game-narrative
Game Narrative
Applied mechanics for interactive storytelling — how to design deduction systems, write NPCs with agency, and use player imagination as a narrative tool.
Core Vocabulary
Story Discovery
Search-Based Narrative — A story structure where the player discovers content by querying a database rather than following a linear path. The player's curiosity drives the search; the search curates a mini-narrative from the results. The story is assembled by the player, not delivered to them. Her Story is the canonical example: a word search against interview clips creates a personal, non-linear investigation.
Player Imagination Gap — The space between what the game shows and what the player infers. Non-linear or fragmented narrative forces the player to fill gaps with their own interpretation, making them a co-author. This gap is a feature, not a bug: a player who constructs meaning is more engaged than one who receives it. The iceberg principle applied to games — the story happening "off the page" is often richer than what's on it.
Sculptural Narrative — A story structure where the player explores a complete, pre-existing story from any entry point, assembling understanding non-linearly. Contrast with linear narrative (a path) or branching narrative (a tree). The player is a sculptor revealing a form, not a traveler following a road. Robustness requires that any fragment contain enough context to orient the player — achieved through character depth and thematic consistency, not guaranteed by the structure alone.
Writing From the Character Out — A writing discipline where scenes are written from the character's authentic headspace, not from the designer's structural needs. The character's agenda, voice, and psychology drive the scene; structural requirements are satisfied after the fact. Produces dialogue that feels alive rather than functional.