My previous post was about the character of storytelling. Let’s look at its main elements now. Elements help us understand what a character is made of although it does not necesarily teach us true character. Storytelling is composed between three:
Story – a body of text that follows various rules many have written about. What is important to realize about story in case of storytelling is that the most powerful texts for this medium were created orally. That is why time and pace are so important in them. That is why there are many repetitions in oral texts. That is why non-linear texts are problematical in storytelling – oral stories take into consideration the capacity of the brain to intake information in time and make sense out of it.
Storyteller – this is the performer of the story. The interface through which the audience experiences the text. Being able to tell any story to any audience anywhere is not an easy task although seems ‘natural’. What is this ability composed of?
Audience – without this part of the deal, storytelling does not exist. The real story happens eventually only in the audience’s mind. All the rest is preparation, essential but not enough.
I’ll be happy to hear from gamers and designers how they see these three elements can be put to work in games.
This line of thought is very interesting. In games story can really add to the feel and participation of the game. Once upon a time when I was a found lad – I found myself playing role playing games as a form of storytelling. Kinda a cross between storytelling and gaming. D&D being the most famous example.
Though I was more into the story I was disappointed to learn that story and character in it’s self was not enough to attract people into the game – if it was reveled that the story was preset in any way. Then the role players begun to feel that there was not chance or luck in the game. This laid to a lack of interest. So I see games as a balancing act between storyline and random generated outcome.
Game designers defiantly have to find there way through a dark forest of the human psyche. Perceived self control and limited outcomes. Too many outcomes becomes over whelming for everyone; too few boring.
Peace
Eric Wolf
I feel this has to do with the ability to create complicated characters – like real people are. At the same time, many gamers don’t like these characters because if they are like real people they make mistakes… they don’t necessarily win and they can even be rather boring. Not everyone knows how to create drama.