Narrative Design - Professional Techniques for Video Game Writing - page 56

3. Using a genre of your choosing, create a narrative for a game with only three
levels or missions where the story is progressed through the actions of the
player-character. For example, in a platformer, your player-character may need
to collect certain floating items in level one to gain access to a character in level
two, who will then transport the character to level three for the climactic end-
ing. Communicate the story through player-character action, without dialog
or cutscenes.
4. Break out your current favorite game and evaluate its user interface (UI) in
light of the game narrative. Does the artistic presentation of the main menu
match the tone of the story? Do the names of menu selections fit, or do they
seem at odds with the setting of the game? When cycling through menus,
do you notice any connection between navigation and narrative? Are menu
selections easy to understand, or are they obscure due to an attempt to main-
tain narrative tone (e.g., is the difficulty setting “easy� or “neophyte� or “.22
caliber�?) What does the UI do well, and what could be improved?
5. Bonus: Create an outline for your own game narrative no longer than a page
that covers the beginning, ending, and the major actions the player-character
undertakes through the course of the game. When complete, verbally pitch
your story to a friend in a way that communicates the excitement inherent in
the narrative. Repeat as necessary.