Posts Tagged 'Storytelling'
Blizzard and Bioware's MMOs: Telling Stories From Opposite Directions
There’s a lot of presumption out there that MMORPGs can’t or don’t tell stories like their single-player counterparts. Me, I think it’s nonsense. Maybe that was true in the past. It isn’t now.
In fact, I’ve been amazed at how much they’ve evolved from oldschool monster-clubbing. Somehow, some way, MMOs started telling stories. Final Fantasy XI has character-focused missions bound together into a grand narrative, Age of Conan has its early-game switches between single-player and multiplayer, and Guild Wars has its hub-and-instance structure. Dungeons and Dragons Online actually has a narrator. Storytelling’s gotten big, and storytelling choices has become key to differentiation within the genre.
Even World of Warcraft (WoW) has evolved into a story-focused game.
Blizzard and Bioware's MMOs: Telling Stories From Opposite Directions
There’s a lot of presumption out there that MMORPGs can’t or don’t tell stories like their single-player counterparts. Me, I think it’s nonsense. Maybe that was true in the past. It isn’t now.
In fact, I’ve been amazed at how much they’ve evolved from oldschool monster-clubbing. Somehow, some way, MMOs started telling stories. Final Fantasy XI has character-focused missions bound together into a grand narrative, Age of Conan has its early-game switches between single-player and multiplayer, and Guild Wars has its hub-and-instance structure. Dungeons and Dragons Online actually has a narrator. Storytelling’s gotten big, and storytelling choices has become key to differentiation within the genre.
Even World of Warcraft (WoW) has evolved into a story-focused game.
After Pressing Start: Prince of Persia Sands of Time
One of my favorite things about Prince of Persia: Sands of Time is the ability to rewind time. It’s immensely enjoyable to undo your small mistakes rather than having to restart a level or reload a saved game. It’s a mechanic
After Pressing Start: Prince of Persia Sands of Time
One of my favorite things about Prince of Persia: Sands of Time is the ability to rewind time. It’s immensely enjoyable to undo your small mistakes rather than having to restart a level or reload a saved game. It’s a mechanic
A History of Mutual Looting, and What Videogames Can Learn From Non-D&D Tabletop RPGs
The historical relationship between videogames and tabletop RPGs is not hard to spot, and they work together very naturally (1): computers present the opportunity to automate the underlying mechanics of game play. Although the majority of games based on tabletop
A History of Mutual Looting, and What Videogames Can Learn From Non-D&D Tabletop RPGs
The historical relationship between videogames and tabletop RPGs is not hard to spot, and they work together very naturally (1): computers present the opportunity to automate the underlying mechanics of game play. Although the majority of games based on tabletop
After Pressing Start: Halo CE
Halo: Combat Evolved, the FPS made by Bungie, starts you off with a cinematic in outer space showing people you don’t know, talking about things you don’t understand. That’s okay, though. You’ll figure it out soon enough. The important thing
After Pressing Start: Halo CE
Halo: Combat Evolved, the FPS made by Bungie, starts you off with a cinematic in outer space showing people you don’t know, talking about things you don’t understand. That’s okay, though. You’ll figure it out soon enough. The important thing
Death and Storytelling
One of the distinguishing – though not universal – features of playing games is that you die. The natural phrase people use – even small kids who’ve not learned it via experience – is to say “I died,” not “Mario
Death and Storytelling
One of the distinguishing – though not universal – features of playing games is that you die. The natural phrase people use – even small kids who’ve not learned it via experience – is to say “I died,” not “Mario
The Art of Storytelling
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKfBSUKI9PA&w=480&h=390] Roger Ebert said, loosely, that no one has ever written a video game narrative that anyone will remember in fifty years. And I get the feeling he’s right. Narrative in video games has had a long, curious history; I’m
The Art of Storytelling
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKfBSUKI9PA&w=480&h=390] Roger Ebert said, loosely, that no one has ever written a video game narrative that anyone will remember in fifty years. And I get the feeling he’s right. Narrative in video games has had a long, curious history; I’m
Alan Wake Writer Blames Ludonarrative Dissonance on Game Expectations
Ah, ludonarrative dissonance: we’re all familiar with it. It’s the disconnect between the narrative and ‘play’ aspects of a game. Think, for example, how Nathan Drake is characterized as a likeable good guy and yet we spend all game killing
Alan Wake Writer Blames Ludonarrative Dissonance on Game Expectations
Ah, ludonarrative dissonance: we’re all familiar with it. It’s the disconnect between the narrative and ‘play’ aspects of a game. Think, for example, how Nathan Drake is characterized as a likeable good guy and yet we spend all game killing