4th Year Honours Project

Laura McSheffrey

Computer Arts

4th Year Honours Project

Laura McSheffrey

Computer Arts

Environmental

Narrative“The best narrative in games is not cut scenes, but the worlds themselves.” – Ken Levine, creator of Bioshock (2008)

RESEARCHING

Narrative Theory“the way in which a Narrative Text communicates events, settings, characters

and perspectives.”

RESEARCHING

Narrative Theory“the way in which a Narrative Text communicates events, settings, characters

and perspectives.”

The Design/ Construction of

Virtual Environments“The creation of narrative via spatial exploration and

episodic play”

RESEARCH: DOMAINS

GAMES

INTERACTIVE MEDIA

ILLUSTRATION

FILMMAKING

STORYTELLING

3D ART AND DESIGN

RESEARCH: DOMAINS

GAMES

STORYTELLING

3D ART AND DESIGN

RESEARCH: DOMAINS

GAMES STORYTELLING3D ART AND DESIGN

RECENT TRENDS;

Increasing demand within the industry for games with interactive story elements.

RESEARCH: DOMAINS

GAMES STORYTELLING3D ART AND DESIGN

ISSUES;

“Considerable research into narrative techniques that are employed in film and literature do not tidily translate well over to the

video game genre.”-Barry Lowndes – “Creating a Narrative Environment, Choice and Consequence.” Sheffield Hallum University

RESEARCH: DOMAINS

GAMES STORYTELLING3D ART AND DESIGN

THEMES;

Emergent NarrativesSandbox-style environments

Branching Narratives

RESEARCH: DOMAINS

GAMES STORYTELLING3D ART AND DESIGN

THEMES;

Emergent Narratives

Sandbox-style environments

Branching Narratives

RESEARCH: DOMAINS

GAMES STORYTELLING3D ART AND DESIGN

Constraints“Fundamental conflicts of interest when

creating games with a rich narrative; this is the contradiction between a pre-scripted sequence of events and the freedom and interactivity that is afforded to the player in

a videogame.”-Ruth Aylett – “Narrative in Virtual

Environments – Towards Emergent Narratives

RESEARCHING

Narrative Theory“the way in which a Narrative Text communicates events, settings, characters

and perspectives.”

The Design/ Construction of

Virtual Environments“The creation of narrative via spatial exploration and

episodic play”

QUESTIONINGThe Jellyfish of

Questions!

How can

environments be

utilized to influence

story?

How can the shape and form of props in the environment affect the mood/tone and atmosphere?How do social and

cultural perceptions

influence first

impressions of an

environment?

How does colour

and light affect the

mood of the

player/audience?How can

storytelling be used in a still image?

RESEARCHING

MISE-EN-SCENEThe individual elements that come together to make up a scene

Lighting Composition Set Design

Props Colour Shape and Form

Textures Staging

TESTING

Designing a character’s room

Experiment with props and what they symbolise about the Character, and what they tell us about their personality/life

TESTING

Designing a character’s room

WHO LIVES HERE?

WHAT KIND OF PERSON ARE THEY?

Words that describe the character?

WHY DO YOU THINK THAT?

TESTING

TOPHER BRINKJoss Whedon’s

Dollhouse(2009)

NERDYPATRONIZIN

G

SELF-ABSORBED

CHILDISH

SARCASTIC

PROGRAMMER

“GENIUS”

LONELY

AMORAL

TESTINGNERDY

PATRONIZING

SELF-ABSORBED

CHILDISH

SARCASTIC

PROGRAMMER

“GENIUS”

LONELY

AMORAL

sweatervestsgeeky

Not into sports

Arcade Games

Code & Algorithms

Intelligent Condescending

Arogant

Rich

Formulas Science

Brain ScansSchematics

Computers

Technology

Prototypes

Humorous

Likes video games

MessyEats junk food

PostersMerchandice

Rude

ColourfulT-shirts

Low self-esteem

Dedicated to hiswork

Quirky

Games Consoles

TOPHER BRINKJoss Whedon’s

Dollhouse(2009)

TO DO

What Next? RESEARCH

TO DO

What Next? CASE STUDIES

Heavy Rain : The part with the finger….

TO DO

What Next? CASE STUDIES

Compare and contrast Fahrenheit and Heavy Rain

TO DO

What Next? INVESTIGATE

Bioshock 1

TO DO

What Next? TEST

Give Topher a home…and put it to the test