digitalnarrative2018

[digitalnarrative2018]

Week 5- SIMULATIONS AND STORY WORLDS

Persuasive Simulation Game

Game Concept

Game Description

A game where you protect endangered species from a variety of factors affecting their survival such as poachers, loss of environments (deforestation), disease and introduced species. This is done through creating and expanding a reserve for these animals, caring for these species medical needs and scaring off and preventing poachers and introduced species coming within the reserve.

Persuasive Goal

To allow players to better understand different species and the reasons as to why they are endangered. The game will also allow players to understand steps that are needed to be taken to help save these creatures.

How game play will achieve this Persuasive Goal

The player will be taking care of and protecting a range of endangered species within a growing reserve, where a variety of threats will need to be addressed in order to preserve these species.

Game Mechanic

Gameplay Objectives

Create and grow/expand a reserve for the variety of animals (animals will need different environments for survival)

Scare of poachers and introduced species endangering the animals

Building barriers to prevent both poachers and introduced species within the reserve

Providing medical requirements to animals, such as treatments and prevention methods

Gameplay Obstacles

Poachers hunting animals for resources

Introduced species overpopulating and threatening the survival of the endangered species

Having to research treatments for diseases and illnesses

Maintaining the reserve- cleaning rubbish and spills where necessary

Player Interactions

Researching medical treatments in the hospital and research facilities

Tapping to pick up rubbish, weeds, spills etc.

Building barriers

Tapping on poachers and introduced animals to scare them off

Providing food for the animals

Game Feedback

Exclamation point and warning at top of screen when an animal is threatened by a poacher or introduced animal

Different coloured dot on the top of each animal’s head. This dot can be either green (happy/healthy), amber/yellow (unhappy/requires something/becoming ill) or red (unhappy/in danger/sick)

Notifications allowing the player to know when certain objectives have been achieved, an animal is in desperate need (red dot), a medicine has been successfully or unsuccessfully completed etc.

Game Visualisation

Visual Style and Elements

Interface and Feedback Graphics

Direction and Movement Arrows

[digitalnarrative2018]

Week 4- PLOT AND TIMING

Corgi Battles

Game Overview and Synopsis

Character description

Malcolm is a corgi who specialises in archery. He is a brave and ferocious corgi who is always protecting others. Being a corgi he has short arms and legs.

Dramatic need

Malcolm must rescue his younger sister, Rosie, from the evil Mittens. Mittens (a cat) has captured Rosie and is holding her hostage in his lair.

Conflict

Interpersonal conflict in the form of Malcolm’s little sister, requiring saving from the villain, extra-personal conflict in the form of Mittens and his henchmen and environmental conflict as the environment has to be moved through gradually and obstacles overcome.

Backstory

Malcolm and his sister are living with their mother happily in their small village, when suddenly Mittens, an evil cat wanting to take over their village for mining purposes, captures Rosie and holds her captive. Malcolm, obviously upset, sets out to save his sister from Mittens and take back his village.

Level 1 Overview (Low Intensity)

Level overview and objective

Resource gathering- Malcolm needs to gather his weapons, food, potions, health packs and armour before setting out to find and rescue Rosie from the clutches of Mittens. Whilst gathering resources you are able to speak to other villagers and gain more information on various occurrences and enemies. This level is played from a third person perspective in a 3D environment, which is the corgi’s village in this level.

Gameplay objectives

Gather all the necessary resources for your upcoming journey

Speak to other villagers and gain more information

Gameplay obstacles

The environment- finding what you need within the village and its buildings

Gathering information from specific characters- may be secretive or scared to share what they know

Character abilities

Can sniff out foods and potions

Can dig up objects

Trusted by most of the corgis in the village

Can interact with most objects within the world

Character vulnerabilities

Can’t reach some objects

Low stamina

Level 2 Overview (High Intensity)

Level overview and objective

Escape and pursuit- Malcolm needs to escape from Mittens henchman, who have heard that there is a young corgi searching for his sister and is causing them trouble. This level is once again in a third-person perspective and in a 3D environment. Malcolm must move around the world avoiding the henchman and defeating enemies who stand in his way. Malcolm must reach a final destination to move on from this level.

Gameplay objectives

Avoid being captured or seen

Take out some enemies- collect items from them such as keys in your aid to escape

Reach the end location

Gameplay obstacles

Evil kitty henchman

Environmental obstacles such as objects in the way, locked doors etc.

Character abilities

Can stealth attack enemies to avoid detection

Sneak

Crawl

Collect items from enemies that have been taken out

Character vulnerabilities

Low stamina

Weak- not very strong, can’t lift/move heavy objects

Level 3 Overview (Low Intensity)

Level overview and objective

Puzzle solving- Malcolm must solve some puzzles in order to get into Mitten’s castle and into the prison cell where his sister is being held. Malcolm must also avoid waking the sleeping guards. The puzzles that have to be solved could include picking locks, pushing crates to press buttons or allow access to certain spaces, finding the right way through a maze of corridors and solving riddles.

Gameplay objectives

Get into Mitten’s castle

Find Rubie’s prison cell and get her out

Avoid waking sleeping guards

Gameplay obstacles

Certain puzzles must be solved to progress

Sleeping guards can be woken up

Character abilities

Sneak- quiet

Can sing to lull guards back to sleep

Character vulnerabilities

Low stamina

Weak- not very strong, can’t lift/move heavy objects

Level 4 Overview (High Intensity)

Level overview and objective

Conflict- Malcolm must confront the wretched Mittens and defeat him in order to escape with Rosie. This level in once again in a third-person perspective and in a 3D environment. Malcolm must fight Mittens using his bow and arrow and by using the environment to his advantage. For example, he can shoot at chandeliers on the ceiling of the castle in order to make them fall on the enemy.

Gameplay objectives

Defeat Mittens

Avoid being killed

Gameplay obstacles

Mittens- boss level

Avoiding being killed

Character abilities

Sprint

Use your bow and arrow to shoot Mittens and objects in the environment such as chandeliers

Can hide behind objects

Character vulnerabilities

Low stamina

Weak- not very strong, can’t lift/move heavy objects

[digitalnarrative2018]

Week 3- CHARACTERISATION

Matilda

Character Concept:  

Character Description (1-2 Sentences)

Matilda, a young sugar glider who is an outcast. She is a shy character but will always stand up for what she believes is right.

Dramatic Need (1-2 Sentences)

Matilda must find her family and put an end to the reign of Vlad, a barn owl, who has taken over her communities part of the forest (Safety and physiological needs)

Conflict (1-2 Sentences)

Extra-personal conflict in the form of Vlad and his followers acting as an obstacle for Matilda, keeping her from her family and safety. Also some inner and environmental conflict as Matilda doesn’t always have the bravery to defend her home and family and must learn to be more courageous; and enemies within the environment create obstacles as well.

Backstory (3-4 Sentences)

Matilda and her family lived a part of the Australian bush with a community of other sugar gliders. However, an owl, Vlad, takes over the community, forcing the sugar gliders to do his bidding. Matilda, forced by her parents, escapes further into the bush to safety. She decides to return however in order to save her family and friends from the invaders.

Character Game Mechanic: (e.g. game rules and character abilities) describe and define the scope of your characters:

Character gameplay objectives (Bulleted list)

Defeat enemies

Save other animals being mistreated

Regain your home

Character gameplay obstacles (Bulleted list)

Vlad- bad owl, boss guy

Vlad’s minions/followers- enemies

Character abilities (Bulleted list)

Speed

Agility

Ability to glide some distances

Daggers

Character vulnerabilities (Bulleted list)

Small

Doesn’t always believe in herself

Not always brave

Character Visualisation: establish the visual style of your character

Physical appearance

Clothing

Accessories and equipment

Game world, game environment

[digitalnarrative2018]

Week 2- GAME NARRATIVES AND VISUAL STORYTELLING 

Title: Corgi Battle Royale

Platform: Mobile

Game controls: Joystick, buttons for combat, tap for inventory

Target audience: Anyone who enjoys RPG-like games

Main objective of the game: To pass a variety of levels to help your chosen corgi character towards the end. In order to finish a level you must defeat the enemies within each and reach the final checkpoint where you face a tougher battle. You can also upgrade the armour and weapons of your corgi to help them in their battles. This is done through the use of “Upgrade points” earnt fighting enemies. The user can also make use of potions and foods to increase health and energy levels of their corgi to assist them in completing levels.

Position of the scene within the game: I’ve drawn up the opening menu which then leads to choosing your class, each with their own unique weapon and attributes. You enter a username and can then start playing. I drew the gameplay screen next, so it wasn’t quite in order. This storyboard panel shows how a level could look with the controls, enemy, map, inventory and environment. The next two panels were of the inventory and a “change armour” menu. In both screens, users can use items to increase the corgis health/energy and increase its protection levels. The bottom left panel shows a level map, where users can also access an upgrade menu for their armour and weapons. Weapons and armour that are equipped on the corgi are shown with a small circle with the letter “E” on it. Users can see the details of each item and see how upgrading changes the protection, durability and damage of them.

[digitalnarrative2018]

Week 1- TRADITIONAL AND DIGITAL NARRATIVE

FIREWATCH

Story Elements

Firewatch is a kind of mystery type game set within the Wyoming wilderness in the year 1989. You play as Henry, a man who has tried to escape his messy life and past to work as a fire lookout in the Wyoming wilderness. His job is to find any smoke within the forest and keep it safe. Your supervisor, a woman named Delilah and your only contact, acts as the person Henry often confides in. Through their radio calls we learn more about Henry, his story and his past. We also see the relationship between the two characters develop as they communicate more. Due to the characters speaking constantly we also gain an understanding of Henry as a person as well.

The game uses an open world environment in which Henry slowly explores and completes a variety of tasks or discovers new things. The game begins with us completing tasks that are a part of our job such as taking care of some troublesome campers or preventing some fires from starting. However, we soon discover some strange occurrences within the woods which leads us further into the world below. The majority of the game revolves around Henry and Delilah slowly uncovering the mystery of which has occurred within the wilderness, to soon discover a rather sad and shocking ending.

Narrative Elements

Firewatch uses an open world throughout the game. Throughout the game you are able to explore the environment freely, only being closed off from parts during certain parts of the story. The story that unfolds within this environment occurs in chronological order. We experience the story from beginning to end as the protagonist, Henry, experiences the variety of events and challenges. At times within the game, time lapses of multiple days seem to occur. Other than that, however, the story is linear.

The pace of the game is quite slow and relaxed throughout most of the gameplay. This allows the gamer to take their time when exploring the stunning and often peaceful environment. However, when certain elements within the narrative occur, this pace will pick up. This causes the user to feel more stressed during gameplay to reflect Henry’s experience and feelings throughout.

The game is experienced through a first-person perspective. This allows us to see everything through Henry’s eyes. This causes the narrative of the game to only be that of a single character. We never gain insight of the experiences Henry has within the forest by anyone else as he is pretty much on his own throughout with the exception of his radio calls with Delilah. Firewatch uses little text throughout the game. Text is mostly used when it comes decision-making within the game. Throughout the story, mostly when speaking with Delilah, you are able to choose certain responses from about three choices. This personalises the experience a bit and can change Delilah’s responses as well.

Traditional Narrative

Firewatch exhibits a protagonist/antagonist framework of traditional storytelling. The protagonist within the story being Henry, the main character, and the antagonist being the wilderness. The wilderness acts as the antagonist as it often causes issues or has some kind of problem needing to be solved within it, which ends up needing to be solved by the protagonist. For example, Henry has to find some campers who have been creating a disturbance camping within the forest, which can possibly be dangerous or cause harm. Another antagonist within the story could be the mystery that unfolds. This provides a driving force for the plot and creating emotion and conflict of which Henry tries to resolve. The mystery and its slow resolution provides most of the storyline and causes Henry to continue his journey into the forest in order to figure out what has been going on and how things have ended.  

As mentioned before, the story also follows a very linear plot, staying true to many traditional plots where everything happens consecutively.  

Digital Narrative

The game makes great use of a variety of digital media, combining text, image, video and sound to create an immersive and beautifully rendered story and world. The graphics of the game are detailed and stunning which works so well with the story, as it is set within a natural world. The soundtrack of Firewatch is also incredible and fits in so well with both the story and environment. Both the sound and graphics work together to immerse the user into the world and the whole narrative unfolding around them. Text is also used in a way that allows you to make some of your own decisions and responses. As mentioned this personalises the experiences of each user.

Firewatch could probably be seen as both modular and variable due to the decision-making system in place within the game. Each user can make their own decisions which can alter parts of the story in the game. This doesn’t affect the overall story of the game, but can create certain things to be said or occur for certain choices made. I’m not too sure however what extent a user’s choices can make at all to the ending or story.

The game is a totally participatory experience as users choose to play and the pace of which they make their way through the game. There are no time limits and the game never pushes the user to rush or keep moving forward at any time. Firewatch is definitely a game experienced on your own. It doesn’t allow for communication with others unless outside the game. This is probably to keep the users focus on the story and to keep them discovering and experiencing its beauty and storyline on their own.

Much of the game is automated to have certain events to occur at certain times or after actions have been taken to move the user through the story. Programmed behaviours and rules are used to keep things realistic and to also create parts of the story to occur.

Audience and User Interaction

Being a game, it is interactive, as you control the character and how he moves about the world. The user mostly uses decision making throughout the game as an interactive element. The user controls these various elements through the use of some form of controller and a screen.

The story is experienced through a first-person view, putting the user in the protagonist’s shoes and forcing them to experience the story firsthand.

User interactions include:

Making decisions from a pre-set list

Walking about wilderness

Interacting with certain objects in the environment

Using tools to help navigate/explore the world

Using the radio to speak with Delilah