Interactive Stories and Video Game Art: A Storytelling Framework for Game Design

This book defines a common design language used to understand and orchestrate video game storytelling. Building from a foundation of art forms such as ancient Greek sculpture, classical painting, and film, this book defines a language that is mindful of gaming’s principal relationship between player actions and video game art. Brief examples from film will set the stage for examining the do’s and don’ts of storytelling techniques for various video games, including The Last of Us, Journey, Minecraft, and the Grand Theft Auto series. This book is for developers of video games and virtual reality, filmmakers, gamification and transmedia experts.

The success of storytelling in games depends on the entire development team—game designers, artists, writers, programmers and musicians, etc.—working harmoniously together towards a singular artistic vision. Interactive Stories and Video Game Art is first to define a common design language for understanding and orchestrating interactive masterpieces using techniques inherited from the rich history of art and craftsmanship that games build upon. Case studies of hit games like The Last of Us, Journey, and Minecraft illustrate the vital components needed to create emotionally-complex stories that are mindful of gaming’s principal relationship between player actions and video game aesthetics. This book is for developers of video games and virtual reality, filmmakers, gamification and transmedia experts, and everybody else interested in experiencing resonant and meaningful interactive stories.

• The first book to define a common visual and interactive language for understanding and orchestrating sophisticated stories in video games
• Accessible to industry professionals as well as non-developers
• Featured concepts apply to all media with an interactive component including: transmedia, gamification and interactive art
• The definitive framework for designing interactive stories