This article explores an alternative understanding of storytelling, which has risen with the emer... more This article explores an alternative understanding of storytelling, which has risen with the emergence of new forms of narrative media, particularly with the medium of computer games. I explicate the distinctive logic behind this novel understanding and investigate how this logic differs from prior conceptualizations of narrative. In the past decades, marginal formats such as the Choose-Your-Own-Adventure book and experimental practices like Experience Theatre already tested the concept of narrative as developed once in structuralist narratology. Narrative experiments like these have now become mainstream, story-driven computer games being one of the prime examples. Drawing on recent theories on the distinction between representation and presentation from the fields of media studies and the arts, this article explains the limits of a structuralist approach, and, in the process, develops an additional concept of narrative, more suited for studying the popular story-driven games of today.
Proceedings of the 2011 ACM SIGGRAPH Symposium on Video Games - Sandbox '11, 2011
... Designing Stories. Practices of Narrative in 3D Computer Games Teun Dubbelman Utrecht Univers... more ... Designing Stories. Practices of Narrative in 3D Computer Games Teun Dubbelman Utrecht University t.dubbelman@uu.nl Abstract Drawing on theories from game-, film-, and theatre studies, this paper explores two primary ways in which 3D computer games deal with stories. ...
Narrative Mechanics: Strategies and Meanings in Games and Real Life, 2021
First, the article will discuss the notion of narrative game mechanics, and its theoretical groun... more First, the article will discuss the notion of narrative game mechanics, and its theoretical groundings. Second, it will showcase the Narrative Design Canvas as a practical instrument for teaching narrative design. This canvas can be used by students to analyze and design narrative games. It helps them to recognize and establish a connection between a game’s written narrative (expressed for example in dialogues and cutscenes) and a game’s mechanics. The article concludes with a closer look at the game Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. Using the canvas, the game’s narrative design will be analyzed. This analysis reveals how the game succeeds in creating an engaging narrative experience by articulating developments in the authored storyline through changes in the game mechanics.
Interactive Storytelling 11th International Conference on Interactive Digital Storytelling, ICIDS 2018 Dublin, Ireland, December 5–8, 2018, Proceedings, 2018
This paper shares the results of an interactive digital narrative (IDN) project, conducted at HKU... more This paper shares the results of an interactive digital narrative (IDN) project, conducted at HKU University of the Arts Utrecht. We consider the potential of 'IDN for change', before we describe the project, the underlying design approach and the educational approaches. A particular focus of this paper is on pedagogical considerations. We describe the educational challenges we have encountered during the project as well as the pedagogical interventions we have implemented to counter these difficulties. On this basis, we discuss a more general perspective on the state and issues in IDN-focused pedagogy.
Interactive Storytelling: 10th International Conference on Interactive Digital Storytelling, 2017
This paper reports on an aspect of a long-term project to create a body of evidence-based interac... more This paper reports on an aspect of a long-term project to create a body of evidence-based interactive narrative design methods. In this context, we discuss aspects of formal design descriptions as a basis for a quantitative approach to verify the effects of design choices on the experience of audiences. Specifically, we discuss the notion of 'design conventions' by acknowledging earlier usages of the term and the related discourse in video game studies.
Interactive Storytelling: 10th International Conference on Interactive Digital Storytelling, 2017
This paper aims to expand existing knowledge on narrative game design. Specifically, the paper di... more This paper aims to expand existing knowledge on narrative game design. Specifically, the paper discusses the importance of game design patterns for the analysis of narrative game mechanics. By bringing together insights from cognitive narratology and game design theory, the paper creates a preliminary theoretical perspective for deconstructing the design of mechanic-driven narrative games. To support the theoretical argument, the paper discusses Papers , Please as case study.
This paper outlines a roadmap for interactive narrative research that integrates disparate parts ... more This paper outlines a roadmap for interactive narrative research that integrates disparate parts while focusing on identifying and experimentally veri‐ fying IDN design conventions and on developing a pedagogy to further the devel‐ opment of a professional discipline of IDN creators. This effort connects several key areas, in which the authors have worked before and which are now brought together. These include a specific theory, an approach towards interactive narra‐ tive design and its evaluation, an expanded understanding of the manifestations constituting the field, the pedagogy of educating creators of IDN artifacts and a perspective on the cultural significance of these creative expressions as tools to represent complexity. Keywords: Interactive narrative models · Interactive narrative design · Interactive narrative art · Interactive narrative pedagogy · Narrative representations of complexity · Protostory · Protoprocess
Interactive Storytelling: 9th International Conference on Interactive Digital Storytelling, 2016
This paper explores the notion of narrative game mechanics byapposing theories from the field of ... more This paper explores the notion of narrative game mechanics byapposing theories from the field of cognitive narratology with design theorieson game mechanics The paper aims to disclose how narrative game mechanicsinvite game agents, including the player, to perform actions that support theconstruction of engaging stories and fictional worlds in the embodied mind of the player The theoretical argument is supported by three case studies The paper discusses examples of games that employ mechanics and rules to createengaging story events, focusing on! building tension through spatial conflict,evo"ing empathy through characteri#ation and creating moral dilemmasthrough player choices.
Narrative game designer, or simply narrative designer, is a role in contemporary computer game de... more Narrative game designer, or simply narrative designer, is a role in contemporary computer game development. The narrative designer is responsible for designing the player’s experience of a game’s fictional world. This study delves into the practice of narrative design from the perspective of embodied presence. In comparison with books, movies and other media, the medium of computer games excels in offering the media user the feeling of being a physically present participant in the fictional world. When exploiting the merits of embodied presence, narrative designers are challenged to express fictional worlds without disrupting this feeling of “being-there”. Close-ups, flashbacks, ellipses and other narrative devices–common to other audio-visual media–cannot be employed to the same extent. This study reconceptualises and apposes the notions of presence and narrative by critically expanding on Presence Theory, phenomenological media theory and narratology. Drawing from insights and practices in game, film, performance, architecture and literature studies, the study subsequently proposes alternative narrative devices, more compatible with the interactive and spatial nature of computer games, enabling designers to express fictional worlds while maintaining the player’s feeling of embodied presence.
This paper aims to expand existing knowledge on narrative game design. Specifically, the paper di... more This paper aims to expand existing knowledge on narrative game design. Specifically, the paper discusses the importance of game design patterns for the analysis of narrative game mechanics. By bringing together insights from cognitive narratology and game design theory, the paper creates a preliminary theoretical perspective for deconstructing the design of mechanic-driven narrative games. To support the theoretical argument, the paper discusses Papers, Please as case study.
Whenever you hear a story about a game designer who's got a notebook of his world which he&#... more Whenever you hear a story about a game designer who's got a notebook of his world which he's been designing since he was 12 years old, get very nervous. He's got a story to tell, and he should ... For many years now, the topic of storytelling has been high on the agenda of ...
Transactions of the Digital Games Research Association, 2021
In recent years, games with a focus on narrative have been a growing area. However, so far, inter... more In recent years, games with a focus on narrative have been a growing area. However, so far, interactive narrative aspects have not been the focus of video game education (with the noted exception of a small number of programs in game writing), which indicates that many narrative designers are self-trained. The insular status means that many designers use private vocabulary and conceptualizations that are not directly transferable. This state of affairs is an obstacle to productive discourse and has negative consequences for the further development of the professional field. By starting an educational program, we aim to address this problem using the opportunity to also include perspectives outside of games. We report on the first iteration of a minor in interactive narrative design, and reflect on lessons learned, while considering future trajectories for this and similar programs.
In this paper, we describe narrative game design as an area for empirical research and aim to pro... more In this paper, we describe narrative game design as an area for empirical research and aim to promote additional work in this area. The focus of our paper is therefore on the process. We start by discussing the relationship between the design of the narrative aspects of video games vs. non-narrative aspects, as well as in comparison to earlier narrative media. On this basis, we identify specific challenges from the perspective of design. Then, we define “design conventions” and introduce our method for identification and verification using empirical methods. In this context, we discuss methodological issues and advocate best practices. Finally, we report on early results and outline future work.
Matlit Revista do Programa de Doutoramento em Materialidades da Literatura, 2018
In recent years, game narrative has emerged as an area for novel game concepts and as a strategy ... more In recent years, game narrative has emerged as an area for novel game concepts and as a strategy to distinguish a particular title. However, innovation in this area comes primarily from indie companies and individual efforts by noted designers. There is a lack of trained specialists ready to produce interactive narrative experiences. Many existing practitioners are self-trained and often rely on intuition in their design practice. A key element missing from the effort towards a more sustained development and improved professional training is a set of design conventions that fulfill a role comparable to cinematic conventions like continuity editing or montage. Therefore, our research focuses on identifying, verifying and collecting such design strategies. We describe an empirical method to verify candidate design conventions through the evaluation of user reaction to A/B prototypes, which improves upon the trial-and-error process of old.
This article explores an alternative understanding of storytelling, which has risen with the emer... more This article explores an alternative understanding of storytelling, which has risen with the emergence of new forms of narrative media, particularly with the medium of computer games. I explicate the distinctive logic behind this novel understanding and investigate how this logic differs from prior conceptualizations of narrative. In the past decades, marginal formats such as the Choose-Your-Own-Adventure book and experimental practices like Experience Theatre already tested the concept of narrative as developed once in structuralist narratology. Narrative experiments like these have now become mainstream, story-driven computer games being one of the prime examples. Drawing on recent theories on the distinction between representation and presentation from the fields of media studies and the arts, this article explains the limits of a structuralist approach, and, in the process, develops an additional concept of narrative, more suited for studying the popular story-driven games of today.
Proceedings of the 2011 ACM SIGGRAPH Symposium on Video Games - Sandbox '11, 2011
... Designing Stories. Practices of Narrative in 3D Computer Games Teun Dubbelman Utrecht Univers... more ... Designing Stories. Practices of Narrative in 3D Computer Games Teun Dubbelman Utrecht University t.dubbelman@uu.nl Abstract Drawing on theories from game-, film-, and theatre studies, this paper explores two primary ways in which 3D computer games deal with stories. ...
Narrative Mechanics: Strategies and Meanings in Games and Real Life, 2021
First, the article will discuss the notion of narrative game mechanics, and its theoretical groun... more First, the article will discuss the notion of narrative game mechanics, and its theoretical groundings. Second, it will showcase the Narrative Design Canvas as a practical instrument for teaching narrative design. This canvas can be used by students to analyze and design narrative games. It helps them to recognize and establish a connection between a game’s written narrative (expressed for example in dialogues and cutscenes) and a game’s mechanics. The article concludes with a closer look at the game Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. Using the canvas, the game’s narrative design will be analyzed. This analysis reveals how the game succeeds in creating an engaging narrative experience by articulating developments in the authored storyline through changes in the game mechanics.
Interactive Storytelling 11th International Conference on Interactive Digital Storytelling, ICIDS 2018 Dublin, Ireland, December 5–8, 2018, Proceedings, 2018
This paper shares the results of an interactive digital narrative (IDN) project, conducted at HKU... more This paper shares the results of an interactive digital narrative (IDN) project, conducted at HKU University of the Arts Utrecht. We consider the potential of 'IDN for change', before we describe the project, the underlying design approach and the educational approaches. A particular focus of this paper is on pedagogical considerations. We describe the educational challenges we have encountered during the project as well as the pedagogical interventions we have implemented to counter these difficulties. On this basis, we discuss a more general perspective on the state and issues in IDN-focused pedagogy.
Interactive Storytelling: 10th International Conference on Interactive Digital Storytelling, 2017
This paper reports on an aspect of a long-term project to create a body of evidence-based interac... more This paper reports on an aspect of a long-term project to create a body of evidence-based interactive narrative design methods. In this context, we discuss aspects of formal design descriptions as a basis for a quantitative approach to verify the effects of design choices on the experience of audiences. Specifically, we discuss the notion of 'design conventions' by acknowledging earlier usages of the term and the related discourse in video game studies.
Interactive Storytelling: 10th International Conference on Interactive Digital Storytelling, 2017
This paper aims to expand existing knowledge on narrative game design. Specifically, the paper di... more This paper aims to expand existing knowledge on narrative game design. Specifically, the paper discusses the importance of game design patterns for the analysis of narrative game mechanics. By bringing together insights from cognitive narratology and game design theory, the paper creates a preliminary theoretical perspective for deconstructing the design of mechanic-driven narrative games. To support the theoretical argument, the paper discusses Papers , Please as case study.
This paper outlines a roadmap for interactive narrative research that integrates disparate parts ... more This paper outlines a roadmap for interactive narrative research that integrates disparate parts while focusing on identifying and experimentally veri‐ fying IDN design conventions and on developing a pedagogy to further the devel‐ opment of a professional discipline of IDN creators. This effort connects several key areas, in which the authors have worked before and which are now brought together. These include a specific theory, an approach towards interactive narra‐ tive design and its evaluation, an expanded understanding of the manifestations constituting the field, the pedagogy of educating creators of IDN artifacts and a perspective on the cultural significance of these creative expressions as tools to represent complexity. Keywords: Interactive narrative models · Interactive narrative design · Interactive narrative art · Interactive narrative pedagogy · Narrative representations of complexity · Protostory · Protoprocess
Interactive Storytelling: 9th International Conference on Interactive Digital Storytelling, 2016
This paper explores the notion of narrative game mechanics byapposing theories from the field of ... more This paper explores the notion of narrative game mechanics byapposing theories from the field of cognitive narratology with design theorieson game mechanics The paper aims to disclose how narrative game mechanicsinvite game agents, including the player, to perform actions that support theconstruction of engaging stories and fictional worlds in the embodied mind of the player The theoretical argument is supported by three case studies The paper discusses examples of games that employ mechanics and rules to createengaging story events, focusing on! building tension through spatial conflict,evo"ing empathy through characteri#ation and creating moral dilemmasthrough player choices.
Narrative game designer, or simply narrative designer, is a role in contemporary computer game de... more Narrative game designer, or simply narrative designer, is a role in contemporary computer game development. The narrative designer is responsible for designing the player’s experience of a game’s fictional world. This study delves into the practice of narrative design from the perspective of embodied presence. In comparison with books, movies and other media, the medium of computer games excels in offering the media user the feeling of being a physically present participant in the fictional world. When exploiting the merits of embodied presence, narrative designers are challenged to express fictional worlds without disrupting this feeling of “being-there”. Close-ups, flashbacks, ellipses and other narrative devices–common to other audio-visual media–cannot be employed to the same extent. This study reconceptualises and apposes the notions of presence and narrative by critically expanding on Presence Theory, phenomenological media theory and narratology. Drawing from insights and practices in game, film, performance, architecture and literature studies, the study subsequently proposes alternative narrative devices, more compatible with the interactive and spatial nature of computer games, enabling designers to express fictional worlds while maintaining the player’s feeling of embodied presence.
This paper aims to expand existing knowledge on narrative game design. Specifically, the paper di... more This paper aims to expand existing knowledge on narrative game design. Specifically, the paper discusses the importance of game design patterns for the analysis of narrative game mechanics. By bringing together insights from cognitive narratology and game design theory, the paper creates a preliminary theoretical perspective for deconstructing the design of mechanic-driven narrative games. To support the theoretical argument, the paper discusses Papers, Please as case study.
Whenever you hear a story about a game designer who's got a notebook of his world which he&#... more Whenever you hear a story about a game designer who's got a notebook of his world which he's been designing since he was 12 years old, get very nervous. He's got a story to tell, and he should ... For many years now, the topic of storytelling has been high on the agenda of ...
Transactions of the Digital Games Research Association, 2021
In recent years, games with a focus on narrative have been a growing area. However, so far, inter... more In recent years, games with a focus on narrative have been a growing area. However, so far, interactive narrative aspects have not been the focus of video game education (with the noted exception of a small number of programs in game writing), which indicates that many narrative designers are self-trained. The insular status means that many designers use private vocabulary and conceptualizations that are not directly transferable. This state of affairs is an obstacle to productive discourse and has negative consequences for the further development of the professional field. By starting an educational program, we aim to address this problem using the opportunity to also include perspectives outside of games. We report on the first iteration of a minor in interactive narrative design, and reflect on lessons learned, while considering future trajectories for this and similar programs.
In this paper, we describe narrative game design as an area for empirical research and aim to pro... more In this paper, we describe narrative game design as an area for empirical research and aim to promote additional work in this area. The focus of our paper is therefore on the process. We start by discussing the relationship between the design of the narrative aspects of video games vs. non-narrative aspects, as well as in comparison to earlier narrative media. On this basis, we identify specific challenges from the perspective of design. Then, we define “design conventions” and introduce our method for identification and verification using empirical methods. In this context, we discuss methodological issues and advocate best practices. Finally, we report on early results and outline future work.
Matlit Revista do Programa de Doutoramento em Materialidades da Literatura, 2018
In recent years, game narrative has emerged as an area for novel game concepts and as a strategy ... more In recent years, game narrative has emerged as an area for novel game concepts and as a strategy to distinguish a particular title. However, innovation in this area comes primarily from indie companies and individual efforts by noted designers. There is a lack of trained specialists ready to produce interactive narrative experiences. Many existing practitioners are self-trained and often rely on intuition in their design practice. A key element missing from the effort towards a more sustained development and improved professional training is a set of design conventions that fulfill a role comparable to cinematic conventions like continuity editing or montage. Therefore, our research focuses on identifying, verifying and collecting such design strategies. We describe an empirical method to verify candidate design conventions through the evaluation of user reaction to A/B prototypes, which improves upon the trial-and-error process of old.
Proceedings of the 2018 Annual Symposium on Computer-Human Interaction in Play Companion Extended Abstracts - CHI PLAY '18 Extended Abstracts, 2018
During the last three decades, many successful interactive narrative projects have been realized,... more During the last three decades, many successful interactive narrative projects have been realized, including many games. However, the respective design knowledge mostly rests with individual designers, who are self-trained and use private, inaccessible vocabulary. This state of affairs is an obstacle to further development and a considerable challenge to the professional training of future narrative designers. To address this issue, a multi-pronged approach is necessary, which includes the creation of a body of empirically verified design knowledge, a related ontology to enable a dialogue between practice, education and research, as well as specific curricula and pedagogical concepts. The authors are actively researching these different elements and have developed a method to empirically verify design convention candidates. At this time, we are introducing the ontology and on that basis an online platform for the collection of convention candidates that opens our effort to a wider community of practitioners and researchers.
This paper shares the results of an interactive digital narrative (IDN) project, conducted at HKU... more This paper shares the results of an interactive digital narrative (IDN) project, conducted at HKU University of the Arts Utrecht. We consider the potential of ‘IDN for change’, before we describe the project, the underlying design approach and the educational approaches. A particular focus of this paper is on pedagogical considerations. We describe the educational challenges we have encountered during the project as well as the pedagogical interventions we have implemented to counter these difficulties. On this basis, we discuss a more general perspective on the state and issues in IDN-focused pedagogy.
In recent years, interactive narrative design has become the main activity of a diverse group pro... more In recent years, interactive narrative design has become the main activity of a diverse group professionals working in video games, agencies, museums, at broadcasters, and online newspapers. At the same time, there has been no degree program in interactive narrative design, which indicates that many narrative designers are self-trained. By starting an educational program we aim to address this problem, using the opportunity to also include perspectives outside of games.
Paper prototyping plays an important role in the creation of interactive digital narratives (IDN)... more Paper prototyping plays an important role in the creation of interactive digital narratives (IDN). A structured prototyping approach can help improve the process of making IDNs. In particular, pre-made, specialized card designs can speed up the process considerably and also help in the transition to digital prototypes. In this workshop, we will introduce structured methods and use pre-made cards in successive rounds of working towards a detailed prototype. Participant’s feedback by means of questionnaires will also be used as a basis for future research.
Dit artikel onderzoekt hoe computergames verhalen vertellen. Aan de hand van recente inzichten ui... more Dit artikel onderzoekt hoe computergames verhalen vertellen. Aan de hand van recente inzichten uit game-, theater- en filmstudies, ontwikkelt het een nieuw concept van narrativiteit dat verschillen tussen games in hun benadering van het verhaal kan verklaren.
Narrative game designer, or simply narrative designer, is a role in contemporary computer game de... more Narrative game designer, or simply narrative designer, is a role in contemporary computer game development. The narrative designer is responsible for designing the player’s experience of a game’s fictional world. This study delves into the practice of narrative design from the perspective of embodied presence. In comparison with books, movies and other media, the medium of computer games excels in offering the media user the feeling of being a physically present participant in the fictional world. When exploiting the merits of embodied presence, narrative designers are challenged to express fictional worlds without disrupting this feeling of “being-there”. Close-ups, flashbacks, ellipses and other narrative devices–common to other audio-visual media–cannot be employed to the same extent. This study reconceptualises and apposes the notions of presence and narrative by critically expanding on Presence Theory, phenomenological media theory and narratology. Drawing from insights and pra...
This paper explores the notion of narrative game mechanics by apposing theories from the field of... more This paper explores the notion of narrative game mechanics by apposing theories from the field of cognitive narratology with design theories on game mechanics. The paper aims to disclose how narrative game mechanics invite game agents, including the player, to perform actions that support the construction of engaging stories and fictional worlds in the embodied mind of the player. The theoretical argument is supported by three case studies. The paper discusses examples of games that employ mechanics and rules to create engaging story events, focusing on: building tension through spatial conflict, evoking empathy through characterization and creating moral dilemmas through player choices.
This paper outlines a roadmap for interactive narrative research that integrates disparate parts ... more This paper outlines a roadmap for interactive narrative research that integrates disparate parts while focusing on identifying and experimentally veri‐ fying IDN design conventions and on developing a pedagogy to further the devel‐ opment of a professional discipline of IDN creators. This effort connects several key areas, in which the authors have worked before and which are now brought together. These include a specific theory, an approach towards interactive narra‐ tive design and its evaluation, an expanded understanding of the manifestations constituting the field, the pedagogy of educating creators of IDN artifacts and a perspective on the cultural significance of these creative expressions as tools to represent complexity. Keywords: Interactive narrative models · Interactive narrative design · Interactive narrative art · Interactive narrative pedagogy · Narrative representations of complexity · Protostory · Protoprocess
In recent years, game narrative has emerged as an area for novel game concepts and as a strategy ... more In recent years, game narrative has emerged as an area for novel game concepts and as a strategy to distinguish a particular title. However, innovation in this area comes primarily from indie companies and individual efforts by noted designers. There is a lack of trained specialists ready to produce interactive narrative experiences. Many existing practitioners are self-trained and often rely on intuition in their design practice. A key element missing from the effort towards a more sustained development and improved professional training is a set of design conventions that fulfill a role comparable to cinematic conventions like continuity editing or montage. Therefore, our research focuses on identifying, verifying and collecting such design strategies. We describe an empirical method to verify candidate design conventions through the evaluation of user reaction to A/B prototypes, which improves upon the trial-and-error process of old.
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game succeeds in creating an engaging narrative experience by articulating developments in the authored storyline through changes in the game mechanics.
game succeeds in creating an engaging narrative experience by articulating developments in the authored storyline through changes in the game mechanics.