Title:  Beyond Backstory: Rethinking Narrative in Games and Simulations

Author: Anastasia Salter

Abstract: The role of narrative in games and simulations varies greatly, as some games—such as Chess or Pong—often rely on abstractions and evoke the structures of a story without filling in the details. By contrast, while the detailed modern computer role-playing games weave a world’s story into every part of a gamespace, with layers of history embedded under the surface. Often narrative in war games can be dismissed as a framework—a structure on which to place a system of mathematics and tactics, used to order the game but irrelevant to the underlying mechanics. Such backstory may be relegated to the layout of the board and units and a few pages of history bound in the rules book, but can ultimately be forgettable once the game begins. But story can be more than set-dressing. In a game or simulation at least partially dedicated to learning, narrative elements can provide an essential link between mechanics and context, helping to convey consequence and assist in the translation of game action to real world circumstance. Examining the state of narrative in games reveals emerging models of hybrid, mixed-reality and interactive fiction that each use storytelling differently in creating responsiveness to player actions and aiding a player in constructing meaning to play.

Last Updated: 29 June 2012