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Linear Stories in Video Games

Friday, November 11th, 2005 at 6:48 am

While we are on the topic of emotion in video games, I figured I’d share my opinions on what makes Final Fantasy the #1 emotion evoker of all games. There are a lot of reason, but the biggest element, I would have to say, is linear story. A lot of game designers seem to frown upon linear storylines in general, arguing that it defeats the purpose of player control in gameplay. Of course one should focus on gameplay as the core of a video game, but let’s get over the no-duh statements and take it to the next level. Otherwise it would be like making movies with your entire focus on FOVs, f-stops, and film speeds.

Linear Story does NOT Mean Linear Gameplay
Critics tend to argue that linear stories limit gameplay, which maybe true to some extent, but less than you would imagine. For one thing, a linear story operates on a progression the way most games have levels. Even in a game like Tetris, you have to pass level 1 to get to level 2, which is really the basis of a linear progression. Generally, you can wrap non-linear gameplay around a linear story by allowing the player to customize characters, allowing the player to explore the world freely, filling the world with mini-games and sidequests, etc. Games like Bethesda’s new Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, and consequently the entire Elder Scrolls series, champions the non-linear RPG, but at the core of their game is still a fundamentally linear story. It’s certainly different from games like Final Fantasy, but the principal of the linear story is still there.

Not being able to choose has its advantages
Not being able to choose your character’s path is only a negative if the designer fails to use it to the game’s advantage. I remember one instance in beginning of Final Fantasy VIII, where the anti-hero, Seifer, disobeys orders and leaves his post and heads to a place of rumored danger, forcing you to follow. At that point, I was not too drawn to the game and found it annoying to have to follow even though I had selected not to when prompted. Sure, this is a frustration, and maybe viewed as the pitfall of linearity, but think of the set up. This follows a very cinematic model—one character has entered a place you know you shouldn’t be. You know something bad is going to happen. In film, you have no choice but to enter that space with the character and whatever happens to the character is out of your control. In video games, you are forced down that path, but cannot take the passive viewing approach. Think about the apprehension you feel when watching a horror movie, when you know that the main character is headed for danger, now put the control of that character in your hands—the stakes go up.

Linear Stories Allow for Better Characters
The best part of a linear story lies in the potential of creating dynamic characters. Linearity permits a character to change as a result to the games events. Moreover, linear structure raises the stakes for each character because the things you do can potentially change the character—you might not have control over the ultimate outcome, but it feels that you do. When Aeris died in FFVII, many people spent hours figuring out ways to bring her back, wondering if there was some way in which she could stay alive. Linear stories ultimately allow for characters to react to scripted events and to have that reaction carry through the rest of the game. When Aeris died, Cloud will never be the same again. By contrast, a character like James Bond–in either the games or movies, starts and ends practically the same, no matter what happens. Sure, they might be sad, confused, or profoundly affected by a lover’s death, but you know that when the sequel comes, it’ll be as if it never happened. Dynamic characters is a fundamental reason why games like Final Fantasy can evoke emotions—they are able to develop characters, then use the game events to change them fundamentally. These changes are what evoke emotions like love, sympathy, and pity.

Final Words
Despite my belief in the potential of linear stories in games, I do have one piece of warning: If you are going to force me down the dangerous path to rescue the princess, I better have a damn good reason why. Linear stories have the potential for what I described above, but they don’t inherently carry it. A good linear story is harder than it sounds, but that is a different discussion altogether…

3 Responses to “Linear Stories in Video Games”

Omar Ismail says:
November 11th, 2005 at 6:55 am

Games are fundamentally different from other media because they are interactive and active as opposed to passive. Once you breach that barrier an infinite can of worms is released. When players take control of their proxies in the gaming world they are exerting their influence over those characters. It then becomes very jarring when you run into the limits of that influence. You’re used to having total control, so losing that during cutscenes or whatever becomes a logical disconnect and that’s where the frustration for story-based games comes from.
Furthermore, character development can come from non-linear stories. Why does the story have to say Cloud is forever changed? Really, it’s the change in the relationship that changes Cloud. That doesn’t have to be a scripted event, whatever causes Aeris to die will profoundly affect Cloud. It’s all about control, over the user’s emotional reaction and experience. And unfortunately this goes directly against the control the user expects from an interactive medium.
It will never be solved 100%, and the best designers are the ones that can strike a balance between the two worlds. And that’s also where people’s own preferences come in, some people don’t mind being passive for some parts of the game and active others. Some want ot be active the entire time, you’re never going to make everyone happy.

Eunice says:
November 20th, 2005 at 10:50 pm

This is an interesting question. In my game design class, they’re definitely emphasizing choice over linearity, especially since we’re using Bioware’s Neverwinter Nights engine (we’re gonna be mentioned on the official nwn site! W00t!). Having choice increases interactivity, and according to a designer from Bioware who did a guest lecture, players get pleasure from making choices. The game we’re making though is going to be linear, like most of the groups in the class. In fact, we used Final Fantasy as a model because we like them so much.
Personally, I like being more passive. I play it like I would read a book, I go through it to find out what happens to the characters and the world. I don’t need to have a “choose your own adventure” to enjoy a game. It’s all about the viewpoint. When playing FF, I don’t see myself as being one of the characters, rather it’s like a movie camera, following the protagonist around. In a game like NWN or KotOR where you get to choose what type of person you are, I find that I’m not as engaged. The protagonist ultimately ends up with less of a personality, no great character flaws, and I don’t feel for them at all. It’s sort of like reading a self-insertion fanfic, which is to say, it’s not terribly fun.
Probably the best way to go is to use alternate endings based on relatively minor decisions. While it’s a lot of work, there’s more replay value and more decisions to make, but the characters are still entities in and of themselves, not extensions of the player. I guess it gives the player the illusion of choice.
As Omar said, it ultimately boils down to the player’s preference.

Sally says:
November 21st, 2005 at 2:11 am

RE: Eunice
Yeah, I think I would prefer alternate endings over “choose your own adventure,” however, with that model, I would love too be able to make bigger choices, like, if I was nicer to Aeris, she would not have to die. But in the end, if it was one ending versus multiple endings (no significant change in the core story) I think I would personally prefer one ending, just because I think it’s a better use of time to focus on the core of the game, rather then offering multiple outcomes. Maybe it could be like a bonus task studios offer to over-the-top enthusiastic design interns. (jking)

RE: Omar
I’m not suggesting that non-linear stories don’t have character development, I’m suggesting that it is better because of dynamic characters. No, Cloud doesn’t have to fundamentally change, I’m saying that he becomes a more rounded character if he does change. One rule of thumb in screenwriting is that your main character has to fundamentally change. Granted, movies aren’t games, but they execute that emotional factor much better, even though, in my opinion, games have a better means of executing it.


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