Research - Storytelling
Storytelling is the conveying of events in words, and images often by improvisation or embellishment. Stories or narratives have been shared in every culture as means of entertainment, education, cultural preservation and instilling moral values.
Crucial Elements of stories and storytelling include plot, characters and narrative points of view.
Cave Paintings
Cave Paintings are one of, if not the earliest form of storytelling that we know. In a period before languages and writing, paintings on cave walls told stories of times long ago, be them warnings, depicting moments that happened in the past, or simple made up stories for the entertainment or education of children.
Oral Traditions
Storytelling predates writing, with the earliest forms of storytelling usually oral combined with gestures or expressions. Oral storytelling is an ancient and intimate tradition between the storytelling and their audience. The storyteller and the listeners are physically close, often seated together in a circular fashion. The storyteller reveals and thus shares themselves through their telling and the listeners reveal and share themselves through their reception of the story.
Oral tradition was used in many ways, from stories being passed on from groups to groups, changing and adapting, to ways that are even still used today such as campfire stories, which were popular in tribes. Although oral traditions were one of the earliest forms of storytelling, it is still very much used widely today, which goes to show how traditions stick around when they're worth something.
A fable is a story often short and simple including animals that is told to teach some sort of moral lesson, often told to young children. Fables are also known as 'Aesop's Fables' which are popular fables of Aesop being a slave in the Ancient Greece era. Aesop told many of these short moral stories to people, the stories going on to be passed down through generations, written and stayed very popular throughout the years. Fables begun and carried on through the ages.
A myth is similar to a Fable in the regard of length. A myth is a story that is most often regarding the creation of the world, or about mythical characters such as Gods or Goddesses. Myths originate from Ancient Greek times, and although they have no truth to them, they are what people believe created the existence of the world we live in. Myths are a short and condensed way of storytelling. The characters are exaggerated and bigger than life: heroes are typical of the first myths that were written down. They are static stories without a real plot. Instead they focus on an essential moral or elementary wisdom that may benefit you in life.
Theatre
Theatre was an audience based form of storytelling. It was the jump from oral storytelling to acting it out, this resulted in a much better interpretation of the story due to it's more visual nature. Ancient Greece is where Theatre begun which Greeks performed stories in giant amphitheatres which were effective as the stadium like bowl shape allowed the speech to be heard all throughout the area. In addition this provided a more effective method for large groups of people (audiences) to gather around and watch the act.
Theatre is much more of an interactive form storytelling. The actors would encourage the audience to join in and interact with them such as shouting famous phrases or trying to offer help to the protagonist on stage.
Text
Storytelling through text has developed over a long time since it first started. Back when languages were created and developed things were being written, writing wasn't an ideal form of storytelling as it was very time consuming, and only one person could read the story at a time. Additionally not many could read or write. Text became a more popular use for storytelling when the printing press was created. With the development of printing; meant that multiple copies of the book could be made, and eventually ways were found to cross them over from different places as transport developed. Throughout the years text has changed; from hand written to printed text, even allowing stories to be read on media devices such as computers, mobiles and tablets.
Text based stories up to this stage were the only ones that could be copyrighted as there could be written proof of who owned the idea.
Telling a story through text is a more popular method, throughout history and even today. Books are massively used across the world to convey information and tell stories. A story is a brief work of literature, usually written in a narrative prose. Emerging from earlier oral storytelling traditions in the 17th century, a written story features a cast of named characters, and focuses on self-contained incident with the intent of evoking a plot.
More popular modern examples would be book series such as Harry Potter & The Hobbit. They show how text is still a large part of storytelling today; additionally text has developed with technology to allow more visual forms of the story to be created; more notably into the film form of storytelling.
Film/Television
Film and TV is the most popular and recent form of storytelling today due to the development in technology. It is both visual and audio form of storytelling. When film was first developed in the 1880s it was originally made to shows a series of images using a projector. This technique allowed things to be filmed and create a story to show to a large audience a more powerful technique than text which could only be read by one person at a time.
Television was developed later when technology progressed further, and resources was becoming cheaper. Television allowed people to watch films and shows from the comfort of their home, which they could never do in film originally. This was because film was strictly in the cinemas or other public areas before television was invented. Like film, TV is also a visual and audio form of storytelling, additionally like text both film and TV can be copyrighted.
Television differs from films as it is nearly always an ongoing story that bever plans to have an ending, but a constant series of events about something. Most noticeable examples of this are soap operas like Eastenders, Coronation Street etc.
Game Genres
Platform
A platformer is a video game which involves guiding an avatar to jump between suspended platforms, over obstacles or both to advance the game. The player controls the jumps to avoid letting the avatar fall from platforms or miss necessary jumps. The most common element of interactivity in this genre of the jump button.
Jumping may include swinging, bouncing or double jumping. These mechanics, even in the context of other genres are commonly called platforming.
Platform games originated in the 1980s as side scrolling video games, later developing into 3D in the mid 1990s. The term describes games where jumping on platforms is an integral part of the gameplay. While commonly associated with console gaming in todays modern society, there have been many platform games released to video arcades, as well for the handheld game consoles as early as the Gameboy, and home computers.
Most popular platform game examples include the Super Mario franchise; first developed in the 1980s, which involves guiding Mario from one platform to the next. Platforms can consist of rocks, tall mushroom-like platforms or clouds.
At one point platform games were the most popular genre of video gaming,. At the peak of their popularity, it is estimated that between one quater and one third of console games were platformers. No genre either before or since has been able to compete ir achieve a similar market share.
FPS & TPS
First Person Shooter or FPS is a video game genre which is presented through a first person perspective centered on a gun and projectile weapon-based combat. The player experiences the action through the eyes of the protagonist in a PoV (Point of View) shot, and in some cases, the antagonist. FPS's share common traits with other shooter games which in turn fall under the heading action game. From advanced 3D graphics development, graphics have challenged hardware development, and multiplayer gaming has been integral. 
The first FPS is thought to be Maze War, which began development in 1973, next to Spasim which began development in 1974. The title which is the progenitor of the genre's wider mainstream acceptance and popularity was Doom (released 1993 - science horror game), perhaps one of the most influential games in this genre. Half-Life 1998 along with its sequel Half-Life 2 2004 - enhanced the narrative and puzzle elements. Together with Doom, they are perhaps the most influential first-person shooters. The Halo series which was released in 2001 heightened the consoles commercial and critical appeal for FPS titles. Today, the FPS genre is the most commercially viable genre, additionally taking more market share of any other genre in the gaming industry.
Third Person Shooter is a genre of 3D action games in which the player character is visible on screen - unlike FPS's which base the camera on presenting gameplay through a first person perspective. A third person shooter is a game structured around shooting, and in which the player can see the avatar on-screen in a third person view. TPS's combine the shooting elements of FPS's with the jumping and climbing puzzles and mechanics of a 3D platformer. Third person shooter games almost always use an aim and assist feature, since aiming from a third person camera has proven difficult. Most TPS's also incorporate a first person view which allows precise shooting and allows the player to look around at environment features that are otherwise hidden from the default camera. To use first person mode, in most cases the player must stand still, however newer TPS's allow the player to play like an FPS and alternate between the two freely. The earliest TPS known is the shooter Rader Scope which released in 1979.
TPS's allow the designer to create a more strongly characterised avatar, which the perspective directs the players attention as if watching a film. In contrast however, a FPS perspective provides the player with greater immersion into the game universe as due to the nature of the PoV shot can make the player feel that they are centered in the action. TPS's sometimes compensate for their distint perspective by designing larger, more spacious environments than first person shooters. However TPS perspective is usually better for interacting with objects in the game world, such as jumping on platforms, engaging in close combat, or driving a vehicle.
Racing
The racing game genre can be presented in either the first person or third person perspective where the player partakes in a racing competition with any type of land, air or ocean vehicles. The game can be based on anything from real world racing leagues to entirely fantastical settings like Mario Kart 1992. The first racing game came about in the 1970s; 1973's Atari's Space Race, which was a space themed arcade game where players controlled spaceships that race against opposing ships, while avoiding comets and meteors. It was a competitive two-player game controlled using a two was joystick and was presented in black and white graphics. In general, however more noticeable in the 80s and 90s, racing games tend to drift towards the arcade side of reality, mainly due to hardware limitations.
Arcade-style racing games deliver a fun and fast paced experience as cars usually compete in unique ways. A key feature of arcade-style racers that distinguish them from simulation racers is their far more liberal physics. Whereas in simulation racing and real racing the driver must reduce their speed significantly to take most turns. In comparison arcade style racing games encourage the player to powerslide the car to allow the player to keep up their speed by drifting through a turn. Additionally, collisions with other racers, obstacles or vehicles is usually much more exaggerated. Arcade style racers remove the precision required from the simulation experience. This allows the experience to focus strictly on the racing itself. 
Races can take place on highways, windy roads or in cities. They can be multiple lap circuits or point to point, with one or multiple paths (sometimes with checkpoints). Other racing gaming like destruction derby offer competition which includes jumping, or testing driving skills. Some racing games increase the competition between racers by adding weapons that can be used against opponents to slow them down. This brings more challenge and diversity into racing. Weapons can range from projectile attacks, traps or combative items like speed boosts. Examples of games that include weapons are Mario Kart, Rumble Racing and Blur. 
Simulation style racing games strive to convincingly replicate the handling of an actual vehicle. Generally they will licence real cars but some will use fantasy built cars to resemble real ones if they are unable to obtain a licence for them. Physics are a key factor in simulation. Unlike Arcade style games, Simulation uses features like replicating conditions such as car tyre condition and fuel level, which would usually not be a concern in racing games. Simulation games are specifically built for people with a high grade of driving skill, however it is not uncommon to find aids that can be enabled from the game menu such as ABS and steering resistance. 
Fighting
A Fighting video game is a type of action game where the player controls an onscreen character and engages in close combat with an opponent. The fight matches can consist of several rounds in an arena, with the characters generally being of equal power. Techniques consist of blocking, counter-attacking, and chaining together a sequence of attacks known as combos. In some games players can execute a series of combos or perform specific button combinations to perform a special attack. This has been a popular addition since the early 1990s.
The fighting genre's popularity stagnated as games became more complicated and arcades began to lose their audience to increasingly powerful home consoles near the end of the 1990s. In today's world, the genre remains popular but retains a much smaller proportions of enthusiasts than it once did. This is primarily due to the increase of popularity with other genres and internet multiplayer gaming.
Games traditionally display characters from a side-view, even as the genre has progressed from 2D to 3D graphics. Street Fighter and its sequel primarily popularized and standardized the conventions of the genre. Although fighting games feature hand to hand combat, they can also feature melee weapons. Games usually confine characters to moving left and right and jumping, however recent games tend to be rendered in three dimensions and allow side stepping. Fighting game matches generally consist of several rounds, with the player who wins the most rounds wins the match. To defeat an enemy the player must deplete the opposing players life bar, by performing techniques such as blocking, combos or special attacks and by predicting opponents moves and counter attacking; a common element of gameplay.
In most fighting games, players can select from a variety of characters who have unique fighting styles, abilities and special moves. Linking back to Street Fighter, this game successfully began this strong convention for the genre. Additionally the addition of multiple characters, offer a choice for the player, leading to deeper game strategy, elements and replay value. Another example of a fighting game that uses the character selection mode is Dragonball Z, which features a series of fighting games from Dragonball Bout (1997) To the release of the budokai series (2002+) and todays Dragonball Xenouniverse. The game has developed from allowing the player to select a range of 80+ different characters, each with their own unique fighting style and stances. With developing technology, the game is now playable online vs and with many others in teams and the traditional 1v1. Additionally the player is now able to create and customize their own character how they see fit, adding tons of replay value - almost replicating the techniques used to create an MMO.
Adventure
An Adventure game is a video game where the player assumes the role of a protagonist in an interactive story. The player is generally driven by puzzle-solving and exploration. Combat and action is usually limited in adventure games, distinguishing them from action games, however conflict and occur in the adventure genre, just not as a primary activity. Nearly all adventure games are designed for single player, since the heavy emphasis on the story makes implementing multiplayer design difficult.
The genres prime was during the late 1980s when it was considered the most technically advanced genre, however today it's popularity has decreased. In contrast the genre in Easy Asia continue to be popular and form of Visual Novels, which make up nearly 70% of PC games released in Japan.
Text adventures, or Interactive Fiction tell the games story through text, whic
Game design focuses heavily on elements such as Dialogue, conversation trees and goals which include success or failure depending on the players choices throughout the game. The games are generally single player experiences that focuses largely on story as a prime element. They are typically set in an immersive environment, often a fantasy world. As the player progresses through the story, character development and emotional growth are elements which form the adventure genre, as opposed to gaining new powers or abilities that affect gameplay. Features which make the genre a game rather than just a story is the dialogue and conversation trees. Adventure games have significant dialogue which enhance the stories progression. Players are able to engage a non player character by selecting a line of pre written dialog from a menu, which triggers a response from the game character. This process is called a conversation tree and is often referred to the tree structure design, where players can decide between each branch of dialog that they wish to pursue. Some conversations will have consequences, some more obvious than others such as choosing to disclose a valuable secret that has been entrusted to the player. Selecting multiple answers that have negative impact on character development will progress the story in different ways. 
The primary goal in adventure games is the completion of the prime quest or subgoal. More older adventure games have player rankings which correspond the players achieved ending or choice response. It is usually presented at the end of the game in text form which could offer the player a secondary goal or additional side quest. The primary event of failure in Adventure games is generally player death which can be the result of selecting the wrong options or following the wrong route. Additionally this can be portrayed through foreshadowing player death or leading to consequences.
Puzzle
A puzzle game is a genre of video games that emphasize problem solving skills including logic, pattern recognition and sequence solving. Puzzle games focus on conceptual and logic challenge, sometimes accompanied with other action elements or pressuring the player with time limit pressure. Other genres of games such as action or adventure games may involve puzzles, however a puzzle game developed specifically will be entirely based on solving and primary gameplay activity. Puzzle games can involve shapes, colours and symbols, which the player must manipulate them into a specific pattern. Patterns could involve logic, recognition or understanding a process.
Puzzle games offer a series of related puzzles that are varied around a theme. These games generally have a simple set of rules where players manipulate piece on a grid or other kind of interactive space. Player must discover clues in order to achieve some sort of completion condition which will allow them to progress to the next level. Completing each puzzle will usually lead to a more difficult challenge, although some games avoid exhausting the player be offering more forgiving or easier levels between more difficult ones. 
Games like Tetris or Lumines feed to the player random blocks or pieces that they must organize in a correct manner with a time limit. Other games may present a game board or pieces where the player is challenged to solve the puzzle by achieving a goal. Puzzle games are often easy to produce and develop for many versions of platforms, such as arcade units, video game consoles and mobile. 
Puzzle games can have many sub genres including: Action Puzzles, Hidden objects, and physics game. An action puzzle is a puzzle where the player is required to manipulate game pieces in a team time environment often with a time limit, where they can advance to the next level. It is similar to Tetris where the falling blocks are the main theme of the game. Additionally games such as Shadow of the Colossus provide an open world structured puzzle feature, or other action games such as Portal that require timing and accuracy with pattern matching or logic skills. A hidden object game is a sub genre of the puzzle genre in which the player must find items from a list that are hidden with an image. Hidden object games are popular with more casual games and are generally inexpensive to buy. A physics game is a type of puzzle video game where the player must use the game's physics to their advantage to complete each puzzle. Physics games use realistic physics to make games more challenging. The physics genre is popular in flash games and mobile games. There have been many adaptions of traditional puzzle games that have now evolved into digital versions such as Solitaire.
RPG
An RPG or roleplaying game is a game genre where the actions of a protagonists reflects the players controls. The game is usually designed in some well-defined world. RPG's include developed story-telling and narrative elements, player character development, complexity, re-playability and immersion. Role playing video games use much of the same elements and features similar to early pen and paper RPG's such as Dungeons and Dragons. Players explore a game world consisting of a central game character, or multiple game characters (party or raid) to attempt to claim victory by completing a series of quests, scenarios, defeating a boss or reaching the conclusion of a central storyline. The game world itself, entails of engaging in tactical combat and solving puzzles. A definable feature within RPG's is that characters gain experience points and grow in power and abilities. As modern technology develops, players are able to customize their character to their liking.
RPG's main focus are their highly developed setting and story telling, which is usually presented through a number of quests. Players can control one or more characters by issuing commands, which is performed by the character. The effectiveness in which these abilities produce is determined by that characters numeric attributes. Numeric attributes primarily consist of the player level which is increased through gaining experience points which may be obtained by clearing missions, side quests or progressing through the main storyline. The higher the characters level, the more effective it becomes.
RPG's are known typically to offer more complex and dynamic character interaction that what is found in other genres. This usually includes additional attention and development on AI's and NPC's within the game to generate a more believable, engaging and immersive game setting.
The story and setting within an RPG makes up a core element of it's genre. The setting is generally a vast world with many NPC's and unique places. In combination with, the story is the text process of taking the player through the world to discover secrets and events that it holds. There are often twists and turns as the story progresses, such as the surprise appearance of relatives, or enemies who becomes friends or vice versa. Game worlds can range from a plethora of settings, generally set in a fantasy or science fiction universe. A strong story within an RPG provides the majority of entertainment for the game, and usually consists of longer cutscenes. Triggers can also feature within RPG's. For example while most games advance the ploy when the player defeats an enemy or completes a level, RPG's may trigger a progression storyline when the player decides to join a guild, or begin learning a profession.
In combination with the large story, this is usually matched with a large world to explore. Some RPG's such as Skyrim may feature a large open world in which the player can proceed to explore the world at their own will and discover secrets, towns and artefacts. Other linear games such as the Witcher 2 may only reveal to the player a section of the world at a time, until the player has reached a specific level, or progression stage in the main plot. Within this section the player may also unlock a plethora of side quests which could be used to gain more gold (ingame currency) or gain more experience, to allow the character to defeat certain enemies or bosses. Generally the player must complete a linear sequence of quests in order to progress and reach the end of the games story. Quests many involve defeating one or many enemies, rescuing an NPC, item fetch quests or locational puzzles such as mysteriously locked doors.
Players can use all kinds of items in RPG's. Players can find loot such as clothing, weapons and armour throughout the game world. Some games challenge the player by limiting the inventory space, thus turning inventory management into a logistical challenge. This can be achieved by limting the maximum weight that the player can carry, or by simply limiting the number of items that can be currently held.
With the development of technology RPG's have progressed into many subgenres such as action-RPG's and MMO's. Massive Multiplayer online Role Playing Games such as World of Warcraft have proved to be extremely successful with engaging the player with the world. The game uses all elements of RPG's but extends the capability and immersion by creating these elements in an online structure. This means that in addition to NPC's, there are huge amounts of players within the world, all with different customisations levels, professions stats and armour, which allow for individuality to be developed while online. All players are able to be interacted with. Players can group up with others to complete quests, or challenge more difficult quests or dungeons that would not usually be able to be completed as a solo-player. Additionally players can duel each other and face-off to see who can deplete the other to 1 HP or the death first. People can find escapism with MMO's due to its expandable, real time and progression elements.
TBS
TBS or turn based strategy games compose of a type of strategic integrated wargame. Original games such as Empire released in 1977 are examples of the first TBS games. Players take turns when playing (also known as rounds). This is a unique feature to TBS games as RTS games allow all players to play simultaneously. Many board games are turned based, Games such as chess is one of the oldest and most competitve games of it's kind. Games such as Monopoly and checkers are also turn based. In the technological evolution, many board games have been developed as a computer game, allowing you to play the game versus others around the world without being in the same location.
Turn based tactical gameplay is characterized by the expectation of players to complete their tasks using only the combat resources provided for them, and usually by the provision of a believable representation of military tactics and operations.
Since TBS games do not generally requires vast amounts of art or modelling, developers can focus on gameplay more so than graphics. Additionally TBS's do not require users to install files and are often free. To run them, all they require is a device with a web browser and internet connection. Many TBS games will work just as well on a smartphone as they do on a desktop.
RTS
An RTS or Real-Time Strategy is a video game genre that is usually played from a third person perspective, and in these games you control vast numbers of soldiers (called units) in a tactical game scenario. In in RTS, the player position and man-oeuvre the their units and structures to control and secure areas of the map and/or destroy their opponents assets. During the game, players can create additional units and structures during the course of a game.
To prevent players from over-producing and extending, they are generally limited by a requirement such as resources. Typically structures and more soldiers will require more resources to maintain, which build up through the course of a game. Additionally resources can be gained by controlling special points on the map to increase resource flow and/or possessing certain types of units and structures devoted to this purpose. The succeeding process of victory in a RTS can be challenging due to these rules. This can be contributed with the complex user interfaces.
RTS's first came into development in 1995. The genre has been stable and has not increased or decreased in popularity since.
With the rise of technoligical advancements, additions to the genre's concept in newer games tend to emhphasize more of the basic RTS elements (higher unit caps, more unit types, larger maps etc). GSC Game World's Cossacks: European Wars took the genre in a different direction, bringing the population to an increase. Homewolrd (1999) and Dark Reign 2 (2000) were among the first to attempt the transition to 3D RTS titles. Homeworld was notable due to it allowing the player to control the units allowing movement in every direction. In 2002 3D Real Time Strategy become the standard, with games such as Warcraft III released in 2002, which was built on a full 3D game engine. Battle Realms which was released in 2001 was an example of the criticized 2D to 3D transition. This was largely due to issues with controlling the camera and placement of objects.
Here is the story structure timeline that nearly every scriptwriter follows. Act I is the beginning, Act II is the middle and Act III is the end. Act I generally begins with a main character whose life is about to be turned upside down, and who's oing to be pushed harder than ever before. The characters everyday's life is about to be changed.
Act I - The Beginning
Act I clarifies: Who is the main character? What are their strengths and weaknesses? What kind of life style do they live? Clarifying this will give the reader a stronger understanding on who the main character is, allowing them to relate to elements. This will also be enable the feeling of normality of the character's life. Additionally it will have a heavier impact later on.
After the set-up which describes the main characters life, the character's world is about to be thrown into chaos. A major problem occurs which the main character will have to resolve in order to return to their normal life. The main character will be motivated to achieve this goal by doing anything imaginable. Near the end of Act I another huge event happens. The event will test the main character and challenge them to answer: "How far will you go to achieve your goal?"
Act II - The Middle
Act II is the longest act and should seem as long as possible for the main character, yet as short s possible for the reader. The main character will come across a whole variety of obstacles, with the obstacles steadily growing bigger and tougher. Every time the main character takes a step on the path to reach their goal, a force will block their path, forcing them to think quicker and grow in terms of strength if they want to succeed.
The midpoint of act II will have a turning point, often the death or introduction of the focus of the main character on achieving their goal. Towards then end of Act II the character will come to a crisis point. The main character begins to get annoyed at frustrated of all the obstacles in their path. Plot point II forces the main character to take action in attempt to solve the problem caused by the incident. Make the character realize that they are running out of time to finish their job, and the ultimate goal should be the main focus.
Act III - The End
The time limit is reaching the end, and the main character is feeling more pressured. By now the main character has a clear goal infront of them, however the goal is still blocked by more obstacles. Additionally the obstacles will be the biggest obstacles of all, forcing the main character to work to their limits. The main character will want to achieve their goal so badly, that nothing will stop them. Act III will be the resolution in the story, however it will not always be a happy ending - might be an initiative for a sequel( or prequel).
The climax is the biggest scene in the script, the final battle between the two forces (good and evil). The main character will save the day and resolve their problems, clear the obstacles in a dramatic fashion. The main character will be able to go back to their home, more wiser, and changed in terms of perspective due to the experience they've encountered throughout their adventure.
Episodic Games
An episodic video game is a game that is generally shorter in terms of length. Additionally the game is often released as an installment to a continuous and larger series - once all episodes have been released the games length in overall duration will have increased dramatically. Episodic games differ from conventional video games in that they often contain less content but are developed more frequently. Episodic games are very similar to expansion packs. An expansion pack, like Wrath of the Lich King for World of Warcraft is an add-on to an original product.
However the difference is that episodic games are shorter in terms of episodes, that compose a large story. They often progress the story, whereas expansion packs will generally feature a whole new world. That is not to say that episodic games do not always feature the same elements. Series may or or may not have continuity but will always share settings, characters and themes.
Episodic games are a way for the game production process to cost less for developers, therefore making the game usually cheaper for consumers. Exposure and experience from early episodes can benefit the production of quality of future releases due to feedback and criticism received from consumers. Episodic games are usually released faster to the market due to their decreased size. A typical high production title can take from 2 to 5 years to complete, however episodic games can reduce the waiting time down to annually and therefore are released more often. Advancements in technology can also benefit this, and help developers make more powerful future episodes.For consumers, sometimes the total cost for all episodes many be more than that of the typical game. Failure to sell previous episodes may impact the quality of future episodes negatively due to lack of funding for the production of the remainder. A disadvantage for consumers with limited or slow internet access, which may take them longer to obtain copies, or just never at all. A player trying to progress through a series of episodes may find the technological advanced over time distracting; in extreme
cases they may even be put off and prefer the techniques used in episodes produced years before.
Games such as the Walking Dead feature an episodic structure. The game will continue to release over specific time periods, with each episode usually featuring a different location in the world. Life is strange also follows the same structure in regards to episodic gameplay. developers from Life is Strange originally stated that they preferred the episodic forma for both creative reasons and financial restrictions. Additionally it allowed them to tell the story in it's preferred slow pace. It enabled them to emphasise story and character development more effectively over time.
Actions/conditions Influence in gameplay
Games with non linear gameplay presents players with challenges that can be completed in a number of different sequences. Each play sees only some of the challenges possible, and the same challenges may be played ina different order. In contrast, a video game with linear game play will confront a player with a fixed sequence of challenges; every player sees every challenge and sees them in the same order. Games that employ linear stories are those where the player cannot change the story line or ending of the story. Most games use a linear structure, thus making them more similar to fiction. Player actions may change the outcome of the story.
Similar to that of visual novels, the player can be presented with a number of choices that will advance the story in a different way. Additionally characters may act differently towards you, dependent on your actions. When specific conditions are met, the game may trigger an event. A trigger is a set point in the game in which, when reached, sparks of the next step of the story. An example may consist of, Player leaves village - when player reaches X spot, if player decides to return to village, it will have been destroyed. Ultimately a player cannot reverse a trigger, unless there is a multi-trigger point, which is dependent on which point the player meets. For example if player reaches point X, Z will happen. If player reaches point Y, W will happen. This allows the story to branch out in multiple ways, emerging the player into the game world, allowing them to feel that their choices matter.
Interactive Game Stories - Cutscenes, triggered events & Character Customization
Interactive Storytelling is a form of digital entertainment in which users create or influence a dramatic storyline through actions, either by issuing commands to the protagonist, or acting as a narrator in the narrative. Interactive storytelling is where the narrative and story progression can be influenced by in real time by a user. There is an open debate regarding the nature of the relationship between interactive storytelling with video games. Game designer Chris Crawford states that "interactive storytelling are not Games with stories". There are several key issues in interactive storytelling. The main issues include: how to generate stories which are both interesting, and allow the user to intervene with the story, without violating the rules of the genre.
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The process of embedding onto a webpage includes taking the media HTML code, or using a 3rd party method to manually enter or upload the code/media source to desired webpage. Embedding examples may include blogs that include YouTube videos as part of the blog, webpages such as the BBC, which contains video footage uploaded to an external source which can be played directly from the webpage. Other examples of video games embedded into webpages primarily include flash games. By visiting any flash game hosting website, you can play developers flash games. As such the website acts as a host for all the games to be stored in one place, and users can easily browse the page to find games that may interest them.
A cutscene or an in-game cinematic is a sequence in a video game that is not interactive, breaking up the gameplay. Cutscenes could be used to show conversations between characters, bring exposition to the player, set the mood, reward the player, introduce new game play elements, show the effects of a player's actions, create emotional connections, improve pacing or foreshadow future events. Cutscenes often use the gameplay graphics to create scripted events. Cutscenes can also been animated, live action, or pre-rendered computer graphics streamed from a video file. Cutscenes can also appear in other forms, such as a series of images or as plain as text and audio.
Pac Man - released in 1980, is said to be the first game to feature cut scenes, in the form of brief comical interludes about Pac Man and the ghosts chasing each other around during those interludes. Additionally Space Invaders employed a similar technique that same year.
Live action cutscenes have many similarities to films. Increasing graphics quality, cost and artistic need to integrate better with gameplay graphics soon led to the increased popularity in animated cutscenes in the late 1990s. However for a cinematic effect, some games still utlize live-action cutscenes. Live Action cutscenes were popular in the early to mid 1990s with the onset of the CD-ROM and subsequent extra storage space available.
Like live action shoots, pre-rendered cutscenes are also part of full motion video. Pre-rendered cutscenes are animated and rendered by the game's developers are able to take advantage of techniques such as CGI, cel animation, or graphic novel-style art. The Final Fantasy series use effective prerendered cutscenes. Additionally Blizzard entertainment uses cutscenes and cinematic's with cinema quality for games such as World of Warcraft and Diablo. Pre-rendered cutscenes are generally of higher visual quality than in game cutscenes, but have two disadvantages; the different in quality can sometimes create difficulties of recognizing the high-quality images from the game; also, the pre-rendered cutscene cannot adapt to the state of the game: for example, by showing different items of clothing worn by a character.
Character creation is the process of defining a game character or other character. Typically a character's individual strengths and weaknesses are represented by a set of statistics. Games with a largely fictional setting may include traits such as a race and class. Character creation is typically the first step taken by the players in preparation for the game. The result of character creation is recorded on a character sheet. Not only will it display statistics, but also less formal descriptions of the character's physical appearance, personality, personal back story and possessions.
During play, only a characters appearance is usually described explicitly, with the exact stats not known to other players. Character advancements refers to the improvement and envelopment of a characters stats later in game. The player will modify existing stats and add new ones, usually by spending experience points or when gaining a new level. Character advancement uses similar rules to character creation, however to avoid unrealistic sudden changes in character concept, character advancement is usually more restricted than the main character creation.
To speed up the character creation process, many games use character templates of some sort. Sample characters representing genre typical archetypes that are either completely ready-made or at least define the essential stats necessary for a character to be able to function. Other games use a mechanism that provide direction and limitations to the character process and development. The character class concept introduced by Dungeons & Dragons that is now used in many games such as World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy, even Pokemon. With a character class, most skills and bailities are pre-determined or must be chosen from a comparably narrow subset of all available traits, leaving the player to select only a few extra skills.During character creation players can select one of these classes as there defined characteristic for their characters. In games such as Guild Wars 2 you can select a class: Necromancer, Thief, Elementalist, Warrior, etc. In contrast however, in games such as Classic Traveler, each character pursues one of six possible careers (professions) that decides which tables can be used to roll on, this giving direction to the otherwise largely random process.
The Hero's Journey
The Hero's Journey consists of steps which describe a pattern of narrative identified by Joseph Campball, an American scholar. The narrative describes the typical adventure of a character - the hero. The hero typically is the person who achieves great deeds on behalf of the group, tribe, or civilization.
1. The Ordinary World. The hero, uneasy, uncomfortable or unaware, is introduced sympathetically so the audience can identify with the situation or dilemma. The hero is shown against a background of environment, heredity, and personal history. Some kind of polarity in the hero’s life is pulling in different directions and causing stress.
2. The Call to Adventure. Something shakes up the situation, either from external pressures or from something rising up from deep within, so the hero must face the beginnings of change.
3. Refusal of the Call. The hero feels the fear of the unknown and tries to turn away from the adventure, however briefly. Alternately, another character may express the uncertainty and danger ahead.
4. Meeting with the Mentor. The hero comes across a seasoned traveler of the worlds who gives him or her training, equipment, or advice that will help on the journey. Or the hero reaches within to a source of courage and wisdom.
5. Crossing the Threshold. At the end of Act One, the hero commits to leaving the Ordinary World and entering a new region or condition with unfamiliar rules and values.
6. Tests, Allies and Enemies. The hero is tested and sorts out allegiances in the Special World.
7. Approach. The hero and new found allies prepare for the major challenge in the Special world.
8. The Ordeal. Near the middle of the story, the hero enters a central space in the Special World and confronts death or faces his or her greatest fear. Out of the moment of death comes a new life.
9. The Reward. The hero takes possession of the treasure won by facing death. There may be celebration, but there is also danger of losing the treasure again.
10. The Road Back. About three-fourths of the way through the story, the hero is driven to complete the adventure, leaving the Special World to be sure the treasure is brought home. Often a chase scene signals the urgency and danger of the mission.
11. The Resurrection. At the climax, the hero is severely tested once more on the threshold of home. He or she is purified by a last sacrifice, another moment of death and rebirth, but on a higher and more complete level. By the hero’s action, the polarities that were in conflict at the beginning are finally resolved.
12. Return with the Elixir. The hero returns home or continues the journey, bearing some element of the treasure that has the power to transform the world as the hero has been transformed.
In summary, the story is divided into 12 arcs. The 12 arcs form the typical Hero's Story, and describes how the general story structure should flow.
Representation of Gender/Age/Ethnicity in the Media
Traditionally, representation of gender, age and ethnicity as remained static throughout the generations. In most traditional movies, films and other media there has been a common trend with which actor plays the antagonist, protagonist etc. Traditionally, main protagonists will usually be a white male age ~30. It was rare to see women or a person of different race to be playing the protagonist. Any women character's who do appear would usually be the protagonists "side kick". Additionally she would be a brunette, as blondes are traditionally portrayed as "clumsy, or incapable/lack of confidence". Any blonde female characters that were in the story, would usually be killed off first due to this, and lead to a very negative impact on the media. The biased tradition has changed over the years, and has become more relaxed when determining who will play what.
Genders of different ethnicity, would not only appear as a minority, but it would be considered strange if any person of a race different to the "white man" was a protagonist. The media saw a change with this in a more modern representation of media, like the protagonist of the walking dead. Female characters in the media would be portrayed as "objects" due to their lack of clothing which could further suggest their vulnerability - a traditional representation. Prime example include Lara Croft from tomb raider, who even today is still sexualized to an extent, attracting to the male audience. The era of the modernized media saw a change to this, allowing a more positive impact on the media.
Traditionally, the male gender is portrayed as being strong and capable, however modernized media such as Shakugan no Shana or Dark Chronicle has shown to introduce female characters as the main protagonist, and with a male "sidekick" as the under-performer. Although the modernized world is more open with selecting protagonists in terms of ethnicity and gender, some games still use the traditional route. Games like the Last of Us, a recent video game features a white 30 year old male with his "sidekick" younger girl. Younger characters are traditionally seen to be a more vulnerable character stereotype, however in the Last of Us, the girl is more of a daughter figure for the main protagonist, and may suggest a more older target audience.
Emotional Themes
Some games may use emotions as a main drive for the games experience. There are many different types of emotion that video games can generate for a player, both negative and positive. Emotional feelings may be driven out from pure immersion into a video game, from love/hate for a specific character to impact from narrative in a games dialogue. As technological advancements increase, more believable settings and characters are able to be created, thus bringing the video game world to live more than ever.
Video games with interactivity may emit emotion to players from what choices the player makes, rather than what they perceive. For example, a player may feel sad or upset due to a choice outcome they made, and may feel regret and want to change their choice. This would be more noticeable in visual novels. On the other hand video games may create a hate for a specific character by portraying them in a very specific way. Using techniques such as low angle shots may allow a character to appear more intimidating as it creates the illusion that they are powerful and more dominant. Additionally a characters actions may influence this further thus adding additional emotion to the way the player perceives the other characters. Some players may be able to relate to some characters, thus creating a more engaging world for them.
Games such as the Last of Us, follow emotional themes through character choice and story progression. The main characters consist of a young teenage girl, and a male in his 30's. The journey these two venture through together, across a post apocalyptic world with a large portion of humanity infected, slowly creates a bond for these characters, not only in the game world, but also for the player as well. The longer the game, and more events that happens, the more the characters connect and the more the player connects with the characters. Although they're not related, some suggest that the two are like father-daughter figure, and tells an adventurous story of the bonding between the two. Having a character with a dark past, in this case the main character has lost his actual daughter during the infection, creates a more impact emotion for the game.
The techniques used to show the bonding consist of showing how the two are cold towards each other at first, but later bond really closely, as they realize what it's like without the other (become separated). Towards the end of the game, the game uses a combination of dark flickering lighting, a slow paced walk, and music to really enhance an emotion. The use of these artistic techniques brings the art of emotion together, allowing the game to emit a really powerful feeling.
Writing Strategies
Brainstorm & Research
Before writing game, brainstorming for ideas is a good establishing point. Ideas should be loosely based on something that has at least a fleeting resemblance to a story. Once the ideas have been generated, the goals also need to be established. What will the player do? and how will they do it?
- Other games: Don't copy another game, but using other games as inspiration and the foundation for an idea is a clever technique.
- Movies and Videos - Dont copy the whole plot from another video or movie, however again, using other movies as inspiration for ideas is also effective.
- Real-life Scenarios: You can take peoples conversations on the bus, in a cafe or virtually anywhere and place it in a video game context.
- Dreams and nightmares: Using your dreams/nightmares as the premises of a game idea is a clever technqiue. Although some dreams may be surreal, there may be elements of the dream that can be effective in your brainstorming, and may spark new ideas the next day
After you have your game ideas, then you need to outline the story.
Storyboard
One of the best ways to see a game is to storyboard it — to create a sequence of drawings that show the levels of the game or the different scenes and goals. Each storyboard should include a paragraph or two to describe what is going on. Figure 1 depicts a basic storyboard for an imaginary shoot-'em-up game. As you can see, the storyboard has six frames; each frame represents a different level of the game, and the final frame is the goal. Notice that the storyboards are sketched and messy. Storyboard sketches are used only for brainstorming and for getting down on paper the general flow of the game.
Freewriting
When you freewrite, you let your thoughts flow as they will, putting pen to paper and writing down whatever comes into your mind. You don’t judge the quality of what you write and you don’t worry about style or any surface-level issues, like spelling, grammar, or punctuation. If you can’t think of what to say, you write that down—really. The advantage of this technique is that you free up your internal critic and allow yourself to write things you might not write if you were being too self-conscious. The crucial point is that you keep on writing even if you believe you are saying nothing. Word must follow word, no matter the relevance.
Game Design & Drafting
After you create storyboards, you write the details of the game design. This stage is where the process gets complex. You have to think of every possible detail and write something about it — because when you make your game, you are a god — well, at least a demigod. If you don't program a specific detail, it's not going to happen.
You need to figure out all the rules and the structure of the game. For example, here's a list of questions to consider:
- What can the game character do? Can he or she fly, swim, and teleport?
- How many different enemies will the hero fight?
- What kind(s) of weapons are available?
- How does the player get rejuvenated?
- Can more than one player play at once? If so, what are the ramifications of this?
- Will the game's perspective be a side view, top view, or first-person and full 3-D view?
- What kind of sound track? Rock, rap, techno?
- What is the personality of the main character?
Analysing Dark/Gothic/Horror Openings
I looked at some existing dark themed films and analysed them to an extent to understand the conventions of building suspense and excitement within stories. Additionally I believe that by analysing these clips, I have developed a stronger understanding in how I could relate and produce similar elements into my story; due to the similar dark atmospheric conditions.
Resident Evil
The clip opens immediately with the titles introducing the producers. They are presented with a black background with an image that is spinning in circles. The titles are white and hold for approximately 4 seconds in a set of two, totalling 8 seconds. The clip is combined with a range of different sound effects from shattering glass, cuts of paper and a steady beat. The clip cuts to an extreme close up of a persons eye, and the music immediately becomes silent. This makes the audience feel uncomfortable as they are unaware of the characters surroundings.
FROM 5 MINS +
The clip cuts to an extreme close up of an eye, eventually revealing the character as a woman who has fallen asleep in a shower. The camera tracks out on a slight rotate into a mid shot. The woman is wearing little clothing which can suggest her vulnerability. This is a traditional representation of woman, as they are traditionally seen as vulnerable and unable to be independent. The camera continues to track out, and acts as a trigger for the music to begin to play. The volume of the music increases as the camera increases its range. The music is of a piano which holds down one note, this creates an atmosphere of a haunted house, and tells the audience that the place isn't safe. The woman scans the room, and eventually as the camera tracks out she looks at a wall which is covered in dried up blood. As this hits a higher note on the piano is held, revealing to the audience that a tragic event as occurred and establishes to the audience the horror genre. The clip cuts to a mid shot of the mirror, the woman walks directly into the shot of the mirror. The camera tracks down her body revealing a scar. This enforces the horror genre of the film. The clip then cuts to a long shot of the woman walking out of the room and down a hallway.
The music is at a reasonable volume by this point, which generates the current atmosphere. There is continuous editing of shots into a PoV shot which puts the audience in the womans shoes, involving them in the situation and sets them up for any scare moments. Then into a mid shot of her looking to the right of the camera. The clip cuts to a mid shot of a photo which acts as an eye – line match from the woman directly to the photo. She walks into the shot and as she lifts up the photo there is extreme high volume of synchronous sound of wind, which arguably acts as a scare to the audience. The clip uses continuous editing once more but in a much faster from a close up of the photo, to a close up of the woman and finally a long shot of an entrance which acts as an eye – line match. This suggests that there is something or someone else in the room, that isn't supposed to be there. This creates immediate suspense to the audience and gets them to wonder what could happen next.
Overall from the first two minutes of the film, the horror genre is easily established and the films target audience is teens or young adults. This is established from the blood props, and the audio of the film, as it creates a dark atmosphere for the audience. In addition the woman is quite young which may also impact the target audience.
Silent Hill Analysis
The clip begins with the promo which fades out into a black screen. The titles then fade in, which begin to introduce the film. They hold for approximately 4 seconds, and fade back out again. During the title sequence there is parallel audio playing. The audio is of a woman screaming the name “Sharon” however the volume is very quiet. The clip cuts to a low angled mid shot of a woman who screams “Sharon” again. However this time the volume level has been increased dramatically. This shot can arguably be classified as a scare moment, as the camera cuts from the titles immediately to the mid shot combined with the high level of volume – wakes the audience up extremely early in the film. This is extremely effective as from the first 40 seconds, we can already establish the genre of the film, which is obviously horror. In addition the low angle of the shot generates the impression that she is shouting at the top of her voice, out into the darkness. Before the clip cuts to the next shot, the character exists the shot first This reveals to the audience that she has moved from her previous position at high speed, as essentially she has left the shot before the camera can cut to the next shot. This is a powerful method as it shows that she is moving fast, and is concerned for Sharon’s whereabouts.
The clip cuts to a long shot/ establishing shot that reveals a wooded area. The woman is still screaming Sharon and is running through the forest. This location suggests that it may be difficult for her to seek help with searching for Sharon. There are multiple cuts to long shots of the woman running through the dark forest in her search for Sharon, and finally is cut to a long shot of the woman walking under a bridge. There is synchronous diegetic sound of beats, perhaps a damaged sign which is being blown about in the wind. This has direct impact on the direction of the films plot. The sound is of continuous beats, which could symbolise the sound of a ticking clock, in resemblance to how much time there is for the woman to find Sharon, before its too late. The clip then cuts to an extreme high angle long shot of a young girl who is walking slowly towards the edge of a huge mountain. The camera takes a huge arc around to the side where the woman is. The clip then cuts to a mid shot of the woman where she shouts “Sharon” one more time. This indicates that the young girl is Sharon, the person whom the woman was in desperate search for.
During the arc, there is synchronous sound of the nearby waterfall which is combined with voices that are moaning. This is an extremely powerful combination as it suggests that maybe she is possessed by someone or something, and raises a lot of questions from the audience. From the first two minutes of the film, there is very powerful audio which suggests potential for the film to hold a 15 or 18 Certificate, in addition due to the early scare at the beginning of the film, it is more likely that this films target audience is teens or young adults.
Inspiration
I was initially stuck with ideas in how to progress my stories plot. In an attempt to solve this block I researched and watched some films with similar elements to my story.
Patema Inverted
Patema Inverted was a Japanese Anime released in 2013. Patema is from a civilisation that lives in a system of tunnels and caverns deep underground. She likes to explore the world outside her village, despite being warned of a mysterious danger that supposedly exists out there. While exploring she is confronted by a figure standing on the ceiling, upside down. She falls into a deep pit, and find herself on the surface world, above ground, where she meets a boy named Age. They discover that the effect of gravity is reversed for Patema's people; To Age, Patema is upside down, while from Patema's perspective; Age and his entire world is upside down, which puts her in great danger of falling up into the sky.
Patema's plot was extremely interesting to me; originally I was more focused on how Patema's people live underground; however later I became engrossed in the upside-down plot element that the story focuses on. This has inspired me to not focus on the Underground as an element so much in my story. In reverse I should focus on a plot that occurs within the underground.
The Maze Runner
The maze runner uses clever and inspiring techniques that bring the viewer directly into the action from the beginning of the series. The protagonist: Thomas wakes in a rising elevator with no memory of how he got there, or even who he is. Later, once the elevator reaches the peak, it is revealed to him that he is trapped within massive walls. He unites with other people who have been there for as long as 3 years. The maze itself which consists of the walls that surround our characters; opens every day for a limited period of time; when it closes theres no way back. The rumour is that no one has ever survived a night in the maze.
I was inspired by the techniques used to create this maze/trapped feeling within the story. I plan to develop on this and incorporate it into my story emphasising the trapped -separated from everyone else - environment of the underground.
The walls - Attack on Titan
Attack on Titan is an extremely successful and popular Japanese Anime released in 2013. In some of the OVA's after the main series has finished, the story shows the life of some of the main characters living underground. They would often need to pay huge amounts to 'visit' the outside world for a short period of time. The world above ground has been consolidated to the point where the remainder of humanity has evacuated to 100 meter tall walls to protect themselves from titans who devour people. Walls are divided to separate wealth value with people. Which walls you are protected by depend on how wealthy you are. The most wealthy people would be placed in the centre of the walls, whereas the lesser wealthy people would be placed in the edge of the walls.
I was inspired by the wealth aspect of separating people as it emphasises the dark nature of humanity, bringing out the rough conditions that would occur with the underground of my story.
I looked at some existing dark themed films and analysed them to an extent to understand the conventions of building suspense and excitement within stories. Additionally I believe that by analysing these clips, I have developed a stronger understanding in how I could relate and produce similar elements into my story; due to the similar dark atmospheric conditions.
Resident Evil
The clip opens immediately with the titles introducing the producers. They are presented with a black background with an image that is spinning in circles. The titles are white and hold for approximately 4 seconds in a set of two, totalling 8 seconds. The clip is combined with a range of different sound effects from shattering glass, cuts of paper and a steady beat. The clip cuts to an extreme close up of a persons eye, and the music immediately becomes silent. This makes the audience feel uncomfortable as they are unaware of the characters surroundings.
FROM 5 MINS +
The clip cuts to an extreme close up of an eye, eventually revealing the character as a woman who has fallen asleep in a shower. The camera tracks out on a slight rotate into a mid shot. The woman is wearing little clothing which can suggest her vulnerability. This is a traditional representation of woman, as they are traditionally seen as vulnerable and unable to be independent. The camera continues to track out, and acts as a trigger for the music to begin to play. The volume of the music increases as the camera increases its range. The music is of a piano which holds down one note, this creates an atmosphere of a haunted house, and tells the audience that the place isn't safe. The woman scans the room, and eventually as the camera tracks out she looks at a wall which is covered in dried up blood. As this hits a higher note on the piano is held, revealing to the audience that a tragic event as occurred and establishes to the audience the horror genre. The clip cuts to a mid shot of the mirror, the woman walks directly into the shot of the mirror. The camera tracks down her body revealing a scar. This enforces the horror genre of the film. The clip then cuts to a long shot of the woman walking out of the room and down a hallway.
The music is at a reasonable volume by this point, which generates the current atmosphere. There is continuous editing of shots into a PoV shot which puts the audience in the womans shoes, involving them in the situation and sets them up for any scare moments. Then into a mid shot of her looking to the right of the camera. The clip cuts to a mid shot of a photo which acts as an eye – line match from the woman directly to the photo. She walks into the shot and as she lifts up the photo there is extreme high volume of synchronous sound of wind, which arguably acts as a scare to the audience. The clip uses continuous editing once more but in a much faster from a close up of the photo, to a close up of the woman and finally a long shot of an entrance which acts as an eye – line match. This suggests that there is something or someone else in the room, that isn't supposed to be there. This creates immediate suspense to the audience and gets them to wonder what could happen next.
Overall from the first two minutes of the film, the horror genre is easily established and the films target audience is teens or young adults. This is established from the blood props, and the audio of the film, as it creates a dark atmosphere for the audience. In addition the woman is quite young which may also impact the target audience.
Silent Hill Analysis
The clip begins with the promo which fades out into a black screen. The titles then fade in, which begin to introduce the film. They hold for approximately 4 seconds, and fade back out again. During the title sequence there is parallel audio playing. The audio is of a woman screaming the name “Sharon” however the volume is very quiet. The clip cuts to a low angled mid shot of a woman who screams “Sharon” again. However this time the volume level has been increased dramatically. This shot can arguably be classified as a scare moment, as the camera cuts from the titles immediately to the mid shot combined with the high level of volume – wakes the audience up extremely early in the film. This is extremely effective as from the first 40 seconds, we can already establish the genre of the film, which is obviously horror. In addition the low angle of the shot generates the impression that she is shouting at the top of her voice, out into the darkness. Before the clip cuts to the next shot, the character exists the shot first This reveals to the audience that she has moved from her previous position at high speed, as essentially she has left the shot before the camera can cut to the next shot. This is a powerful method as it shows that she is moving fast, and is concerned for Sharon’s whereabouts.
The clip cuts to a long shot/ establishing shot that reveals a wooded area. The woman is still screaming Sharon and is running through the forest. This location suggests that it may be difficult for her to seek help with searching for Sharon. There are multiple cuts to long shots of the woman running through the dark forest in her search for Sharon, and finally is cut to a long shot of the woman walking under a bridge. There is synchronous diegetic sound of beats, perhaps a damaged sign which is being blown about in the wind. This has direct impact on the direction of the films plot. The sound is of continuous beats, which could symbolise the sound of a ticking clock, in resemblance to how much time there is for the woman to find Sharon, before its too late. The clip then cuts to an extreme high angle long shot of a young girl who is walking slowly towards the edge of a huge mountain. The camera takes a huge arc around to the side where the woman is. The clip then cuts to a mid shot of the woman where she shouts “Sharon” one more time. This indicates that the young girl is Sharon, the person whom the woman was in desperate search for.
During the arc, there is synchronous sound of the nearby waterfall which is combined with voices that are moaning. This is an extremely powerful combination as it suggests that maybe she is possessed by someone or something, and raises a lot of questions from the audience. From the first two minutes of the film, there is very powerful audio which suggests potential for the film to hold a 15 or 18 Certificate, in addition due to the early scare at the beginning of the film, it is more likely that this films target audience is teens or young adults.
Inspiration
I was initially stuck with ideas in how to progress my stories plot. In an attempt to solve this block I researched and watched some films with similar elements to my story.
Patema Inverted
Patema Inverted was a Japanese Anime released in 2013. Patema is from a civilisation that lives in a system of tunnels and caverns deep underground. She likes to explore the world outside her village, despite being warned of a mysterious danger that supposedly exists out there. While exploring she is confronted by a figure standing on the ceiling, upside down. She falls into a deep pit, and find herself on the surface world, above ground, where she meets a boy named Age. They discover that the effect of gravity is reversed for Patema's people; To Age, Patema is upside down, while from Patema's perspective; Age and his entire world is upside down, which puts her in great danger of falling up into the sky.
Patema's plot was extremely interesting to me; originally I was more focused on how Patema's people live underground; however later I became engrossed in the upside-down plot element that the story focuses on. This has inspired me to not focus on the Underground as an element so much in my story. In reverse I should focus on a plot that occurs within the underground.
The Maze Runner
The maze runner uses clever and inspiring techniques that bring the viewer directly into the action from the beginning of the series. The protagonist: Thomas wakes in a rising elevator with no memory of how he got there, or even who he is. Later, once the elevator reaches the peak, it is revealed to him that he is trapped within massive walls. He unites with other people who have been there for as long as 3 years. The maze itself which consists of the walls that surround our characters; opens every day for a limited period of time; when it closes theres no way back. The rumour is that no one has ever survived a night in the maze.
I was inspired by the techniques used to create this maze/trapped feeling within the story. I plan to develop on this and incorporate it into my story emphasising the trapped -separated from everyone else - environment of the underground.
The walls - Attack on Titan
Attack on Titan is an extremely successful and popular Japanese Anime released in 2013. In some of the OVA's after the main series has finished, the story shows the life of some of the main characters living underground. They would often need to pay huge amounts to 'visit' the outside world for a short period of time. The world above ground has been consolidated to the point where the remainder of humanity has evacuated to 100 meter tall walls to protect themselves from titans who devour people. Walls are divided to separate wealth value with people. Which walls you are protected by depend on how wealthy you are. The most wealthy people would be placed in the centre of the walls, whereas the lesser wealthy people would be placed in the edge of the walls.
I was inspired by the wealth aspect of separating people as it emphasises the dark nature of humanity, bringing out the rough conditions that would occur with the underground of my story.
A visual Novel is an interactive fiction game, featuring mostly static graphics, most often using anime-style art or occasionally live action sills (and sometimes video footage). Visual Novels resemble mixed-media novels. They present the current character that is speaking with a static image, followed with dialogue that is presented below in a dialogue box. The game often uses multiple variations or sprites of the same character to express emotion, or the characters thoughts in a more visual style.
Often throughout the story the main protagonist's sprite is actually not displayed at any point. This is because Visual Novels are generally told in a first person perspective, meaning the main protagonist is also the narrator. Additionally during dialogue the protagonists thoughts are often presented. The PoV nature of the visual novel combined with the protagonists thoughts relate to the reader - engrossing the reader into the story more, as it can give the illusion that the characters in the story are talking directly to you.
A main feature in Visual Novels is the interactive side. The story will often be interrupted and prompt the reader with a selection of choices. The amount of choices can vary; for example, in the image above the user is prompted with the question "Who should I get?" with a bunch of different names. Not only does this give the reader choices it allows the reader to feel more engrossed into the game and to feel like that they are controlling the characters actions the way they like.
Depending on which choice is selected the story will branch off from the main path into the selected choice and progress the plot with the choice given. Some choices may give consequences, whereas some may progress the story in a different way.
The image above shows an example from a clip within a Visual Novel. This clip is consists of a smaller number of choices for the reader to select from, compared to the previous screenshot. The user is prompted with two different options which clearly take different paths.
I plan to use these techniques with my story to develop the interactive side and give the reader the most engaging story experience.
First/third person Dialogue
- Show rather than tell – when characters act and speak, they become real to us
- Build tension and drama, furthering the plot
- Reveal character in what’s said (or what isn’t said)
First Person: One of the characters tells the story in the "I" voice. This viewpoint can provide powerful emotional insight and connection and even a sense of urgency. There are drawbacks to writing in first person, though. When writing about the "I" character, you are limited to only what that person sees, thinks or learns.
However, It can evoke a stronger emotional attachment with readers; from the first instance, the reader connects with the main protagonist. It is his/her voice, thoughts and feelings being portrayed, therefore, this is the person the reader is most likely to bond with.
Third Person: This is the most common POV used by writers, usually told in past tense. The author tells the story solely through the eyes of one main character and the focus should not shift from character to character within any given scene.
The downside to this form of POV is that the reader can only know what that character learns through interaction with other characters, through overheard conversations or through deduction conducted via internal monologue. This POV cannot supply thoughts or feelings from other characters.
Stream of Consciousness - Freewriting
Once upon a time there lived a girl named ellie who loved flowers, she wanted to visit the circus and experience life as a flower. So one day she went outside into her car which was black and went to visit the circus. At the circus she met a boy who seemed lost and confused because of his hair colour. The girl explained that she wanted to become a flower and the boy said he wanted to become a flower too. To do this they went to the circus together and wished to become beautiful flowers. They each grew petals and began to become as light as a feather. The each drifted away into the sky and felt amazing experiencing the world up in the sky. Eventually they landed and the girl landed on a farm which had a boy and a girl who wanted to have a pet chicken. They both went to greet the girl who became a petal and saw that she was very happy due to what she became. They both thought If one of them became a chicken they could have a pet chicken. They wished very hard and the boy became a chicken. The girl was very happy and said hooray!!!! I have a pet chicken!!!!! The boy was very happy that he became a chicken and the girl was happy too. The girl who became a flower became very sad because she was only a petal. However she wish every hard to become a full blown flower, and she began to get more petals.
Stream of consciousness 2nd attempt
One day there was an octopus he loved kids and wanted to
have a baby of his own, one day he went to a ship and bought a book about
flowers, He thought the book was very good and decided to become an author. However
he realized that he wasn’t very good at writing books and became sad. One day a
mysterious boy came to speak to him about a tree. He said that he wanted one of
the branches to make a tree house. The octopus agreed to help but he couldn’t
get out of the water. so he went through a cave and saw the moon. The wondered
why the moon was there and thought that it was made of cheese. He said that he
wanted a lamp that could summon a genie. He was able to summon a genie who had
a very curvy body. The genie was able to wish him into a human. The octopus
became a human and entered a worlds martial art tournament, won, and won a bag
of beans and a rose. He gave the beans to an owl who happened to be in the
middle of the road.
Rewriting stream consciousness in a structured form
The image above shows the character template for my protagonist: Aria Scarlett.
The image above shows the character template for a side character/antagonist: Mark Steed.
The image above shows the character template for my protagonists ally: Monica Scarlett.
Dilemmas
I was inspired by this news topic to add a dilemma for a food shortage which could impact the characters actions and thought process. Due to the nature of my story with humanity being evacuated to underground, it could suggest a more dark, difficult-living atmosphere where any food is vital.
I thought that I could link a shooting into the underground/food shortage theme, where people are going around killing people to steal their food to survive. Survival of the fittest.
Linking in with my underground- food shortage theme, I thought that having a dilemma with a shortage of medical support would prove interesting, emphasising the extreme conditions of the underground.
Dilemma and Character Reaction
Aria returns exhausted from her venture to the UFS (Underground Food Supply). Drenched in sweat she unloads the half full rucksack from her back, carefully placing it on the ground. A round of gunfire breaks the silence as it echoes through the underground walls. Finding herself amidst the shooting, Using the remainder of her energy she decides to abandon the food and escape. Dashing out into the cold alleyways of the Underground she found herself stranded enclosed by the cold dark walls.
Aria is cornered by 4 people who reside in Level 3. "Guys, you need to chill, I ain't got anything on me, you're wasting your time."
"You must have something... You 'oner's' don't come down here for nothin'"
"You're right".
Aria throws a small pouch over to the distance.
The attackers rush to the small pouch.
"I told you I ain't got anything, later!"
Digital Character Story Elements
Story Development Ideas
Aria chases after the kidnapper.
Aria calls for help from the ex detective base - "but why should they help me? I abandoned them when they got dropped to level 3, ugh.. I don't feel confident about this."
Aria immediately rushes into unknown territory - "Just gotta keep my cool, i'm not too confident I can do this alone."
Climax
Aria is cornered by 4 people who reside in Level 3. "Guys, you need to chill, I ain't got anything on me, you're wasting your time."
"You must have something... You 'oner's' don't come down here for nothin'"
"You're right".
Aria throws a small pouch over to the distance.
The attackers rush to the small pouch.
"I told you I ain't got anything, later!"
Digital Character Story Elements
Story Development Ideas
- With technology withered to it's roots, society begins to fall apart. Set underground in the year 2027 where humanity has evacuated from the death-scorching sun. With the settlement underground deteriorating, society as we know it exists no more.
- The daily life of my character, Aria; consists of how she struggles to live in the underground after humanity deterioration. She will go through daily endeavors to survive on the little food that remains in the Underground. She will make visits the UFS in order to gain food needed to survive. Aria's most precious possession is her small clock, one of the few remaining devices that tell the time since the underground deterioration. She lives in a small closet like structure which is composed of small walls approximately 6 meters in diameter.
- sun flare small group of humanity survived underground/miners survived underground
- Aria was above ground, with new humanity (NH) been given orders to advance below ground and find missing piece of technology or clock. aria goes underground.
Example choices/situations for my story
Aria is intercepted one day during her struggle to the UFS by rounds of gunfire. She proceeds to escape into the deep alleys of the underground. As a result Aria is forced to evacuate her home with no place to go.
1. Aria abandons her UFS rations and proceeds to escape into the Underground.
2. Aria secures her UFS rations and proceeds to escape into the Underground, receiving a shoulder wound.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Upon reaching the destination to retrieve the medical supplies from the messenger;
Aria discovers the victim is a young girl.
1. Aria takes the medical supplies from the young girl.
2. Aria helps the young girl.
Aria will be pursued by the ex detective base as they want the medical supplies, and are aware of her possession of the clock. They seek the clock as they believe that the knowledge of knowing the time will allow them to discover the coldest point in the day and will enable them to venture into the outside world even if only for a short period of time.
Aria is sent down to Level 4; the deepest darkest level of the underground. The sanity level of people at level 4 has dropped considerably.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aria and her sister are exhausted, Aria has little remaining water.
1. Aria chooses to give the water to her sister
2. Aria chooses to save the water for herself.
Constructing a Story: Notes
Aria became a detective to find sister who she was separated from 4 years ago.
Underground Settlement - From radiation natural disaster
Aria is sent deeper underground to lower levels to collect medical supplies due to shortage above
Also informed her sister is located at lower levels
Aria goes underground
Aria followed by cloaked stranger
Aria follows cloaked stranger
Enters ex detective base - informed that they know information regarding sister
location - will tell her if they steal medical supplies from messenger to organization X
Aria proceed's towards messenger revealing young girl in hood
Aria helps young girl -discovers is sister
Sister reveals she is captured by organisation X and is working for them
sister gets kidnapped
Aria proceeds to rescue sister
End
- sun flare small group of humanity survived underground/miners survived underground
- Aria was above ground, with new humanity (NH) been given orders to advance below ground and find missing piece of technology or clock. aria goes underground.
- Help young girl, goes back to other base returns medical supplies realizes young girl put under pressure and being forced to steal from people.
- girl gets taken back in as prisoner, her hood falls off revealing that she is your sister. you attempt to rescue her. aria rushes into base
- girl gets taken back in as prisoner, her hood falls off revealing that she is your sister. you attempt to rescue her. aria rushes into base
Climax
Example choices/situations for my story
Aria is intercepted one day during her struggle to the UFS by rounds of gunfire. She proceeds to escape into the deep alleys of the underground. As a result Aria is forced to evacuate her home with no place to go.
1. Aria abandons her UFS rations and proceeds to escape into the Underground.
2. Aria secures her UFS rations and proceeds to escape into the Underground, receiving a shoulder wound.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Upon reaching the destination to retrieve the medical supplies from the messenger;
Aria discovers the victim is a young girl.
1. Aria takes the medical supplies from the young girl.
2. Aria helps the young girl.
If player chooses to take the medical supplies from the young girl:
An announcement is in Aria's sisters voice, and is made to all of humanity via the radio system which is built throughout the Underground. The first storm since the underground evacuation is on due course which would cause major catastrophic events, ultimately flooding the underground and wiping out humanity. This leaves the remainder of humanity confused, scared and causes utter havoc.
If player chooses to help the young girl:
If player chooses to help the young girl:
Aria will be pursued by the ex detective base as they want the medical supplies, and are aware of her possession of the clock. They seek the clock as they believe that the knowledge of knowing the time will allow them to discover the coldest point in the day and will enable them to venture into the outside world even if only for a short period of time.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aria is ambushed and is pressurised to reveal plans at Level 1. Aria is threatened that if she doesn't reveal her knowledge and plans from above, they will kill her sister.
1. Aria reveals all plans to Organization X.
2. Aria keeps the knowledge a secret.
Aria is ambushed and is pressurised to reveal plans at Level 1. Aria is threatened that if she doesn't reveal her knowledge and plans from above, they will kill her sister.
1. Aria reveals all plans to Organization X.
2. Aria keeps the knowledge a secret.
Aria is sent down to Level 4; the deepest darkest level of the underground. The sanity level of people at level 4 has dropped considerably.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aria and her sister are exhausted, Aria has little remaining water.
1. Aria chooses to give the water to her sister
2. Aria chooses to save the water for herself.
Aria became a detective to find sister who she was separated from 4 years ago.
Underground Settlement - From radiation natural disaster
Aria is sent deeper underground to lower levels to collect medical supplies due to shortage above
Also informed her sister is located at lower levels
Aria goes underground
Aria followed by cloaked stranger
Aria follows cloaked stranger
Enters ex detective base - informed that they know information regarding sister
location - will tell her if they steal medical supplies from messenger to organization X
Aria proceed's towards messenger revealing young girl in hood
Aria helps young girl -discovers is sister
Sister reveals she is captured by organisation X and is working for them
sister gets kidnapped
Aria proceeds to rescue sister
End
How to Structure A Story: The Eight-Point Arc
Stasis
With technology withered to it's roots, society begins to fall apart. Set underground in the year 2027 where humanity has evacuated from the death-radiating sun. With the settlement underground deteriorating, society as we know it exists no more. The story follows the life of our protagonist: Aria, who has lived Underground her entire life. With previously established laws and structure falling apart; food shortage and decreased production of medical supplies has had a heavy negative impact on humanity. It is common for robberies and betrayal to occur: a survival of the fittest. The lack of sunlight reinforces the lack of sanity within humanity.
The Underground is divided into 4 levels; with Level 1 being nearest to the surface, and Level 4 being the deepest location. The divided levels place society in order of wealth, with the most wealthy residents residing in Level 1, and the lower class down at Level 3. The lowest level, Level 4 acts as a dumpster for humans who have lost their sanity, or are infected with a disease or virus such as seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Aria resides in level 1 where she was born and raised. With Level 1 being the only remaining level with any kind of established society, havoc and chaos remains below. Aria works at a Detective Base where she has dedicated her life to attempt to ensure humanities sanity, and ultimately discover information regarding her lost sisters whereabouts. Scientists and Engineers are working 24/7 to try and develop a technology that would allow humans to venture into the outside world and one day re-establish life on the surface and restore the privilege of sunlight.
The Underground is divided into 4 levels; with Level 1 being nearest to the surface, and Level 4 being the deepest location. The divided levels place society in order of wealth, with the most wealthy residents residing in Level 1, and the lower class down at Level 3. The lowest level, Level 4 acts as a dumpster for humans who have lost their sanity, or are infected with a disease or virus such as seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Aria resides in level 1 where she was born and raised. With Level 1 being the only remaining level with any kind of established society, havoc and chaos remains below. Aria works at a Detective Base where she has dedicated her life to attempt to ensure humanities sanity, and ultimately discover information regarding her lost sisters whereabouts. Scientists and Engineers are working 24/7 to try and develop a technology that would allow humans to venture into the outside world and one day re-establish life on the surface and restore the privilege of sunlight.
Trigger
Aria is asked by the lead Detective to venture deeper underground to Level 3 to find the remains of an old "technology study" that may be the key to allowing humanity to withstand the radiation. To convince Aria to accept the mission the lead Detective informs her that her sister is also located underground.
The Quest
Aria notices a stranger cloaked in black who begins to follow her around. She pretends not to notice. She turns the tables and begin to follow them.
Aria decides to follow the stranger back to their hideout. She discovers the hideout is an ex detective base whom Aria used to work with before they were diagnosed with a virus and were sent to Level 3 - they claim to know information regarding her sister and will tell her if she executes some tasks for them. Aria agrees, in which she is given a task where she is to steal medical supplies for them.
Aria notices a stranger cloaked in black who begins to follow her around. She pretends not to notice. She turns the tables and begin to follow them.
Aria decides to follow the stranger back to their hideout. She discovers the hideout is an ex detective base whom Aria used to work with before they were diagnosed with a virus and were sent to Level 3 - they claim to know information regarding her sister and will tell her if she executes some tasks for them. Aria agrees, in which she is given a task where she is to steal medical supplies for them.
Surprise
Upon reaching the destination to receive the medical supplies; Aria discovers the victim is a young girl wearing a hood. Aria decides not to take the medical supplies from the young girl. She questions her regarding what she is doing on her own. She explains that for as long as she can remember she has continuously performed threats to steal supplies from defenseless people for organization X in return for shelter. Aria asks for a name, which it is revealed that the girl is her sister. Aria and her sister are attacked, resulting in her sister being kidnapped.
Critical Choice
Critical Choice
Aria chases after the kidnapper.
Aria calls for help from the ex detective base - "but why should they help me? I abandoned them when they got dropped to level 3, ugh.. I don't feel confident about this."
Aria immediately rushes into unknown territory - "Just gotta keep my cool, i'm not too confident I can do this alone."
Climax
Our protagonist seeks help from the ex detective base, and tells them that the supplies were stolen before she got there. The exDB agrees to assist Aria in return for the supplies. Aria proceeds to enter the territory which her sister is located, she finds a report which reveals that her sister has been conducted on as an experiment, informing the player that Aria's sister is the study and her blood is the key to helping humanity to withstand radiation. She learns that people who hold the rare blood group are sent to the outside world once they reach 12 years of age. An experiment conducted by Level 1 scientists since the underground deterioration.
Reversal
Monica is cornered and has no choice to venture into the outside world as it is the standard for all children when they come of age. She survives the radiation.
Monica is cornered and has no choice to venture into the outside world as it is the standard for all children when they come of age. She survives the radiation.
Resolution
Humanity begin to re-establish life on the surface.
Storyboard Development
I created a storyboard for my game story to record my ideas graphically. Additionally I was able to gain an understanding into how my story might look in a visual sense.
My story begins a close up with my protagonist looking at a clock, which reminds her of the daylight in the outside world, and how she longs for it. The clip then cuts to a midshot of doors to an office in which my character is called to. The clip then cuts to a long shot of a small room with a table. Our protagonist is then approached by Mark who asks her to go down to Level 3 to collect a study report. To convince her, he informs her that her sister is also down at Level 3.
The clip then cuts to a long shot of a long tunnel, the first shot in Chapter 2. The clip then cuts to another shot of a long tunnel, emphasizing our protagonists progression. The clip then cuts to a mid shot of an unknown person in a room, who asks our protagonist to steal supplies for them, in return for information regarding the layout structure of Level 3.
The clip then cuts to an establishing shot of the crossroads, the first scene in chapter 3. Our protagonist meets a young girl who is believed to be the supplier. In the heat of the moment the young girl is kidnapped, Aria chases after them. The clip then cuts to a mid shot of a dark cave, the location in which Aria followed them too. The clip cuts to another establishing shot revealing young girls en-caged in cells. Aria then enters a room flooded with papers, which is a long shot. The clip then cuts to a close up of a document which reveals Aria's sister's location. Finally the clip cuts to a long shot of Monica's cell. Aria is reunited with her sister.
My Story - First Attempt
"Crap, who.. is that?" I noticed a cloaked figure making subtle movements behind me. I'll pretend not to notice and keep my cool.
Humanity begin to re-establish life on the surface.
Storyboard Development
I created a storyboard for my game story to record my ideas graphically. Additionally I was able to gain an understanding into how my story might look in a visual sense.
My story begins a close up with my protagonist looking at a clock, which reminds her of the daylight in the outside world, and how she longs for it. The clip then cuts to a midshot of doors to an office in which my character is called to. The clip then cuts to a long shot of a small room with a table. Our protagonist is then approached by Mark who asks her to go down to Level 3 to collect a study report. To convince her, he informs her that her sister is also down at Level 3.
The clip then cuts to a long shot of a long tunnel, the first shot in Chapter 2. The clip then cuts to another shot of a long tunnel, emphasizing our protagonists progression. The clip then cuts to a mid shot of an unknown person in a room, who asks our protagonist to steal supplies for them, in return for information regarding the layout structure of Level 3.
The clip then cuts to an establishing shot of the crossroads, the first scene in chapter 3. Our protagonist meets a young girl who is believed to be the supplier. In the heat of the moment the young girl is kidnapped, Aria chases after them. The clip then cuts to a mid shot of a dark cave, the location in which Aria followed them too. The clip cuts to another establishing shot revealing young girls en-caged in cells. Aria then enters a room flooded with papers, which is a long shot. The clip then cuts to a close up of a document which reveals Aria's sister's location. Finally the clip cuts to a long shot of Monica's cell. Aria is reunited with her sister.
My Story - First Attempt
Intro
With technology withered to it's roots, society begins to fall apart. Set underground in the year 2027 where humanity has evacuated from the death-scorching sun. With the settlement underground deteriorating, laws no longer in order, society as we know it exists no more.
With technology withered to it's roots, society begins to fall apart. Set underground in the year 2027 where humanity has evacuated from the death-scorching sun. With the settlement underground deteriorating, laws no longer in order, society as we know it exists no more.
The daily life of my character, Aria; consists of how she struggles to live in the underground after humanity deterioration. She will go through daily endeavors to survive on the little food that remains in the Underground. She will make visits the UFS in order to gain food needed to survive. Aria's most precious possession is her small clock, one of the few remaining devices that tell the time since the underground deterioration. She lives in a small closet like structure which is composed of small walls approximately 6 meters in diameter.
Aria collects her supplies from the last remainders of the UFS (underground food supply)l humanities last source of food remaining since the disaster. Drenched in sweat she scavenges everything she can hold and loads it into her ruck sack. "Damn.. This all I can get, huh?" "Ugh, I feel stressed". "Gotta make sure no one's tailing my ass this time". I looked around making sure there was not a soul insight. The lack of noise made me begin to feel uneasy so I picked up my speed."Crap, who.. is that?" I noticed a cloaked figure making subtle movements behind me. I'll pretend not to notice and keep my cool.
Main: My Story /w Dialogue
Prologue
With technology withered to it's roots, society begins to fall apart. Set underground in the year 2027 where humanity has evacuated from the death-radiating sun. With the settlement underground deteriorating, society as we know it exists no more. The story follows the life of our protagonist: Aria, who has lived Underground her entire life. With previously established laws and structure falling apart; food shortage and decreased production of medical supplies has had a heavy negative impact on humanity. It is common for robberies and betrayal to occur: a survival of the fittest. The lack of sunlight reinforces the lack of sanity within humanity.
The Underground is divided into 4 levels; with Level 1 being nearest to the surface, and Level 4 being the deepest location. The divided levels place society in order of wealth, with the most wealthy residents residing in Level 1, and the lower class down at Level 3. The lowest level, Level 4 acts as a dumpster for humans who have lost their sanity, or are infected with a disease or virus such as extreme seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Aria resides in level 1 where she was born and raised. With Level 1 being the only remaining level with any kind of established society, havoc and chaos remains below. Aria works at a Detective Base where she has dedicated her life to attempt to ensure humanities sanity, and ultimately discover information regarding her lost sisters whereabouts. Aria was separated from her 12 year old sister during humanity corruption. Scientists and Engineers are working 24/7 to try and develop a technology that would allow humans to venture into the outside world and one day re-establish life on the surface and restore the privilege of sunlight.
Chapter 1: To the Underground World
"Attention, this is a staff announcement, can Aria Scarlett come to the lead Detective office immediately".
"Ugh.. You're kidding right? What.. on earth could I have done now? I was sure I was careful this time.." I instantaneously thought it was going to be another scolding for another mistake. I found myself continuously cycling through all my recent actions to decipher and trace any flaws.
I knocked on the door.
"You may enter." Great.. Mark's on duty tonight, this ain't gonna be pretty. You could recognize that deep croaky voice anywhere.
"Ah Mark! Sup? I was sure I was on top of everything." I tried a casual approach.
"Detective A. Listen carefully. I want you to execute this mission for us, I have selected you personally as I believe that you are most fit for the task."
A..mission? That's surprising. "Hmm.. What kind of mission is it?"
"I want you to take the elevator to Level 3 and locate an old study report that was stolen from us. It is vital in order to develop our research to re-establish life on the surface."
"An old study report at Level 3? Man.. you expect me to risk my life down there just for some report? Why don't you take Reed or Sam instead?" What kind of report is he on about, and how will it help us escape this damned place?
"It's an old study report first conducted 2 years ago performed by researchers. It was stolen from us and it has valuable data which will be necessary to progress our research."
"Yeah, yeah alright man.. I ain't taking this half arsed response; if you don't tell me all the information you have about it you can find someone else". Hah! There's no way I'd bother with crap like this, talk about a waste of time.
"Detective A.. I have selected you personally for this mission as we have received information regarding an M. Scarlett at Level 3."
"My sister?!
...
"Fine.. where do I find this study report?" I asked hastily.
I proceeded to the door labelled Level 1 Exit. Reading that sign always gives me shivers. More so this time.. I've never been to Level 3 before.
I had been told that a girl who appeared to be of similar age to my sister was seen in the eastern tunnels of Level 3. I don't wanna miss this chance.
Chapter 2: With Reasoning
I had been told that a girl who appeared to be the age of my sister was seen in the eastern tunnels of Level 3. Woah, it's so cold and..empty down here. Where is everybody? The water drops echoed synchronously breaking my immersion and bringing me back to reality. I could hear subtle crying moans that echoed through the tunnels. I took deep breaths and ventured into the unknown. The lack of noise made me feel uneasy so I picked up my speed. "Crap, who.. is that?" I noticed a cloaked figure making subtle movements behind me. I'll pretend not to notice and keep my cool. It was clear that I was being followed, I've seen this trick before. He just wants to follow me, corner me and take my stuff. Yeah man.. That ain't happening.
I hid behind a corner and waited for him to leave. I turned the tables and began to follow him. I followed him back to the a worn out, sinister looking structure, no bigger than 10 meters wide and 3 meters tall. It didn't help that it was so dark here. The gate looked old and creaked loudly as it opened.
"Whose there?!"
Ahhh crap.. busted this one.
"Um..Errm.. Hello? I'm from Level 1, names Aria, I'm a little lost could you give me a hand?." A hint of nervousness was obvious in my voice.
"Level 1, eh? Don't see many of your kind around here, come on up."
I proceeded with caution as I entered the worn, dust flooded cell-like structure.
"What's a Level 1 cretin want with Level 3?" "You know.. we don't respect you "one'ers" down here thinking you can do whatever the hell you want."
"Um.. I'll be outta here as soon as possible.. I just need to find the way to the eastern tunnels." I was quick to speak my words. His dominating presence made me feel
uneasy.
"Tell you what kid, we'll help you out if you perform a miniature task for us, I mean it should be easy for a one'er like yourself. In return we'll show you the way to the eastern tunnels."
I was cautious at first, however I had no choice; it's the only lead I had.
"What does it involve?" I asked, changing my attitude.
"Ahh, we got a biter".
What the hell is a biter?
"A'right listen up, there's this supplier who secures supplies for the higher authorities of Level 3. Thing is, we're running out of supplies - we ain't getting anymore cos' the bastards are hogging 'em. You intercept their supplier, bring 'em to us and we'll help you out."
I have been asked to collect supplies for these people in exchange they will help me navigate towards the eastern tunnels. I don't like stealing from people, but I have no choice.
Chapter 3: Composure
I proceeded to head to the crossroads of Level 3. I could see a shadow forming an image of a person ahead. This must be the guy.
I rushed in. I just wanted to get this over with so I can do what I came here to do.
"Wait!" my words echoed continuously through the underground halls. The figure came to stop and didn't say a word. I approached the figure and was surprised to see the supplier was teenager.. or child. I couldn't see their face as they were wearing a masked hood.
Man I don't want to steal from a kid, this ain't right.. But then nothing is in the underground. I need to find my sister. Oh yeah.. and that study report.
"Hi there, what are you doing out here on your own?" Is this little girl the supplier? There's no way that could be true, the underground is deteriorating quicker than I thought.
The girl didn't respond. Should I just take them off her? Does she not know how to speak? Perhaps she's scared? Arghh! I don't know I'm not good with this stuff!
"Please.. Just.. let me.. I don't want.. to hurt." The girl muttered out words I could just about comprehend.
The girl reached into her pocket.
Ah crap! What?! You're kidding me this kid has a knife?
"Look, look I don't want to hurt you, just calm down".
"That's.. What.. They all say". I could sense a hint of agitation within her voice.
Our conversation was interrupted by a single thump sound that echoed from the southern passage.
Seriously.. Followed again? How did I not hear this one? My senses where rapidly dropping as the situation became more suspicious.
I don't wanna wait around. "Hey kid, did you hear that?"
She didn't respond. Hmmmm.. I better go check this out I guess.
I slowly approached the corner, and peeked around the edge.
"Huh? There's nothing here."
A screeching scream drew my attention back to the girl.
"HELP!" The sound tore through my ears.
"What?! Hey stop!"
My heart started to pound. I launched towards the kidnapper at full speed.
I readjusted my breathing. I had to calm my self. Restore my senses.
I can't believe I was distracted like this! I gotta keep my cool.
Chapter 4: Struck Announcement
We were low. Deep in level 3. Probably close to Level 4. The air felt chilly, almost, haunted in a way. It was dark, so dark. I couldn't see my hand in front of my face. I feared I was going blind. Maybe I should go back. Just.. get out, fast. But I've forgotten how I got here. It felt like these caves had sucked all the memory out of me. Is this how people change? Go crazy? And get sent down to Level 4?
It was quiet, the drummer in my chest pounded a melody in my ear, more random and crazy than the normal song. I tried to demand that it slow, but it didn't. I couldn't help it. I'm.. Terrified.
I took deep breaths, desperately trying to re-assure myself.
....
...I stepped into the void.
I could hear crying moans that echoed down the hall breaking this infinite silence. At first I thought I was imagining things; but.. this is real.
As I approached the heart of the hall, the crying voices identified young girls individually locked in a small, lonely structures enclosed with rusty bars that represented a prison cell each individually labelled with digits.
I could taste the dust in the air. I became irritable. Sweat stung my eyes. I wiped my face with my shirt. So many questions were bombarding my head. I edged forwards, overwhelmed by the extreme horrific conditions these poor girls were in.
I entered a room that was flooded with bunch of scattered papers. I picked up one of the papers.
Radiation Experiment #208
Project: Laura Key
D.O.B: 19/09/2015
Blood Type: A
Date of Experiment: 20/09/2027
Status: Fail
Survived: No
Cell Number: 147P
What..the..?! They are calling these girls "projects"? This is disgusting, what are they doing to these girls? That means.. That poor girl I was about to steal from.. was one of these girls?
I scanned the room for clues.
I noticed that one of the documents had an irregular feature.
Radiation Experiment #261
Project: Monica Scarlett
D.O.B: 23/11/2015
Blood Type: C
Date of Experiment: Today
Status: TBA
Survived: TBA
Cell Number: 099Q
"Oh my god..Today?! Monica! Hang on!" Abandoning my original mission; I launched towards Monica's Cell forcing my maximum speed to exceed my limitations.
I had just discovered a document that has records of these girls are being used in some sort of Project; and Monica's next.
Chapter 5: Flawed
I rushed towards the cell labelled 099Q as discovered on the document I found. My only priority now is getting my sister back to safety at Level 1.
I found the cell labelled 099Q with my sister still inside.
I used all my remaining strength to, desperately trying to elevate the rusty bars.
"...Aria?"
"Monica.. Thank god.."
Epilogue
Knock Knock
Reed: "Lead Detective sir!"
Mark: "Report, please."
Reed: "We've received the word that Aria is returning back to Level 1."
Mark: "Does she have that study report?"
Reed: "I can confirm that she does"
Mark: "Good, have you made sure that all preparations are set to commence experiment #261?"
Prologue
With technology withered to it's roots, society begins to fall apart. Set underground in the year 2027 where humanity has evacuated from the death-radiating sun. With the settlement underground deteriorating, society as we know it exists no more. The story follows the life of our protagonist: Aria, who has lived Underground her entire life. With previously established laws and structure falling apart; food shortage and decreased production of medical supplies has had a heavy negative impact on humanity. It is common for robberies and betrayal to occur: a survival of the fittest. The lack of sunlight reinforces the lack of sanity within humanity.
The Underground is divided into 4 levels; with Level 1 being nearest to the surface, and Level 4 being the deepest location. The divided levels place society in order of wealth, with the most wealthy residents residing in Level 1, and the lower class down at Level 3. The lowest level, Level 4 acts as a dumpster for humans who have lost their sanity, or are infected with a disease or virus such as extreme seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Aria resides in level 1 where she was born and raised. With Level 1 being the only remaining level with any kind of established society, havoc and chaos remains below. Aria works at a Detective Base where she has dedicated her life to attempt to ensure humanities sanity, and ultimately discover information regarding her lost sisters whereabouts. Aria was separated from her 12 year old sister during humanity corruption. Scientists and Engineers are working 24/7 to try and develop a technology that would allow humans to venture into the outside world and one day re-establish life on the surface and restore the privilege of sunlight.
Chapter 1: To the Underground World
"Attention, this is a staff announcement, can Aria Scarlett come to the lead Detective office immediately".
"Ugh.. You're kidding right? What.. on earth could I have done now? I was sure I was careful this time.." I instantaneously thought it was going to be another scolding for another mistake. I found myself continuously cycling through all my recent actions to decipher and trace any flaws.
I knocked on the door.
"You may enter." Great.. Mark's on duty tonight, this ain't gonna be pretty. You could recognize that deep croaky voice anywhere.
"Ah Mark! Sup? I was sure I was on top of everything." I tried a casual approach.
"Detective A. Listen carefully. I want you to execute this mission for us, I have selected you personally as I believe that you are most fit for the task."
A..mission? That's surprising. "Hmm.. What kind of mission is it?"
"I want you to take the elevator to Level 3 and locate an old study report that was stolen from us. It is vital in order to develop our research to re-establish life on the surface."
"An old study report at Level 3? Man.. you expect me to risk my life down there just for some report? Why don't you take Reed or Sam instead?" What kind of report is he on about, and how will it help us escape this damned place?
"It's an old study report first conducted 2 years ago performed by researchers. It was stolen from us and it has valuable data which will be necessary to progress our research."
"Yeah, yeah alright man.. I ain't taking this half arsed response; if you don't tell me all the information you have about it you can find someone else". Hah! There's no way I'd bother with crap like this, talk about a waste of time.
"Detective A.. I have selected you personally for this mission as we have received information regarding an M. Scarlett at Level 3."
"My sister?!
...
"Fine.. where do I find this study report?" I asked hastily.
I proceeded to the door labelled Level 1 Exit. Reading that sign always gives me shivers. More so this time.. I've never been to Level 3 before.
I had been told that a girl who appeared to be of similar age to my sister was seen in the eastern tunnels of Level 3. I don't wanna miss this chance.
Chapter 2: With Reasoning
I had been told that a girl who appeared to be the age of my sister was seen in the eastern tunnels of Level 3. Woah, it's so cold and..empty down here. Where is everybody? The water drops echoed synchronously breaking my immersion and bringing me back to reality. I could hear subtle crying moans that echoed through the tunnels. I took deep breaths and ventured into the unknown. The lack of noise made me feel uneasy so I picked up my speed. "Crap, who.. is that?" I noticed a cloaked figure making subtle movements behind me. I'll pretend not to notice and keep my cool. It was clear that I was being followed, I've seen this trick before. He just wants to follow me, corner me and take my stuff. Yeah man.. That ain't happening.
I hid behind a corner and waited for him to leave. I turned the tables and began to follow him. I followed him back to the a worn out, sinister looking structure, no bigger than 10 meters wide and 3 meters tall. It didn't help that it was so dark here. The gate looked old and creaked loudly as it opened.
"Whose there?!"
Ahhh crap.. busted this one.
"Um..Errm.. Hello? I'm from Level 1, names Aria, I'm a little lost could you give me a hand?." A hint of nervousness was obvious in my voice.
"Level 1, eh? Don't see many of your kind around here, come on up."
I proceeded with caution as I entered the worn, dust flooded cell-like structure.
"What's a Level 1 cretin want with Level 3?" "You know.. we don't respect you "one'ers" down here thinking you can do whatever the hell you want."
"Um.. I'll be outta here as soon as possible.. I just need to find the way to the eastern tunnels." I was quick to speak my words. His dominating presence made me feel
uneasy.
"Tell you what kid, we'll help you out if you perform a miniature task for us, I mean it should be easy for a one'er like yourself. In return we'll show you the way to the eastern tunnels."
I was cautious at first, however I had no choice; it's the only lead I had.
"What does it involve?" I asked, changing my attitude.
"Ahh, we got a biter".
What the hell is a biter?
"A'right listen up, there's this supplier who secures supplies for the higher authorities of Level 3. Thing is, we're running out of supplies - we ain't getting anymore cos' the bastards are hogging 'em. You intercept their supplier, bring 'em to us and we'll help you out."
I have been asked to collect supplies for these people in exchange they will help me navigate towards the eastern tunnels. I don't like stealing from people, but I have no choice.
Chapter 3: Composure
I proceeded to head to the crossroads of Level 3. I could see a shadow forming an image of a person ahead. This must be the guy.
I rushed in. I just wanted to get this over with so I can do what I came here to do.
"Wait!" my words echoed continuously through the underground halls. The figure came to stop and didn't say a word. I approached the figure and was surprised to see the supplier was teenager.. or child. I couldn't see their face as they were wearing a masked hood.
Man I don't want to steal from a kid, this ain't right.. But then nothing is in the underground. I need to find my sister. Oh yeah.. and that study report.
"Hi there, what are you doing out here on your own?" Is this little girl the supplier? There's no way that could be true, the underground is deteriorating quicker than I thought.
The girl didn't respond. Should I just take them off her? Does she not know how to speak? Perhaps she's scared? Arghh! I don't know I'm not good with this stuff!
"Please.. Just.. let me.. I don't want.. to hurt." The girl muttered out words I could just about comprehend.
The girl reached into her pocket.
Ah crap! What?! You're kidding me this kid has a knife?
"Look, look I don't want to hurt you, just calm down".
"That's.. What.. They all say". I could sense a hint of agitation within her voice.
Our conversation was interrupted by a single thump sound that echoed from the southern passage.
Seriously.. Followed again? How did I not hear this one? My senses where rapidly dropping as the situation became more suspicious.
I don't wanna wait around. "Hey kid, did you hear that?"
She didn't respond. Hmmmm.. I better go check this out I guess.
I slowly approached the corner, and peeked around the edge.
"Huh? There's nothing here."
A screeching scream drew my attention back to the girl.
"HELP!" The sound tore through my ears.
"What?! Hey stop!"
My heart started to pound. I launched towards the kidnapper at full speed.
I readjusted my breathing. I had to calm my self. Restore my senses.
I can't believe I was distracted like this! I gotta keep my cool.
Chapter 4: Struck Announcement
We were low. Deep in level 3. Probably close to Level 4. The air felt chilly, almost, haunted in a way. It was dark, so dark. I couldn't see my hand in front of my face. I feared I was going blind. Maybe I should go back. Just.. get out, fast. But I've forgotten how I got here. It felt like these caves had sucked all the memory out of me. Is this how people change? Go crazy? And get sent down to Level 4?
It was quiet, the drummer in my chest pounded a melody in my ear, more random and crazy than the normal song. I tried to demand that it slow, but it didn't. I couldn't help it. I'm.. Terrified.
I took deep breaths, desperately trying to re-assure myself.
....
...I stepped into the void.
I could hear crying moans that echoed down the hall breaking this infinite silence. At first I thought I was imagining things; but.. this is real.
As I approached the heart of the hall, the crying voices identified young girls individually locked in a small, lonely structures enclosed with rusty bars that represented a prison cell each individually labelled with digits.
I could taste the dust in the air. I became irritable. Sweat stung my eyes. I wiped my face with my shirt. So many questions were bombarding my head. I edged forwards, overwhelmed by the extreme horrific conditions these poor girls were in.
I entered a room that was flooded with bunch of scattered papers. I picked up one of the papers.
Radiation Experiment #208
Project: Laura Key
D.O.B: 19/09/2015
Blood Type: A
Date of Experiment: 20/09/2027
Status: Fail
Survived: No
Cell Number: 147P
What..the..?! They are calling these girls "projects"? This is disgusting, what are they doing to these girls? That means.. That poor girl I was about to steal from.. was one of these girls?
I scanned the room for clues.
I noticed that one of the documents had an irregular feature.
Radiation Experiment #261
Project: Monica Scarlett
D.O.B: 23/11/2015
Blood Type: C
Date of Experiment: Today
Status: TBA
Survived: TBA
Cell Number: 099Q
"Oh my god..Today?! Monica! Hang on!" Abandoning my original mission; I launched towards Monica's Cell forcing my maximum speed to exceed my limitations.
I had just discovered a document that has records of these girls are being used in some sort of Project; and Monica's next.
Chapter 5: Flawed
I rushed towards the cell labelled 099Q as discovered on the document I found. My only priority now is getting my sister back to safety at Level 1.
I found the cell labelled 099Q with my sister still inside.
I used all my remaining strength to, desperately trying to elevate the rusty bars.
"...Aria?"
"Monica.. Thank god.."
Epilogue
Knock Knock
Reed: "Lead Detective sir!"
Mark: "Report, please."
Reed: "We've received the word that Aria is returning back to Level 1."
Mark: "Does she have that study report?"
Reed: "I can confirm that she does"
Mark: "Good, have you made sure that all preparations are set to commence experiment #261?"
Reed: "All preparations have been set"
Underground Descent OP
Underground Descent OP
I created an OP for my interactive game story I called: Underground Descent. The OP contains a fast paced "descent" to Level 4 from Level 3, which gives players a short insight to how the game might look graphically, as well as being related directly the game title. After the descent the player will be presented with options including: Play, Chapter Select and Credits.
Inspiration
Interactive Ideas
Click on cave
click on specific characters to advance towards characters.
hidden links that affect character progress later (IE if i didn't have that scare I would have been able to do this.)
scanned room for revelation - experiment details and progress?
scanned room for revelation - if found experiment details - Monica lives - if not found Monica dies.
I created an example placeholder, in regards to how my interactive game story might look like. I took a screenshot from my OP and used a preset character model, combined with a sample text to generate an idea how graphics might impact my game story. I have decided to follow the visual novel genre style in terms of art and game play.
Choices - Underground Descent
Choice 1 – Chapter 1:
“Great.. Mark's on duty tonight, this
ain't gonna be pretty. You could recognize that deep croaky voice anywhere.”
- Respond casually
- Respond formally
Choice 2 – Chapter 3:
Man I don't want to steal from a kid, this ain't right..
But then nothing is in the underground. I need to find my sister. Oh yeah.. and
that study report.
- Steal from the girl
- Don’t steal from the girl
Choice 3 -
Chapter 3:
Our conversation was interrupted by a single thump sound that
echoed from the southern passage.
Seriously.. Followed again? How did I not hear this one? My senses were rapidly dropping as the situation became more suspicious.
- Check out the noise
- Stay with the girl
Interactive (Choice 4) – Chapter 4:
I took deep breaths, desperately trying to re-assure
myself.
- Click
on the cave
Interactive (Choice 5) – Secret Included – Chapter 4:
I scanned the room for clues.
- Click on abstract paper
- Click on hidden paper
Lucid/Flow Game Story Chart
After recording my choices for my Game Story, I created a Lucid game chart that would more effectively display my choices and their corresponding choice path. This enabled me to generate a more visual understanding in how choices impact overall story progression. The purpose meaning that each playthrough is a different experience for each player or playthrough, dependent on their choices.
The story begins with Aria; our protagonist being called to the Level 1 main office in which she is offered a mission to collect a study report at Level 3. To influence her further, Mark, the Manager, reveals that her sister is also located at Level 3. Originally I was going to have an option for the player to say yes or no, however due to the convincing personality of Mark, Aria agrees with no questions asks. During this dialogue sequence, the main character can can select two options, one that which Aria responds casually, and one which she responds formally. These choices don't have a massive impact on the overall story progression, but it helps the player to forge an opinion of Mark as a character. If the player decides to respond casually, Mark describes Aria as being "Same as usual". If the player decides to respond formally, Mark takes this as sarcasm and tells her not to mess around.
The next step is Aria arriving at Level 3, with running into a person who offers her a deal. They ask her to steal from a supplier at a specific location as they are running out of them, in return they will help Aria find where she needs to go. Upon arriving at said location, it is revealed that the supplier is a young girl. The player is then prompted to decide if they wish to continue to steal from the girl.
If No:
Aria decides to hang around a little longer to find out what is going on. However she is interrupted by a loud noise from around a corner. The player is then prompted with another major choice where they can decide if they wish to check out the noise or not. If Aria decides to check out the noise, the young girl is kidnapped due to Aria being distracted and is taken away. Aria then chases after the kidnapper which causes her to get lost. If aria decides to stay with the girl, she gets stabbed and knocked out from behind, in which she awakes in an unknown location.
Both choices take the player through a different and unique path, however eventually both paths lead up to Aria ending up in a room in which she describes as "close to Level 4" emphasizing the dangerous nature in which she has ended up in. Aria then discovers a room that is flooded with papers. The player is then prompted to select a paper. If the player picks the correct paper, they are prompted with a games secret, revealing more of the games back story, and answers any questions that they may have. If the player selects any other paper, the game progresses without revealing the secret, in which Aria discovers that her sister is about to be used in an experiment. The secret reveals what the experiment is and how it impacts humanity - in summary a radiation experiment, where they send young girls out (~14 years of age) to see if they can survive longer. Aria then proceeds to rescue her sister, in which holds a plot twist at the end. (Aria's sister is the study report) IE the next experiment to be conducted, Level 1 are the people performing the experiment. Aria is unaware of this fact.
If Yes:
If the player steals from the young girl, Aria is chased by a "cloaked figure" with an unknown identity. Aria assumes this figure is after the supplies, in which she needs to find out the location of her sister and study report. In the heat of the moment the player is prompted with two more options, to go back to the Level 3 base for help, or to try and lose the kidnapper. If the player decides to try and lose the kidnapper, Aria runs as fast as she can (due to her athletic ability) she manages to lose the kidnapper and discovers a room full of papers, in which the story then proceeds to the alternative (if no) path. If the player decides to seeks help from the Level 3 base, they realize Aria's lack of stability and take advantage of this and thus the player reaches the bad end.
Game Story - Loading Screen Development
I looked at some loading screens of some video games, this one interested me the most. This is a loading screen from dying light, a zombie survival horror game. The loading screen uses a plain black screen, with a typical loading icon located at the bottom right. Additionally it features a summary of the plot, or what has just happened. The protagonist reads out the text while the player is waiting for the loading screen to finish.
I believe that this is an effective way to keep users engaged with the story. Additionally for any information that the player may have missed or not understood, or even taken a break from the game; they are reminded with this short summary of the previous episode/chapter/quest etc. I like the style of this loading screen and am inspired by it's simplistic yet effective technique. I hope to practice this into my own ideas.
Chapter 1 Loading Screen
This loading screen is the clip that will play immediately after the player has finished Chapter 1. I have included a loading screen icon at the bottom right. Similarly to the Dying Light loading screen I have used a plain black background, with text that summarizes what previously happened, additionally displaying some of Aria's immediate thoughts. The loading screen lasts approx 10 seconds.
Chapter 2 Loading Screen
This loading screen is the clip that will play immediately after the player has finished Chapter 2. Following similar art style to chapter 1's loading screen, chapter 2 includes a summary, and Aria's thoughts and opinion on the matter. I believe that the loading screens may help the player to relate to Aria more, and understand her as a character. The loading screen lasts approx 10 seconds.
Chapter 3 Loading Screen 1
This loading screen plays immediately after the player has finished chapter 3, if they selected the "check out the noise" option as opposed to "stay with the girl". The loading screen lasts approx 10 seconds. Aria begins to become frustrated and tried to keep calm, however the situation gets worse.
Chapter 3 Loading Screen 2
This loading screen plays immediately after the player has finished chapter 3, if they selected the "stay with the girl" option as opposed to "check out the noise" The loading screen lasts approx 10 seconds. Due to Aria being knocked out, I thought it would be effective to display her thoughts as "..." to symbolize her unconsciousness.
Chapter 4 Loading Screen
This loading screen plays immediately after the player has finished chapter 4, and is the last loading screen in the game. The loading screen displays Aria's concern for her sister being used in a project and represents her desperation to hurry and save her. This loading screen lasts approx 10 seconds.
I created a moodboard on various Dialogue boxes as due to the Visual Novel art approach I have taken, a dialogue box will be a core element as part of my story. Dialogue boxes appear when a character or narrator is speaking. In some cases these people are the same. In cases where the narrator is also the protagonist, to allow easier recognition when the protagonist is speaking to other characters, and when the protagonist is speaking as a narrator, the text is usually accompanied with speech marks and italic form to suggest the protagonist is talking to the other characters rather than the player.
In some examples, the dialogue box consists of a large rectangle, usually designed with a graphic style in relation to the games genre' There is usually a second rectangle placed above the main box to hold the characters name that is currently speaking. Some examples include a still image of the character who is speaking as well as/instead of the name. There is a distinct font for the dialogue boxes. The font will generally be effective as it has been designed and selected to fit the genre of the game story.
Dialogue Box Production
Due to the colour layout of the blog it may be difficult to see, however the colour for the dialogue box is actually all black. I decreased the opacity to around 50% with the main dialogue section to allow for more clarity within the actual scenes. I believe that if the opacity was left to 100%, the screen would feel too cluttered and the players view would be seriously decreased.
Texture Development
I created a moodboard on various textures, as the textures will be the core element in designing my interactive game story's graphics. The texture will compose many props in the game, however the most obvious one would be the setting. I will use 3D Modelling techniques to use 2D textures within a 3D environment. I will be able to use these textures as tunnels, passageways or rooms for my story.
When researching textures, I was sure to look for the most grungy, dirty looking textures. The reason for this is because I want the walls to match the atmosphere of my game, picking a weak wall in terms of effectiveness will bring the quality of the game down, and lessen the impact of the setting. The textures I have selected above all feature grunge and grime elements that could already resemble a sewer or a place of similar elements.
Ultimately I will use these textures to forge my underground world, by using 3D space to manipulate the position and rotation. I will then use techniques such as curves, tint effects and motion tile to allow for further development and increased quality for the atmosphere in my game story.
Fonts
For my interactive game story, I had looked at some fonts that would be able to establish genre and amplify the conditions of the underground. The first font Defused uses a grunge like graphic style, with an eroding theme that could suggest an old style. Due to this I decided to use this font as the main distinguishing font for my game story. In addition to the main font, one of my main props in the game will be documents and papers - I was able to locate a font that represented hand writing at a basic standard. At first it was difficult to find a decent hand writing font as many fonts were too curly or over the top. I needed a font that would represent a quick - rushed hand writing that would reflect the conditions of the Underground.
Characters
The images above showcase my first character that will be appearing in my interactive game story. I was sure to include multiple postures of the same character to allow for diversity and experiments when it came to importing characters into my game story. This character will be Mark and will appear first in chapter 1 has the first character Aria interacts with. He is the lead Manager of Level 1. I was sure to keep his eyes slanted, to create a more dominating presence. You could suggest that the slanted eyes make him look more intimidating. Additionally due to the fact he resides at Level 1 he is seen wearing less rugged clothing compared to the other characters. I used some colour correction techniques to darken some of his clothing to emphasize his dominating presence.
The 4 sprites consist of Mark in several postures. The first is with one hand on hip, which may suggest that he is expecting something, again strengthening his pressurizing presence. In link with this posture, I have included two sprites with his arm folded which could also suggest that he is disappointed with something, or is thinking about an issue. The last sprite uses Mark in a standard format, to allow for diversity in the scenes.
These images showcase the second character that will be appearing in my game story. I added a subtle texture to this character as an overlay with a decreased opacity to emphasize the rugged nature due to the fact he is from Level 3. Aria meets this character in Level 3 after receiving her mission to obtain a study report and follow her own personal goal - finding her sister. He agrees to help her navigate the underground if she agrees to obtain some supplies for him. In the game the player never finds out this mans identity or his true intentions. However because Aria followed a cloaked figure back to this location, you could suggest that this character was the cloaked figure. I used the polygonal lasso tool to select parts of his jacket and darken them to exaggerate the horrific conditions of level 3.
The two sprites are almost identical except for the cigarette. In the game, he lights a cigarette which could suggest that he is stressed, or it could refer to the changing in which Aria describes in the prologue as "people reach a point where they can't return to being human anymore". The cigarette could symbolize his lack of sanity, and that he is close to reaching that situation himself.
This character is the third and final character that appears in my game story. She appears during chapter 3, as the supplier. The twist is that the supplier is actually a young girl. Her lack of clothing could symbolize her vulnverability. Additionally she is seen wearing a masked hood to cover her identity. In the game it is never revealed what this characters name is, instead she is referred to as "young girl". Originally I had intended for this character was going to end up being Aria's sister, however I found this idea too obvious and changed her to be another character. You could suggest that this girl is part of the radiation experiment, in which she escaped, and is hiding from the remainder of humanity. In the game there isn't much back story provided for this character, however I had thought about having a sequel in which she is discovered to be Monica's (Aria's sister) friend.
Props
These props are signs which I created through textures and the bevel and emboss blending option in Photoshop. I created these signs by using the square tool in Photoshop, in which I duplicated and resized the second square to smaller proportions. I was then able to select a bevel and emboss effect in which added the 3D look and forged the graphics of the sign. I also used a drop shadow effect to really emphasize the 3D effect. I was then able to copy the layer style and pasted it onto a text layer. This enabled me to write text which would automatically be created with an applied 3D effect.
The signs themselves will appear in two chapters throughout the game. In chapter 1, there will be a sign which says "Level 1 Main Office". This allows for easy distinguishing when understanding Aria's current location. In chapter 4 Aria will come across young girls that are caged in cells. I created some signs that would allow the cells to be more recognizable as prison cells, which could suggest that these girls are prisoners.
The fourth image is a clock, which will be used as the first graphic that is seen after the prologue. Aria is looking at a clock and says "Must be daylight outside, whatever that is". This emphasizes to the player that Aria hasn't seen daylight before, and due to this being the one of the first things she says, showcases the dark atmospheric conditions the protagonist is in. The next prop is a knife, which originally I had intended to be on the table seen in chapter 1, however later I gave this prop to the young girl, similarly to how one of my characters has a cigarette. The knife will be used in chapter 3 where the young girl attempts to defend herself. With children wielding knives, the emphasis placed upon the conditions of the underground is increased significantly, as this would not be classified as normal in the real world.
These papers are a key prop within my game story. I was able to create the papers in Photoshop. The method and techniques used consist of using a fractal noise layer, with modifications that resemble a paper texture. Afterwards I used the lasso tool to draw around the paper to create the tear marks. These give a more believable graphic, and may suggest the papers are old. The next step would be using the blur and smudge tool to extend some of the rips on the papers which added diversity and more randomness with the effect. Finally I added a drop shadow to the paper to bring out that 3D effect to the papers.
The first set of papers will appear in the first chapter and will only be visible for a short time. The first paper is titled critical report, which I designed for the words: Sightings, cannibalism, at level, with caution, top, purge. These words subtly enhance the horrific nature of lower levels and may suggest events to come. The second paper is titled "experiment 54" which wont be directly understandable by the player, at first however on multiple playthroughs players will recognize it's meaning. With the plot twist at the end; the meaning will be more understood. It is implied that the people at Level 1 are the experiment conductors, not the people at level 4.
The final paper is the secret paper that will be accessible upon selecting the correct paper during chapter 4. It reveals to the player exactly what the experiment project is, how it is conducted. This paper will not be directly accessible, and requires the player to select the correct paper (out of 5) to reveal this information.
Although not directly visible, these papers will be mainly located in chapter 4 on the table. These papers were designed with random information to amplify the depth of the radiation experiment. To achieve this I was sure to include summaries of the radiation experiment, rather than revealing the entire event before the player reaches the chapter 4 secret. I used the same techniques to forge these papers.
The second paper shows Aria's sister to be part of the experiment. The date, status and survived are different from Laura Keys document. They are stated as TBA meaning to be announced, suggesting to the player and Aria that Monica is still alive, and her experiment is yet to be conducted.
These set of props are used in my OP for the Underground Descent. I have considered using them throughout my chapters for easier recognition for the player in Aria location. However after thought I decided against using them in my chapters as I believe that it will create a more tense atmosphere if the method in which the player finds out of Aria's location would be kept hidden, with hints of her location.
I originally designed these props with a warning sign graphic in mind. I used a warning sign, accompanied with the text: Entering Level X, with the Level 4 sign that holds "no access" suggesting that entry to Level 4 is forbidden and should be avoided. These signs amplify the danger of entering the lower levels, reinforcing the dark nature.
Choices
I created some graphics to hold the choices that will appear in text form throughout the game. In my game story there will be 2 interactive choices in text form. The first text form choice "respond casually" and "respond formally". These options appear at chapter 1 when Aria enters Mark's room. The second text form chase "Check out the noise" and "stay with the girl" will appear at chapter 3 when Aria's conversation with the girl is interrupted by a loud noise.
The design for these choices use a metallic texture as an overlay with added bevel and emboss to create a 3D look. I designed the choices with a more solid grunge texture to match the genre of my game story. I used the typeface Defused for the text which adds a unique old and crusted appearance to the design. These choices will fade in when they are designated to appear, and when a choice is selected, the colour will change from light grey, to a blue that highlights the selected choice, to represent the players actions.
The method in which I used to highlight that a choice is being made, is through the black and white fade, accompanied with the signature spark effect to indicate to the player that a choice has to be made. The reason for this is so the player understands that the game requires some interaction to progress, as this may be less obvious in later chapters where interactivity includes clicking on elements other than text formed choices.
After researching visual novels, I appreciated their graphic approach to the UI. The UI during gameplay would often display the location of the current chapter, the time of day, or the time of week. I was inspired by this and decided to create some UI graphics for my own game story, to really create that game story feeling, ultimately making my story feel more believable and to a more professional standard.
The graphic I created used a simplistic art style as I wanted to avoid over cluttering the screen with graphics and unneeded props. The UI consists of the top half of a rectangle in a 1080p scale, and the text which displays the chapter number. This also allows for clarity when selecting chapter select, a player will be able to instantaneously know which chapter they are currently on. Similarly to the dialogue box production I decreased the opacity of the fill colour in the text box. I believe this adds an effective subtle appearance, and although a minor impact, reduces unnecessary clutter on the screen during gameplay.
3D Modelling: Table
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With the location of my game story being the underground, the tunnels will require some 3D modeling techniques. Additionally to the production of the tunnels and caves, I needed to create some props in 3D space. The reason for this is because if i were to attempt to place 2D images in 3D space, they would appear flat and create a paper-like effect.
To create the table I used similar techniques in regards to creating the underground world. In this case the only material I needed was After Effects, and a wood texture. In the image above you can see the production of the table without a texture. You can recognize that the technique process requires the production of an object within 3D space, following which the texture can then be added. I found the production of the table a time consuming task as the legs proved difficult to produce. When maneuvering in 3D space, I would often find elements such as the legs to be wonky and out of proportion, resulting in a required fix. However with this task I was challenged with creating an effective 3D prop, which improved my skills and ability when it came to producing a 3D underground world.
Sound Effects
This track will be the first sound track that plays in my game story. It will be played during Chapter 1. For the main sound tracks in my game story, I wanted to select some dark ambient tracks to set the atmosphere. This track is the most aggressive ambient track of the mix. As this track is the first track, I believe that the more aggressive the better to set the scene in it's dark nature.
This track will be the second sound track that plays in my game story. It will be played during Chapter 2. I set the beginning of this sound track to begin during the Chapter 2 Intro scene, which adds more tension to the game's story. Additionally this track is less aggressive as the first track, and remains more ambient and subtle.
This track will be the third track that plays in my game story. It will be played during chapter 3. This track progresses a little heavier compared to the second track, meaning as the track continues, it becomes more aggressive. Additionally this track uses a plethora of sound elements to promote the rising in tension with chapter 3, especially with the young girl who has the knife, and the unexpected intruder. The sound elements could be described as suggesting an epic theme, suggesting the mid-point in the story.
This track will be the fourth track that plays in my game story. It will be played during Chapter 4. This track, similarly to Chapter 3's track gradually increases in its number of sound elements, however this time in a more subtle nature. The ambient atmospheric vibes that emit from this track really help to set the scene of conclusion, or revelation. This is particularly noticeable at the mid point of the sound track where tension is risen with added sound elements such as what appears to be a draft. This track syncs well with my chapter 4, being that chapter 4 reveals secrets and the plot, the music helps to promote that.
This track will be the fifth track that plays in my game story. It will be played during Chapter 5. Unlike the other tracks, this sound track is a cross between ambient/subtle and aggressive. I like to describe it as a straight forward track that could suggest a dark secret/resemblence. This being the reason I chose this track due to the plot twist in Chapter 5, I believe this ends my game story well effectively and helps promote the shocked response from the audience.
Added Prologue:
Originally, my prologue was created without a sound track, however after audience response I decided that a sound track for the prologue would help st the mood and increase the atmospheric nature. I like this track as it uses a mixture of ambient dark sound elements, in combination with sounding more aggressive at specific points. This is powerful in making the player feel anxious and uncertain to how the story is going to play out.
This track will be the sixth track that plays in my game story. It will be played during the Credits at the end of my story. I specifically chose a different sound track for the credits scene to emphasis that the story has ended. I used After Effects to amplify the volume at the beginning of this track. The first second or two of this track is a loud drop, which then progresses onto a very ambient subtle scene, perfect for released all the tension that was built through the game, allowing the player to relax. The credits will play immediately after the plot twist has been revealed, promoting a "What?!" moment.
This sound effect will be used in Chapter 5 when Aria finds Monica. This sound effect fits the scene perfectly as although you don't see Aria actually opening the cell doors, this SFX is effective enough to generate that illusion in the players head.
I originally found it difficult to locate a SFX that would fit my game story. I had used words such as Ghost, moan, cry, fear to search for some free SFX however I had no results. Eventually I found this effect which is perfect for my story. The SFX itself uses an exaggerated moan which is presented with echo, and multiple plays of the same SFX as the same time. I use it in Chapter 4, where Monica describes the sound of young girls moans and cries for help.
A simple SFX I use at the very beginning of my game story at Chapter 1. I begin playing the SFX while the screen is still black, to suggest the entrance to the underground world to the player and imply that they have entered the realm of humanity fall. Additionally although a simple effect I increase the volume levels to allow the ticking to be more synchronous, focusing the entire attention of the player, on the clock.
Another simple effect I use at the beginning of the game story. It is used in Chapter 1 where Aria is called to the office. I use it to imply that Aria is knocking on a door, and about to enter. Due to the graphic style of my game being a visual novel, it's hard to illustrate certain actions of the protagonist. To subsitute this, I use a knocking door SFX to ensure the immersion of the player in the game world.
I use these footsteps a plethora of times throughout my game story. The first notable time it is used is in Chapter 2, immediatly after Aria has left the elevator. I amplify the volume of this sound additionally, to create that synchronous atmosphere, as well as exagerating the abnormality of complete silence. The footsteps, similarly to the heart pulse SFX requires sync technqiques with the scene itself to create a more believable SFX that Aria is actually walking. I was able to achieve this by speeding up the scene/decreasing the speed appropriately until the footsteps were in sync.
This heart pulse SFX provides me with a very powerful potential technique. I use this heart pulse multiple times throughout my game story. I use it to create tension through my story. By syncing each heart pulse with a blur keyframe, I can enhance further tension on the player, as not only does the blur reduce the players vision, but amplifies the situation of the the protagonist.
This knife sound effect is used in chapter 3, if the player selects the option "stay with the girl". Aria will be stabbed and knocked out. I was able to create the knocked out technique technique by creating a red solid layer, which i changed the blending mode to overlay and decreased the opacity. Additionally I created a blur effect at approx 40% blurriness. I key framed the scene to stop, and the red to appear at the same time. With the red suggesting blood, the player will be able to immediately recognize what has happened. In conjunction with this, I used the knife stab SFX at the key point in which Aria is stabbed.
With Chapter 3 already emitting lots of questions and uncertainty, I decided to exagerate this by giving a young girl a knife. I also used this SFX with a syncrhonous technique by increasing the volume. The SFX itself sounds like a sword being sheathed, which plcaed exaggeration on the fact that the girl is weidling a knife, making the weapon sounding more dangerous than it already is.
I use this large thump SFX as a trigger almost. I use it multiple times as a off-beat SFX that doesnt fit the scene. It is used to make the player ask questions, as to what it is. Additionally, when Aria hears the sound, she says: "Crap.. Followed again?!" in Chapter 3 or "I noticed a cloaked figure following me" in Chapter 2. The SFX is used to signify that someone is following our protagonist.
I use this cigarette SFX in Chapter 2 when the second character is talking. I thought that adding a cigarette to his character would suggest to the player that he is attempting to keep calm, further suggesting that he is stressed. It is another syncrhnous sound I use, to keep the player engaged and immersed.
This paper SFX is used mostly in Chapter 4 where Aria enters the room that she describes as "flooded with papers". I was inspired from Amnesia: The Dark Descent, where when the player clicks on a paper, a SFX is played. similar the door knock effect, it's hard to illustrate graphically the protagonist picking up an item due to the visual novel art style I have chosen. To show this more effectively I keyframed this paper SFX to play at the section where a paper is picked up.
I used this door creak multiple times throughout my game story. I use it in chapter 1 and chapter 2 where Aria opens the doors. Not only does it increase tension levels throughout but it emphasizes the old, dark nature of the underground and suggests that things are falling apart and reaching the end of it's life span, contrasting with the reduction of humanity when the radiation hit.
This spark SFX is the most used SFX through my game story. I use it as an audio trigger for the choices in the story. At the beginning where the play screen is introduced I use this SFX to suggest player interaction is required. Throughout every other section where player interaction is requried to progress the story, I play this SFX combined with tinting the colours of the scene to black and white to reinforce the requirement for user interaction. This helps players to realize that their actions are needed, rather than thinking that they have encountered a bug or glitch.
I use this water drops SFX to add an increase volume of ambient atmospheric conditions. In the main title, it adds increased tension and emphasizes the lack of silence. Additionally the echoes of the water drops exaggerates the large spacious tunnels in the underground, granting the world depth to the imagination.
How to: Techniques I used in After Effects to create the scenes
In this video I showcase the basics of the techniques I used to compose my interactive game story. I show the techniques I use, and talk about how they are effective in the production of my scenes.
Main Title
This clip shows the main title, which will be the first clip that plays in my game story. The clip begins by introducing the company name. I used the name "Seventeen Productions" as Seventeen is my signature name that I've used for every avatar or username for sites/games etc. Following this a second text appears displaying the text "presents". Finally the OP I created from earlier is played, which then presents the user with options for the game.
I was inspired greatly by this opening created by Level 5 for Dark Cloud. If you watch the first ~ 20 seconds you can see the similarities between our openings. In this Dark Cloud Opening, they use wind effects in sync with the text when it appears on screen, this sound slowly increases in volume as the game reaches it's own OP clip. In my Main title scene I use similar techniques with my audio in which it slowly increases in volume.
I added my own touch with this design however, the music builds up at a rapid rate, to which it reaches a specific volume and cuts for approximately 3 seconds, and jumps straight into the OP. I used this technique to create a more engaging first impression for the player.
Prologue Development
This clip shows the prologue that will play after the main title scene in my game story. The prologue is presented in primarily text form with a darkened image in the background. Although difficult to see, the background image is of a destroyed city, which could represent an element of what the surface looked like in my story. The camera slowly pans across the scene, presenting the text and background story for the player. Unfortunately I believe the prologue is my weakest scene in my game story due to the lack of music, and non-engaging events. I believe that presenting the player with 2 minutes of text is a poor way to begin a game story, I hope to improve this in the future.
However, the strongest element within my prologue would be at the end. I attempted to produce a 3D transition of the underground phase - implying to the viewer that we are now going underground, ultimately revealing the main location for my game story.
Chapter 1
This clip shows chapter 1, the first scene, and chapter in my whole story. The chapter begins with a close-up on the clock, in which emphasizes the fact that the people living underground have no idea what time it is on the surface, which I reinforced through Aria's speech: 10.. o'clock.. Must be daylight outside. Whatever that is. This immediately suggests to the player that our protagonist has never seen daylight before. Our protagonist then receives a call to come to the main office. She turns around and knocks on the door.
Upon which she describes Marks voice as deep and croaky, already suggesting that the character that is about to be introduced is not going to be super friendly. Upon entering the room the, Aria peeks a the table in which the player can glance at some documents. Afterwards, Mark says: "Aria." which could suggest that he has caught her glancing at something she shouldn't have been, in which the player is then prompted with the two options "respond casually" or "respond formally".
Chapter 1 C1
Chapter 1 Choice 1 is the scene that the player advances to if they select the "respond casually" option. Selecting this choice is the most positive out of the two choices, and Marks responds to Aria with "Detective A.. Same as usual I see". This implies that Aria's attitude prior to the story has always been casual, and that her colleagues are used to it.
After the response Aria is then given her mission to advance to Level 3 for the first time to retrieve a study report. She is hesitant at first due to the surrealistic rumours she had been hearing, however after being informed that her sister was seen down at Level 3, she decides to take up the mission.
Chapter 1 C2
Chapter 1 Choice 2 is the alternate scene that the player advances to if they select the "respond formally" option. Selecting this choice is the most negative out of the two choices, and Marks responds to Aria with "Detective A.. Stop messing about, I don't have time for sarcasm and games today". This implies that Aria's attitude prior to the story has been causal, due to the shocked response from Mark when Aria attempts to respond formally. I included this option not only to "trick" the player but to allow the player to understand and relate to Aria's personality more.
After the response Aria is then given her mission to advance to Level 3 for the first time to retrieve a study report. She is hesitant at first due to the surrealistic rumours she had been hearing, however after being informed that her sister was seen down at Level 3, she decides to take up the mission.
Chapter 2
Chapter 2 is the only chapter throughout the entire game story that requires no interactivity from the player. The scene itself is vital to understand the main story and plot elements. The scene begins with Aria exiting the elevator to the depths of Level 3. The main purpose of this scene was to set the suspicious mood and atmospheric nature of the Underground to the player. I achieved this through the ambient music and the synchronous sound of footsteps. I created a RGB split effect during this scene to really elevate the abnormal setting.
The next scene in chapter 2, involves Aria walking down the tunnels, where she realizes that she is being followed. She decides to hide around a corner and wait for them to leave. She begins to follow them back to a specific location. When Aria arrives at said location, she is questioned by an unknown man. He offers her a mission in which if she agrees to help them, they will help her in return. They send her out to steal supplies from a supplier, in exchange for navigation of the Level 3 tunnels. In this scene, I used Lights and a reduced curves brightness to decrease the brightness of the screen until the character tells Aria to come in. This creates the illusion that Aria has entered the structure due to elements being more visible.
The hardest visual to create during this chapter was the light. I found it difficult to find values that would emit the light in 3D space, however after experiments with blurs, radial blurs, blending modes and other lighting effects I was able to create a believable visual.
Chapter 3
This chapter plays immediately after the conclusion of chapter 2. In this scene Aria ventures to said location of the supplier, only to be shocked that supplier is a young girl. The purpose for selecting a young girl as the supplier places heavy thoughts on the player, as the situation becomes more extreme and abnormal. This effect is amplified when the girl does not speak to Aria, instead she brings out a knife. Aria is then interrupted by a loud noise in which then prompts the player with two difficult options "check out the noise" or "stay with the girl".
I purposely designed these choices to be difficult to select for the player, as checking out the noise could result in a trap, or unexpected events, whereas staying with an unstable person whose wielding a knife would not only be dangerous, but more impractical due to the unknown watcher.
Chapter 3 C1
Chapter 3 Choice 1 is the scene that the player advances to if they select the "Check out the noise" option. If the player selects this choice, Aria peeks around a corner to see who the watcher is. The process of designing this scene required audio syncing and careful effect placement. I was able to create the simulation of heart beats. To achieve this I increased the blur amount consistently at a rapid pace, to suggest that Aria is becoming nervous, as well as placing thoughts of uncertainty on the player. I then synced up each blur key point with the heart beat sound effect to add further emphasis.
Along with this technique, Aria peaks round a corner, at the same time the music gradually decreases in volume, and eventually stops. After approximately 4 seconds the music begins again suddenly on a loud - fast paced beat. This creates tension for the user and makes them think "what is happening?" increasing the engaging quality of the game. Aria is then drawn back to the girl who screams for help after being kidnapped. Aria chases after the kidnapper.
Chapter 3 C2
Chapter 3 Choice 2 is the scene that the player advances to if they select the "stay with the girl" option. If the player decides to stay with the girl. Aria debates herself in what she should do, however before she can reach any kind of conclusion she is stabbed and knocked out. The technique in which I used to create this effect is one of my most favourites.
I was able to create the technique by creating a red solid layer, which i changed the blending mode to overlay and decreased the opacity. Additionally I created a blur effect at approx 40% bluriness. I key framed the scene to stop, and the red to appear at the same time. With the red suggesting blood, the player will be able to immediately recognize what has happened. To add more emphasis I input a stab SFX and synced it with the exact same point as the other effects, which amplified the stabbing. The scene then holds for approx 3 seconds which suggests Aria is going to go out cold. Following which the camera descends and the screen fades to black with a thud SFX which plays after the black screen to further suggest that Aria has fallen unconscious.
I really like this effect due to the sheer amount of elements that go into such a short clip. The more subtle effects that are added and used, really generate the stabbed/unconscious event.
Chapter 4 C1
Chapter 4 Choice 1 is the scene that plays if the player selects the "stay with the girl" option in Chapter 3. It plays after Aria has been knocked out. This scene exaggerates on the condition that Aria is in. I used similar techniques to create the heart beating effects, as I did in Chapter 3 Choice 1. Additionally I key framed the camera to randomly rotate around the scene to suggest that Aria is feeling dizzy from her experience, and that she is becoming unstable. I also used a red light with this scene to create a dark, bloody type atmosphere, which may suggest that Aria is deeper than Level 3.
To progress forward after this scene, the player must click the darkness. I liked this technique as it suggests that the player is forcing Aria to continue, although she doesn't want too. This creates more tension in the atmosphere.
Chapter 4 C2
Chapter 4 Choice 2 is the scene that plays if the player selects the "check out the noise" option in Chapter 3. It plays after the young girl has been kidnapped. This scene exaggerates on the condition that Aria is in. I used similar techniques to create the heart beating effects, as I did in Chapter 3 Choice 1. This scene exaggerates on the condition that Aria is in. I used similar techniques to create the heart beating effects, as I did in Chapter 3 Choice 1. Additionally I key framed the camera to randomly rotate around the scene to suggest that Aria is feeling dizzy from her experience, and that she is becoming unstable. I also used a red light with this scene to create a dark, bloody type atmosphere, which may suggest that Aria is deeper than Level 3.
The prime difference between Chapter 4 choice 2 & 1 is the beginning. At the beginning of this scene Aria describes as: wanting to go back, but due to her reactions to the girl being kidnapped, she did not pay attention to where she ended up. In contrast with the Choice 1 of chapter 4, in Ca Aria describes as: "ugh my head is killing me, where am I?" which suggests that she has been dragged to an unknown location. I believe that this situation was a perfect opportunity to link the two separate paths back together, due to the fact that Aria has no idea where she is - she got there through different means (dependent on which choice was selected).
To progress forward after this scene, the player must click the darkness. I liked this technique as it suggests that the player is forcing Aria to continue, although she doesn't want too. This creates more tension in the atmosphere.
Chapter 4 P2
Chapter 4 Part 2 plays after the player clicks the darkness to proceed. Aria wanders into the unknown where she discovers prison cells with young girls each individually locked in cells. The creation of the prison cells was quite challenging, as I was required to used similar techniques to the production of the table, but with the cell bars. Additionally the room was more of a challenge due to it's non -square layout. This chapter features the largest room in the game, with multiple paths to be seen.
Aria arrives at a room which is flooded with scattered papers. Upon entering the room she picks up one of the papers, where it is revealed to the player the main plot: the girls in prison cells are being used in a radiation experiment. I was able to sync a paper SFX with the timing where Aria picks up a paper prop, I believe, although subtle, this adds more immersion to the story. This scene ends with the option to select one of 5 papers. One of the 5 papers will take the player to the game's secret, revealing any unanswered questions to the player. I liked this technique, as it added some diversity to the game's interactivity, rather than just standard 1/2 choice selecting.
Chapter 4 P3
Chapter 4 Part 3 is the next scene that is played if the player clicks any of the papers that are not related to the secret. Instead, Aria picks up a document that has information regarding her sisters location and reveals that fact that she is planned to be executed during the radiation experiment project. This part is a short part, where Aria immediately dashes for her sisters cell. A key point in this scene is to take note of Aria's sisters project number; #261.
When Aria picks up the document that reveals her sisters information, I was sure to design this paper with more straight undamaged features compared to the previous paper. This suggests that the document is fairly new and it hasn't been long since Aria's sister was planned to be executed in the experiment.
Chapter 4 Secret
This scene is displayed if the player selects the correct paper during Chapter 4 part 2. It reveals the whole story plot to the player and answers most questions regarding what the radiation experiment is, and how it affects Aria's sister. Additionally it may suggest why the younger generation is so obsolete - due to the execution of the experiments.
Chapter 5 & Epilogue
Chapter 5 and the Epilogue plays directly after the completion of Chapter 4. In this chapter Aria is able to rescue her sister in time before the experiment and thus saving her life. The scene then cuts back to events at Level 1 where the plot twist is revealed: Mark asks Reed if the preparations have been set to commence experiment #261. #261 is the number for Aria's sister experiment which reveals to the player that the people at Level 1 are conducting the experiment, not at Level 3 or 4. I decided to end the story at this point to allow for some player imagination in regards to what happens when Aria returns to Level 1. Additionally it leaves the player wanting answers and wanting to know the result of Aria's return; which not only increases immersion levels, but could also branch the opportunity to explore possibility of a sequel.
Feedback
After broadcasting the prototype of my Interactive Game Story to a range of different audiences, I have received mostly a positive response, as well as some constructive feedback.
Positive Feedback
Positive responses included; the successful dark, atmosphere I was able to create. Viewers informed me that they felt "on the edge of their seats" or in suspense a lot of the time. The use of colours greatly enhanced their playing experience. One player said that they liked the use of red colours for a theme at chapter 4, to symbolize blood. It made the scene feel more unique and different to the previous use of colours, which were largely blue. A main enhancement for my game story was the use of music. I received a large amount of positive feedback regarding my choice of music which greatly impacted the effectiveness of the dark atmospheric conditions I was trying to create.
Critical Feedback (Improvements)
With the showcase of my interactive game story to an audience, I was also able to obtain feedback for improvements. The first major suggestion I received multiple times, was concerning the speed of the text, most notably at the beginning of the story with the prologue. Due to the prologue lacking music and no kind of graphic until the very end, players also informed me that they felt the prologue was quite slow, and deteriorating from the main story. Additionally, with the increasing number of times my game story was tested, more spelling errors and typo's were noticed. Multiple players were also able to point me to some glitches in the earlier beta versions. The first glitch was at the main title screen, where the spark sound would glitch and play at a really fast speed constantly until the PLAY button was pressed. The second glitch was regarding the prologue, sometimes after watching the prologue, the game would re-loop back to the prologue, instead of beginning chapter 1.
Upon receiving an audience response, I have set targets that I wish to meet in order to improve the quality of my story
Prologue - Skip Button
With lots of negative feedback regarding my prologue; My first reaction to this was to create a Skip button to allow for skipping on multiple playthroughs. Players do not want to watch the prologue multiple times once they have seen it once. I placed the skip button at the top left of the scene, and designed it to appear 5 seconds into the prologue, so players can skip the prologue if they wish.
Unfortunately this solution was not the most effective solution to improve my game story. Although people who have already completed a playthrough said that they like the functionality of the skip button, as they can jump straight into the game, however first time players still found it difficult to read some text due to the speed. Although not the best solution I was able to attain the experience in creating skip buttons for projects.
Prologue Improved
I decided to revamp the entire prologue completely. Not only will this allow me to fix the speed of the text, but create a more interesting and immersive prologue for viewers. The first notable change in the revamped version is the addition of music. I believe that the addition of music greatly increases immersion value for the player, especially as the prologue is the first scene that plays - it helps to set the mood. The second notable change will be the entire revamp of the text. I completely re-wrote the prologue to emphasize that Aria is talking, allowing players to gain an understanding in how she is through the prologue. I had noticed that the original example was too formal, and sounded unnatural at times for a narrator perspective. I corrected this by changing the wording in the prologue with a more informal approach. I believe that an informal approach will allow players to relate with the game more.
The final notable change I composed is the addition of a graphic chart. Around the half way mark, I added some additional animation thats set to appear. This graphic shows the levels of the underground in a visual form. Players can attain a clear understanding in how the levels work right from the get go, especially with the reinforced impact from the extra graphic.
Fixes
I had noticed another number of multiple typo's in the same scene. On the chapter 4 Secret scene, the paper in which Aria picks up that reveals the details of the Radiation Experiment Project has the typo's: "Howevert hey" and "beforethey". I was able to correct these spelling errors and update my game story with the correct spellings.
I have learnt the importance of proof-reading and checking work before the rendering process. Due to the fact that motion graphic software such as After Effects, and even Photoshop do not come with an inbuilt spell checker, it is important to check the text carefully yourself, to ensure the highest quality work can be presented.
Modifications
This text plays at the beginning of Chapter 5. It the scene in which Aria locates her sister and is reunited with her. I found the text to sound unnatural for Aria's thoughts and too formal. Additionally I noticed a spelling error under: "the cell lablled 099Q". I decided to revisit this scene and correct the error, as well as improve the wording from my original story.
The image above shows the revamped version of the Chapter 5 scene. To compensate for the extra words in this scene, I increased the duration of the scene by approximately 3 seconds. I believe this version uses more realistic wording for Aria's thought process, overall allowing my game story to be presented in a more professional standard.
After revisiting the previous scene, I noticed that during the reunion scene at Chapter 5, the wording sounded a little disappointing with the reunion between Aria and her sister.
In this revamped version, the first sentence, and only sentence from Monica is litterally: "...Aria?". I believe that using this wording compared to the previous wording creates a more mysterious approach and atmosphere. Due to the hints that people change when they are down at level 4, this scene can create uncertainty with Monica's mental state, especially due to the unknown duration that Monica has spent at level 4.
Additionally this leaves an open response, for the opportunity in a sequel, Monica may become unstable and lose her sense of sanity. To allow Aria to sound more believable with her words, I changed her text to "Monica! I'm here! Finally.. here.." This text could also reinforce the uncertainty with Monica sanity,especially due to the ellipsis at the end of the sentence. Additionally, these words may be the first words Aria speaks to Monica, after seeing her for the first time after a long period, making the story more realistic, and less stale.
Enter World Button
In this screenshot for World of Warcraft, there is an Enter World button for each indivudual character. I took an interest to this, as it acts a submittance to the player that they are about to enter an unknown realm. Although in my game story there is no character custominzation, I believe that incoporating an Enter World button may increase immersion values.
I created my own Enter World button for my interactive game story. This button will appear at the end of the prologue, where the player has to click "Enter World" to proceed the story. I believe that the addition of an Enter World button adds emphasis to the video game genre for my story, rather than just an interactive story. It is an element that increases the "game" element of the interactive game story. The player is clicking enter world, knowing that they are about be brought into an alternative fiction universe.
I designed the Enter World button with the same font as I used for the title. I was sure to keep the same font for consistency, rather than just using random fonts. This will also be recognisable to the player, event though subtle, it suggests that the world they are entering is not pretty.
Sound Error Glitch
In this video I showcase a Sound glitch Error in the prototype for my Interactive Game story. I was able to fix this issue by increasing the duration of the Main title scene, meaning that the buttons appear a touch later, however the constant sound effect repetition is removed.
Chapter Select Screen
With the removal of the skip button in the prologue as well with the 20 - 25 minute average playthrough duration for my interactive game story, I designed, created, and exported a Chapter Select scene for my game story. I had received feedback regarding requests for easier navigation to other parts of the story. A chapter select screen may come in useful for players when they are returning to a playthrough, or want to begin the playthrough at a specific point. With the addition of a Chapter Select screen, players can now freely access any section of the story they wish.
Note:
Due to the beginning of Chapter 4 being entirely dependent on which choices were made in Chapter 3, I set the Chapter 4 start point into the early-middle of chapter 4 rather than at the beginning , to avoid confusion for players if they selected an alternate choice.
Credits
I created a Credits scene to summarize programs that were used during the production of my game story. To avoid listing my name multiple times for each step of the game production, I used my name as a header for each step. I ensured to keep a blue/white/black theme to ensure consistently. Originally I had issues with this scene linking back to the Main Menu properly. Instead it would look completely back to the Main Title Introduction and play the video again. I was eventually able to solve this issue by creating a secondary Menu scene.
Final Interactive Game Story
Underground Descent Download
Click on the index.html file for the 1080p version
Click on the flashdvd.swf file for the 480p version
Note: All contents need to be extracted to the same folder for the game to function correctly.
This clip shows chapter 1, the first scene, and chapter in my whole story. The chapter begins with a close-up on the clock, in which emphasizes the fact that the people living underground have no idea what time it is on the surface, which I reinforced through Aria's speech: 10.. o'clock.. Must be daylight outside. Whatever that is. This immediately suggests to the player that our protagonist has never seen daylight before. Our protagonist then receives a call to come to the main office. She turns around and knocks on the door.
Upon which she describes Marks voice as deep and croaky, already suggesting that the character that is about to be introduced is not going to be super friendly. Upon entering the room the, Aria peeks a the table in which the player can glance at some documents. Afterwards, Mark says: "Aria." which could suggest that he has caught her glancing at something she shouldn't have been, in which the player is then prompted with the two options "respond casually" or "respond formally".
Chapter 1 C1
Chapter 1 Choice 1 is the scene that the player advances to if they select the "respond casually" option. Selecting this choice is the most positive out of the two choices, and Marks responds to Aria with "Detective A.. Same as usual I see". This implies that Aria's attitude prior to the story has always been casual, and that her colleagues are used to it.
After the response Aria is then given her mission to advance to Level 3 for the first time to retrieve a study report. She is hesitant at first due to the surrealistic rumours she had been hearing, however after being informed that her sister was seen down at Level 3, she decides to take up the mission.
Chapter 1 C2
Chapter 1 Choice 2 is the alternate scene that the player advances to if they select the "respond formally" option. Selecting this choice is the most negative out of the two choices, and Marks responds to Aria with "Detective A.. Stop messing about, I don't have time for sarcasm and games today". This implies that Aria's attitude prior to the story has been causal, due to the shocked response from Mark when Aria attempts to respond formally. I included this option not only to "trick" the player but to allow the player to understand and relate to Aria's personality more.
Chapter 2
Chapter 2 is the only chapter throughout the entire game story that requires no interactivity from the player. The scene itself is vital to understand the main story and plot elements. The scene begins with Aria exiting the elevator to the depths of Level 3. The main purpose of this scene was to set the suspicious mood and atmospheric nature of the Underground to the player. I achieved this through the ambient music and the synchronous sound of footsteps. I created a RGB split effect during this scene to really elevate the abnormal setting.
The next scene in chapter 2, involves Aria walking down the tunnels, where she realizes that she is being followed. She decides to hide around a corner and wait for them to leave. She begins to follow them back to a specific location. When Aria arrives at said location, she is questioned by an unknown man. He offers her a mission in which if she agrees to help them, they will help her in return. They send her out to steal supplies from a supplier, in exchange for navigation of the Level 3 tunnels. In this scene, I used Lights and a reduced curves brightness to decrease the brightness of the screen until the character tells Aria to come in. This creates the illusion that Aria has entered the structure due to elements being more visible.
The hardest visual to create during this chapter was the light. I found it difficult to find values that would emit the light in 3D space, however after experiments with blurs, radial blurs, blending modes and other lighting effects I was able to create a believable visual.
Chapter 3
This chapter plays immediately after the conclusion of chapter 2. In this scene Aria ventures to said location of the supplier, only to be shocked that supplier is a young girl. The purpose for selecting a young girl as the supplier places heavy thoughts on the player, as the situation becomes more extreme and abnormal. This effect is amplified when the girl does not speak to Aria, instead she brings out a knife. Aria is then interrupted by a loud noise in which then prompts the player with two difficult options "check out the noise" or "stay with the girl".
I purposely designed these choices to be difficult to select for the player, as checking out the noise could result in a trap, or unexpected events, whereas staying with an unstable person whose wielding a knife would not only be dangerous, but more impractical due to the unknown watcher.
Chapter 3 C1
Chapter 3 Choice 1 is the scene that the player advances to if they select the "Check out the noise" option. If the player selects this choice, Aria peeks around a corner to see who the watcher is. The process of designing this scene required audio syncing and careful effect placement. I was able to create the simulation of heart beats. To achieve this I increased the blur amount consistently at a rapid pace, to suggest that Aria is becoming nervous, as well as placing thoughts of uncertainty on the player. I then synced up each blur key point with the heart beat sound effect to add further emphasis.
Along with this technique, Aria peaks round a corner, at the same time the music gradually decreases in volume, and eventually stops. After approximately 4 seconds the music begins again suddenly on a loud - fast paced beat. This creates tension for the user and makes them think "what is happening?" increasing the engaging quality of the game. Aria is then drawn back to the girl who screams for help after being kidnapped. Aria chases after the kidnapper.
Chapter 3 C2
Chapter 3 Choice 2 is the scene that the player advances to if they select the "stay with the girl" option. If the player decides to stay with the girl. Aria debates herself in what she should do, however before she can reach any kind of conclusion she is stabbed and knocked out. The technique in which I used to create this effect is one of my most favourites.
I was able to create the technique by creating a red solid layer, which i changed the blending mode to overlay and decreased the opacity. Additionally I created a blur effect at approx 40% bluriness. I key framed the scene to stop, and the red to appear at the same time. With the red suggesting blood, the player will be able to immediately recognize what has happened. To add more emphasis I input a stab SFX and synced it with the exact same point as the other effects, which amplified the stabbing. The scene then holds for approx 3 seconds which suggests Aria is going to go out cold. Following which the camera descends and the screen fades to black with a thud SFX which plays after the black screen to further suggest that Aria has fallen unconscious.
I really like this effect due to the sheer amount of elements that go into such a short clip. The more subtle effects that are added and used, really generate the stabbed/unconscious event.
Chapter 4 C1
Chapter 4 Choice 1 is the scene that plays if the player selects the "stay with the girl" option in Chapter 3. It plays after Aria has been knocked out. This scene exaggerates on the condition that Aria is in. I used similar techniques to create the heart beating effects, as I did in Chapter 3 Choice 1. Additionally I key framed the camera to randomly rotate around the scene to suggest that Aria is feeling dizzy from her experience, and that she is becoming unstable. I also used a red light with this scene to create a dark, bloody type atmosphere, which may suggest that Aria is deeper than Level 3.
To progress forward after this scene, the player must click the darkness. I liked this technique as it suggests that the player is forcing Aria to continue, although she doesn't want too. This creates more tension in the atmosphere.
Chapter 4 C2
Chapter 4 Choice 2 is the scene that plays if the player selects the "check out the noise" option in Chapter 3. It plays after the young girl has been kidnapped. This scene exaggerates on the condition that Aria is in. I used similar techniques to create the heart beating effects, as I did in Chapter 3 Choice 1. This scene exaggerates on the condition that Aria is in. I used similar techniques to create the heart beating effects, as I did in Chapter 3 Choice 1. Additionally I key framed the camera to randomly rotate around the scene to suggest that Aria is feeling dizzy from her experience, and that she is becoming unstable. I also used a red light with this scene to create a dark, bloody type atmosphere, which may suggest that Aria is deeper than Level 3.
The prime difference between Chapter 4 choice 2 & 1 is the beginning. At the beginning of this scene Aria describes as: wanting to go back, but due to her reactions to the girl being kidnapped, she did not pay attention to where she ended up. In contrast with the Choice 1 of chapter 4, in Ca Aria describes as: "ugh my head is killing me, where am I?" which suggests that she has been dragged to an unknown location. I believe that this situation was a perfect opportunity to link the two separate paths back together, due to the fact that Aria has no idea where she is - she got there through different means (dependent on which choice was selected).
To progress forward after this scene, the player must click the darkness. I liked this technique as it suggests that the player is forcing Aria to continue, although she doesn't want too. This creates more tension in the atmosphere.
Chapter 4 P2
Chapter 4 Part 2 plays after the player clicks the darkness to proceed. Aria wanders into the unknown where she discovers prison cells with young girls each individually locked in cells. The creation of the prison cells was quite challenging, as I was required to used similar techniques to the production of the table, but with the cell bars. Additionally the room was more of a challenge due to it's non -square layout. This chapter features the largest room in the game, with multiple paths to be seen.
Aria arrives at a room which is flooded with scattered papers. Upon entering the room she picks up one of the papers, where it is revealed to the player the main plot: the girls in prison cells are being used in a radiation experiment. I was able to sync a paper SFX with the timing where Aria picks up a paper prop, I believe, although subtle, this adds more immersion to the story. This scene ends with the option to select one of 5 papers. One of the 5 papers will take the player to the game's secret, revealing any unanswered questions to the player. I liked this technique, as it added some diversity to the game's interactivity, rather than just standard 1/2 choice selecting.
Chapter 4 P3
Chapter 4 Part 3 is the next scene that is played if the player clicks any of the papers that are not related to the secret. Instead, Aria picks up a document that has information regarding her sisters location and reveals that fact that she is planned to be executed during the radiation experiment project. This part is a short part, where Aria immediately dashes for her sisters cell. A key point in this scene is to take note of Aria's sisters project number; #261.
When Aria picks up the document that reveals her sisters information, I was sure to design this paper with more straight undamaged features compared to the previous paper. This suggests that the document is fairly new and it hasn't been long since Aria's sister was planned to be executed in the experiment.
Chapter 4 Secret
Chapter 5 & Epilogue
Chapter 5 and the Epilogue plays directly after the completion of Chapter 4. In this chapter Aria is able to rescue her sister in time before the experiment and thus saving her life. The scene then cuts back to events at Level 1 where the plot twist is revealed: Mark asks Reed if the preparations have been set to commence experiment #261. #261 is the number for Aria's sister experiment which reveals to the player that the people at Level 1 are conducting the experiment, not at Level 3 or 4. I decided to end the story at this point to allow for some player imagination in regards to what happens when Aria returns to Level 1. Additionally it leaves the player wanting answers and wanting to know the result of Aria's return; which not only increases immersion levels, but could also branch the opportunity to explore possibility of a sequel.
Feedback
After broadcasting the prototype of my Interactive Game Story to a range of different audiences, I have received mostly a positive response, as well as some constructive feedback.
Positive Feedback
Positive responses included; the successful dark, atmosphere I was able to create. Viewers informed me that they felt "on the edge of their seats" or in suspense a lot of the time. The use of colours greatly enhanced their playing experience. One player said that they liked the use of red colours for a theme at chapter 4, to symbolize blood. It made the scene feel more unique and different to the previous use of colours, which were largely blue. A main enhancement for my game story was the use of music. I received a large amount of positive feedback regarding my choice of music which greatly impacted the effectiveness of the dark atmospheric conditions I was trying to create.
Critical Feedback (Improvements)
With the showcase of my interactive game story to an audience, I was also able to obtain feedback for improvements. The first major suggestion I received multiple times, was concerning the speed of the text, most notably at the beginning of the story with the prologue. Due to the prologue lacking music and no kind of graphic until the very end, players also informed me that they felt the prologue was quite slow, and deteriorating from the main story. Additionally, with the increasing number of times my game story was tested, more spelling errors and typo's were noticed. Multiple players were also able to point me to some glitches in the earlier beta versions. The first glitch was at the main title screen, where the spark sound would glitch and play at a really fast speed constantly until the PLAY button was pressed. The second glitch was regarding the prologue, sometimes after watching the prologue, the game would re-loop back to the prologue, instead of beginning chapter 1.
Upon receiving an audience response, I have set targets that I wish to meet in order to improve the quality of my story
1. Improve the Prologue (Adjust text speed, and make more engaging for the player)
2. Fix all typo's within my story text.
3. Due to the length of the story, add some easier navigation to other sections of story
4. Fix SFX error looping glitches
Prologue - Skip Button
With lots of negative feedback regarding my prologue; My first reaction to this was to create a Skip button to allow for skipping on multiple playthroughs. Players do not want to watch the prologue multiple times once they have seen it once. I placed the skip button at the top left of the scene, and designed it to appear 5 seconds into the prologue, so players can skip the prologue if they wish.
Unfortunately this solution was not the most effective solution to improve my game story. Although people who have already completed a playthrough said that they like the functionality of the skip button, as they can jump straight into the game, however first time players still found it difficult to read some text due to the speed. Although not the best solution I was able to attain the experience in creating skip buttons for projects.
Prologue Improved
I decided to revamp the entire prologue completely. Not only will this allow me to fix the speed of the text, but create a more interesting and immersive prologue for viewers. The first notable change in the revamped version is the addition of music. I believe that the addition of music greatly increases immersion value for the player, especially as the prologue is the first scene that plays - it helps to set the mood. The second notable change will be the entire revamp of the text. I completely re-wrote the prologue to emphasize that Aria is talking, allowing players to gain an understanding in how she is through the prologue. I had noticed that the original example was too formal, and sounded unnatural at times for a narrator perspective. I corrected this by changing the wording in the prologue with a more informal approach. I believe that an informal approach will allow players to relate with the game more.
The final notable change I composed is the addition of a graphic chart. Around the half way mark, I added some additional animation thats set to appear. This graphic shows the levels of the underground in a visual form. Players can attain a clear understanding in how the levels work right from the get go, especially with the reinforced impact from the extra graphic.
Fixes
I noticed a typo with this scene - chapter 4 Part 3. I had intended to type "mission", however i had mispelt it as "missionm". I was able to return to the production process of the scene and removed the extra letter. I then proceeded to re-render- re-compose and re-export my game story with the corrected fix.
Chapter 4 Secret - Typo
I had noticed another number of multiple typo's in the same scene. On the chapter 4 Secret scene, the paper in which Aria picks up that reveals the details of the Radiation Experiment Project has the typo's: "Howevert hey" and "beforethey". I was able to correct these spelling errors and update my game story with the correct spellings.
I have learnt the importance of proof-reading and checking work before the rendering process. Due to the fact that motion graphic software such as After Effects, and even Photoshop do not come with an inbuilt spell checker, it is important to check the text carefully yourself, to ensure the highest quality work can be presented.
Modifications
This text plays at the beginning of Chapter 5. It the scene in which Aria locates her sister and is reunited with her. I found the text to sound unnatural for Aria's thoughts and too formal. Additionally I noticed a spelling error under: "the cell lablled 099Q". I decided to revisit this scene and correct the error, as well as improve the wording from my original story.
The image above shows the revamped version of the Chapter 5 scene. To compensate for the extra words in this scene, I increased the duration of the scene by approximately 3 seconds. I believe this version uses more realistic wording for Aria's thought process, overall allowing my game story to be presented in a more professional standard.
After revisiting the previous scene, I noticed that during the reunion scene at Chapter 5, the wording sounded a little disappointing with the reunion between Aria and her sister.
In this revamped version, the first sentence, and only sentence from Monica is litterally: "...Aria?". I believe that using this wording compared to the previous wording creates a more mysterious approach and atmosphere. Due to the hints that people change when they are down at level 4, this scene can create uncertainty with Monica's mental state, especially due to the unknown duration that Monica has spent at level 4.
Additionally this leaves an open response, for the opportunity in a sequel, Monica may become unstable and lose her sense of sanity. To allow Aria to sound more believable with her words, I changed her text to "Monica! I'm here! Finally.. here.." This text could also reinforce the uncertainty with Monica sanity,especially due to the ellipsis at the end of the sentence. Additionally, these words may be the first words Aria speaks to Monica, after seeing her for the first time after a long period, making the story more realistic, and less stale.
Enter World Button
In this screenshot for World of Warcraft, there is an Enter World button for each indivudual character. I took an interest to this, as it acts a submittance to the player that they are about to enter an unknown realm. Although in my game story there is no character custominzation, I believe that incoporating an Enter World button may increase immersion values.
I created my own Enter World button for my interactive game story. This button will appear at the end of the prologue, where the player has to click "Enter World" to proceed the story. I believe that the addition of an Enter World button adds emphasis to the video game genre for my story, rather than just an interactive story. It is an element that increases the "game" element of the interactive game story. The player is clicking enter world, knowing that they are about be brought into an alternative fiction universe.
I designed the Enter World button with the same font as I used for the title. I was sure to keep the same font for consistency, rather than just using random fonts. This will also be recognisable to the player, event though subtle, it suggests that the world they are entering is not pretty.
Sound Error Glitch
In this video I showcase a Sound glitch Error in the prototype for my Interactive Game story. I was able to fix this issue by increasing the duration of the Main title scene, meaning that the buttons appear a touch later, however the constant sound effect repetition is removed.
Chapter Select Screen
With the removal of the skip button in the prologue as well with the 20 - 25 minute average playthrough duration for my interactive game story, I designed, created, and exported a Chapter Select scene for my game story. I had received feedback regarding requests for easier navigation to other parts of the story. A chapter select screen may come in useful for players when they are returning to a playthrough, or want to begin the playthrough at a specific point. With the addition of a Chapter Select screen, players can now freely access any section of the story they wish.
Note:
Due to the beginning of Chapter 4 being entirely dependent on which choices were made in Chapter 3, I set the Chapter 4 start point into the early-middle of chapter 4 rather than at the beginning , to avoid confusion for players if they selected an alternate choice.
Credits
I created a Credits scene to summarize programs that were used during the production of my game story. To avoid listing my name multiple times for each step of the game production, I used my name as a header for each step. I ensured to keep a blue/white/black theme to ensure consistently. Originally I had issues with this scene linking back to the Main Menu properly. Instead it would look completely back to the Main Title Introduction and play the video again. I was eventually able to solve this issue by creating a secondary Menu scene.
Final Interactive Game Story
Underground Descent Download
Click on the index.html file for the 1080p version
Click on the flashdvd.swf file for the 480p version
Note: All contents need to be extracted to the same folder for the game to function correctly.
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