Notes for a session at Serious Games BarCamp, AFTRS, Sydney 8/5/2010

1. Seven
Plot
Lines
Dr
Elyssebeth
Leigh
FutureSearch
Sydney
Serious
Games
BarCamp
@
AFTRS
8/5/2010

2. Serious
GAmes
BarCamp
@
AFTRS
8/5/2010

3. • Overcoming
the
monster
–
heroes/heroines
in
the
story
defeat
some
strong
force
which
threatens
them/their
lives
• The
Quest
–
key
characters
are
propelled
–
or
choose
-­‐
to
enter
into
a
journey
driven
by
a
search
for
some
worthwhile
‘thing’
or
place
–
in
most
versions
of
this
plot
the
searchers
are
successful
• Journey
and
Return
-­‐
the
hero/heroine
leaves
a
place
of
safety
(e.g.
home)
and
journeys
to
somewhere
‘alien
and
strange’.
Their
return
reveals
they
have
had
experiences
that
–
most
oTen
–
have
created
a
change
in
them
• Comedy
–
this
is
not
limited
to
a
‘funny’
story.
Usually
it
begins
with
some
kind
of
misunderstanding
or
ignorance
of
relevant
facts
that
keeps
heroes/
heroines
apart
but
which
is
resolved
in
a
manner
that
brings
the
main
characters
back
together
by/before
the
story
ends
• Tragedy
–
the
heroes/heroines
are
tempted
in
some
way
that
ensnares
their
character’s
‘flaw’
-­‐
vanity,
greed,
pride
etc.
They
become
increasingly
desperate
or
alienated
being
trapped
by
their
acXons
unXl
at
a
point
of
climax
one
or
more
key
characters
usually
die.
• Rebirth
–
the
heroes/heroines
are
captured
or
oppressed
in
some
specific
way.
All
seem
to
exist
in
a
state
of
exile
or
enslavement
unXl
all
seems
lost
–
oTen
a
miracle
or
unexpected
arrival
brings
the
longed
for
freedom
from
oppression
• Rags
to
Riches
–
this
is
so
familiar
as
to
be
a
self
explanatory
Xtle
Serious
GAmes
BarCamp
@
AFTRS
8/5/2010

4. Suspension
of
Disbelief
• The
goal
is
to
have
players
accept
the
‘unreal’
reality
of
their
experience
– We
know
what
we
know
and
will
not
go
far
beyond
that
before
we
stop
accepXng
the
story
• The
context
in
which
we/they
are
is
central
– In
a
playground
we
accept
one
set
of
realiXes,
in
the
classroom
these
no
longer
apply
• Power
relaXonships
influence
acceptance
– Who
‘tells’
the
story?
Who
owns
the
ending?
What
happens
aTerwards?
• Nature
of
the
engagement
determines
reacXons
– They
must
be
‘true’
to
individual
understanding
of
what
is
‘reasonable’
(not
‘possible’)
Serious
GAmes
BarCamp
@
AFTRS
8/5/2010

5. Overcoming
the
monster
• Key
players
defeat
strong
threatening
force.
Examples
– Alien
– Predator
– How
to
train
your
dragon
– Portal
–
valve
– Harry
Po`er
– Jaws
– Matrix
– Donkey
Kong
– Heavy
Rain
Serious
GAmes
BarCamp
@
AFTRS
8/5/2010

6. The
Quest
• Characters
enter
a
journey
searching
for
a
worthwhile
‘thing’
or
place
–
and
are
oTen
successful.
• Examples
– Mario
bros
– Sinbad
– Thelma
and
Louise
– Lord
of
the
rings
– MMORPGs
-­‐
RPG’s
– Branching
games
Serious
GAmes
BarCamp
@
AFTRS
8/5/2010

7. Journey
and
Return
• Characters
leaves
a
safe
place
to
journey
to
‘alien
/strange’
places.
Return
shows
experiences
have
changed
them.
• Examples
– Lord
of
the
Rings
– Homer
–
the
illiad
– Paolo
Coehlo
•
Serious
GAmes
BarCamp
@
AFTRS
8/5/2010

8. Comedy
• Begins
with
misunderstanding
or
ignorance
of
facts
that
keeps
characters
apart
-­‐
resolved
in
a
way
to
brings
them
together
by/before
the
end.
• Examples?
Serious
GAmes
BarCamp
@
AFTRS
8/5/2010

9. Tragedy
• Characters
are
tempted
in
way
that
ensnares
character
‘flaw’
-­‐
vanity,
greed,
pride
etc
-­‐
become
increasingly
desperate
or
alienated,
trapped
by
their
acXons
unXl
at
climax
someone
dies.
• Examples?
Serious
GAmes
BarCamp
@
AFTRS
8/5/2010

10. Rebirth
• Characters
are
captured
or
oppressed
in
some
specific
way.
All
seem
to
be
exiled
or
enslaved
-­‐
all
seems
lost
–
oTen
a
miracle
or
unexpected
arrival
brings
the
longed
for
freedom
from
oppression
– Shawshank
RedempXon
– Joseph
and
his
technicolour
dreamcoat
Serious
GAmes
BarCamp
@
AFTRS
8/5/2010

11. Rags
to
Riches
• Self
explanatory?
Serious
GAmes
BarCamp
@
AFTRS
8/5/2010

12. Factors
• What
is
a
tragedy
for
them
may
be
a
comedy
for
me
• “Two
story
lines
“stranger
comes
to
town
-­‐
OR
–
the
danger
comes
to
you
• TransacXonal
and
transformaXonal
perspecXves
of
the
framework
• Joseph
Campbell
as
‘biographer’
of
the
“hero’s
journey”
• If
games
only
pick
up/use
some
of
these
categories
why
is
this
so?
– Technology
limitaXons
– What
else?
• But
wait
there’s
more
–
only
we
did
not
have
Xme,
this
Xme!
• If
this
presentaXon
was
a
‘story’
which
of
these
‘seven
plot
lines’
would
best
describe
it?
Serious
GAmes
BarCamp
@
AFTRS
8/5/2010