Week 5

Today's class was pretty unstructured - we spent the first half working on our meaningful games, before switching to serious.
I designed the UI for my meaningful game, and came up with a better title. I also updated my risk assessment to better mimic industry standard.

narrative structure is the recounting of events in an ordered sequence.
structure shapes the way a story is told
good narrative structure ensures coherence, sets the pace, guides the audience's emotions, and makes the story memorable
linear storytelling:
- stories that are told in chronological order from beginning to end.
non-linear storytelling:
- disrupts the chronological linear path of the narrative by using a variety of techniques

Flashforward & Flashback
- non-linear
- there is a main timeline but time jumps around to provide more narrative
- this can work, but the audience needs to have enough info to be able to piece together the story
In Medias Res (Latin: in the middle)
- starts in the middle/the action from the beginning
- flashback method - going back to provide necessary info
- weaving in the background - background info is interspersed into the story to provide context
Parallel Storylines
- multiple stories happening at the same time, that converge at various times
- can include multiple perspectives - like the gang coming back together in A Crown For Cold Silver
Branching narrative
- this is the most common when it comes to games and interactive narratives
- all about decision-making and influential choices

Activity:

the jarl of a small village in ancient Europe was part of a rebellion against the Roman invaders
they enjoyed a small victory before the Romans retaliated
a well-armed, well-trained phalanx launched an attack on the village
they decimated it, killing many and chasing the fleeing survivors away

the player takes on the perspective of a Germanic tribesperson, returning to discover the carnage
they had been away to deliver a warning to nearby clans of the impending attack and didn't return in time

the player picks through the ruins of their home
by finding various items and clues, they can figure out that the Roman's wrath came sooner than expected

during the Roman-Germanic wars
around the same time as the landmark defeat of a Roman outpost by the Germans (9 AD)
- Battle of Teutoburg
Germanic Paganism is just being phased out
sometime in the morning - the attack happened during the night

in a small, pre-Christian village in the Teutoburg Forest (in the northern part of modern Germany)

The story structure in this game is In Medias Res.

Can also be interpreted as the Story Circle

For next week: Meaningful Game

For next week: Serious Game

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