Creating Coherent Worlds

During our first lecture, we were split into two groups and given the task of analysing a game which was set in the future and its coherent world. We chose to go with Star Wars: The Force Unleashed as this seemed popular within the group. 

The story world builds off of the one already set throughout the franchise's long history, which automatically helps the player identify and connect with the game world. Here are the notes our group put to thought:

The protagonist is one of the founding members of the rebel alliance.

The game bridges a gap between episode III and episode IV.

Open sequence begins with Darth Vader in pursuit of a Jedi while brutally killing Wookies.

With this in mind, taking control as an antagonist instantly pulls the player into the would with its immersive convention.

The game is CORE HEAVY.

Does the game function with the aspects of the Star Wars story, background, 

characters, assets etc?

Space opera: By looking at the Star Wars world you can see aspects of the history in the game itself.

The game's graphics aren’t just eye candy, they all build the coherent world.

In our next lecture, we learned the narrative theories of a man named Vladimir Propp. His theories are still widely influential in today's works within narrative construction  His book is described with one of his theories:

"The word ‘morphology’ means the study of forms. In botany, the term ‘morphology’ means the study of the component parts of a plant, of their relationship to each other and to the whole – in other words, the study of a plant’s structure. But what about a ‘morphology of the folktale?’ Scarcely anyone has thought about the possibility of such a concept."

The theory basically breaks down to meaning that a study and analysis of a folktale can be made according to the functions of its dramatic personae. This is a good approach to take because it privelages function over character. With this outlook on the story world, it can easily be broken down into its prime structure.

Propp provides a supporting example:

1. A tsar gives an eagle to a hero. The eagle carries the hero away to another kingdom.

2. An old man gives Sucenko a horse. The horse carries Sucenko away to another kingdom.

3. A sorcerer gives Ivan a little boat. The boat takes Ivan to another kingdom.

4. A princess gives Ivan a ring. Young men appearing from out of the ring carry Ivan away into another kingdom.

Using this, Propp deducts that while "the names of the of the dramatic personae change... neither their actions nor functions change." He also says "a tale often attributes identical actions to various personages. This makes possible the study of the tale according to the functions of its dramatic personae."

Propp continues this theory with a list of dramatic personae's "Spheres in action":

·         The Villain. - The antagonist during a situation or event

.

·         The Helper. – Helps the hero during a situation or event.

·         The Donor. –  Prepare the hero with weapon, or power up during a situation or event.

·         The Princess, and her father. - Damsel in distress during a situation or event

.

·         The Dispatcher. – The character who sends off the hero with a lack of knowledge during a situation or event.

·         The Hero (Seeker-hero, victim-hero). - The protagonist of the story.

·         The False Hero. – Takes credit of the hero during a situation or event.

Using Propp's theory, I will look at a Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and apply the theory to it:

·         The Villain. - Dr. Robotnik

.

·         The Helper. – Miles 'Tails' Prower, Sonic's sidekick.

·         The Donor. –  Chaos Emeralds, can be used by Sonic to gain unlimited power with enough rings.

·         The Princess, and her father. - All of the kidnapped animals, trapped inside metal containers.

.

·         The Dispatcher. – Other animals, warning Sonic of the situation.

·         The Hero (Seeker-hero, victim-hero). - Sonic the Hedgehog.

·         The False Hero. – None.