Authored by Josiah Lebowitz and Chris Klug, the paperback book Interactive Storytelling for Video Games from Focal Press is a player-centered approach to creating memorable characters and stories. The book examines questions such as what really makes a video game story interactive, what's the best way to create an interactive story, how much control should players be given, do they really want that control in the first place, and do they even know what they want or are their stated desires at odds with the unconscious preferences.

This book features detailed descriptions of all major types of interactive stories, case studies of popular games (including BioShock, Fallout 3, Final Fantasy XIII, Heavy Rain, and Metal Gear Solid) and how players interact with them, and an in-depth analysis of the results of a national survey on player storytelling preferences in games. It also gives advice about generating compelling and original game concepts and narratives.

Authors: Josiah Lebowitz and Chris Klug    Paperback, 332 Pages    100 B&W Illustrations    Publisher: Focal Press    Publication Date: March 2011

The Importance of Stories

Stories in Video Games

Interactive Stories vs. Traditional Stories: The Great Debate

Summary

Things to Consider

The Early Days

The Beginnings of Game Stories

Text Adventures and Interactive Fiction

RPGs, Adventure Games, and the Growing Importance of Stories

The Cinematic Evolution of Game Stories

Game Stories Today

The Limits of Storytelling in Games

Summary

Things to Consider

Types of Stories Best Suited for Games

The "Best" Story Types

Using Non-Ideal Stories

The Hero's Journey

What is the Hero's Journey?

Structure of the Hero's Journey

Stage 1: The Ordinary World

Stage 2: The Call to Adventure

Stage 3: Refusing the Call

Stage 4: The Mentor

Stage 5: The First Threshold

Stage 6: The Journey

Stage 7: The "Final Dungeon"

Stage 8: The Great Ordeal

Stage 9: The Prize

Stage 10: The Road Home

Stage 11: The Return

Modifying the Structure

Stage 1: The Ordinary World

Stage 2: The Call to Adventures

Stage 3: Refusing the Call

Stage 4: The Mentor

Stage 5: The First Threshold

Stage 6: The Journey

Stage 7: The "Final Dungeon"

Stage 8: The Great Ordeal

Stage 9: The Prize

Stage 10: The Road Home

Stage 11: The Return

Common Themes and Clichés in Game Storytelling

Common Clichés and Themes

The Amnesiac Hero

The Evil Vizier/Minister/Aide/Etc.

No One Noticing the Evil Vizier/Minister/Aide/Etc.

The Last of His Race

I am Your Father

A Party of Clichés

Saving the World from Evil

The Ancient Civilization

Why Clichés are Used

When to Use and When to Avoid Story Clichés

Rule 1

Rule 2

Rule 3

Rule 4

Summary

Things to Consider

Story Flow and Progression

The Importance of Proper Flow and Pacing

Don't Neglect the Little Things

Keeping the Player Engaged

Character Development

Common Character Archetypes

The Young Hero

The Reluctant Hero

The Best Friend

The Special Person

The Mentor

The Veteran

The Gambler

The Seductress

The Hardened Criminal

The Cold Calculating Villain

Advantages of Using Archetypes

Disadvantages of Using Archetypes

Making Characters Believable

Character Actions and Decisions

Character Dialogue

How Much to Tell and Not Tell Players

The Importance of Backstory

How to Tell the Backstory

Earth and Beyond, the MMO

Deciding What to Tell

Sometimes a Mystery is Best

Summary

Things to Consider

Connecting with the Characters

The Fine Line between Drama and Melodrama

Making the Player Cry

Summary

Things to Consider

What Makes a Story Interactive?

What Makes a Story Player-Driven?

Interactive Storytelling as a Spectrum

Fully Traditional Stories

Interactive Traditional Stories

Multiple-Ending Stories

Branching Path Stories

Open-Ended Stories

Fully Player-Driven Stories

How Stories are Classified

Games without Stories

Summary

Things to Consider

Fully Traditional Stories

Fully Traditional Stories, Video Games, and Why They Don't Mix

Interactive Traditional Stories

Creating Interactive Traditional Stories

Player's Characters Speaking Dialogue

The Strengths of Interactive Traditional Stories

The Weaknesses of Interactive Traditional Stories

Summary

Things to Consider

Creating Multiple-Ending Stories

What Types of Endings Should a Game Have?

Choosing Where to End the Game

How Many Endings Does a Game Need?

Determining Which Ending the Player Sees

Multiple-Ending Stories and Sequels

The Strengths of Multiple-Ending Stories

The Weaknesses of Multiple-Ending Stories

Summary

Things to Consider

Creating Branching Path Stories

Types of Branches

Minor Branches

Moderate Branches

Major Branches

Deciding Where to Place Branches

How Many Branches Should a Story Have?

Japanese Visual Novel Games

The Strengths of Branching Path Stories

The Weaknesses of Branching Path Stories

Summary

Things to Consider

Creating Open-Ended Stories

The Main Plot

The Branches

The "Distractions"

The Strengths of Open-Ended Stories

The Weaknesses of Open-Ended Stories

Summary

Things to Consider

Creating Fully Player-Driven Stories

Creating a Setting

Creating Rules of Interaction

The Problem with Fully Player-Driven Stories in Video Games

MMOs

The Strengths of Fully Player-Driven Stories

The Weaknesses of Fully Player-Driven Stories

Summary

Things to Consider

The Evolution of the Art Form

Giving the Writer Greater Freedom

Strengthening the Player - Character Bond

Giving the Player What He Wants

Summary

Things to Consider

The Fine Art of Storytelling

Time, Money, and Player Interest

The Added Time and Expense of Creating Player-Driven Stories

Adding Interaction at the Expense of Other Elements

Who Is Going to See It All?

Keeping the Story Interesting

Story Structure and the "Ideal" Chain of Events

The Problem with How We Think

Trying to Correct a Mistake

Loss of Impact

The Illusion of Control

Giving the Player What He Wants

Summary

Things to Consider

Do Players Know What They Really Want?

The Survey

How Important are Game Stories to Players?

What Players Say They Want

Story Preferences by the Numbers

What Players Really Want

The Best Game Stories

Further Analysis

Do Stories Sell Games?

Buying Habits by the Numbers

Further Analysis

Summary

Things to Consider

Stories Then and Now

The Key Arguments

What Players Want

Looking Towards the Future

The Most Popular Types of Storytelling

A Future for Everyone

Things to Consider

Related Questions and Answers

Q: 1. Is this hardcover or paperback?

A: The Amphoto Book: Gregory Heisler: 50 Portraits: Stories and Techniques from a Photographer's Photographer (BH #AMGH50P) is a hardcover book.

Q: 2. Does it come with a base stand to have sit on a table?

A: A base or stand are not included with the ViewSonic ViewBoard 55" UHD 4K Interactive Display BH #VIIFP5550. In the Box: ViewSonic ViewBoard 55" UHD 4K Interactive Display 2 x Stylus Pens Power Cable HDMI Cable USB Cable AV Cable Remote Control with Batteries Camera Plate 8 x M8 Screws Limited 3-Year Warranty Use this: Kanto Living TTS100 Tabletop Stand for 37 to 60" Displays B&H # KATTS100 Supports 37 to 60" Displays Up to 88 lb 100 x 100 to 600 x 400mm Mount Patterns Provides -5° of Tilt Adjustment ±30° of Swivel Adjustment 9.8 to 25.6" Height Adjustment to Center Integrated Cable Management https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1360883-REG/kanto_living_tts100_tabletop_tv_stand.html

Q: 3. can we use the touchscreen along with polycom x50 zoom video bar to access its features?

A: The Polycom Studio X50 All-in-One 4K Video Conference Bar BH #POSX50 is touchscreen compatible so its Menu and features could be accesed via the ViewSonic 65" ViewBoard UHD 4K Interactive Display BH #VIIFP6550.

Q: 4. What can I connect or add to it to increase speed / computing power. To speed it up?

A: The ViewSonic ViewBoard 55" UHD 4K Interactive Display BH #VIIFP5550 cannot be "sped up" Be sure to have all updates installed for optimal performance.

Q: 5. this monitor can work in vertical and horizontal position?, it will be use in a kiosk

A: This device is a monitor with an LED backlight intended for general office use. Place the device in a well-ventilated area. Do not place anything on the device that prevents heat dissipation. Also, avoid any direct lighting. It is designed for use in the horizontal orientation only.

Q: 6. can you write on this display ?

A: The ViewBoard touchscreen display included in this kit allows multiple users to write, edit, and draw onscreen.

Q: 7. You said this will work with a Mac. As a display? will the touch screen interact with the mac? work with Freeform?

A: The ViewSonic ViewBoard 55" UHD 4K Interactive Display BH #VIIFP5550 will work as a display monitor. Whatever is on your Mac's screen will display on the Viewsonic. It will not accept the Freeform iOS app

Q: 8. What's the thickest media the press can handle?

A: up to 1 inch.

Q: 9. Is this item able to connect to other devices through bluetooth?

A: There is no bluetooth connectivity. But this ViewSonic 55" ViewBoard UHD 4K Interactive Display BH #VIIFP5550 will connect to devices via Wi-Fi.

Q: 10. Can this be used as a normal touchscreen monitor for a PC?

A: Yes, this can be used as a touchscreen monitor for a PC equipped with HDMI or VGA output. The HDMI or VGA connection would provide the video and a USB connection would provide the touch interactivity.