- Joined
- Aug 18, 2020
- Messages
- 74
- Reaction score
- 464
- First Language
- English
- Primarily Uses
- RMMV
Introduction
I'm sharing my notes so that you too can benefit from them (as if they're any good anyway
) and also any discussion.
I'm not a trained writer, I'm a programmer, but I do think that a story is very important for a game. So, I've been trying to learn how to integrate gameplay with the story. Currently I'm working on a Mystery Dungeon style game in RMMV, so I thought I'd actually have a look at one. I've only played Chapter 1 of this game, and these notes only cover Chapter 1.
Please feel free to comment if you think I have gotten something wrong, or if I have missed something, or to discuss something related.
I have emboldened words that I think make clear, at a glance, the order in which devices are used.
Chapter One
The opening begins with a mysterious circumstance that the player finds themselves in. The player is going to become a pokemon. The player is asked to engage in a questionnaire to determine their aura and therefore the pokemon that they are going to play as. They also choose from a limited list of pokemon to be their partner. This customization frames the experience to follow as being personal; linked to the player's identity. Asking the player who they believe they are is inherently captivating to most people. Think about the apparent popularity of Buzzfeed questionnaires; "which Disney princess are you?"
About 15 minutes is spent mostly passively on the initial setup of the game world and some (characterization) of the ‘partner’ character and what drives them, as well as (foreshadowing) their relationship to the (mysterious) shrine they feel anxiety towards, why are they anxious(?) What is this object that they treat like their “precious”?
A (conflict) is presented quickly, the “precious” is stolen by two unlikables, to lead us into the tutorial dungeon and create a (Macguffin) to motivate the characters for the duration of the dungeon.
- Use (A) to attack.
- What is the currency of the world, to save it up.
- Oran berries heal HP
- Explains that wonder tiles will heal stat changes (this is not at first obvious)
There is a quick resolution to this dungeon, and it is not challenging at all. It is an introduction, they don't want to create negative emotions like frustration at this point, there's nothing to grab onto to pull yourself back up right now.
The Macguffin, “precious”, that is recovered serves to:
I can tell that the introductory experience was tailored to meld hooking the player into the story with introducing the gameplay loop. I can’t think of anything I could personally do better to be quite honest, I'm just not that good. But, I do think that someone with writing experience could have made this better.
It seems that every piece of the dialogue in the introduction was not wasted, it had a clear purpose. Also, the tutorial dungeon was not randomized, so as to ensure that certain ideas were introduced.
What do you think?
I'm sharing my notes so that you too can benefit from them (as if they're any good anyway
) and also any discussion.I'm not a trained writer, I'm a programmer, but I do think that a story is very important for a game. So, I've been trying to learn how to integrate gameplay with the story. Currently I'm working on a Mystery Dungeon style game in RMMV, so I thought I'd actually have a look at one. I've only played Chapter 1 of this game, and these notes only cover Chapter 1.
Please feel free to comment if you think I have gotten something wrong, or if I have missed something, or to discuss something related.
I have emboldened words that I think make clear, at a glance, the order in which devices are used.
Chapter One
The opening begins with a mysterious circumstance that the player finds themselves in. The player is going to become a pokemon. The player is asked to engage in a questionnaire to determine their aura and therefore the pokemon that they are going to play as. They also choose from a limited list of pokemon to be their partner. This customization frames the experience to follow as being personal; linked to the player's identity. Asking the player who they believe they are is inherently captivating to most people. Think about the apparent popularity of Buzzfeed questionnaires; "which Disney princess are you?"
About 15 minutes is spent mostly passively on the initial setup of the game world and some (characterization) of the ‘partner’ character and what drives them, as well as (foreshadowing) their relationship to the (mysterious) shrine they feel anxiety towards, why are they anxious(?) What is this object that they treat like their “precious”?
A (conflict) is presented quickly, the “precious” is stolen by two unlikables, to lead us into the tutorial dungeon and create a (Macguffin) to motivate the characters for the duration of the dungeon.
(is a macguffin a poor thing to use? Could it have been something more meaningful?)
The core mechanics are not explained in great detail during this dungeon, the player is left to figure it out, although there is a command list to show what each button does. It does explain:- Use (A) to attack.
- What is the currency of the world, to save it up.
- Oran berries heal HP
- Explains that wonder tiles will heal stat changes (this is not at first obvious)
There is a quick resolution to this dungeon, and it is not challenging at all. It is an introduction, they don't want to create negative emotions like frustration at this point, there's nothing to grab onto to pull yourself back up right now.
The Macguffin, “precious”, that is recovered serves to:
- Create a (short story) for initial (investment).
- Take us through the (tutorial dungeon to understand the gameplay loop)
- Facilitate a plausible dialogue between characters afterward which does the following:
- (Create an invested relationship) between the player character and another character to form a team. You helped them so you must like them.
- (Characterize) the ‘partner’ character; what they dream about, what they hope to do, who they are, what their flaws are. They hope to figure out the purpose of the “precious”. Link character motivation to the mystery already established previously.
- (Foreshadow) further what the purpose of the “precious” is, create further (mystery) around this. (potentially long-term mystery linked to character motive, which can generate the (plot, which is in mind), easily)
- Partner character wants to form a team with you (short-term motive to push story forward)
- (Comedic relief)/light-hearted banter to endear the player character to the partner character.
- Partner character is instantly emotionally dependent on the player character, makes the player feel loved/liked/wanted.
- To make the sudden intimate relationship between two strangers not seem stilted, meaning against their motivations, they (explicitly state motivations) to make it plausible. The player character does some “(naval gazing)” to explain why they go along with the events, eventually settling on being resolutely for the partnership; enthusiastic.
- (Resolve the internal conflict) the partner character has at the start, the anxiety with the place seen before the dungeon, they express that they feel resolute because the player character has established a bond with them.
I can tell that the introductory experience was tailored to meld hooking the player into the story with introducing the gameplay loop. I can’t think of anything I could personally do better to be quite honest, I'm just not that good. But, I do think that someone with writing experience could have made this better.
It seems that every piece of the dialogue in the introduction was not wasted, it had a clear purpose. Also, the tutorial dungeon was not randomized, so as to ensure that certain ideas were introduced.
What do you think?
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