[...]... mistakes made by beginning writers If you’re already an experienced writer (for games or any other medium), think of these chapters as a refresher and a look at how the story elements you’re already familiar with are adapted for use in games My Approach to the Job Game stories are drama, and drama is about structure first and foremost and character secondarily What this means is that unless you are paying... them, and that can be player-driven at the same time —Chris 7 CHAPTER ONE • GAME STORIES, INTERACTIVITY, AND WHAT PLAYERS WANT Once you know the basics of story writing and have a grasp of the different types of interactive stories and their histories, it’s time to move on and learn how to actually create those stories Chapters 7 through 11 each take a particular interactive storytelling style and examine... us and shaped the ways we act and look at the world since the dawn of mankind and will continue to do so for as long as we exist Games may be a new and different form of storytelling, but that doesn’t make them any less important Writing stories for games is challenging and requires thinking about and dealing with many issues and challenges that other writers never have to consider And although adding... until the late 1990s that story-based games began to break out of their niches and spread across all genres Due to the efforts of several groundbreaking titles, a far wider variety of gamers started to appreciate and desire games that had not only good graphics and gameplay, but good stories as well Though the late 1990s and early 2000s were a great time for storytelling in console games, PC gamers weren’t... Quest, Space Quest, and Leisure Suit Larry The second was LucasArts, with games such as 18 RPGS, ADVENTURE GAMES, AND THE GROWING IMPORTANCE OF STORIES The Secret of Monkey Island, Sam & Max Hit the Road, and Day of the Tentacle Many of these titles are still as fun and hilarious as they were when first released and are available in various classic game bundles and from downloadable game services Adventure... consoles warring for supremacy, games were once again evolving at a rapid pace There were many great games released on both the Sega Saturn and Nintendo 64, but it was newcomer Sony’s PlayStation that won the fight and helped advance game storytelling toward its current state Armed with a stronger processor and far more storage space than anyone could have dreamed of back in the days of cartridge-based... story’s progression is, at least to a certain extent, controlled by the player (a subject we’ll explore in depth in Chapter 4) Old Media and New Media Although it is true that interactivity creates a new art form, it is crucial to understand that stories in games are dramatic stories (akin to film, television, and theater), unlike novels and short stories, which I’ll call fiction All these stories are... multiple-ending storytelling, allowing players to have a say in how their stories ended When the Super NES and Sega Genesis began their battle for living room dominance, RPG makers took advantage of the increased power and memory to hone their craft and tell increasingly rich stories Square led the charge, creating many classic titles such as FINAL FANTASY VI (originally released in the United States as FINAL FANTASY... length and scope, FINAL FANTASY IV greatly surpassed previous console RPGs and also featured characters with far more developed personalities and backstories, making it a truly groundbreaking title in the history of game storytelling The Cinematic Evolution of Game Stories Video game storytelling started to first hit its stride in the RPGs and adventure games of the late 1980s and early 1990s, but it wasn’t... attracted me, and I began to dream up and draw out plans for my own colorful platforming games It wasn’t until much later that those two separate interests – games and storytelling – collided, all thanks to a game like nothing I had ever played before: a game called FINAL FANTASY VII 2 THE IMPORTANCE OF STORIES FIGURE 1.1 FINAL FANTASY VII: the game that changed my life „ Square Enix Co., Ltd All rights reserved . already familiar with are adapted for use in games. My Approach to the Job Game stories are drama, and drama is a bout structure first and foremost and character secondarily. What this means. class="bi x0 y0 w0 h0" alt="" Interactive Storytelling for Video Games This page intentionally left blank Interactive Storytelling for Video Games A Player-Centered Approach to Creating Memorable. Media and New Media Although it is true that interactivity creates a new art form, it is crucial to understand that stories in games are dramatic stories (akin to film, television, and theater),