Interactive Storytelling for Video Games Chapter 6: Defining Interactive and Player-Driven Storytelling Josiah Lebowitz Chris Klug

What makes a story interactive?  There’s a lot of disagreement about what exactly makes an interactive story. Some definitions include nearly everything, others nothing short of Star Trek’s holo-deck.  A truly interactive story allows the player to, in some way, interact with the world and/or characters.  By this definition, pop-up books, backwards text, digital novels, and other overly broad definitions of interactive storytelling don’t apply.

What makes a story player- driven?  In a player-driven story, the player’s interactions can affect and change the progression and outcome of the story.  All player-driven stories are interactive.  All interactive stories are not player-driven.  There any many different types of interactive and player- driven stories used in video games.  These storytelling types can best be defined as points on a spectrum.

Fully Traditional Stories  The most traditional and classic form of storytelling.  Remains exactly the same no matter how many times it’s watched, read, or played.  Not well suited for video games due to its complete lack of interactivity.  Examples: Harry Potter books, Star Wars movies, the visual novel Higurashi When They Cry

Interactive Traditional Stories  Interactive but not player-driven.  The player can interact with the story but cannot significantly change the main plot in any way.  Very popular in video games.  Example Games: FINAL FANTASY XIII, Metal Gear Solid 3, Lunar Silver Star Harmony

Multiple-Ending Stories  The simplest type of player-driven story.  Very similar to interactive traditional stories.  The player is allowed to chose between two or more endings.  This choice may be a conscious decision or be made automatically based on the player’s actions during the game.  Example Games: CHRONO TRIGGER, Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow, Bioshock

Branching Path Stories  Allow the player to make a series of choices throughout the course of the game.  While some choices only change the story slightly, others can have an enormous impact.  The style was popularized in the Choose Your Own Adventure books.  Example Games: Heavy Rain, Fate/Stay Night, Front Mission 3

Open-Ended Stories  Sort of like highly complex branching path stories.  The story’s progression is often determined more by the player’s actions than his response to specific prompts.  The main plot is usually short and simple and the primary focus is on creating an interesting world for the player to explore.  Example Games: Fable II, Fallout 3, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

Fully Player-Driven Stories  Gives the player total or near total control of his actions.  There is little if any main plot, though there might be various optional sub-plots.  The “story” is comprised primarily of the player’s actions in the game world.  Example Games: The Sims, Animal Crossing, World of Warcraft

Things to Consider  Other than video games, what are some things that you consider to be interactive stories?  List one game you’ve played for every major type of storytelling on the spectrum. (It’s ok if you can’t think of any games with a fully traditional story.)  Why do you think some types of storytelling are used much more often than others?  List several games you’ve played that don’t have any stories. Do you think the addition of stories would significantly improve them? Why or why not?