Character vs plot driven games

[whitesphere]

I'm at work on my first ever character driven game.  Previously, I wrote a series of interesting events and made sure the party was moved like chess pieces where they were needed to take part in the events.

Since I believe story is the most important thing, how exactly does a character driven game differ from a plot driven one?  Is the big difference "Create the world, then build the entire plot around the character's actions"?  Or are there others?  And, if so, what else flows from that?

So, from a design perspective, it's more "Events come entirely from the character's actions.  Very few, if any events happen to the character out of nowhere."  Or am I wrong on that?

I assume Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy IV (the RPGs I'm most familiar with) are plot, not character driven.

 

[_Shadow_]

There is a line between them that makes the difference.

1] Plot driven games, focus on what is happening and affects everyone.

2] Character driven games focus on the character and his decisions.

The first revolves on events. The second revolves around one or more characters. You might have as a player a choice to make. You might just watch things unravel, with focus on the character and not what is happening around.

It is about how it is directed really. 

Now look....

Imagine a plot driven game that has a basic thing happening.

Now focus most of the time in the characters, by unraveling the plot and connect the characters to that plot.

That's how games like Mass Effect are created I guess.

You can have (and must have) the freedom to choose your mix of both of these elements.

Just try not to blow things up.

It is an explosive combination.

Of course what I mentioned is my personal opinion on the topic.

Not a global truth or something.

 

[Andar]

One more info about this:


In a computer RPG, the difference between plot-driven and character-driven is limited, because you as the developer define both the plot and the characters. So it's basically your decision where to focus the story.


However, in a tabletop-RPG there is a titanic difference between both, because the character-driven story means that the players (who play one character each) have to participate in the story-development, while in the plot-driven story the gamemaster is the only one deciding on the story-development.


A lot of the theoretical discussions about plot or character driven stories have that difference from the tabletops in mind - that's why I pointed that out.


In a computer game where the developer controls all parts of the story, it is simply a question about what you want to write as the story.


One additional difference is however, that character-driven plots may focus on the player-choice and create branching or multiple storylines more easier than plot-driven stories, where the player is often drawn along a linear story-plot.


And branching stories require a lot more work for the same length of the game from the developer, but also may create interest in replaying the game multiple times if they have a good enough story.

 

[Scott_C]

Here's how I think of it: Are the characters reactive or proactive?

In a plot driven story the characters are mostly reactionary. Bad things are happening and the player is forced to try and stop them. Their actions are dictated by their environment. You could switch out the heroes for a different group of heroes and they would still be forced do the same things: Fight the bad guy and save the world before everybody dies. It doesn't matter if the group is made up of holy knights, eccentric wizards or greedy mercenaries: everyone has a universal interest in not letting the world get destroyed.

In a character driven story the characters are more proactive. They have goals they want to accomplish, not just bad things they want to stop. A wizard looking for immortality. A merchant in search of a rare treasure. A knight trying to establish his own kingdom. Their actions are dictated by their goals and switching the heroes around would completely change the story. Swap the wizard with someone who doesn't care about immortality and suddenly there's no reason for the group to explore the Forbidden Library of Doom. Swap out the knight for a mercenary and the whole kingdom building plot falls apart because the mercenary just isn't interested.

Of course, it's not like the two approaches are mutually exclusive. Most plot driven games still have character driven sub-plots that explore the goals of individual characters and many character driven stories have external obstacles that force the characters to put their goals on hold and react to some new threat. It's all about choosing the mix that best fits the way you want your game to feel.

 

[EternalShadow]

A question to throw the spanner in the works is: What if the game is a mix of both, and perhaps has the main character being reactionary for the first half, then proactive for the second?

Personally, I would think that most of my games are character-driven, but the stories I write (nothing to do with games) are very plot-driven. This is because you're trying to immerse the person playing as the main character into the game, to make them think the world is reacting to their choices.

In books however, there is no 'player', only a reader who sits back and watches things unfold.

You might as well be watching a movie or reading a book if the story is plot-driven, unless there are gameplay elements in the game that cannot be portrayed in a book/movie, like a Sherlock Holmes investigate-it-yourself.

Nb: the Sherlock example highlights how some plot elements are impossible to write without giving away, particularly Sherlock's notice of small features that the author never mentions beforehand in text, such as a dirty towel.

 

[Makio-Kuta]

I'm probably not right in this but I always looked at it more in terms of what is driving the player. A story that focuses more on the characters might have a simple plot that is very predictable, but the player is driven to play to learn more about the characters. To see then grow or to see their banter with one another. The plot is taking backseat and is mostly there for situation and something to accomplish. (I always think of Atelier Iris 1 as a game that is character driven, since the plot is easy to guess, but the character interactions are so fun you don't care)

Likewise, a game may have characters that are given no personality (see a lot of the older PC RPGs where you make your own party) and the draw to playing is the story of the plot and world itself.

This is how I've always looked at things to decide if they are character or plot driven and focused. (most games are a blend though)

 

[_Shadow_]

I'm probably not right in this but I always looked at it more in terms of what is driving the player. A story that focuses more on the characters might have a simple plot that is very predictable, but the player is driven to play to learn more about the characters. To see then grow or to see their banter with one another. The plot is taking backseat and is mostly there for situation and something to accomplish. (I always think of Atelier Iris 1 as a game that is character driven, since the plot is easy to guess, but the character interactions are so fun you don't care)

Likewise, a game may have characters that are given no personality (see a lot of the older PC RPGs where you make your own party) and the draw to playing is the story of the plot and world itself.

This is how I've always looked at things to decide if they are character or plot driven and focused. (most games are a blend though)

Characters! It is important!

Bears help also!

Seek power inside.

Kung Fu not on bed. Kung Fu out, versus bear!

@Makio Kuta you made me a better man after playing Punch Bears.

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