Computer Game Story Development: May 2012

Monday 14 May 2012

A dialogue tree

A conversation between Rinako and Frankie

A written story produced in Word

Story for my game

(This is also in the character background story)

Rinako was born in a small village deep in a forest long forgotten by outsiders. The village is protected by a force field of energy created with the magic of the elders stored in the totems surrounding the village, slowly released feeding into the field that protects the elves. Rinako has always wondered why the totems were there to protect them and why they needed protection but every time she ask she was told to be quiet and leave that kind of knowledge to the elders. No one asks questions here out of respect for the elders who found the village and settled here many moons ago. If it wasn’t for them we wouldn’t have survived the great search. In which her parents found in many years after up until this day they are still at war, that is why they Rinako misses them so much, she doesn’t know much about them but when they are home with her Rinako is very happy to see them but isn’t so happy that they only think she does with them is train her archery . You would think that years of fighting her parents wouldn’t want there child to fight as well but not Rinako’s parents they want her to live up to there names , they are the 2 top warriors for our village and Rinako has to follow in there footsteps. She didn’t have to so much before her brother left the village to explore the unknown lands he used to be the main focus of her parents which made Rinako slightly jealous has he used to rub it in her face but after he left his responsibilities were now Rinako’s and now she misses him more than ever before. He does visit the village to share what knowledge he had learned about the humans and the unknown lands with Rinako a lot but the elders told him to stop as it was ‘dangerous’ for her as Rinako started asking more and more questions about the unknown lands and wanted the learn there language more. They started to think that she wanted to be one of them and not an elf like she was. They didn’t tell Rinako that her brother was forbidden to share his knowledge with her so he didn’t visit so much but she just believed the he didn’t care for her as much as she thought her parents and the elders didn’t think to correct her and thought it was better she believe that instead of the truth. While her parents were away Rinako was left with her guardian bound to her after coming of age ceremony Kozu who swore to keep safe from harm take all responsibly for her actions and cure her of illness. Even though every elf is given a guardian from the age of 3 till 22 Kozu seemed more then that for Rinako. He is her mother, father, sibling, friend and grandparent all in one. Because Kozu is an elder he knows a lot of magic powerful spells and are never used unless the case is dire. As part of Rinako training the elder thought for her to be able to live up to her parents name and status she could surpass them if she knows some elemental spells which would surely aid her in her life events. No matter how many time Kozu told her Rinako could never find the interest in sorcery like they hoped she would. None the less he promised her parent that he would teach her and that is what he intended to do. To spark her interest he started to use crystals to help her channel her energy and use it with her spells to make the more powerful, it certainly sparked her interest but Rinako was still not in touch with her inner sprit enough to use the crystals at their full power. Because of this she needed to go through a lot of sprit training with the elder but often hid from him because she didn’t like the tasks at all. She didn’t believe she could ever be in touch with her inner sprit so she didn’t feel the need to try anymore. A while of hiding from the elder and sleepless nights filled with worry for her parents safety news broke out that many villagers had falling ill with an uncareable illness much of the forest was closed off so the illness didn’t spread as fast. Kozu did his best to help the sick but each attempt ended with dead every time. Rinako started to fear for her life but at least parents were far away from this and they were save she thought. But a messenger brought news that the illness had infected her parents the last time the visited and now they are unable to fight and are on their death beds. With all hope under soil Kozu and the 5 other elders has no choice but to send Rinako out to find a cure for them, she asked them why only her why not the warriors stationed in the village. They told her that it has to be her and only her as she is the only one with more immunity then the others before of her lack of being in touch with her sprit and knowing some knowledge of the unknown lands from her brother. This is a dream come true for Rinako now she is able to explore the unknown lands like her brother, possible run into him and find out about the world that we were blocked off against all to help her parents and the village fight the illness.

Writing Exercises

Exercise 1

Adjectives and Adverbs

Describe the following image in 25 adjectives

Here are the words I came up with for this picture:

Bright

Warm

Grey

Dull

Old

Rusty

Individual

Peaceful

Devastating

Fearful

Brave

Modern

Rusty

Bold

Shiny

Hot

Raised

Spiritual

Windy

Burning

I could only think of 20 adverbs.

Exercise 2
Write a creative paragraph about a dream/event you have experienced

There foot steps rose in volume as i ran further into the fading distance. It beckoned me. I fearfully ran towards it anyway. I could hear there painful, depressing mounts chasing my ears. I covered them quickly with my sweating palms, I didn't want to hear there loud pulsating voices vibrating though my palms trying to reach my ears. The cold mountain breeze froze my moist throat making is as dry as a desert sand. It made me cough violently interrupting the rhythmic pattern of my footsteps as I ran from them.

Exercise 3
Become a spy and develop a possible character
Exercise 4

Character Development - Character Information Sheet

Character Profile Sheet

_____________________________
Character Name

Full Name: Rinako Konki

Nick Name(s): N/A

Gender: Female

Age: 18

Birthday/year: 25^th of May 2015

Marital Status: Single

Spouse: None

Hair: Long (about down to the thighs) bleach blonde

Eyes: Sky Blue

Origin: Elven forests deep in unknown woods

Language(s): Elvish and English

Height: 6” 3

Weight/Body Structure/Distinguishing Marks/Traits:

A elfven blessing mark (giving by birth) in the shape of a 5 sided star with marking surrounding it in a deep crimson colour almost like a scab colour, slim, very shy but get sparks of confidence if her allies or are in danger

Ethnicity: Full blood elf also know as a holy elf

Guardians: Kozu Konki the elder of village

Siblings: A Brother but has left the village, travelling the unknown world and brings information back such as books so she can learn about the unknown world

Friends/Allies: Frankie The human who she finds on her journey

Enemies: Most of mankind and her brother.

Beliefs/Religion: The elders are the fonder of our home today and there discoveries and finds are what keep the village together, We believe what we are told by them.

Career/Past Careers: None

Dreams/Life Goals: Dreams to meet humans so I can find out more about their knowledge of the world we both live in and to find a cure for my village

Hobbies: Archery, slight carpenting (bow/ arrow making) and sorcery

Likes: Being out exploring parts of the forest seen hasn’t seen before, learning things about the human world, seeing her parents and having them train her a little, listening to the birds, the way the sunshine’s though the tree leaves.

Loves: Meeting new people, her parents and her brother, nature and anything with a slight nature form,

Dislikes: Arguments among friends,

Loathes: Being treated like a weaklings or being belittled, when allies are not being supportive,

Fears: Being left alone, given the main role or leadership of things powerful opponents

Strengths: Her teammates when they believe in her

Weaknesses: When she begins to doubt her abilities

Good Qualities: : precise aim, sharp reflexes, sensitive hearing,

Bad Habits: Say her spells wrong, losing focus at times

Turn Ons: reckless behaviour and blind confidence

Turn Offs: Sloth- like behaviour, rudeness towards her

Talents: precise aim, sharp reflexes, sensitive hearing

Special Skills: Elemental magic spells , able to channel/ transfer energy though crystals

Temperament: N/A ( Not sure what that meant)

Background: Rinako was born in a small village deep in a forest long forgotten by outsiders. The village is protected by a force field of energy created with the magic of the elders stored in the totems surrounding the village, slowly released feeding into the field that protects the elfs. Rinako has always wondered why the totems were there to portect them and why they needed protection but everytime she ask she was told to be quiet and leave that kinda of knowlegde to the elders. No one askes questions here out of repect for the elders who found the village and settlected here many moons ago. If it wasn’t for them we wouldn’t have servived the great search. In which her parents found in many years after up until this day they are still at war, that is why they Rinako misses them soo much, she doesn’t know much about them but when they are home with her rinako is very happy to see them but isn’t so happy that they only think she does with them is train her archey . You would think that years of fighting her parents wouldn’t want there child to fight as well but not Rinakos parents they want her to live up to there names , they are the 2 ttop warriers for our village and Rinako has to follow in there footsteps. She didn’t have to so much before her brother lef the village to explore the unknow lands he used to be the main focus of her parents which made rinkao slightly jouses has he used to rub it in her face but after he left his responsibilities were now rinakos and now she misses him more then has ever before. He does visit the village to share what knowledge he had learned about the humans and the unknown lands with Rinako a lot but the eldrs told him to stop as it was ‘dangoures’ for her as Rinako started asking more and more qutesions about the unknow lands and wanted the leanr there langaue more. They started to think that she wanted to be one of them and not an elf like she was. They didn’t tell Rinako that her brother was forbidden to share his knowledge with her so he didn’t visit so much but she just believed the he didn’t care for her as much as she thought her parents and the elders didn’t think to correct her and thought it was better she believe that instend of the truth. While her parents were away Rinako was left with her gauiden bound to her after coming of age cermoney Kozu who swore to keep safe from harm take all resonibliy for her actions and cure her of illness . Even though every elf is given a grauiden from the age of 3 till 22 Kozu seemed more then that for rinako he is hermother,father,sibling,friend and grandparent all in one. Because Kozu is an elder he knows a lot of magic powerful spells and are never used unless the case is dier. As part of Rinako training the elder thought for her to be able to live up to her parents name and staus she could cerpass them if she knows some elemental spells which would surely aid her in her life events. No matter how many time kozu told her Rinako could never find the interest in scorrcey like they hoped she would . None the less he pormised her parent that he would teach her and that is what he intected to do. To sprak her inteset he started to use crystals to help her channel her engery and use it with her spells to make the more powerful, it certainly sparked her interest but Rinako was still not in touch with her inner sprit enough to use the crystals at there full power. Because of this she needed to go through a lot of sprit training with the elder but often hid from him because she didn’t like the takses at all. She didn’t believe she could ever be in touch with her inner spirt so she didn’t feel the need to try anymore. A while of hiding from the elder and sleepless nights filled with worry for her parents safty news broke out that many villaers had falling ill with an uncare able illness much of the forest was cloesd off so the illness didn’t spread as fast. Kozu did his best to helpo the sick but each attpemt ended with dead every time. Rinako started to fear for her life but at least parents were far away from this and they were save she thought. But a messanger brought news that the illness had infected her parents the last time the visited and now they are unable to fight and are on there death beds. With all hope under soil Kozu and the 5 other elders has no choice but to send Rinako out to find a cure for them, she asked them why only her why not the warriers staioned in the village. They told her that it has to be her and only her as she is is the only one with more amunity then the otehrs before of her lack of being in touch with her sprit and knowing some knowlegde of the unknown lands from her brother. This is a dream come ture for Rinako now she is able to expore the unknow lands like her brother, possible run into him and find out about the world that we were blocked off against all to help her parents and the village fight the illness.

Exercise 5

Story Arc

Whole Story Arch ( Full Scale)

Exercise 6
Linear/Non-linear Narrative
Exercise 7
Developing a plot flowchart
Exercise 8
Narrative Modes

Exercise 9

Story elements for Interactive Storytelling

Tuesday 8 May 2012

How game designers use story to enhance a player's gameplay experience

How game designers use story to enhance a player's gameplay experience

First I'm going to start to talk about the different types of story telling so we can see where it all started. Most games, almost all tell a story of some sort of have a main story plot for the player to follow by and enjoy. Games have stories to they keep our interest over time and so we can enjoy them and have a little fun if most games didn't have a story we would lose interest and move on to something else. Games aren't' the only things that have stories, movies and TV shows have stories and even before that theses stories were around in the form of tales, legends and myths but even before then stories were told in cave paintings.

Early Forms of Story Tellings

From what we know cave paintings were the earliest form of storying telling and it was all done thought paintings/ drawings done on cave walls showing others what was going on in the authors mind which would in time tells a story.We then devopled from that to things like myths and legends storys with no real image but could be told and the imagination would create it. Then from there theses myths and lengends were told in the forms of plays in therater to being in filmes and movies and now a days in games to keep us interested.

http://www.novinite.com/media/images/2009-03/photo_verybig_102043.jpg

http://speakingofresearch.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/myths.jpg

Game Genres

There are different types of story that intrest different types of people, some poeple my like a romance story and other may like
alot of action in there storys. Game devpoleers have taken this into account and have made alot of genes to keepp all people how in enojy different types of storys weither they are young, old, male or female, They have to make sure that everything can enjoy a game with a story.

With all theses different types of stories in mind to make things easier game devoples have looked into how the players of theses games can enjoy there type of story to the max by making different game genres such as FPS ( frist person shoters)for exaplame for those who enojy full on action to feel like they are in the game making it more fun as you are in the action as if it was you but without the danger. With a story added to this experice it makes the game more real for the player making them feel like there is a purpose to the game so its not just a mindless killing spree.

Here are some other explames of geners for games: Action, Shooter, Role-play, Adventure, Simulator, City-building, Startegy. There are other generes but theses are the main ones that are then sub categoried into more pesfic types or combined types of the genres there.

Jade Empire
Jade Empire is a game im very fond of because of its story, its an action role playing game where your character goes though a series of main events that are linked to a big sercet of your destiny. At the very start of the game you are given the choice of whichs charater you would like to be there is a choice of male or female betewwn three charaters and the players is given a chose of weaponary this very interseting becuase you havent even entered the game and already there is a choice to be made which does determended how the player will play in gameplay at for alot of the game but the player does not know the until later on.

The story in this game is very linier as there is always a chose to be made, in almost every convosation your charater has there is an option of sayings that determend a small aspect of changing in story depending in the choise made. There is also the system of follwing the way of the open palm and the way of the closed fist.

With this system in place in the game it means that the game can reach the same ending but with slightly different twists and turns along the way which entertains the player making it seems like a very different game. Also because this game has this system it encrouges the player to play the game again to try the other side eg if the player was playing by following the way of the open palm and finished the game then the seconed time they played tehy would play the way of teh closed fist. Which would mean thats even though they are follwoing the same story line some events may have been changes or missed out completely or some scenes would have been added.

Elite Beat Agents

This is just one apporch to gaming, there are many more like for example Elite Beat Agents which is a rhythm game much like Rhythm Heaven has the player following a very strict story line in which the player has to unlock the stage before moving on to get further in the game. With the difficulty increasing each time a stage is unlocked. Games that has this kinda of approch can become very once completed becuase nothing chnages if played again but some games tend to have an other all difficulty level so that overall teh game is then more challenging for the start. These games tend to lack the story line with a beginning middle and end and focus more on unlocking new things to reach teh end. Some game that following this way have certain achievements such as '500 combo in one mini-game' to give the player other goals to do in game and another reason to play this game more after complete or before completing.

Games like these tend not to focus on things like gender or ethnicity I believe that theses kinda of things are mostly in games that as of the RPG kinda or possiablly action just becuase they are more story driven. Most RPG's are focusing on the player contorlling the chartater but not being the charater themself so because they are someone else the devpolers have the chnace to tell the story of this charter and teh world they live in which could contane anything, and this leads to the stories have alot of emotion in them to help the playr blieve that they the chatater they are playing is a little more real.

Some games are aimmed at certain genders like for exapamle : Style Boutique is a game where theplayer own theere own boutique and trys to make it the best boutique in town.

You can tell that this game is aimmed at girls becuase there is not choice to be a boy and that its all all focused heavyly around fashion, even though many boys may like fashion in the gaming world many boys tend to play action games with allot violant and wouldnt really want to play a game like this because of its relaxed gameplay and cute interface. Also the cute interface would be more apealing to a girl. There is alot of idle chit chat in this game which girl tend to enjoy, talking with the cutumers they vist the shop and want to buy clothes.

Many games try to be unisex so that they appeal to girls and boys without boring one or the other, games like The World Ends With You tend to have alot more comsummer becuase they try to please both genders. This game has a good mix of fashion, action and story to keep players playing for a while.

It also has a unique art style based off graphifty which is mostly appealing to young poeple which was the tartget aidence for this game.Even some young people dont like this graphifty the game desigers have made it a little more bighter and not soo urban by using very bright coulrs to show off its more freidnly side.Also bad language is avoided in this game and small scenes are added in to make the story funny and worth reading. Also man y games that try to reach both gender normally have both genders as the main charters so the player being one of teh gender has someone to relate to.

What game desigers try very hard to do is add emotion to the stories of games becuase a story without emoition is very boring and uninteresting so they try very hard to add emotion to keep the game interesting just as you would go on a film they try to add a moment or even base the whole game around certain emtions to give the game a perpose to play or a goal. Such as in the Sonic series the goal of most of the game is to stop Dr eggman from getting the chaos emeralds so that the world doesnt fall into his hands. What the game depolvers do with this to add emtion have they certain senesc where eggman has done harm to people so show that he is a truly evil man and needs to be stopped, or scenes where dr eggman does get one of the 7 emeralrds, also sences where sonic or his team dought themself and think he is too powerful but is taht encrouged to go on, this emation making the player wonder what will happen next so they have ao tplay the game to find out.

Tuesday 1 May 2012

Stuff i need for later