The document discusses interactive storytelling in games and some of the challenges of combining story and gameplay. It notes that stories are typically linear while games are non-linear, making it difficult to satisfy both. It proposes using a framework that arranges plot points dynamically based on player actions and quantifiable story elements to create a coherent emergent story with meaningful choices for the player. The goal is to find a balance between full player freedom and restricted choice.

1. Interactive Storytelling
in Games: Next Steps
Gail Carmichael
www.gailcarmichael.com

2. What is a Story?

3. ACTORS
perform actions
THE WORLD
changes
EVENTS
relate to each other

4. STORIES:
About people, not things
conflict

5. Interactivity

6. Two or more
agents
Respond
properly
Understand
each other

7. Game + Story:
Why is it Hard?

8. STORIES:
Linear
GAMES:
Non-Linear

9. “Divergence from a story's path is
likely to make for a less satisfying
story; restricting a player's
freedom of action is likely to make
for a less satisfying game.”
Greg Costikyan

10. What should we do?

11. …puzzle➭story➭puzzle➭story…

12. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMzmnwWK0dY

13. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqkJuSV-23U

14. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POjkfLiyWd8

15. Creativity
>
Technology

20. Playable Game
Stories

21. Sullivan, Anne. The Grail
Framework: Making stories
playable on three levels in CRPGS.
PhD Thesis, 2012.

22. Playable Story
Meaningful,
Interesting Choices

23. Player
Quest
Game
World

25. Player
Quest
Game
World
Social
Mechanics

26. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zc5QEcWGh1U

32. Player
Quest
Game
World
Goal-based
Quests

36. Player
Quest
Game
World
Dynamically
Arrange Plot
Points

38. Player
Quest
Game
World

39. Coherent Emergent
Stories

40. Complete freedom?
No freedom?
Somewhere in the
middle.

44. 1
2
3
6
4
5

45. 1
2
3
6
4
5
Example:
Player chosen as hero to
stop threat of a nearby
enemy

46. 1
2
3
6
4
5

47. 1
2
3
4
5
6
Example:
Example:
Learn that nobody has
dared face this enemy
before
Hero previously acquired his
weapon and is too scared to use
it

48. Satellite Scenes
Available based on player action.
Allow player to choose consumption.
Dynamically modified to fit story.

50. Quantifiable
story elements

51. Desire value of
element

52. Quantifiable
story elements

53. Relevance of
element

54. Scene state: used to tag
scene with info about
how it functions in the
story

55. Rules to determine
availability of scene

56. Collection of
quantifiable story
elements used to
calculate scores for
scene nodes

61. Max of all scores for quantifiable
story elements in a category (e.g. max
theme relevance), multiplied by
desire value

66. Result:
A strong core story with
additional flexible but relevant
nodes that react to gameplay.
In other words, a coherent emergent story.

67. Want to know more?
Foundations of Digital Games (April 2014)

68. Gail Carmichael
www.gailcarmichael.com

69. Books
- Andrew Glassner’s Interactive Storytelling: Techniques for the 21st
Century
- Chris Crawford’s Chris Crawford on Interactive Storytelling
- Josiah Lebowitz and Chris Klug’s Interactive Storytelling for Games
- Mieke Bal’s Narratology: Introduction to the Theory of Narrative
Other
- Greg Costikyan’s Games, Storytelling, and Breaking the String
-Pohjola M. 2004. “Autonomous Identities: Immersion as a Tool for
Exploring, Empowering and Emancipating Identities” in Montola M.
and Stenros J. (eds.). Beyond Role and Play: tools, toys and theory
for harnessing the imagination. Ropecon ry, Helsinki, 81-96.
-Anne M. Sullivan, THE GRAIL FRAMEWORK: MAKING STORIES
PLAYABLE ON THREE LEVELS IN CRPGS. (PhD thesis)