>>5882591>>5880544>>5880560>>5880587>>5880992>GAMEPLAY vs NARRATIVE>how to create suspenseI remember this old design article on gamasutra (the rebranded website is now completely brolen lol, no hyperlinks work anymore) that explains the theory of it. Here is a summary; link at the very bottom
-A game is comprised of internal elements STRUCTURE and external elements EXPERIENCE; you interact only indirectly with the dramaturgical structure of the game through the play experience, which generates the feelings and emotional investment
-STRUCTURE is comprised of:
DESIGN GOALS;
DRAMATIC SUBSTANCE;
PACING
-the GAME EXPERIENCE is
IDIOM;
SUSPENSE;
CATHARSIS
Some of these words are nonobvious and have subtle implications; they are also interdependent / interlinked.
IDIOM is sort of like game genre, but also the form and identity of the game, how it looks etc
SUSPENSE is emotional investment of the player, what makes them care about an uncertain outcome. Something I learnt about this: uncertainty is not the same as unpredictability; for instance, a linear game can work because it makes a player believe they possess a lot of agency; conversely, a highly nonlinear game could still fail because the player is unaware of poorly communicated possibilities or capabilities (eg choice set is too complex or hidden).
Uncertainty is the dramatic pressure, it encapsulates the player understanding of outcomes.
Pacing in the structure is the rhythm of emotional events.
Dramatic substance is the set of game qualities that generate suspense. It derives from five aspects:
1/sense of agency, informs players of freedoms and responsibilities
2/character communication: character here refers not just to people but also places, organisations, objects, all world assets and entities. All the items and things inhabiting a world that provide context and generate emotional investment. Another thing I learnt from this article is that because emotional investment requires bridging differences, this means that to create sympathy empathy hatred rivalry there must be separation of the entity from the player (even if in terms of gameplay mechanics, they directly control the character or entity etc). Vividness of character and backstory is worthless if players cannot interact with them in the game.
3/creation of complication: how the uncertainty is created through obstacles, adversity, reversal of fortune etc. It can be enemies, puzzles, betrayals etc. Complications can arise from player decisionmaking, and should immerse or entangle them in the dramatic substance
4/ play integration - this deals with distinction between the "game" vs "play" (ludonarrative dissonance discussion here) A good anecdote the author uses about Kingdoms Of Amalur here (and I really enjoyed that game, hehe)
5/ presentation: covers art, music, cutscenes, menus etc in videogames
https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/how-to-create-drama-in-games-suspense-and-substance---the-new-dramaturgy-pt-3 