Representation of scenario 05:



Star represents source of satisfaction.
It is assumed that looting is a source of satisfaction.

Adding the key does not seem to add more stars.



Representation of scenario 06:



Each choice dealing with the ghost is a source of satisfaction.


Representation of scenario 07:




Representation of scenario 09:




Representation of scenario 10:



[Edited by - Wai on December 27, 2007 11:06:03 PM]

Scenario 11:




Girl says, "There's a chest on the other side!"

Toad says, "I saw it first, it is mine!"

Girl

a) speaks: "_____________"

b) walks to the key

c) walks to the chest

d) hits the toad

e) _________________

I see what you're doing (unlike some people *cough* tom, who normally is quite quick and helpful)

I think it's interesting how you're breaking it down, and it's a great way to design things scenario by scenario.

My one question is do you plan to generate a whole story spontaneously, or have it planned before hand and then work on it scene by scene in this manner following a general story arch?

Re:

Simulations such as a chess game are usually
not considered to have a story not because
they lack an interesting sequence of events
(spontaneously created plot), but that they
lack the narrative voice.

The objective of this thread is

to maximally project the narrative voice using
interaction, avatar, and environment.

At each stage, the story is kept complete.
But one change is made to the story arc
to help project the narrative voice.


Changes to explore:

1. Interactive object (change, relocate, behavior)
   
2. Avatar (change, relocate, default (re)actions, available actions)
   
3. Environment (change)

Elements to suppress:

• Cutscene
  
• Dialogues
  
• Text
  
• Meters

The object of discussion is still this scenario:



If you can only add one interactive object what would you add?
How would the added dynamic (game rule) enhance the narrative
voice?

[Edited by - Wai on December 30, 2007 1:30:24 PM]

I would add something like a ghost, the enemy you showed above. It adds conflict to the story, and a true story cannot live and flourish without a conflict. The narrative voice would shine so much more if it was complete. It would be next to the key-and you could outsmart, outwit, and maybe even fight the enemy.

It would add an additional motive-"stop the ghost." It would be like a short term goal in the journey to get to the chest. Psychologically, with reward there is risk, and players like to feel special, so giving them a difficult enemy such as a ghost, and having them overcome it would add to the value of the chest, and thus provide motivation to progress on to the next scenarios.

Also, since a person cannot harm a ghost by normal means, it would add a puzzle-solving mechanic, forcing players to use their brain, not only their brawn, to fulfill the challenge. This, again, creates an endless cycle of giving the player a conflict, making the player feel important and intelligent, and satisfaction through reward, a simple yet fun infinite flow, best presented in games like Super Mario Bros. and Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

Q.E.D.

The missing piece of the ghost scenario



is that it is unclear how

1) the relation between the ghost and the treasure; and
2) the means to defeat the ghost

are encoded through action. My question is whether adding
the ghost requires the addition of more stuffs to make it
functional. How would the player realize that there are
three ways to deal with the ghost?

How would you add the ghost without adding any dialogue to
explain the situation?

If the ghost cannot be defeated by a normal mean, how do
you let the player know that it can be defeated by what is
available in the environment without adding an additional
interactive object to defeat it?

What object would you add so that it itself is the puzzle?
In the example of the frog



The frog behavior of the frog itself is the puzzle, it
removes the need to add additional dialogue or tools to
solve the puzzle.

The problem with the frog (and the ghost), is that there is
no thematic relevance between them and the goal state.
Unlike example 12:



In this scene, the little girl wants the ball back.
The objective is to retrieve the ball for the little girl.
The narrative voice is stronger because the intention of
bigger girl is set.

Adopting this idea to the ghost girl scenario (06), the
narrative voice may be enhanced not by letting the player
choose an option to deal with the ghost, but by depicting
the unsatisfied objective of the ghost.

The ghost needs to be crying or something. But if I do
crying again it would be the third time.

Well, to be honest, I would make the ghost more invisible. Psychologically, players may feel weird attempting to overpower something that has no physical form to it, only astral form. And the ghost could be like the life estate of a castle that the treasure once belonged to, killed by an invader and angry, in all his greed, that the treasure was stolen. But is it really greed, or the lust to get back something that was theirs. I think it is both in some way. The ghost wouldn't have hunted down and chased away or killed the invader if he didn't want to get it back, but hounding it is greed.

When the player confronts the ghost, there should be a dialogue that explains the situation, and why he does not want the player to get to the treasure. However, the ghost could be mad and unpredictable in himself, having the ability to summon astral energy, transform into different forms, and just walk around. The astral energy may take away from the world you are trying to create, but it is common nature for a ghost to have that energy.

Edit: The means to defeat the ghost could be embedded within the ghost itself-if the character has fast reflexes, the ghost's energy can run out; if the player has slow reflexes, she may be able to resist possession or destruction by the ghost. Also, you could add a sword in the stone and different parts of some artifact, but I am sure that VERY MUCH detracts from the world you are trying to create.

Edit 2: You could also trick the ghost into believing that you'd find some way to bring him back to life, but as soon as he turns his back, you take the treasure. He also chases after you a a tad of a psychotic way.

If you actually bring him back to life, he could or could not give you access to SOME of his treasure. You could also revive, then find some way to outwit or kill him, but this should be difficult, maybe depending on items in the environment.

Re: