coherent emergent stories - ghc13
DESCRIPTION
Crafting satisfying narratives while preserving player freedom is a longstanding challenge for computer games. Many games use a quest structure, allowing players to experience content nonlinearly. However, this risks creating disjointed stories when side quests only minimally integrate with the main story. This talk introduces the problem of nonlinear storytelling in games and discusses our flexible, scene-based story system that reacts dynamically to the player’s actions. Learn more at http://gailcarmichael.com/research/projects/emergentstoriesTRANSCRIPT
2013
Coherent Emergent
Stories
Gail Carmichael
Thursday October 3
#GHC13
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women in tech poster design copy.pdf 1 3/11/13 1:17 PM
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Goal: Good videogame stories that react to the player.
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What is a Story?
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ACTORS perform actions
THE WORLD changes
EVENTS relate to each other
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About people, not things STORIES:
conflict
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Interactivity
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Two or more agents
Understand each other
Respond properly
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Game + Story: Why is it Hard?
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STORIES: Linear
GAMES: Non-Linear
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“Divergence from a story's path is likely to make for a less satisfying
story; restricting a player's freedom of action is likely to make
for a less satisfying game.”
Greg Costikyan
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What should we do?
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Complete freedom? No freedom?
Somewhere in the middle.
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Available based on player action. Allow player to choose consumption.
Dynamically modified to fit story.
Satellite Scenes
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Availability via Modifiers
…space, motivation, goals, knowledge, heroism, mood,
tension, relationships, theme, character, setting, story
progression…
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Result:
A strong core story with additional flexible but relevant nodes that react to gameplay.
In other words, a coherent emergent story.
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Gail Carmichael Instructor / PhD Student,
Carleton University www.gailcarmichael.com
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