Interactive Narrative Design / Project 1

on
21.04.2025 - 26.05.2025 (Week 1 - Week 6 )
Ng Kar Yee / 0367743
Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media
Interactive Narrative Design / Project 1

LECTURES

Week 1⇒ Introduction & Briefing

On our first day, Mr Kamal gave us a brief introduction on the module and told us what to expect for the current semester. He gave us a brief introduction on the module information booklet and discussed about the weekly lesson plan. Besides, assignment, assessment and weightage were also discussed.

Week 2⇒ Interactive Storytelling

For week 2, we had a class on interactive storytelling where we focus on action, decision and emotion.

1. Action

A. Interactivity
  • Interactive storytelling transforms traditional narratives by allowing audiences to actively participate and influence the story's direction. 
  • This shifts the audience from passive observers to active participants, creating a more engaging and immersive experience. 
  • By incorporating elements like choices, user input, and dynamic content, interactive stories encourage exploration and experimentation, leading to unique and personalized narratives.
B. Player Verb
  • In game design, a verb is a player's physical interaction with the game, for instance pressing a button and selecting an option, while an action is the result of that interaction on the game world. 
  • Verbs are the inputs and actions are the outputs or consequences of those inputs.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:

i. Verbs

  • Verbs are the actions a player performs through the input devices (controller, mouse, keyboard, etc.).
  • Verbs are the means by which players interact with and control the game.
  • Examples: Pressing a button, moving a joystick, clicking an item, or selecting an option.
ii. Actions
  • Actions are the effects of verbs within the game world.
  • Actions are the result of player input and change the state of the game.
  • Examples: A character jumping, shooting, moving to a new location, or the activation of a game mechanic.
C. Game Mechanics
  • In game development, game mechanics refer to the fundamental rules, systems, and structures that define how a game works and how players interact with it. 
  • They are the core elements that govern gameplay, shaping player actions, strategies, and overall experience. 
  • These mechanics also include the game's rules, challenges, goals, and the way the game state evolves.

2. Decision

A. Linearity
  • In storytelling, linearity refers to the sequential order in which events are presented to the audience, typically following the same chronological order as they happen in the story world. 
  • Non-linear storytelling, on the other hand, deviates from this straightforward progression, often involving flashbacks, flashforwards, or changes in perspective, creating a more complex and less predictable narrative structure.
B. Player Agency
  • In the context of gaming and player experience, player agency refers to the degree of control and freedom players have to shape their own narrative and choices within a game. 
  • It's the sense of empowerment players feel when they can directly influence the story, characters, and outcomes through their decisions. Essentially, it's about giving players the power to impact the game world in meaningful ways.
3. Emotion
  • In game design, "Game Emotion" refers to the emotional states players experience while interacting with a game. 
  • These emotions can be positive, negative, or neutral, and they are often influenced by the game's mechanics, story, and visuals. 
  • Understanding and manipulating these emotions is a key aspect of creating engaging and enjoyable game experiences.
A. Emotional states
  • Emotions in games can range from joy and excitement to frustration and fear. These emotions can be triggered by various in-game events, such as winning a battle, completing a puzzle, or witnessing a tragic plot point.
B. Player experience
  • Game designers aim to evoke specific emotions in players to enhance the overall game experience. For example, a game might use challenging gameplay to create a sense of accomplishment, or a dark and suspenseful atmosphere to evoke feelings of fear.
C. Design elements
  • Game mechanics, storytelling, and visual design all play a role in shaping player emotions. For instance, a game might use a points system to reward positive actions, a narrative arc to evoke empathy, or a specific color palette to create a mood.

CLASS ACTIVITY

After hitting the slides and lectures by Mr Kamal, we had our very first class activity where we need to work in groups to complete the exercises given on what we had learn. I was group with Sher Wei and she become the first friend i made in this class :D but anyway, we discussed into a few topics and concluded a few ideas. 


Week 3⇒ Linear Storytelling

For week 3, we had a class on the art of storytelling and creating character.

Importance of storytelling in movies
  • It emphasizes the concept of writing what you know and incorporating personal experiences into stories to make them more relatable.
  • The power of storytelling lies in its ability to connect with people on an emotional level.
  • Incorporating personal experiences into stories makes them more alive and relatable.
  • Stories evolve through multiple retellings before they become perfect.
Your Unique Perspective
  • Each person emphasizes the importance of personal experiences and unique insights in storytelling.
  • Viewers are encouraged to think about a vivid memory and express it in different ways.
  • Highlights the power of storytelling and the unique perspective that each person brings to their stories.
World & Character
  • World and character are essential elements in storytelling.
  • The world can be a metaphor for a deeper theme, like growing up in Toy Story.
  • The character should be captivating and compelling, even if the world takes a backseat.


Highlights
  • Characters should be deeply flawed yet entertaining, as flaws can be key to why audiences care about them.
  • Characters will guide the audience through the story, sharing their lessons, challenges, and emotions.
  • The lesson encourages experimenting with different exercises to create compelling characters.

Week 4⇒ Wesak Day Holiday

Week 5⇒ Non-Linear Storytelling

For week 5, we had a lecture on story structure.



What is structure?
  • Structure is the organization of a story.
  • The order in which we present information impacts audience engagement and the emotional impact, so storytellers constantly experiment with different approaches to story structure.
  • Basic structure: Opening, Middle and End
Story Spine
  • Story structure is like a building foundation, and story beats are important moments in a story. A story spine is a simple pattern to organize a story.
  • It helps us understand a story's flow and create our own stories.

INTRODUCTION

PROJECT 1⇒ INTERACTIVE NARRATIVE PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT 

For our first project, Mr Kamal introduced Interactive Narrative Proposal Development to us where we need to develop a proposal for an interactive narrative using the five key elements of storytelling which are Character, Setting, Conflict, Plot and Theme. We are encouraged to start with a linear story concept and explore how it can be transformed into a non-linear, interactive experience, where audience choices influence the flow and outcome of the story.

For this project, we are required to prepare an interactive narrative proposal with the specified content format,

Instructions:
1. Title & Concept Overview
  • Provide a working title for your interactive narrative.
  • Write a brief summary (3–5 sentences) of the original linear story idea.
  • Explain how you intend to convert this linear narrative into a non-linear structure (e.g., multiple story paths, branching decisions, alternate endings).
2. Story Elements
  • Develop each of the following components:
  • Character: Describe your main character(s), including motivations and roles within different branches.
  • Setting: Define where and when the story occurs, and how the setting might shift across different narrative paths.
  • Plot: Outline the core story arc and propose at least two key decision points that allow the user to alter the direction of the story.
  • Theme: Identify the central theme(s) and how they may be interpreted differently based on user choices.
  • Conflict: Describe the central conflict and how its resolution may vary in different storylines.
3. Interactive Components
  • Describe how the audience will interact with the story (e.g., choices, exploration, branching dialogue, point-of-view shifts).
  • Mention potential formats or platforms for implementation (e.g., interactive video, web-based narrative, Interactive Novel, VR).
4. Visual or Mood References
  • Include 2–3 visuals, sketches, or mood boards to convey the tone, style, or world of your narrative.
5. Deliverable Format:
  • Submit as a written proposal.
  • Format: PDF.

RESEARCH

To have a head start, I decided on doing some research on interactive gameplay on the Internet.

1. My Child Lebensborn

My Child Lebensborn is a social simulation game developed by Sarepta Studio and published by Teknopilot. In this game, you play as the adoptive parent of a child born under the Lebensborn program in post-World War II Norway. The child faces bullying and discrimination at school due to their background, and your role involves guiding and supporting them through these challenges. The gameplay focuses on daily life activities, emotional support, and making choices that impact the child's well-being.

Figure 1.1 My Child Lebensborn

2. Detroit: Become Human (Quantic Dream)

Detroit: Become Human is a narrative-driven interactive drama and action-adventure game developed by Quantic Dream and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Set in a futuristic Detroit in the year 2038, the game explores the lives of three androids—Kara, Connor, and Markus—who struggle with identity, freedom, and what it means to be human. Players make choices that shape the characters’ paths, relationships, and ultimately the outcome of a branching, emotionally complex story. The gameplay emphasizes decision-making, moral dilemmas, and exploring human emotions through the lens of artificial intelligence.

Figure 1.2 Detroit: Become Human

After looking high and low for inspiration, I started on drafting the story and draw out some reference. After serious considerations, I decided to go for a sci-fi theme where the players need to assist the main character/protagonist who lost his memory to collect memory fragments and undercover the truth behind as the focus of the game. I plan to have 3 ending at first, which is Humanity Ending, Revenge Ending and Mix Ending however after consulting Mr Kamal on the idea, he felt that two ending should be enough and the Humanity and Mix can combine as one ending. Other then that, Mr Kamal felt that the idea for the project is quiet interesting. After getting a greenlight on the idea, I proceed to refine my idea and detail the storyline.

For the story's concept, the protagonist awakes in an empty bedroom in a ruined underground facility with no memory of who or what he is. With each step forward, the protagonist begins to recover fragments of memory—slowly piecing together the painful truth of what really happened.

FINAL INTERACTIVE NARRATIVE PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT

FEEDBACK

WEEK 6

  • Overall ideal is interesting
  • One step earlier on doing the branching system
  • The branching system need to rearrange and refine as it's bit hard to understand
  • Realistic artstyle is more suitable instead of flat 2D or anime style

REFLECTION

Working on Interactive Narrative Proposal Development has been a fun ride where I got to enhance my skills and knowledge in ideation and proposal writing. Besides, it was new experience as it was my first time writing a script for a game. Moreover, we have the opportunity to analyze and explore different type of storytelling narrative game and see how profesional share their knowledge in the specific field. This project was challenging yet interesting for me as I need to combine creativity and expressing skills however with the guidance I got from Mr Kamal and my friends, I managed to finish the tasks.

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