In the Collaborate Unit, I attempted to write a story for a game for the first time. During this process, I discovered that the narrative logic of games differs significantly from that of films. Films, as single-core narratives, have all their elements serving the story itself, creating a self-consistent experience. Games, however, are different—they must balance both narrative and gameplay, requiring players to assume roles while simultaneously advancing the story through their actions. This forces players to constantly oscillate between the author’s intent and their personal interests, resulting in a sense of experiential dissonance. I realized that this is an inherent limitation dictated by the interactive nature of games, which motivated me to explore this topic further to deepen my understanding.
After reviewing numerous sources, I found that existing research categorizes game narrative models into four types. However, the in-depth discussion of gameplay design involved in these categories exceeded the scope of what I could explore at this stage. Therefore, I further consolidated these classifications, focusing primarily on analyzing the characteristics and case studies of linear and non-linear narrative models.
The research process led me to revisit several exemplary narrative-driven games in my mind. By combining others’ critiques and analyses, I gained a deeper understanding of these games and genuinely felt my own growth.
Before conducting this research, I was unaware of the existence of narrative strategies. However, a considerable amount of literature discusses these paradigms, which caught my attention. Upon deeper exploration, I learned that narrative is not purely about creativity—there are underlying techniques that can be applied. As a result, I decided to incorporate this aspect into my research.
Looking back on the research process, it was an opportunity for me to examine storytelling from a completely new perspective. By the end of the study, I had also completed an iteration of my own understanding. Analyzing specific game case studies provided a solid foundation for my writing, ensuring it remained grounded in reality. However, due to limited time and effort, I believe there is still room for broadening the scope of my literature review.
