This reading log entry responds to the following assigned articles:
Matteo Sciutteri (2018) “Interactive storytelling: Linear storytelling” and “Interactive storytelling: Nonlinear storytelling,” Envato Tuts, June. (Assigned 10/30)
Patrick Allan (2015) “The surprising benefits of role-playing games (and how to get started), Lifehacker, February 9. (Assigned 11/8)
Brenda Brathwaite, “Chapter 13. Designing games to tell a story,” Challenges for Game Designers. 2009. (Assigned 11/13)
After you have read through these readings, please write a short, personal response to the reading. In your response, at a minimum, you should comment on at least two interesting, confusing, or controversial ideas that you took away from one of the assigned articles. Your reading log entry should be between 200 and 300 words, but you should feel free to write a longer response if you have much to say.
The great thing about video games as addressed by Matteo Sciutteri is that video games unlike other mediums are an active and interactive storytelling medium. In a video game you are able to interact, effect, discover, and sometimes directly affect and change the simulated world you are in. In movies and books you lack this control (unless it is some kind of interactive movie or book such as a choose your own adventure genre which is quiet rare). I personally enjoy both forms of Liner and Nonlinear story though my favorite type of storytelling is environmental. The story where barley… Read more »
All four articles read deal with storytelling in games in some sort of facet. Starting with Allen’s article on the benefits of Role-Playing Games, we are presented with the idea that role-playing games have hidden benefits that are not initially apparent. He presents the arguments that it takes the fun of a video game, the critical thinking that comes with problem solving, and social interactions together into one game that can improve a person through playing it. I tend to agree with his statement. I have been playing games like D&D for about a year now, and I can say… Read more »
After having read all of the assigned readings, I can genuinely say that I have come to admire and recognize the importance that storytelling has on games. As Sciutteri talks about in his article about the different styles of interactive storytelling in video games, an incredible aspect that they hold is that players and gamers can change and affect the story of a game depending on the type of game that it is. Considering the way storytelling is used in video games, either through linear or non-linear narratives, I was astonished that this was an aspect that I had never… Read more »
Last semester, all my friends would ask me why did I have to meet outside of class to play games for this course. At first I really didn’t understand. Now, looking back, I know I learned a lot. Not only about games, but about myself, working in teams, and storytelling. I started off reading the article “The Surprising Benefits of Role-Playing Games (and How to Get Started” by Patrick Allan. I have to agree with him that games that consist of role-playing allow us to think critically and solve problems, which may or or may not be able to solve… Read more »