Forms of Storytelling
Storytelling is
a community that is embedded in educational and social act of sharing, many are
invention of creativity. Stories have been passed in all culture to entertain
along with, schooling and individual cultural preservation like cavemen’s
drawings. All stories focus on plot and conspiracy as well as characters and the tale of direction it will take. The
word 'storytelling' is more an abbreviation to simply narrow down the form of
storytelling this is to loosen the meaning and in my writing I will try to
unfold the meaning of storytelling best I can but you’ll have to bear with me
because this is a lot of information. Now let’s go on the journey of
storytelling.
To begin the types of storytelling are:
The Quest: the easiest of stories it is
ones calling to get from A to B. The hobbit is one of the most popular fantasy
stories about a wizard, drawfs and a hobbit which is a small man like creature
with big feet. Here is my summarised example of the hobbit using the hero’s
journey as a structure: Bilbo
is surprised when a group of drawfs enter his home abruptly. Next Gandalf the
Grey appears promising a great adventure. After some thought, Bilbo goes with
them. The threshold is that they fight trolls and spiders and even themselves
along the way to a mountain of gold protected by a dragon. Then Bilbo is
tempted by the Dragon Smaug to trade a gold ring for some of his gold. The
dragon then attacks a city but the drawfs have what they need the mountain. The
dragon dies. Then a new enemy is coming and four armies go to war for the gold
under the mountain. When the crisis has stopped Bilbo's transformation into an
adventurer is complete as he experiences and travels that ease his trouble of
never finding friends. Then his return starts a new adventure when Bilbo brings
back a gold ring of mystery that speaks to his cousin Frodo.
Beating the bad guy: this is the story of triumph
over a stronger enemy like an underdog story. An example is Rocky (Dir.John .G Avildsen 1979), this is the
story of Rocky Balboa a struggling boxer who is given an unbelievable chance to
fight the world heavy weight champion Apollo Creed. Rocky growing up has had
hardship but I hungry to so he’s worth it that he means something along the way
he finds love and friends who help him go the distance. Although Rocky doesn’t
win which is a particular twist to a underdog story it makes the better impact
that he faced his demons and proved that others can follow.
Rags to riches: to describe this I will use a quote from J.F Kennedy who got it from a quote himself: “According to ancient Chinese proverb, a journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” This simply means someone who goes from one destination to another on a big scale. An example is Trading Places (Dir. John Landis 1983) which involves a New York hustler who trades places with a New York broker because of a bet, this leads to both characters understanding each other’s struggles and strengths, to ultimately crash the unfair system they live in.
Comedy: the hardest of all stories is to make them
funny, a comedy mostly follows disaster and the journey back to happiness
including jokes and a meaning of love as well as the ability to laugh at each
other. A great example is Step Brothers (Dir. Adan Mckay 2008) a film I recommend to everyone. It
involves two childlike 30 year old's becoming step brothers, their shenanigans
like putting one’s testicles on a protective person’s drum set which later
leads to you being buried alive in the family rug, this drives both their
parents breaking the new family to only realise they need each other and are a
lot happier together.
A video game with great story telling is Mass Effect (BioWare 2007). There are many
obstacles to keep in mind when writing for a video game and everything doesn’t
have to involve into the direction in the plot. In fact, side quests from the
main story is very good in video games and it feels like a slow break from the
story. This means video game storytelling is greatly different in comparison to
films and novels.
Now back to Mass
Effect and its newest title Mass Effect: Andromeda, Bioware the creators of
Mass Effect redefined storytelling for video games as a big action RPG. Mass
effect 3 seemed to have an odd direction of ending the most anticipated video
game franchise to date by doing loyalty missions to find species who can fight
against The Reapers who have taken earth. As you can tell it involves two
methods of storytelling already “Beat the bad guy” and “Quest”. In Mass Effect
2 you embarked on a suicide mission to find a solid team to defeat the
Collectors who existed to be the Reapers henchmen, which was very interesting
as all the characters you recruit has filled out back stories and separate
missions to explore with each character which makes to really care about the
team you are building, like a “Comedy” you fight, you laugh, and you love with
any species or gender. Although these stories are full of amazing adventures
this is where video game storytelling is different from the rest, you have time
not like a novel or film, you can spend hours learning and going on a journey
with character in different worlds. This also means video games storytelling is
still evolving. Bioware have said “the time is ripe for something different”.
Not like Fallout 4’s same simple direction in gameplay, quests and narrative.
After being in production for so many years and having today innovating
technology the hype for the next action RPG has high standards compared to 20
years ago, although there are people who disagree, for example John Carmack
said “story in a game is like a porn movie, it’s expected to be there, but it’s
not important”.
To be honest a new form of storytelling in a video game especially Mass
Effect might not be needed, there is room to test new ideas but the ending of
Mass Effect at 3 was talkative at most but unwanted by fans. Although the third
person shooter, action RPG is still considered to be the game that redefined it
all. Perhaps Mass Effect doesn’t need something extortionary to be successful
as fans would be happy just exploring space, meeting new characters and finding
new species or at least that’s what I want. If the next anticipated Mass Effect is balanced with the
structure of the old games while introducing a new direction in storytelling it
could be a ground-breaking series once more.
Game genres
A video game genre is a category allocated of different types of games these
types are made from game-play and interaction in the game instead of narrative
like films, TV shows and novels. A game genre is described by the game-play and tests
that the player must go through, the setting or narrative doesn’t matter when
describing a game in genre. An example, FPS (first person shooter) like Titanfall
2 although given an interesting story it doesn’t matter because it is still a
FPS and put into that game genre.
Once again, a game
will be put into a genre because of its game-play but there are many different
genres in video games and a single game can be in multiple genres, but this is
up to individual view. I will try to list a few video game genres I like to
play.
Action-adventure:
these games contain elements from action games and adventure games.
Stealth-Based
games: like action-adventure games but the player must avoid enemies being
unnoticed, these means exploring and getting the skills to past through the
levels.
Survival Horror: these
games contain a scared protagonist in a dangerous environment, who must be
careful with items like resources. These games can also have elements like
stealth-based games.
Action: these
games revolve around styles of combat.
Platform game: these
games mean you got to jump like hell using this skill to get through different environments.
Enemies are huge and bigger than the protagonist meaning jumping from highs
onto enemy’s heads is the best way to kill them. An example is Mario.
Metroid Vania: these
games include exploring and interacting in the environments the protagonist is
in, they have elements of platform games and action-adventure.
Run-and-Gun: these
are a mix of platforming and shooting.
Puzzle plat-former:
a plat-former that means you must solve puzzles to get to the next level.
Elimination
plat-former: these games have one objective kill all enemy’s by jumping onto
their heads.
Cinematic platform
game: these games are a realistic platform game; the protagonist is mostly a
child. An example is the game Limbo.
Platform fighter:
these games have elements of both fighting and platform games, they have an emphasis
of movement.
Fighting game: these
games involve martial arts and one on one combat where both characters have
equal skill. It has elements of action games. An example is Mortal Kombat.
Beat ‘em Up: these
games have the player punching and kicking weaker enemies.
Spectacle fighter:
these games have the player beating enemies with finesse, they have elements of
fighting and Hack and Slash games. An example is the game Devil May Cry.
Hack and Slash:
these games have the player in close combat with a melee weapon like a sword.
Mascot fighter:
these games have all the favourite fighters from video games clash. An example
of a game is Super Smash Brawl.
FPS (first person
shooter): these games have elements of action and involve a player shooting
through the view of the character. An example is Call of Duty.
Shoot ‘em Up:
these games have the constant act of shooting a weapon.
Hero shooter: like
FPS but the character has abilities others don’t.
Bullet hell: these
games involve the player dogging projectiles like bullets fired by hundreds of enemies,
like Neo from the film Matrix.
TPS (third-person
shooter): these games have elements of action; the primary distinction is that
the 3d game has the camera in the top left/right giving the player a wider view
of environment and character. An example is the game Mass Effect.
Vehicular combat:
the player controls a motor or space vehicle and must eliminate all enemies to
progress.
RPG (role-playing
game): these games have the player use a character with abilities or party and
use them inattentively.
Action RPG: these
games have elements of action-adventure and role playing games. An example is
the game Mass Effect.
Eastern RPG: these
are Japanese games with a linear narrative along with characters that been
written into it.
MMORPG (massively
multiplayer online role-playing game: these games have hundreds or thousands of
players interacting together in one world in real time, these players must
complete quests and level up to earn rewards. An example of these games is
Destiny and Elder Scrolls Online.
Strategy RPG: these
games have elements of role-playing games, but the gameplay is turn based or
RTS real time strategy. An example of these games is Pokémon and YU GI OH.
Approaches to storytelling
There are many ways to approach a story and how it should be told there are methods to crack open this by using methods. I use a journalist method when coming to write a story.
To start is the profile, this doesn’t have to be a character but an
event, place and buildings if it has the means to drive the story. Next is an
explanatory, this should show that something is happening or how something is
working like a secret group or war and readers must know. Then issues, this
should express the meaning of a bigger picture no matter how small a story is,
if it involves lifestyle or culture changing, like crime. This proceeds to
investigation, search about the story you want to write and consider path full
of struggles. Now comes narrative, chose a character or event then you can
describe the normal life of this character and motives leading to transition
the character onto the next path in the story, this will help the audience
understand or even connect. Then have people who can tell a story in a unique
way like including quotes, this can then be secondary characters who can join
the protagonist on the journey. This means a reader will feel like they are
uncovering something new in each chapter involving them more.
One of the most basic storytelling methods is third person storytelling, now
just because this is basic doesn’t mean it’s easy a story can be fantastic but it’s
all up to the narrator to tell it as that. This storytelling is great for
putting a character against a foe or organisation. It’s like telling a tale of
a great hero and how they reflect the world today. An example of this is the
Hobbit and Game of Thrones both are in very interesting stories and from this I
can understand that third person storytelling is a very good method when a
story is set in a fantasy world.
Another is personal storytelling, for example the blog I’m writing now about
storytelling this includes my own view of storytelling in video games and I share
my experiences in the methods I use to write a story. Personal storytelling
helps a reader to understand another’s prospective this can be how they feel
towards change or even the newest video game. This means the reader will
reflect on what you have wrote be that you are writing about yourself or
personification writing for a character you have made, like the voice of chair
and how it hates being sat on even though that is its purpose. This can lead to
you convening the reader or them having their own view. Although person
storytelling can have its problems like overwhelming the reader with your own opinions.
An example of personal story telling is the book Lone Survivor: the eyewitness
account to operation red wing. This book follows a unit in Seal Team Ten, who
must take out a Taliban target, they must go behind enemy lines to do this,
Marcus Latrell the narrator and only survivor from the mission tells the events
of what happened as well as telling his friends last moments as they defended themselves
from over a hundred Taliban in extreme mountainous conditions. From this
example I understand that person storytelling is the best method for true
stories.
Representation within videogames
Gender in Gaming
48% of females play
games, 50% of males play games, 75% of the games industry is
male. Of the most frequent game purchasers, 41% are female and 59% are
male 155 million Americans play games regularly (This means 3 or more hours per
weeks). Are gamer's loners? 23% of people do not believe
that games “promote teamwork and communication.” While only 10% believe they “do promote
these qualities.” 37% thinks it depends on the game.
Games with controversial issues
and ethics
The recent huge story of controversy surrounding
video games was in GTA 5 The mission "By the Book" generated
controversy for its depiction of torture. Next is hatred this is a game
where the character is sold out on like and decides to kill everyone he sees
with all types of equipment to murder with “Sometimes I think I kill them too
fast”.
Character customisation
In mass effect, you can be either male or female and
any colour of race this doesn’t really affect the narrative of the game but it
nice to choose between a male and female voice, as many gamer prefer the female voice
acting for the main character. Although, in Skyrim if you choose a different
race the people of that world will treat you differently an example is Dark
Elf, being this race you are treated badly and scrutinised because they think
they are superior to any other race. These two games have taken different paths
one which didn’t want the backlash of controversial reviews and the other which
decided to change the narrative based on race you choose but all gamer's agree
both have interesting depictions on race and equality also praising them for
this. Therefore Skyrim in my opinion is the better game because it allows the
difference in character to change the narrative.
Emotional themes
Characters who show great emotion is great for video games. How the character feels about something, effects how the player feels, be that agreeing or disagreeing either still gives the player an emotion and a game should try to always get a strong reaction out of a player like frustration that leads to accomplishment, this means there is a connection for players involving the games story and characters because they are more engaged. The emotion in a video game should be like an artist convening the meaning of their photo-realism painting, it should feel like the player can understand what the character is feeling and how it makes them feel, this means a character can affect the players next choice in the game.
Counter Strike (Valve Corporation) released in 2000 it is still one of the most popular games today because of its countless reservations. Counter Strike is a FPS multiplayer game it translates into a very competitive game, because the inclusion of kill to death ratio this makes players want to do good in the game and win it to show how good they are at the game. Although these competitive games can create team work they can lead to people having high levels of stress and letting out a little bit of rage which is not very good for people who obsess with it.
A character who carries strong emotional themes is Ezio Auditore Da Firenze from the Assassins Creed franchise (Ubisoft 2007). Gamer's are strongly attached to this character because of sympathy, when the character loses his family his suffering and journey for vengeance makes gamer's sympathies and selflessly crave his story because of its uniqueness. Ezio's vengeance leads him to becoming an Assassin following his uncle Mario along this path he learns that the Borgia's are the secret Templar's who want to control the world, again gamer's feel a connection to the character as everyone would fight for there freedom. Fighting the Templar's Ezio starts as a boy on vengeance then becomes a man learning discipline, empathy and the importance of the steps he takes and how his judgement would effect the future and that his life was just a means towards Desmond as he speaks to him from the past through the Apple of Eden. These reasons is why Ezio in my opinion is the greatest character in video games as his selfless heroic nature inspires younger gamer's as it has done for me.
Both Counter Strike and the character Ezio carry strong emotional themes, Counter Strike has no protagonist in fact, you are the protagonist using a body to play, where as playing Assassins Creed you build up a connection to the character as you use his body and you learn more about his story. Multiplayer games implement the feeling of connection between your friends and enemies be that hate or likeness but a game like Assassins Creed builds a connection between player and character.
Interactive story
Interactive story means the player has influence on the game's narrative and the decision they make will drive the narrative in a different direction in the story. An example is Telltale games The Walking Dead series because some critics say that its plots, characters and writing is better than the original comics themselves. This is because interactive storytelling is a new form of digital entertainment that has found its home in the video game industry. It involves a world that Is not prearranged for the player but it is up to the player how the world will play out, by different situations they will take and the characters they will meet this creates a unique experience for the player. The human like characters that the player meets change the world in real time which leads to a new narrative to unfold as the player progresses, I think that each character they meet it like bringing a new quest that will ultimately change the direction of the world. A last example is Dungeons and Dragons this is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game made by Gary Gygax and Dave Anson, and published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules INC. Now being published by Wizards of the Coast, I have played this game myself with friends and have realised it very engaging from the beginning as you can make up your own stories and chose the direction of where you will go next whilst being in a typical fantasy realm that has massive lore behind it.
Both these games
are fantastic but from the sheer creativity that can be implemented into the
world of Dungeons and Dragons from the players them self’s make it the better
interactive story experience, but it takes brain power and planning so if the
player doesn’t want to put much effort into this The Walking Dead is the one to
choose as its characters are infectious when you learn about them making the experience
nail baiting as the player starts to care for them.
Writing strategies
Writing for a video game can be very hard but when choosing a narrative for a video game it is most logical strategy is to chose a interactive story this implements a richer experience as the player feels like they're building up to a bigger picture, an example is the Assassins Creed franchise as their dramatic arc is a basic structure but these arcs helps better improve characters and further develop the story. Although a dramatic arc does prevent the exploration of setting an era, this doesn't matter for a video game as a player can explore without pursuing the main story. The original three games has two important characters Desmond and Edzio the Assassin at the end of each game the dramatic arc structure helps moves towards the next but in the third instalment of the franchise as the story was shifting to Desmond's character he dies. Depending on the story killing your main character in a dramatic arc isn't good as this kills the story all together.
Now in video game novels this story can continue as novels use a linear story. Both linear and interactive stories share some relationships but in linear there is no option to branch off. These novels are very popular with fans as they can learn more about a chosen character or story arc. Video game novels are a fantastic addition to a game as they feel like physical DLC.
Writing Strategies are the means organising a story into steps to make it easier to write. First comes ideas they can create the theme, the main point and purpose of the main story this helps building a structure to hold your reader’s attention because that one good idea can make your imagination explode.
Once
the idea is recorded next comes the organisation of the story, this could be
the hardest strategy when wanting to create an interesting story. An example I think
of is an artist finishing their photo-realism piece of cars on a sunset beach, without
the camera the artist could take the picture which means they would lose the
idea and the rest would be made up in their head, as well as the canvas they
paint on without that they can’t recreate to photo they took. Depending on the organisation
you take will affect how the reader will process the story.
Then
there is the voice this gives the reader and writer connection as you are or
have created the voice of the writing. This should give your writing energy and
individuality. Even if the writing has not got the best of techniques if the
voice has projected an enticing feeling the reader average reader will not
notice. The voice should be change with different purpose and audience target.
A voice is unique and all are different an example is comparing J.K Rowling and
J.R.R Martin both have a fantastic way of telling stories but both create a
very different feeling.
Picking
the right words can be challenging because words can create meaning and imagination.
Picking the first word that comes to mind whilst writing is easy, but editing
these words can introduce a greater feeling to a story. For example, the word ‘Fun’,
but there are more words than that like enjoyment, amusement, pleasure,
entertainment all these words have elements of fun and can mean fun, but these
words have different meanings too which can lead to different emotion.
Finally,
the structure of sentence can help in the genre your writing for like short
sentence can help in an action genre to make the book feel fast and explosive,
or even using a sentence fragment for effect. All of what I have spoken can be implemented
into a story to make the best experience.Writing for a video game can be very hard but when choosing a narrative for a video game it is most logical strategy is to chose a interactive story this implements a richer experience as the player feels like they're building up to a bigger picture, an example is the Assassins Creed franchise as their dramatic arc is a basic structure but these arcs helps better improve characters and further develop the story. Although a dramatic arc does prevent the exploration of setting an era, this doesn't matter for a video game as a player can explore without pursuing the main story. The original three games has two important characters Desmond and Edzio the Assassin at the end of each game the dramatic arc structure helps moves towards the next but in the third instalment of the franchise as the story was shifting to Desmond's character he dies. Depending on the story killing your main character in a dramatic arc isn't good as this kills the story all together.
Now in video game novels this story can continue as novels use a linear story. Both linear and interactive stories share some relationships but in linear there is no option to branch off. These novels are very popular with fans as they can learn more about a chosen character or story arc. Video game novels are a fantastic addition to a game as they feel like physical DLC.
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