A talk given at CSGC 2023 about applying Christopher Alexander's 15 properties to game narrative.

1. The Nature of Order
in Game Narrative
Jesse Schell
CSGC 2023
Slides: jesseschell.com

5. Einstein Alexander

6. Tesla Dickinson Melville
Van Gogh Philip K. Dick

7. Alexander

9. Each one of us has, somewhere in his heart,
the dream to make a living world, a universe.

24. Dot: Little
Ghost: Medium
Board: Big

25. Alas, Poor Yoshi!
I knew him, Luigi, a
dino of infinite jest.
Medium
Small
Big
(Dialog)
(Characters)
(Plot)

43. Level
Cutscene
Level
Cutscene
Level
Cutscene
Level
Cutscene
Level
Cutscene

72. C8H8O3

76. All lyrical work must, as a
whole, be perfectly
intelligible, but in some
particulars a little
unintelligible. –Goethe

91. Innate Complexity Emergent Complexity

92. The Dots in Pac-Man…
• Establish the goal (eat
all the dots)
• Earn points
• Create a pleasing
sound of progress
• Earn extra lives
• Show progress toward
clearing the board
• Slow down Pac-Man,
creating meaningful
strategy

103. Thanks!
Slides: jesseschell.com
Email: jesse@schellgames.com
@schellgames

104. Images and stuff
• https://img00.deviantart.net/8bc7/i/2015/076/8/d/god_s_creation_by_wannesvdv-
d8m2e27.jpg
• https://fineartamerica.com/featured/koi-pond-with-lily-pad-flower-and-bud-black-and-
white-sally-rockefeller.html
• 15 patterns sketches: Kubala Washatko Architects
• Orbitals: By PoorLeno (talk) - the English language Wikipedia (log).Original text: I created
this work entirely by myself. References:Forinash, Kyle. Hydrogen W Simulation. Indiana
University Southeast. Retrieved on 2008-12-18.Tokita, Sumio; Sugiyama, Takao; Noguchi,
Fumio; Fujii, Hidehiko; Kobayashi, Hidehiko (2006). "An Attempt to Construct an
Isosurface Having Symmetry Elements". Journal of Computer Chemistry, Japan 5 (3):
159–164. DOI:10.2477/jccj.5.159., Public Domain,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5854697
• Many images are from the various books of Christopher Alexander, contact me for more
information.