Narrative Design
Mentorship Talks

Analysed two parkour games in detail in terms of their VO (voice over) distribution.

• What type of VOs are played? (Radios, barks, etc.)

• During what type of gameplay are they played? (Combat, traversal, etc.)

• What's the purpose of the VOs? (Information, direction hint, raise tension, relieve tension, etc.)

• What information is transferred? (Mission reminder, enemy warning, fluff conversation, etc.)

• What's the "tension level" while VOs are played/not played?

• How do VOs add to the tension?

• How long are the VOs during gameplay?

• How often are VOs played? How long are the pauses between VOs?

• How do VOs shape the story, the atmosphere, the characters, etc.?

The goal was to get a "scientific," fact- and number-based feeling for the distribution of VOs in linear traversal games.

Presented the principles of Mihály Csíkszentmihályi's flow concept and adaptations from other scholars, namely Sweetser and Wyeth, transformed the criteria into a more practical model, and analysed two highly successful games before this background.