Poster Information
| Title | Defining Narrative Devices in Digital Gamespaces |
| Presenter(s) | Mars Ashton |
| Session | Conference Reception, Game Exhibition, and Poster Session |
| Time | Thursday, October 20, 7:00p-10:00p |
| Location | MSU Union Ballroom |
| Format | Poster Presentation |
| Description | The capabilities of games as a platform for Narrative delivery have evolved throughout the years and provided the game developer, be it the individual or a group, with a multitude of techniques to help define and shape the player’s experience. While some of these techniques are the topic of research papers, articles, blogs, and developer documentation, methodology behind these techniques have not been appropriately categorized and treated as a single entity. By breaking down the Approach and tactics used by games as an experiential medium throughout their history, this Master’s thesis aims to provide the necessary terminology and language for educators and developers alike to communicate their concepts. By researching and evaluating archetypes of design patterns in story-driven and experiential games, of various forms, the classification of techniques used by designers, writers, animators and artists can be formed. The way these storytellers use the Gamespace as a tool for providing exposition, direction, or instruction will shape this research. This information will then provide the basis for an easily understood nomenclature that will benefit the culture, development, history, and future of game development as a whole. Through these findings my nomenclature will then be applied to my own personal game development endeavor, Axis Descending, which will represent a plethora of Narrative delivery techniques and application. |