Game Stories

  One article that I have read this week is "Into the Woods: A Practical Guide to the Hero's Journey" by Bob Bates. He explains that the hero's journey is important because myths are important. They are tales that teach us we should act in day to day life, and the morals that we should adhere to. Myths actively guide our actions, whether we are aware of it or not.

  Myths influence our:


  • Personal Identity
  • Communities
  • Moral Values
  • Mysteries of Life and Death
  Humans have survived by their communication of dangers to their kin and tribes. When they learned of danger, they would avoid the danger where possible, but also make others close to them aware of the danger, and they would live longer as a result. Myths and parables do the same. They spread awareness of dangers, and teach people how to avoid them. Even personal dangers such as greed, jealousy, wrath, gluttony, pride, lust and sloth are often warned against - more commonly known as the Seven Deadly Sins in the Bible. Hero's are often portrayed as perfect examples of how we should conduct ourselves. Beowulf teaches that we should be self sacrificing, brave and fight evil. Teaching an individual to put the needs of the many before the needs of themselves is quite powerful.

"How powerful are myths? Without them to guide our lives, we are lost"

  Myths drive humanity to carry on. Without them, we easily fall into chaos, suffering from depression and other mental illnesses. We need to believe that our lives have meaning, otherwise what is the point in carrying on? When we can find meaning in our own lives, we actively seek out activities that strengthen our beliefs. Storytelling and literature are popular choices for a conduit to reinforce our personal myths. Raphael Patai wrote: The real function of literature is to continue myth's endeavour to create a meaningful place for a man in a world oblivious to his presence." Bates believes that games fall under this umbrella.

  Another article that goes into detail about story is "What Every Game Developer Needs to Know about Story" by John Sutherland. He says that "story is a universal human experience." He reiterates some common story facts, like the fact that story is conflict. Classical stories are simple, and will have a hero, an inciting incident, and risks. Characters have a large influence on the direction of the story, and should embody the premise that the storyteller is trying to convey.

Storytelling in Action
Source: Pixabay


- Ultan


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