Plot Sketch Perhaps I should have explained how the graph works. Hexs = represent chapter links, they indicate the start of a new chapter. Rectangles = represents events, these either provide infromation the player can use or circumstance which the player must respond to. Diamonds = represent triggers, either based on time or player event resolutions. Circles = represent effects, these are things the players organizations gains, looses, or has changed base on the event. Control click on one the event nodes (the rectangles) to bring up the text for that event. I thought I would post the plot for the first 4 chapter of my video game and get some feedback on it. You'll can read the plot points online but you'll have to download the plot sketch to see the structure since it doesn't seem to work on tripod. I created the plot sketch in visio for those of you who are curious it really is a very powerful tool. The game I'm working on is a strategy game and the plot essentially plays out as depicted. So what do you think of the storyline and delivery method? I know it's not "epic" but then not every game story has to be an epic just interesting. [Edited by - TechnoGoth on April 5, 2005 6:02:55 AM]

Laziness:
Is there a way to make diagram to display the corresponding text when you click on it?


Storyline and delivery:
What is the intended relation between the player and the events? So far it is calm, objective, impersonal (and almost detached, as in there is nothing emotional going on). Is this the intended connection? What kind of connection will be developed as the game continues?

While the mutant is on the run, In what way does the player get involved in the activity?

What is the player going to do between Jan 12 and Feb 28? It seems quite an awful lot of tutorial before the actual story begins. Suppose the player manages the company every game day, and every game day takes 10 minutes, you were saying that the player won't get the beginning of the story until 7hr50min into the game. Is this intentional?



Plot structure:
How does the differences in plot (due to player's decisions, not the capital the player has) carry to the subsequent chapters? Do you intend it to be carried over? (How does decisions form a previous chapter affect the decisions in the future chapters?) In effect the ovals on the side (And the variable time delays) are the list of variables that will carry over to affect the flow of the future chapter, but the extend of their effect is unknown because you haven't started using those tokens. In addition, the variables so far only keep track of variables that are not plot specific.

For the variable "patient zero" that is plot specific, all of the outgoing edges share that variable, so it seems redundant. (For every edge connected to Whisper in the Wind and Triple Helix, the variable Patient Zero is also activated. You homogenized the variable.)

The challenge is not on the branching of the plot, but on the merging of it. And the merging is not apparent in the first four chapters, so there is not much to discuss about the structure.

Quote: Original post by Estok
Laziness:
Is there a way to make diagram to display the corresponding text when you click on it?

yup, control click on one the plot nodes (the rectangles) to bring up the text for that node in the panel on the left.

Quote:
Storyline and delivery:
What is the intended relation between the player and the events? So far it is calm, objective, impersonal (and almost detached, as in there is nothing emotional going on). Is this the intended connection? What kind of connection will be developed as the game continues?

That was the intent, the game take place with an illusion of reality pov. Where the players connection to events is entirly through the application they are using to control events. Every played Uplink? It is the same point of view as that.

Quote:
While the mutant is on the run, In what way does the player get involved in the activity?

Remember this is sort of a 4x strategy game. So the player's involvement is through sending agents to track down the target, acquiring information on its location through the open market, and then despatching retrival teams to attempt to capture the target before you loose track of it again.

Quote:
What is the player going to do between Jan 12 and Feb 28? It seems quite an awful lot of tutorial before the actual story begins. Suppose the player manages the company every game day, and every game day takes 10 minutes, you were saying that the player won't get the beginning of the story until 7hr50min into the game. Is this intentional?

I was thinking time scale would be:
slow = 1 second = 1 game second (used during commando operations)
normal = 5 seconds = 1 game hour
fast = 1 second = 1 game hour
accelerated = 1 second = 1 game day

This is not really tutorial time, there is a short tutorial article explaining how to play the player can read, but there is no forced tutorial. The inital time is spent trying to get the inital facility which is failing apart, up and running and for the player to try to find away to start producing a profit. Not that they can have the facility operating at a profit, since I've rigged things to force the player into accepting the Dr. Ubermahn's offer.

Quote:
Plot structure:
How does the differences in plot (due to player's decisions, not the capital the player has) carry to the subsequent chapters? Do you intend it to be carried over? (How does decisions form a previous chapter affect the decisions in the future chapters?) In effect the ovals on the side (And the variable time delays) are the list of variables that will carry over to affect the flow of the future chapter, but the extend of their effect is unknown because you haven't started using those tokens. In addition, the variables so far only keep track of variables that are not plot specific.


For the variable "patient zero" that is plot specific, all of the outgoing edges share that variable, so it seems redundant. (For every edge connected to Whisper in the Wind and Triple Helix, the variable Patient Zero is also activated. You homogenized the variable.)

I'm not sure what you mean excatly. Perhaps I should have explained how the graph works.

Hexs = represent chapter links, they indicate the start of a new chapter.
Rectangles = represents events, these either provide infromation the player can use or circumstance which the player must respond to.
Diamonds = represent triggers, either based on time or player event resolutions.
Circles = represent effects, these are things the players organizations gains, looses, or has changed base on the event.

So where you see a circle that says "patient zero" that indicates the player's organization gain the new theoretical research project "patient zero"

Thats diffrent paths in each chapter all end at a given chapter if diffrent paths lead to the same chapter then the game from a plot stance will be the same at the start of that chapter. All chapters eventually converage into two one of two chapters depending on which side of the climatic event the player has aligned themselves on.

I know it may be a bit confusing but the primary purpose of the document from the design point of view is to show how the story is organized and handled for the purposes of the story engine in the game.

My main purpose for posting it was to get some feed back on the storyline depicated thus far. Is it Good? Bad? Dull? Interesting? Disturbing? Cliched?

Control click doesn't work for me I am deprived.

Your plot map is not confusing and I understood what your symbols mean. The question was what kind of effect will 'public exposure +10' have on the plot. Will it trigger certain event at a certain level? or is it a just a parameter that will determine how successful a certain type of strategy or operation will be?


Thoughts on the storyline:

The connection between the PC and the story seems detached. There is not much motivation or personal objectives for the PC, the role of the PC is somewhat mechanical. I think you are missing some descriptions of how the compuany sees the player corresponding to the different decisions. You have not shown enough of how your public or domestic image is reflect in the story. How excited or emotionally engaged do you aim to make the player experience? I think the PC is too mute and too calm.

- Detached
- Motivations
- Reflective Plots



extra:
What if, instead of controlling the company directly through the ghost mode ARMAC, you conrol it through a secretary? The player might find that the PC is in fact the paralyzed CEO (that is why the researchs are important), and you are controlling the company through a head figure that is vulnerable to retributions. This might actually be a good setting to map beauty and the beast, where your secretary is belle, and you are the beast CEO. The player does not see the face of the PC, but when belle first come she is scared of you (maybe you are some kind of mistake, some kind of mutant). She might not agree with the way you handle the situations but she stills follow the orders, in general. Now, on one hand the player will get suspicious of what Dr. Ubermahn is doing, on the other hand maybe the Dr. U is trying to find a way to fix you. The storyline can be about catching Patient Zero, and the ending may reveal that you are the Patient Zero. It is a different design based on a different set of preferences.

Quote: Original post by Estok
Control click doesn't work for me I am deprived.

Did you install the activeX component?

Quote:
Your plot map is not confusing and I understood what your symbols mean. The question was what kind of effect will 'public exposure +10' have on the plot. Will it trigger certain event at a certain level? or is it a just a parameter that will determine how successful a certain type of strategy or operation will be?

Public Exposure is rating of how much the public knows about your activities it can effect many aspects of in game and if your actives become too well known the company will not hesitate to terminate your employment.
Public Exposure is not used currently by any events although it will most likely trigger events in the chapter "Triple Helix" as well possible at least one side plot. I should at this point mention the three kinds of plots in the game.
Main plot - this is the main story path in the story it has numerous branches.
Side plots - these are part of the overall story arc that run independently of the main plot and while they may effect one another they are not dependent on each other. The largest example of a side plot involes Freehold city and substance called darwin that takes place once the player reaches the middle point in the game.
Sub plots - these are small interesting plots that can take place in the game that have no bearing on the over all story arc. When a new game is created the game selects a number of sub plots for the list of possible sub plots, to make available during that instance of the game.

Eventually functionality will be in place to allow players to create their own stories, and sub plots and then select which one they want to play, or have the game choose one for them.

Quote:
Thoughts on the storyline:

The connection between the PC and the story seems detached. There is not much motivation or personal objectives for the PC, the role of the PC is somewhat mechanical. I think you are missing some descriptions of how the compuany sees the player corresponding to the different decisions. You have not shown enough of how your public or domestic image is reflect in the story. How excited or emotionally engaged do you aim to make the player experience? I think the PC is too mute and too calm.

Well, the story is primarily a backdrop to which the game takes place. Its main purpose is to enhance the players gaming experince and provide meaning behind various aspects of the game. The over all message of the game involves plunging the player head first into the rutheless world of international criminal corporations will to do whatever it takes to increase their power and possessing the resources to achive those aims. Its about the notion that if you want to swim with the sharks you have no choice but to become one. Choose your allies carefully and use them for all they are worth and betray them before they can do the same to you.

Will the storyline is intended to reflect this the primary means by which the message is delivered to the player is through the gameplay.

Quote:
extra:
What if, instead of controlling the company directly through the ghost mode ARMAC, you conrol it through a secretary? The player might find that the PC is in fact the paralyzed CEO (that is why the researchs are important), and you are controlling the company through a head figure that is vulnerable to retributions. This might actually be a good setting to map beauty and the beast, where your secretary is belle, and you are the beast CEO. The player does not see the face of the PC, but when belle first come she is scared of you (maybe you are some kind of mistake, some kind of mutant). She might not agree with the way you handle the situations but she stills follow the orders, in general. Now, on one hand the player will get suspicious of what Dr. Ubermahn is doing, on the other hand maybe the Dr. U is trying to find a way to fix you. The storyline can be about catching Patient Zero, and the ending may reveal that you are the Patient Zero. It is a different design based on a different set of preferences.

While that make work for a more story oriented game it simply doesn't fit in with the rest of the game model.

Lastly after describing the game message, do you think it is too dark to appeal to players or will the vast majority of player simply not recognize it?

Quote: Original post by TechnoGoth
Did you install the activeX component?

No clue, but I already have visio.

Quote: Lastly after describing the game message, do you think it is too dark to appeal to players or will the vast majority of player simply not recognize it?

I think the message is not dark at all. I don't think that the players can possibly miss the message, especially when a gameover will result if the player does not betray the partners first. If the player didn't realize that the partners will betray him, gaining that knowledge alone will lead him to do that.

I don't think it will affect the appeal to the vast majority of the player, because the same message is pretty common in RTS scenarios and other games with military theme. What I mean is that the players should be pretty prepared and are not likely to get shocked by the message. In fact it is darker in war strategy games since sometimes the player will betray an ally that has no intention of betraying the player. So I think the message is rather safe in that aspect, but might be dull depending on how often the player needs to exercise it and how similar the situations are.

[Edited by - Estok on April 8, 2005 3:00:55 AM]

I like it. Reminds me of Uplink but more involved.