Play.

3 Act Play
to nike thingES Casier tor the actors and to
Earlier,
live plays were very popular among people. In plays, wliich there
called an Act, betwecn are bres
split into three parts. Each part eaks
is
up the stage. the story was

called an interval.

ACT ACT III

ACT Middle End
Beginning9

sETUP CONFRONTATION RESOLUTION

Plot PolntI Plot Polnt l

3 Act Structure

C T I - Introduction

This Act explains the beginning of the crisis or problem the protagonist is about to face. It introduces
the characters, shows what they can do and what they cannot do. Introducing the characters not on
refers to introducing the protagonist (the hero). but also his aids, the companion (it there is love) and the
antagonist (the villain).

ACT I1- Composition of Crisis and Complication

This act explains all the problems the protagonist is lacing as a common person, how the two people (the

protagonist and the supporting character) handle the situation, how everyone is triggered and how this
adds on more pressure. Finally, this act reveals how this has turned positively into progres.

ACCT II - Cimax | Resolution

This act explains how the protagonist overcame the challenges to become the hero. lt should inctude
scenes to test and prove the central basis, have elements of surprise and have a moment of emotional e
and a payoft tor the audience.

38
 Bring Out Your Story

Below is the tinie graph of a story told with the three

acts.
The 'Three - Act Structure
ACT I ACT I1 ACT III
crisis

TISIngaction
stakesget higner
faling action
introducu

RESOLUTION
SETUP cONFRONTATION

P l o t Point (a major twist that provokes the beginning ot a new act.)

Character Building in 3 ACT Play

a story. il 1s mportant to show how your character grows and becomes a hero rather than being a hero

trom the beginning

Also, the characters should change and move through the events of the story.

For example:

Ihe character, Rick in asablanca (a movie) goes:

trom satistaction and selt-pity

t o heroIC Sacrifice

Citizen Kane (a movie)

Ihe character, Charley in
goes
from conhdence

tocrushed pride
 Advanced Game Design

Storytelling and Interactive Storytelling

hand lone,
includes the facial expressions,
ne name denotes 'Storytelling' story is told. This
is the way a
the story, the listeners
As a story teller tells
u dody language of the person telling the story.
Suanze the scene and
encourage the listeners
to creatively
imagine
torm. In this type
Or
StOrytelling. the
which is in the digital
CEctve
storytelling is a form of storytelling
his characters, setting and situatO
lhe storyteller creates
own
INea.
O to neip learn.
and ideas. It is a powertul way
Is used as a tool to teach concepts
Oryteling
,nteractive stories can be told in two diterent ways:

Interactive Fiction Story

»Interactive Drama

this, with the

An interactive iction story can either be a stmple or a complex one. ln a
story progresses
and other similar interactive activities that build interaction and enables the
help of puzzles, ganmes and the way the
The progression of the story is dependent on
solving the puzzles
audicnce to participate.
games are played.

in
Interactive drama type of storytelling where we take up the role of every character in the game.
is a

other words, it is a solo game where you take the story forward on your own. it is used by researchers m

the tield of virtual storytelling or computerized characters.

40
 Bring Out Your Story
Structural Differences in Stories
There arenmany games that rely on
strong characterisation and plots. For such games, the story 1s usuany a
core component in the enjoyment of the game and is one of the big selling points, For examples: Prince of
Persia, Game of Thrones etc.

Betore you decide to make your game interesting based on the storyline, you need to understand the
different ways in which a story can be structured and what would be the best way to use. Ine aiierent
ways a

» Linear

» Branched

Linear

A linear way of storyteling is most common in books or films. It is just a simple series of different stages,
as shown in the above higure. In such a pattern, one event follows the other in a linear manner. There will
be no distractions in between. Therefore, this is obviously not interactive.
Advanced Game Design
Decision Tree

h this type of structure, characters are given choices in the torm of challenges and puzzles in every stage
that affect the story. This helps them make decisions, based on which the story progresses in difterent

this structure to make interactive.

ways. A game developer uses games
In the above figure, an example of three levels is given. The structure involves three decisions trom the
player. These decisions can lead him to any climax of the storyY

For every extra decision added, the number of outcomes needs to be doubled.

Exercise
3
1.Consider any of your favourite film/game. ldentify the dramatic peaks and identify the application of
ACT Play system in the thim/game.

2. Match the terms related to storytelling to their respective delinition.

The Term Definition

Story progresses with the help of puzles. games

Play and other similar interactive activities

Branched/Non-Linear Story One event follows the other in a linear manner

News
Story progresses in difterent ways based on
decisions

Interactive Fiction Stories enacted tor the purpose ot

entertainn
Linear Story Stories that take place everyday around us