For this second entry of the series, I define some essential terms such as games, video games, and stories. It is surprisingly complicated to define these terms and I do so in order to ensure future reference to the gameplay in a video game, for instance, cannot be misunderstood or misinterpreted. In other words, you are in for a few theoretical definitions, but I promise it is quite interesting to know the difference between these terms.
This is the first entry in a series of upcoming posts that all derive from my M.A. Thesis. As the title indicates, these posts concern themselves with storytelling in video games. They are an examination of the traditional storytelling structures and how these are represented in video games. Part 1 is the thesis introduction, including a few comments here and there. Part 1 leaves a lot of unanswered questions, but these will be addressed over the coming weeks.
One of the major selling points for creating virtual reality experiences is emotional impact. VR has proven powerful in terms of affecting our feelings, for instance making us happy, curious, anxious, scared, or excited depending on intention. The last thing you want to do is inadvertently trigger people’s sentiments in unintended ways due to an oversight, or direct attention away from your main point, which is why affect must be thought into every step of the experience’s creation process.
Rarely will you come across a video game that so earnestly portrays mental illness, in this case mainly schizophrenia, and how this condition can shape or reshape a person’s perception of reality. Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice tells the story of Senua and her journey through her own hellish reality. It is a story that in 2017 needed to be told via the video game medium.
Research, Reviews, and Stories 