Narrative Environments
RPS pointed me at an interesting article about ICO vs Fallout 3. It’s an interesting read, especially because Moorguard from the EQ2 team has talked about similar things in the past, how the best game storyteller he knows puts the story in the environment rather than the dialogue or cutscenes.
In the past I have been less than favorable to this approach, as it appeared to make stories into an archaeological expedition. You’re entering a place where things had ALREADY happened - lots of what we might call lore, but not so much for ongoing plot. You can see this in a MOD like Dear Esther - a spectacular narrative and environmental piece that still makes itself feel like it takes place entirely in the past tense. Partially to blame in that, I think, is the fact that the narrative itself is in the past tense.
Now that I read this article, I think about the museum exhibits that we have helped to create. Museum exhibits tend to present a scenario to people. “This is how things were / are” in terms of displays and interactives. The visitor is invited to look and to play and immerse themself in this different world. Then, in terms of exhibits that try to change things, the audience is encouraged to some sort of action. “Now that you know all of this, what will you change?”
Perhaps the narrative functions of a museum space could be adapted to the narrative space of games. The player enters a new area (or an old area that has been changed in their absence.) The player then travels the area learning what WAS - and then is called to action. Now what will you do? These things do not require a lot of exposition or talking. They can be cut down to the short bursts of speech you see in movies (people in movies don’t talk a lot) and set pieces.
That’s something I’d like to try.
