Narrative-and-Theme-Informed Game Design

When setting out to create this thesis one main goal was set: To find solutions to the persistent problem of the games industry with cohesion between gameplay and intended narrative. This goal was divided into a number of objectives, namely: Assemble vocabulary to use when engaging with the problem, define the titular concept, and outline an actionable framework to create narrative-and-theme-informed game design. The methods used consisted of case studies of games as both positive and negative examples of narrative-gameplay cohesion, as well as interdisciplinary research into connected sciences and arts. The former was done mainly to clearly define the titular concept, its problem areas, and edge cases. The latter was used to bolster the available vocabulary with already established ones, and add further points of view to the one the author set out with. When defining what coherence between narrative and gameplay would be, the central vocabulary was defined as that of Cognitive Metaphor. Further, game elements were found to be either predominantly metaphorical, or predominantly metonymical, as inspired by narrative structuralism. The aggregated research done for this thesis defined an integrated view of game narrative (as opposed to a segregated one), meaning that the de facto narrative of any given game is the sum of the expression of both gameplay and writing (or narrative design), as well as all other features. This implies an absolute necessity to consider game design as narrative in nature, in order to avoid loss of control over the narrative expression of the end product. A framework to be used to inspire thought about the titular design philosophy was created. Its ultimate utility is difficult to judge, as it provides little in the way of concrete advice. It composites concepts ranging from cognitive psychology to even theatre, to define all the factors that affect any given game’s final narrative, without judgement on quality