Empowering Players in Story-rich Environments: Balancing Creativity and Narrative Constraints

1. Empowering the Playerin a Story-rich Environment Co-directing

2. INTRO • Raf, Harvey, Arkane Studios • Co-creative Direction • Something new for us; challenging • Combined Strength, Reduced Weakness • Dishonored • A sub-genre we truly love • Branching Story + Simulation = Player Improvisation • An ongoing creative pursuit

3. Dishonored is a blend of… • Rules-based Simulation • Scripting • Randomization of Goals/Targets • Nonlinear Mission Environments • Chokepoints • Branching Storyline • …in service of enabling player improvisation in a story-rich environment • This involves balancing player creativity vs narrative constraint

4. Balancing Player Creativity vsNarrative Constraint • Guiding and Attracting • Instead of Dictating the Player’s Path • Enabling Pull-based Narrative • Instead of push-based, forcing story and canned cinematics • Finding Ways to Give the Player Freedom • Player has direction and a plan; Avoiding “drunk walking” • Player-driven Pace

6. Balancing Player Creativity vsNarrative Constraint • We Allow Multiple Play Styles • Optional Goals • Alternate Outcomes; Side Missions • Overload the Environment w/ Info • Pull-based Narrative (+ Environmental Storytelling) • Multiple Expressions of Morality: Kill or Let Live • Reward For Getting There; Not How Player Got There • General Purpose Systems • Nonlinear Environmental Space (Play-path Matrix)

7. Today’s Talk • Empowering the Player in a Story-rich Environment • Overview • General Purpose Systems • The Play-path Matrix • Summary

8. GENERAL PURPOSESYSTEMS

9. GENERAL PURPOSE SYSTEMS What We Mean • Entities influence each other through an input/output system • Door/Enemy Grenade Example • Game mechanics that “listen” to each other • …in a general way; we don’t think about each potential interaction in advance • But this is also a game design value • Summon Rats: AI Targeted Version • Summon Rats: Summoned in the World Version

10. GENERAL PURPOSE SYSTEMS Special Case Input/Output

11. GENERAL PURPOSE SYSTEMS Property-based Input/Output

12. GENERAL PURPOSE SYSTEMS The Benefits • Systems Resolve Situations Unplanned By Designer • New Player Tactics Emerge; Unique Pay-off Moments • Players Feel Ownership Of The Experience • Consistency • Fewer Arbitrary Moments

13. GENERAL PURPOSE SYSTEMS The Downsides • Non-dramatic moments • Some players are lost • Players are responsible for creating fun • The “stew” requires enough entities w/ relationships • Breakage/bugs

14. GENERAL PURPOSE SYSTEMS Our Process • Process • 1) Plan General Purpose Rules • 2) Implement • 3) PLAY for a while • 4) Add Specific Rules • Put features in place in the context of the game and let the systems live together for a while, even if they feel unfinished • Add Specific Rules Later • Support Interesting Interactions: Possession Fall • Fix Critical Bugs: Wall of Light Exploit

15. GENERAL PURPOSE SYSTEMS Our Process – Additional Tips • Avoid Excessive Map Markup • Climbing Example • Design Entities with Multiple Input/Output Relationships • Rat Swarm + Guards • Rat Swarm + Corpses • Rat Swarm + Possession • Rat Swarm + Rat Tunnels • Rat Swarm + Escape Combat

16. GENERAL PURPOSE SYSTEMS What Players Can Do • Amazing player puts together general purpose mechanics in an improv way: • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eqOMI8_txw

17. THE PLAY-PATH MATRIX

18. THE PLAY-PATH MATRIX • Another way of talking about nonlinear mission environments

19. THE PLAY-PATH MATRIXWhat We Mean • Multiple Gameplay Tools or Approaches • Stealth or combat, lethal or nonlethal, ranged, Possession, Blink, Bend Time, hacking security device, slow or sprinting, pick-pocketing the key • Complemented by Multiple Adjacent Pathways • Front door, rooftop, back alley, window, waterway underneath • Together these make an interesting possibility space

20. THE PLAY-PATH MATRIXThe Benefits • At any given time, the player can make choices • Which differentiated tool to use • The tactical approach • How to interpret the situation morally • Which pathway to take • The benefit is that the player owns more of the experience

21. THE PLAY-PATH MATRIXOur Process • Support Key Play Styles • Everywhere, Constantly • Not on discrete tracks • Not predictably • Don’t put an apple in each dumpster • Break the patterns

22. THE PLAY-PATH MATRIXOur Process • Randomized Goals or Mission Objectives • The player owns the experience • Replay is possible, more likely • Level designers and artists cannot “over script” • Examples • Lady Boyle’s Last Party • The Pendleton Twins at the Golden Cat

23. THE PLAY-PATH MATRIXOur Process • Leave Enough Space for Player-driven Goals • A range of outcomes… • Ghosting Vs Imperfect Stealth Vs Messy • Murderous Vs Nonlethal • Slow-pace Vs Fast • Story Absorption Vs Action • Example – The Heart • Leads Players To Bone Charms and Runes • And Thus Optional, Off-path Areas • Also Factors Into Player Attitude/Morality • Additional Story

24. SUMMARY

25. SUMMARY • We strongly believe in… • Guiding players instead of dictating • General Purpose Systems • Tools and Entities that can be used creatively • The Play-Path Matrix • Multiple pathways complemented by player tools

26. SUMMARYOur Goals • A dynamic story, derived from the player’s actions • This is an interactive form of drama • “Anything could happen” • Traditional story elements are there to give narrative context

27. SUMMARYOur Goals • Players can play creatively • Example: Jump + Blink • Example: Possession + Falling

28. SUMMARY • Putting it all together • Balance of Scripting vs General Purpose Systems • The Lord Regent in Dunwall Tower

29. Thanks for Your Time Questions?