Unit 4: Story & Game Creation

OVERVIEW

This unit of study introduces the learners to the major elements of narrative for interactive environments. The focus is on the concepts of storytelling in relationship to game design. Learners will explore the fundamentals of narrative creation and the crucial importance of interactive storytelling. Learners will also use storyboards to create a visual sequence of story development and game play.

TOPICS

  • Storytelling (e.g. theme, genre, tone)
  • Character development (e.g. archetypes, personality traits, player and non-player characters)
  • Storyboards (e.g. pre-visualization of scene flow, interactive sequencing)
  • Environment development (e.g. terrain creation)
  • Documents associated with gameplay storytelling (e.g. concept, story treatment, Game Design Document (GDD))

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

  1. Deconstruct and review the general principles of storytelling
  2. Explain the benefits of storytelling and thepower of narrative
  3. Describe the process of creating characters and designing character actions
  4. Explain the use of storyboarding in game design
  5. Identify the benefits of creating a storyboard
  6. Create and control terrains within the Unity Editor
  7. Explain how storyboard techniques can be used to further a storyline
  8. Differentiate between the Concept Document, the Story Treatment Document, and the Game Design Document (GDD)
  9. Distinguish components of a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

OUTLINE

What is a story? Introduction to storytelling principles

  • Story structure
  • Storyline
  • Conflict and drama
  • Types of narrative

Creating the characters for your story

  • Types of characters
  • Character archetypes
  • Character development elements
  • Visual development: appearance in the game
  • Verbal development: abilities, weakness and vulnerabilities, role in the game
  • Character backstory

The importance of images in telling a story: storyboarding fundamentals

  • Why use a storyboard?
  • Use of sketches, text and technical instructions to provide thorough descriptions of video game levels, scenes, goals, etc
  • Impact of sequence of frames in a storyboard and how this affects the story d. Cues that help a visual storyteller to communicate ideas

Complete and Continue