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Published in:
The Authoring Problem: An Introduction Read chapter Read first chapter

2022 | OriginalPaper | Chapter

Game Mechanics as Narrative Mode

Author : Alex Mitchell

Published in: The Authoring Problem

Publisher: Springer International Publishing

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Abstract

Focusing on game mechanics as a narrative mode, rather than considering story and game as two separate but related experiences, allows narrative designers to take a more integrated approach to authoring interactive digital narratives. In this chapter, I explore two ways of doing this: by making use of game mechanics as an experiential metaphor and by using poetic gameplay. I provide a survey of work that has explored each of these approaches and then suggest ways of making use of both techniques together. I then argue that both the metaphoric possibilities of game mechanics for storytelling and careful undermining of players’ expectations for gameplay, provide powerful tools for authors to create compelling interactive digital narratives.

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previous chapter Shower Curtains of the Mind
next chapter Working with Intelligent Narrative Technologies
Footnotes
1
Following Rusch and Weise [42], I adopt Lakoff and Johnson’s [51] convention of writing concepts represented by a metaphor in capital letters.
 
2
Note that here the term “source” does not refer to the underlying computer source code of a given simulation. Instead, the “source” system refers to the simulation as experienced by the player, which is intended to represent a given “target” system, e.g., the thing being simulated.
 
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Metadata
Title
Game Mechanics as Narrative Mode
Author
Alex Mitchell
Copyright Year
2022
Book
The Authoring Problem

Print ISBN: 978-3-031-05213-2

Electronic ISBN: 978-3-031-05214-9

Copyright Year: 2022

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-05214-9_16