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TY’S DEEP DIVE:�THE BRIDGING BETWEEN NARRATIVE AND COMBAT

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AGENDA

  • Introduction
  • Definitions
  • Breaking Down Combat in Narrative
  • Narrative VS Mechanics
  • Game Example Breakdowns
  • Tools of Note
  • Guide to Creating the Bridge

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INTRODUCTION

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ABOUT ME

Why narrative and combat as topics?

    • Personally interested in both topics
    • Professional History with Creative Writing

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Who am I?

I’m Ty, I’m interested in Combat Design.

Systems

Programming

Art

Narrative

Combining these topics and expanding on both as I take my steps towards Combat Design heavily interested me:

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    • Develops my understanding in both fields

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    • An excuse to breakdown media professionally

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INTRODUCTION

    • Conflict exists in all forms of media, through heroes overcoming hardship, internal struggles, or even differing viewpoints and ideologies.
    • Video Games serve as a stream of media that has direct access between the player’s actions and the narrative wishing to be told
    • How can we bridge these two aspects of our games to enhance our projects with our given tools to work in further tandem?

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INTRODUCTION – GOALS

Exploring combat systems and narrative working towards a more symbiotic relationship.

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Looking and breaking down both positive and negative examples found in multiple titles, including media outside of video games.

Identifying potential guidelines/suggestions to further the bridging of combat and narrative.

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SETTING DEFINITIONS

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DEFINITIONS

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Why is it important?

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Defining Narrative and Combat in my deep dive and video games is crucial moving forward for context.

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DEFINITIONS

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Narrative

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Narrative is a reference to any story related to and being told by the medium of video games. The scope and content are irrelevant, what is important is that it explains and/or sets up the premise and events of the game.

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DEFINITIONS

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Stardew Valley contains a complete Narrative, explains the premise, goes through characters and includes growth

Tetris has nothing regarding narrative, no reason for why you put blocks, it’s just a game.

Narrative Examples

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DEFINITIONS

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Combat

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Combat refers to the act of opposing forces engaging in conflict with one another, with games, The force in question could refer to PVE or PVP, the main point being the word Versus, the player is going up against something.

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DEFINITIONS

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Combat Systems Expanded

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I would like to expand on the concept of combat going beyond surface level violence as the term “Combat System” would lead you to believe.

Some card games insinuate violence through the cards and rules, I would still consider this a combat system.

Buckshot Roulette also would fit this definition, it has opposing forces, rules, and the conflict being you want to blow someone’s brains out with a shotgun.

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DEFINITIONS

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Combat Examples

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RPGs

Fighting Games

RTS

Action Combat

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BREAKING DOWN COMBAT IN NARRATIVE

Through Examples

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BREAKING DOWN COMBAT IN NARRATIVE

Intro Summary

    • In most action focused media, combat serves as a pivotal tool and highlight for the genre.
    • Oversimplification of a story’s use of combat diminishes its potential:�� “Beat the bad guy,” or “Slay the dragon”
    • Fight scenes can be narratively supported by: �� Deeper Meaning, � Conflict (character or themes)� Emotional Catharsis. � (The build up being previously established.)

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Combat Is a Narrative Tool, Not A Destination

By Calen Bender.

(https://calenbender.medium.com/combat-is-a-narrative-tool-not-a-destination-30f8122842e8)

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BREAKING DOWN COMBAT IN NARRATIVE

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Combat Is a Narrative Tool, Not A Destination

Using combat as only a spectacle, makes it the narrative destination, the point of the media in question was the fighting.��Improper use of combat as a tool results in it becoming soulless action for action-sake.

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BREAKING DOWN COMBAT IN NARRATIVE - EXAMPLES

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  • Rocky begins in a bad place�
  • The use of violence in his life is used to hurt others for selfish reasons�
  • Boxing is used a tool that shows Rocky overcoming issues�
  • He deepens his relationships, he quits negative habits, and pushes himself to be better IN and OUT of the ring

Good Use

Bad Use

  • All the Transformers have a history of violence and war�
  • The Auto-Bots and Decepticons are looking for a McGuffin

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  • The narrative of these characters never go through an arc, they start and end in the same location

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  • The justification for all this violence from the Auto-Bots is so they can stop violence

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BREAKING DOWN COMBAT IN NARRATIVE

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The Last Agni Kai

The last Agni Kai from Avatar the Last Airbender is often highly acclaimed story beat/fight scene for the following reason: ��It serves as a wonderful conclusion of the narrative conflict between the siblings Zuko and Azula.

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BREAKING DOWN COMBAT IN NARRATIVE

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Zuko

Azula

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BREAKING DOWN COMBAT IN NARRATIVE

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Findings

  • Used to move the narrative further �(NOT Vice Versa)�
  • Explore the core themes of the story�
  • Attempts to further the emotional depth of the parties involved�
  • Release tension or create tension
    • The joy of watching someone win.
    • The sadness of watching someone fail.
    • A genuine set of stakes for the narrative based on the victor.
      • Losing a conflict should also reflect in a narrative loss.

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BREAKING DOWN COMBAT IN NARRATIVE

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It can answer the question:� �“Why are they fighting?”

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NARRATIVE VS MECHANICS

Why the medium matters

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NARRATIVE VS MECHANICS

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Next Steps

Breaking down what the use of combat in narrative is the first step ��The next step would be understanding what makes our medium of video games different

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NARRATIVE VS MECHANICS

Player Agency

    • Comparing something like a book or television show to games, the largest difference is player agency.
    • As designers we are handing over control to our players to mess around with our creative work.
    • Focusing on combat, we as designers need to produce objectives, rules and states for the player to experience our media. A.K.A Mechanics and A Combat System.

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”Naked and on Fire”: Examining Player Agency Experiences in Narrative-Focused Gameplay��By Elin Carstensdottir, Erica Kleinman, Ryan Williams, and Magy Seif Seif El-Nasr.�

(”Naked and on Fire”: Examining Player Agency Experiences in Narrative-Focused Gameplay)

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NARRATIVE VS MECHANICS

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Games Specifics

  • Body Language and actions�
  • Backgrounds and Set Pieces�
  • Music�
  • Sound Effects and Dialogue�
  • Camera Movement and Cinematography
  • Ludo narrative
  • Player Agency
    • Scripted
    • Free Form
  • Controls
    • 3rd Person Action Games
    • Quick Time Events
    • Cutscenes (Lack of Control)
  • Game rules
    • Turn Based Combat
    • Real Time Combat
    • PVP
    • PVE
  • Game genre/style
    • RPG
    • Action Adventure
    • Fighting
    • RTS�

Also keeping in mind that video games require player input so careful attention to transitions between scenes, levels, or forms of gameplay types (Cutscenes, QTE, Gameplay)�

  • Timing
  • Video vs In-Engine
  • Menus (Omori and God of War: Ragnarök)

Both Mediums use the following when presenting combat to viewers:

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NARRATIVE VS MECHANICS

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Mechanics and Narrative rub against each other. ��Linear vs Free Will.

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NARRATIVE VS MECHANICS

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Because of this, Narrative must adapt its purpose and structure to fit. ��Narrative can take on new and interesting new purposes and forms, such as explanations for the mechanics, providing context, it can provide theming and set pieces, it can be character motivations and reasoning.

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GAME EXAMPLE BREAKDOWNS

The Good and The Bad

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GAME EXAMPLE BREAKDOWNS

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This is not a comment on either the combat system or the narrative

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Simply on the relationship between the two systems

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GAME EXAMPLE BREAKDOWNS

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Feel free to argue and debate with me as I go through these examples or after the presentation

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:)

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GAME EXAMPLE BREAKDOWNS

Good

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GAME EXAMPLE BREAKDOWNS

Good

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GAME EXAMPLE BREAKDOWNS

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GAME EXAMPLE BREAKDOWNS

Good

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GAME EXAMPLE BREAKDOWNS

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GAME EXAMPLE BREAKDOWNS

Good

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GAME EXAMPLE BREAKDOWNS

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GAME EXAMPLE BREAKDOWNS

Good

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GAME EXAMPLE BREAKDOWNS

Good

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GAME EXAMPLE BREAKDOWNS

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GAME EXAMPLE BREAKDOWNS

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GAME EXAMPLE BREAKDOWNS

Bad

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GAME EXAMPLE BREAKDOWNS

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GAME EXAMPLE BREAKDOWNS

Bad

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GAME EXAMPLE BREAKDOWNS

Bad

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GAME EXAMPLE BREAKDOWNS

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GAME EXAMPLE BREAKDOWNS

Bad

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GAME EXAMPLE BREAKDOWNS

Bad

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GAME EXAMPLE BREAKDOWNS

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GAME EXAMPLE BREAKDOWNS

Arguable

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GAME EXAMPLE BREAKDOWNS

Arguable

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GAME EXAMPLE BREAKDOWNS

Arguable

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TOOLS OF NOTE

Hard skills and Design Decisions

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TOOLS OF NOTE

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Cutscenes and Transitions

  • The hard skill of understanding cutscenes and transitions is something that can keep players in a flow state to keep immersion high
    • Asura’s Wrath
      • Gameplay to Cutscene to QTE

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  • Cutscene length and loading times are important to consider
    • Avoid jarring cuts and long buffering periods

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  • Transitions can be player activated to offer a sense of control and positive feedback

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  • They could also be automatic to create a sense of inevitability vs an adversary

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TOOLS OF NOTE

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Gameplay and Narrative Difficulty

  • Consider the challenge provided to players through combat and the narrative connection you want to sell
    • An impossible battle to feel hopeless
    • Insane difficulty to push the player
    • Rematches against characters becoming easier the following time
      • OR just as hard to show they have become stronger as well!

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  • Requires solid understanding of balance and player progression to be done right, be careful of:
    • Cheap/Poorly made fights
    • Gimmicky fights with little build up
    • Stat checks

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TOOLS OF NOTE

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Artistic Value

  • Working closely with creative minds can result in adding that extra flair that can elevate and set the tone/mood for those moments that need it

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  • Music with thought out thematics using differing styles, instruments, and lyrics can react emotional investment

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  • Art direction can prepare the player with visual ques and invoke clues and context through design, lighting, etc.
    • Abyss Watchers and the corpses
    • Hostile lighting with reds and dark vibes
    • Holy lighting with yellows and browns
    • Calm colors with blues and oranges

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TOOLS OF NOTE

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Bonus: Controls

  • Making sure the game feels nice to move in or stiff and difficult is also an extension of your choice as a designer

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  • Understanding how your game will be perceived and experienced by the player mechanically adds another layer

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  • A 3rd person game vs a 1st person game requires different approaches, camera angles, button mapping, UI elements, etc.

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GUIDE TO CREATING THE BRIDGE

The Magnum Opus

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MAGNUM OPUS

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Mechanics and Thematics

  • Creating a core mechanic matching and designed alongside your narrative thematic is found consistently in many of the “Good” examples I’ve found and listed:
    • Xenoblade
    • Katana Zero
    • Hades

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  • Narratively the thematic will also consider when players fail using their mechanics as well in their storytelling.
    • Katana Zero
    • Xenoblade
    • God of War: Ragnarök

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MAGNUM OPUS

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Preparing for Player Agency

  • Considering player agency as an inevitability during your game you can plan accordingly to prepare moments where you can capitalize or subvert players

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  • Prepare moments for players to play as they wish before moving them back towards narrative
    • RPGs have the loop of combat, traversal, cutscene, boss fight.
    • Souls Like have exploration areas leading towards a boss arena or a rest area
    • Hades has the end of each escape attempt

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MAGNUM OPUS

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Consistency

  • Consistency is key in keeping players engaged and interested in both systems

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  • Winning the fight but losing in the cutscene is a classic hated trope

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  • The narrative and mechanics shouldn’t magically change just to fit a forced narrative/gameplay moment
    • Death in Hades and Katana Zero
    • Blades of Chaos in God of War
    • Visions in Xenoblade

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SOURCES

:)

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SOURCES

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THANK YOU

Ty