Storytelling in Theory - The Game Maker's Companion: Game Development - page 186

Tests, Allies, and Enemies
This stage is probably the biggest one in the story. In games it certainly takes up a huge chunk of
the time. It's the training ground for the hero, practice for facing the big ordeal at the climax. The
hero meets friends and enemies, not always knowing which is which. He faces lots of challenges
that will give him the opportunity to learn and grow. In Flynn's story this is everything that
happens from first setting out to finding out where his mother is being held.
In Toy Story this stage is the longest too. It starts as Woody and Buzz are left by Andy at the
gas station and covers their trials at Pizza Planet and Sid's house of horrors. They are forced to
work together to plan their escape past Sid, his terrible dog, and weird sister, not to mention
some very creepy cannibalistic toys.
Approach to the Innermost Cave
The approach gets its name from old myths and fairy tales. This is when the hero arrives at the
dragon's den. The big ordeal is almost at hand. The approach can be full of action, as the hero
frantically prepares for the big battle, or it can be a quiet moment, where he contemplates what
has happened and what will happen. Here, we can foreshadow the second turning point. What
will happen when the hero reaches his goal? Is it really all he had hoped it would be?
In Toy Story , we see Woody quietly thinking, coming to terms with the fact that he might
never get home. On the table, the alarm clock counts down the minutes until Sid will launch Buzz
and blow him up. Without Buzz, Woody can never go home. He makes up with Buzz here in the
“quiet before the storm,” and helps him see that being a toy is not a bad thing. They finally
become friends.
The hint that the goal might not be enough here is a scene showing that Andy's toys are
actually already packed up. Even if Woody manages to get back home against all odds, it might be
too late.
The Ordeal
Time's up. This is what the hero has been trained for. He now faces the last great obstacle to
reach his goal. A great battle ensues—the ultimate test. In movies, they make sure that the hero is
almost defeated here, but then comes back against all odds. In a game, we have to make sure this
stage feels very hard, but isn't impossible.
In Toy Story , having revived Buzz's fighting spirit, the toys make a last bid to get out of Sid's
room before he wakes up. But it's too late. Buzz is taken out to the garden for the big launch.
Woody prepares a plan with the creepy toys, now turned allies, to free himself and pacify Sid
forever. The plan goes well, and they manage to lock up the dog, but then Woody is suddenly
caught by Sid. He is put on the grill with the promise of being fried later. He has to improvise. He
starts talking, although that is not allowed in front of humans. The other toys rally up around him
and Sid gets the scare of his life.
Reward
The hero has reached his goal and now reaps his reward. We could end the story here, and in fact
a lot of games do. We have reached the goal we set out to reach. But here is also the chance to add
the second turning point—a twist in the tale and a chance to surprise the audience (although the
clever ones will have understood the foreshadowing we gave them in the approach). The goal
turns out to be fake or not enough. The hero has been tricked or the journey has changed him so
that he no longer desires the reward.
In Toy Story , the other toys have been freed from Sid's tyranny and Woody and Buzz are free
to go home to Andy. But just as they are celebrating, they see the moving truck move away from