Narrative Design
Storytelling through and alongside videogame systems - not just cutscenes and dialogue, but meaning that emerges from play.
Entries
| Entry | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Environmental Storytelling | Narrative embedded in space and objects - story discovered, not told |
| Branching & Consequence | Player choice and its long-term effects on narrative |
| Dialogue Systems | Conversation as interface, gameplay, and character |
| Ludonarrative Harmony | When mechanics and story align - or deliberately clash |
Core Insight
Narrative in videogames isn't just "the story." It's how story relates to play.
The best videogame narratives use the medium: meaning emerges from what you do, not just what you're told. A cutscene can tell you the villain is powerful, but making you fail against them shows you.
By Framework Concept
| Concept | Narrative Application |
|---|---|
| Gesture | Narrative moments as complete experiences (Action + Art + Arc + Atmosphere) |
| The 4 A's | Arc is particularly central - story is shaped by duration |
| Aesthetic Heritage | Where your narrative techniques come from (film, literature, theatre, other videogames) |
| Permissions | What the player is allowed to do shapes what stories are possible |
Teaching Sequence
Recommended order for introducing narrative concepts:
- Environmental Storytelling - Most accessible. Students can analyze without playing.
- Ludonarrative Harmony - Introduces the core tension of videogame narrative.
- Branching & Consequence - Requires understanding of systems and scope.
- Dialogue Systems - Most technical. Benefits from prior concepts.
Common Misconceptions
"Narrative = Writing"
Students often conflate narrative design with scriptwriting. Clarify: narrative design is about structure and integration with systems. Writing is one tool among many.
"More story = better"
Some videogames are harmed by too much explicit narrative. Help students see that restraint and implication are also narrative choices.
"Ludonarrative dissonance is always bad"
Dissonance can be intentional. Spec Ops: The Line weaponizes dissonance. The question is whether it's designed or accidental.
Assessment Approaches
- Have students map a videogame's narrative structure without describing the plot
- Ask students to identify the Aesthetic Heritage of a videogame's narrative techniques
- Design a narrative moment using only environmental storytelling (no text, no dialogue)
Narrative vs. Story
In narratology, "story" (fabula) is the chronological sequence of events. "Narrative" (syuzhet) is how those events are presented.
Videogames add a third layer: the player's construction of meaning through interaction. This makes videogame narrative fundamentally different from film or literature.
The Embedded vs. Emergent Distinction
Embedded narrative is authored content: cutscenes, dialogue, scripted events. Emergent narrative arises from systems: the stories players tell about what happened in their playthrough.
Most videogames mix both. The question is the ratio and how they interact.
References
- Jenkins, Henry. "Game Design as Narrative Architecture" (2004)
- Koster, Raph. A Theory of Fun for Game Design (2004) - patterns and narrative
- Murray, Janet. Hamlet on the Holodeck (1997) - foundational interactive narrative theory
Related Sections
- Permissions - what you're allowed to do shapes what stories are possible
- Gesture - the whole experience, including narrative
- Level Design - narrative often lives in space
- Undertale: Genocide Route - narrative through permissions