Story worlds 21/10/11

Story worlds 21/10/11

In this lecture we were looking at how the world that a story is set in is just as important to telling the story as the characters are. This goes back to the point that a character doesn’t have to be a person, but could be the world itself as it has an important part in the overall story.

The story world alone can tell you almost exactly what the story is about, a good story would set the scene with iconic features to certain genres. This is used a lot in film openings setting the film with futuristic landscapes and flying cars to show the film is set in the future, or possibly another planet.

We then looked at multimedia story worlds, so stories that have been spread over many media, like games , novels, comics, movies etc. All of these will have some iconic element that is seen in all of them to connect with the audience and show it is still part of the same thing. These become a franchise and can be recognised over all the media.

We were asked to pick a franchise and pick out 5 iconic elements of that franchise. As small group we decided to look at Atlus’s Persona franchise:

·      The persona- These are creatures or beings that you can summon in the games, they are meant to reflect traits of the people that summon them. There are a large range of persona that you can customise and fuse together to make new persona.

·      Torot cards- the use of Torot cards is a key feature, in the games you can ‘social link’ with other characters. Each character has a different card that represents them, enhancing social links allows you to strengthen your persona that come under the same card.

·      Igor and the velvet room- the velvet room is a place that exists somewhere in between worlds, you can access this room to fuse your persona. Igor is the person who fuses them, he is also the one that tells the main character about persona and how they work. The velvet room is also memorable by the music when inside, it is the same throughout the games and you immediately know where you are.

·      Moral choices- In the persona games you always have choices about what you want to say to people and what you want to do, this affects certain outcomes, especially to do with the social links.

·      The music- the persona games are also known for there amazing music and it always has a huge influence on the atmosphere and feel of the game. 

Vladimir Propp

Propp was born in St Petersburg in Russia in the 1890’s to a German Family, after studying at University he became a teacher of German and Russian to high school students. He is most famous for his book Morphology of the folktale, which was published in Russia in 1928.  His 31 functions of narrative and 7 character roles are still used today in media education, plays, films video or any story even today.

I have taken games that I am familiar with and applied Propp’s functions.

First I did the 7 character roles, I chose to do a game called Folklore that is a game highly based on fairy tales and fantasy. I thought it fit with topics we had recently been discussing.

7 Character roles

The villain-The fairy realm or netherworld as it is known in the game. There is no specific character that is classed as the villain in this game, the alternate world that you regularly visit in the game is what hinders you.

The donor- The cloak, you are given this so you can enter the fairy realm safely, without it you wouldn’t be able to travel there.

The helper- Scarecrow and Belgea, these two are your guides to the fairy realm and give you advices and support.

The princess/ and father- Ellen’s Mother, Ellen receives a letter from her mother that calls her to Doolin, the town the game is set in. Keats is bought to the island from curiosity because of stories he has heard.

The dispatcher- Ellen’s Mother, Ellen receives a letter from her mother that calls her to Doolin, the town the game is set in. Keats is bought to the island from curiosity because of stories he has heard. These can be used for the princess and father roles as well.

The Hero- Ellen and Keats, These are the two main characters that you play as. They are the ones who are working towards solving the mystery that surrounds the town of Doolin and what the Netherworld has to do with all of it.

The false Hero- Scarecrow, despite scarecrow seemingly being there to guide and aid you in the fairy realm, you can’t help but feel he has other motives and might not be looking at your best interest rather aiming towards a selfish goal. His character is quite sly and mysterious so you cannot tell whether he is meant to be the good guy or the bad guy.

31 Functions or narrative.

1.              ABSENTATION- A member of a family leaves the security of the home environment. This may be the hero or some other member of the family that the hero will later need to rescue. This division of the cohesive family injects initial tension into the storyline. The hero may also be introduced here, often being shown as an ordinary person.

2.              INTERDICTION- An interdiction is addressed to the hero ('don't go there', 'don't do this'). The hero is warned against some action (given an 'interdiction').

3.              VIOLATION of INTERDICTION- The interdiction is violated (villain enters the tale). This generally proves to be a bad move and the villain enters the story, although not necessarily confronting the hero. Perhaps they are just a lurking presence or perhaps they attack the family whilst the hero is away.

4.              RECONNAISSANCE- The villain makes an attempt at reconnaissance (either villain tries to find the children/jewels etc.; or intended victim questions the villain). The villain (often in disguise) makes an active attempt at seeking information, for example searching for something valuable or trying to actively capture someone. They may speak with a member of the family who innocently divulges information. They may also seek to meet the hero, perhaps knowing already the hero is special in some way.

5.              DELIVERY- The villain gains information about the victim. The villain's seeking now pays off and he or she now acquires some form of information, often about the hero or victim. Other information can be gained, for example about a map or treasure location.

6.              TRICKERY- The villain attempts to deceive the victim to take possession of victim or victim's belongings (trickery; villain disguised, tries to win confidence of victim). The villain now presses further, often using the information gained in seeking to deceive the hero or victim in some way, perhaps appearing in disguise. This may include capture of the victim, getting the hero to give the villain something or persuading them that the villain is actually a friend and thereby gaining collaboration.

7.              COMPLICITY- Victim taken in by deception, unwittingly helping the enemy. The trickery of the villain now works and the hero or victim naively acts in a way that helps the villain. This may range from providing the villain with something (perhaps a map or magical weapon) to actively working against good people (perhaps the villain has persuaded the hero that these other people are actually bad).

8.              VILLAINY or LACK- Villain causes harm/injury to family member (by abduction, theft of magical agent, spoiling crops, plunders in other forms, causes a disappearance, expels someone, casts spell on someone, substitutes child etc., commits murder, imprisons/detains someone, threatens forced marriage, provides nightly torments); Alternatively, a member of family lacks something or desires something (magical potion etc.). There are two options for this function, either or both of which may appear in the story. In the first option, the villain causes some kind of harm, for example carrying away a victim or the desired magical object (which must be then be retrieved). In the second option, a sense of lack is identified, for example in the hero's family or within a community, whereby something is identified as lost or something becomes desirable for some reason, for example a magical object that will save people in some way.

9.              MEDIATION- Misfortune or lack is made known, (hero is dispatched, hears call for help etc./ alternative is that victimized hero is sent away, freed from imprisonment). The hero now discovers the act of villainy or lack, perhaps finding their family or community devastated or caught up in a state of anguish and woe.

10.           BEGINNING COUNTER-ACTION- Seeker agrees to, or decides upon counter-action. The hero now decides to act in a way that will resolve the lack, for example finding a needed magical item, rescuing those who are captured or otherwise defeating the villain. This is a defining moment for the hero as this is the decision that sets the course of future actions and by which a previously ordinary person takes on the mantle of heroism.

11.           DEPARTURE- Hero leaves home;

12.           FIRST FUNCTION OF THE DONOR- Hero is tested, interrogated, attacked etc., preparing the way for his/her receiving magical agent or helper (donor);

13.           HERO'S REACTION- Hero reacts to actions of future donor (withstands/fails the test, frees captive, reconciles disputants, performs service, uses adversary's powers against him);

14.           RECEIPT OF A MAGICAL AGENT- Hero acquires use of a magical agent (directly transferred, located, purchased, prepared, spontaneously appears, eaten/drunk, help offered by other characters);

15.           GUIDANCE- Hero is transferred, delivered or led to whereabouts of an object of the search;

16.           STRUGGLE- Hero and villain join in direct combat;

17.           BRANDING- Hero is branded (wounded/marked, receives ring or scarf);

18.           VICTORY- Villain is defeated (killed in combat, defeated in contest, killed while asleep, banished);

19.           LIQUIDATION- Initial misfortune or lack is resolved (object of search distributed, spell broken, slain person revived, captive freed);

20.           RETURN- Hero returns;

21.           PURSUIT- Hero is pursued (pursuer tries to kill, eat, undermine the hero);

22.           RESCUE- Hero is rescued from pursuit (obstacles delay pursuer, hero hides or is hidden, hero transforms unrecognisably, hero saved from attempt on his/her life);

23.           UNRECOGNIZED ARRIVAL- Hero unrecognized, arrives home or in another country;

24.           UNFOUNDED CLAIMS- False hero presents unfounded claims;

25.           DIFFICULT TASK- Difficult task proposed to the hero (trial by ordeal, riddles, test of strength/endurance, other tasks);

26.           SOLUTION- Task is resolved;

27.           RECOGNITION- Hero is recognized (by mark, brand, or thing given to him/her);

28.           EXPOSURE- False hero or villain is exposed;

29.           TRANSFIGURATION- Hero is given a new appearance (is made whole, handsome, new garments etc.);

30.           PUNISHMENT- Villain is punished;

            31.       WEDDING- Hero marries and ascends the throne (is rewarded/promoted).

When reading through all these points you begin to think about stories you have read or experienced and begin fitting in all the pieces, like a big puzzle. I find it extremely interesting as i enjoy working on my own stories for graphic novels and the such. 

First thoughts

7/10/11

We started by discussing what we thought the word coherent meant and what it took to create such a world. The definition of the word coherent is something logical and consistent and can be understood clearly. So we agreed that in order to create a video game world, it had to be well thought out and clear to the player, as well as consistent.

We went on to discuss about the relationship between the out side world of a game like the environment, and the core mechanics of a game. Only if the two are in harmony with each other does the game really work. 

Genre and narrative also have a major part in the world of a video game. We talked about Fairy stories and how they generally have a clear narrative, thinking particularly about the “happily ever after” ending we all know and love. Both the character and the setting must have relevance to the actual plot of the game, other wise it will leave the player confused as to why they are in this particular place and doing what they are doing. The narrative of a game is more than just a backdrop; the narrative needs to interact with world and the player so you feel immersed in the game world. This is key if you want to motivate the player to play the game, if they do not feel they are connected with the story and character they will not want to play. I myself look more for plot and narrative in games because I love stories enjoy getting caught up in it, whether it is a book, film, or game.

We were asked to get into groups of 3-4 people and research examples of the “Fairy tale” genre in games.  We chose to research the 2007 title called Folklore, developed by Game republic and published by Japan studio, which is part of Sony Computer entertainment international. Folklore is a word used to describe a variety of different things such as legends, music and fairy tales. There are other things that can be classed as folklore, but it depends on the area or culture you are in.

The game takes place in a town called Doolin in Ireland, this is in fact a real place they have chosen to use in the game. Irish folklore and fairy tales heavily influences the game, so it’s the darker more sinister side to fairy tales rather than the conventional ones. There is a dark undertone to the whole game, even though the characters, creatures and environments can be quite vibrant colours. There are two different sides to this game, one is the real world set in Doolin, and the other is the Fairy world. This is a world separate from ours that harbours all the creatures and monsters or “Folks” as they are called in the game.

You play as two different characters Ellen and Keats whose agendas are pretty similar but what seems to be on different sides. They both investigate the real world as well as the Fairy worlds to figure out a strange mystery that has been hanging round the town. Both characters stories cross over each other and you have to replay levels as both Ellen and Keats to complete the story. Every level has different monsters that only one or the other can get, leaving some ways closed of that that certain character cannot access. You can either play all the way through one characters story and then on to the other, but to get the best understanding of the complex narrative I would play one of the characters levels then do the same level with the other character.

The developers put a lot of effort into researching old mythology and folklore in Celtic and Gaelic culture and interpreted what they thought the creature would look like. The game looks beautiful but as was said earlier it has quite a sinister undertone.

We also looked at Okami, a 2007 title developed by Clover Studio and published by Capcom. This game is centred on Japanese Shinto folklore and mythology rather than our familiar fairy tales. To understand parts of the game some background knowledge of Shinto mythology would be helpful but as this game was produced by a Japanese studio, to the Japanese players it wouldn’t be all that strange.