Keynote "Expression and Narrative in Minigames" at the symposium "Microstories and other Microforms" on the 6th October 2011. http://www5.ilch.uminho.pt/mconto/index.php/simposio

1. You've got to find what you love "Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart." Steve Jobs 1955-2011

2. Expression and Narrative in MiniGames Symposium Microstories and other Microforms | University of Minho | October 6-7, 2011 Nelson Zagalo

6. Game Story M essage to be expressed

7. Interactivity (P) Person (O) Other (M) Messages (Mj) Temporal sequences P(Mj) or (OMj) - Messages based in Previous Messages P(Mj/Mj-1) or M (Mj/Mj-1) - Previous messages based in earlier messages Non-interactive , when message has no relation with previous; Reactive , when message reacts only to im m ediat e ly previous message. Interactive , when message takes into account full interaction process of messages. Rafaeli, S. (1988)

8. Narrative mechanics Traditional - Linear Parallel Paths – Multi-linear Tree - Non-linear Autonomous and Emergent

9. Game mechanics Constructs of Rules, made of Choices and Obstacles that keep player away from getting access to game closure, creating an engagement process with the story and the urge to know what comes next.

11. Expression Phone Story, a game that satirizes the dark side of iPhone manufacturing, gets banned by Apple. 14/09/2011

14. LOVE: Colour Series, (2009/2010), SilverStitch “ The Colour my... series of games by designer developer Silver Stitch are the closest you will come to poetry in game form. Featuring lovely hand-drawn artwork, tranquil music and thought-provoking dialogue, the games all involve adding colour to an initially black and white game world. As you interact with the environment and solve puzzles, you leave trails of colour behind you.” Colour my Heart , 2009, 2 min www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/483057 video

15. LOVE: Distance, (2010), Austin Breed, 2m “ Austin Breed has created a split-screen tale of a couple separated by, well, distance. You follow their separate, daily routines and at night get to pose one of two questions while they chat on the phone. But will their eyes start to wander? What would you do? Find out!” www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/556828

16. LOVE: Grey, (2011), Kevin McGrath, 5m “ It seems that the boy you play as is a dead one who exists only in the girl's memories. As first, the world is void of colour in the mind of the girl, who cannot let go because of her sadness. As you give her the things that she like, you give colour to her empty world. Once you help her let go of her sadness, and let go of your death, then she can finally be happy and live her life full of colour; grey no more. ” www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/556828 video

18. FAMILY: A Mother in Festerwood, (2011), Austin Breed, 5m “ As a mother, it's your job to keep your little tyke in the safety of the homestead until they have enough experience to survive the monster-infested woods. Don't expect any gratitude, though. The brat will continually try to give you the slip and escape into the wild. After a while, like many a parent, you may well be tempted to let it go find out the hard way what the world's really like.” www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/560920

19. FAMILY: One Chance, (2010), AwkwardSilence , 7m "One Chance is a game about choices and dealing with them. Scientist John Pilgrim and his team have accidently created a pathogen that is killing all living cells on Earth. In the last 6 remaining in-game days on Earth, the player must make choices about how to spend his last moments. Will he spend time with his family, work on a cure or go nuts?" www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/555181 One Chance , (2010), AwkwardSilence , 7m video

21. LIFE: Passage, (2007), Jason Rohrer, 5m “ On the surface, the point of Passage is to open as many treasure chests within the allotted time. But that's not what Jason Rohrer's award winning game is really about. What it is really about is love, the passing of time, saying goodbye to youth and freedom, grief - ultimately life itself.” http://hcsoftware.sourceforge.net/passage/ Passage , (2007), Jason Rohrer, 5m video

22. LIFE: Coma, (2010), Thomas Brush, 7m “ Taking on the role of a small bean shaped creature called Pete, the player is tasked with a barely explained goal of rescuing a sister being held in “ father’s secret basement”. The premise is foreboding and weird just as the “goals” of dreams often seem to be. Play and puzzles likewise share this strange and creepy dream logic. Often enough the way forward in the game is something that the rational mind immediately balks at.” www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/541124 Coma , (2010), Thomas Brush, 7m video

24. SOCIETY: Gray, (2009), Greg Wohlwend, 5m “ Gray is a riot - quite literally. In this cerebral, experimental game, you play the part of a lone dissenter, trying desperately to win a seemingly never ending horde of rioters over to your cause. It seems like a helpless task but one by one you manage to woo the rioters until eventually you have the majority following you. But what does any self-respecting rebel do when they are a member of the majority, well in this game, they switch to the other side of course, and repeat the whole process again but from the opposite direction. Gray raises some interesting questions about the individual and the possibility of one person changing the course of history.” www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/495076 Gray , (2009), Greg Wohlwend, 5m

25. SOCIETY: Immortall, (2010), Evan Miller, 5m “ Take a poignant walk through the life of an alien caught in the midst of humanity. You arrive on Earth (presumably) as a crawling little blob, fostered by some very nice people you grow and in turn, protect them. From who and why is up to the player to decide and ultimately, the game will leave you thinking about what you just played. The changing background colors, the scenery and your foes are all simple in design but put together in a way and style that makes it truly an elegant visual experience. ” www.kongregate.com/games/Pixelante/immortall Immortall , (2010), Evan Miller, 5m video

26. SOCIETY: Every Day the Same Dream, 2007, Paolo Pedercini, 5m “ Every day the same dream is a slightly existential riff on the theme of alienation and refusal of labor. The idea was to charge the cyclic nature of most video games with some kind of meaning (i.e. the "play again" is not a game over). Yes, there is an end state, you can "beat" the game. ” www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/540741 Every Day the Same Dream , 2007, Paolo Pedercini, 5m video