Week 8 (Story telling in games)

Stories have been told in computer games for as long as the games medium has existed. Their quality has in most cases been poor, and the modes of storytelling used have been all over the place; the story often even interfering with the game play experience. This has begun to change in recent years, with new technology rapidly expanding the possibilities of the games medium and computer games reaching the mass-market and high profitability. Game development being a young craft and game storytelling even younger, there are still no acknowledged methods or systems for storytelling in games.

When I buy the game I usually think about the game play and then the story because the good story is a plus point of the game, I believe the point may be completely moot, because games are interactive, not passive.Which is to say, when you read a book or watch a movie, you are, in a way, a passive recipient of the creator's storytelling. You can turn the page prematurely, or pause the DVD, but generally, you experience the story elements of a novel or movie the same way as any other passive audience member. Games are not a passive medium, as they require player interaction. Consequently, no two players will have identical experiences (or stories to tell afterwards).