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Game Design Projects

Project - Interactive Storytelling

This project may be completed by the following students:

M1 1st Year Media Arts Majors.

M2 2nd Year Media Arts Majors.

M3 3rd Year Media Arts Majors.

TC Technology Concepts Students.


Directions

  1. Pre-Production

    1. Every good video game includes some level of player choice. Even if that game is so simplistic that the only action the player has is to jump, they still choose WHEN to jump.
    2. For this project, you will be creating a game where the rest of your class get to make choices.
    3. Use the flowchart below as a guide to make your own. You may draw it out or use a digital tool, but remember you will still need to hand it in along with your project.
      Flow Chart
      1. Begin
        1. This is where you should write out the player's introduction to the game. What's their goal? What are their choices?
        2. The choices should be more meaningful than "Choice 1" and "Choice 2." The rubric requires the endings to make sense according to the choices made, and if the choice is just a number, no ending will make sense.
        3. A better example could be "You've stayed up late playing video games with your friends, causing you to sleep in. Do you rush to catch your bus or decide to skip school today?"
      2. Choices 1 & 2
        1. These could result in widely different plotlines (staying home vs. going to school) or two plotlines that are parallel while still different (grabbing an umbrella before leaving vs. choosing to risk being caught in the rain).
        2. Begin the next tier down by explaining what happens as a result of the choice that was made, then give the player two additional choices.
      3. Choices 1.1 - 2.2
        1. This next tier down should be formatted the same way, but now the storylines from the initial choice made in the beginning should be drifting further and further apart.
      4. Choices 1.1.1 - 2.2.2
        1. The final tier (unless you decide to extend your story) should wrap up the plot based on the decisions the player would have had to make to reach this point.
        2. Summarize their choices, the results of each choice, and provide a description of how their story ends.
        3. Optional but recommended: With 8 possible endings, you are encouraged rate them from best to worst and assign a point value to each, including the player's "Score" at the end of their story.
    4. Get your flowchart approved by the Media Arts teacher. They may have advice to make the rest of the process easier.

  2. Production

    1. Use a tool to create an interactive game based on the flowchart you have created.
      1. Google Slides is a default choice that can work with this, as it allows for the inclusion of supporting media (images, audio, video, etc.) and links can be added to take the player to other slides in the presentation without going in order. (Example)
        1. This video shows how to add links to specific slides, as well as a trick for adding links in a way that makes it harder for players to accidentally "cheat" by clicking to go to the next slide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nApLiVLbKDo 
      2. Twine is another popular tool for making this exact style of game.
        1. It comes in both a web based version and a downloadable app. (The app has more features but the web based version will still work for this assignment.)
        2. Twine has historically been a more technical method for creating games, but it also is a tool that has been used by professional game designers.
      3. Slides and Twine are not the only options, but if you find a different tool you wish to use instead you should ask your Media Arts teacher if it's allowed.

  3. Post-Production

    1. Take the time to make your interactive story be as visually appealing as possible. Color choices and addition of images, sounds, and/or videos should all be relevant to the plot as of the moments of the stories where they are being included.
      1. Don't forget to cite everything! Having a "credits" slide with all relevant links and citations can work for this.
    2. Export/share (whichever option is relevant for the tool you used) your completed game in a way that allows your Media Arts teacher and your classmates to play it.
    3. Hand it in with a copy of your approved flowchart.

Rubric

Standards

Resources


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