When Worlds Collide by Harvey, Colin;

Short description:

An industry veteran reveals the art of storytelling in video games and how it is increasingly shaping wider culture, society and even politics &&&8211; and its commercial and ethical impact.

Long description:

A video game insider reveals how stories power the best computer games

Imagine joining a team of heroic warriors to defeat a monstrous king in a sword and sorcery-themed fantasy realm. Imagine being a Wild West cowboy and robbing a steam train, or a samurai battling the Mongol hordes in feudal Japan. Imagine becoming a cat and fending for yourself in a sprawling urban environment, or shepherding a group of survivors through a wartime fictional city. Imagine, too, if you could build your own character to explore these new realms, or even create your own world.

From collaborative raids with people you’ll never meet in real life to intimate, character-based dramas where you get to inhabit a completely different personality, video games are transforming how we tell stories. It’s a medium that’s always in flux, exploring the capabilities of ever-changing technology and coming up with new ways to engage, immerse and surprise by putting you in the story.

When Worlds Collide speaks to leading writers and narrative designers in the video game industry to look at how video games are taking age-old storytelling techniques and twisting them into new shapes, as well as establishing fresh ways of telling tales unique to the medium. From genre to character, from dialogue to performance, from emergent narrative to transmedia storytelling and the Metaverse, video game writer and academic Colin Harvey explores the particular challenges and manifold possibilities this new medium offers storytellers and worldbuilders.

Interactive, spatial and connected, the influence of game storytelling is spreading way beyond the screen, into wider culture and society, throwing up new ethical challenges in its wake. Colin Harvey takes us on a journey through these myriad compelling domains, tracking their evolution through pixels and polygons to a future in which the real and virtual are increasingly entwined.

Reviews

'Drawing on his expertise as both a practitioner and a storyteller, Harvey skillfully examines the ways in which games are revolutionizing how we engage with, experience, and create stories. Each chapter blends theory with practice, making the ideas accessible and engaging, while inspiring both creators and fans alike to rethink the boundaries of narrative. Whether you're a gamer, writer, or simply a lover of storytelling, When Worlds Collide is an eye-opening and thought-provoking read that will forever change the way you look at stories.' &&&8211; Damien Goodwin (Star Wars Outlaws, The Casting of Frank Stone, Returnal)

'People often ask why I care about storytelling in games. From now on I'll just give them this book' &&&8211; Antony Johnston, (Dead Space, Resident Evil Village, Middle-Earth:Shadow of Mordor)

"When Worlds Collide is a captivating exploration of how video games are reshaping the art of storytelling. In this essential guide, Colin Harvey delves deep into the transformative power of interactive narratives, offering readers an insightful and dynamic perspective on the evolution of storytelling across mediums. Drawing on his expertise as both a practitioner and a storyteller, Harvey skillfully examines the ways in which games are revolutionizing how we engage with, experience, and create stories. Each chapter blends theory with practice, making the ideas accessible and engaging, while inspiring both creators and fans alike to rethink the boundaries of narrative. Whether you're a gamer, writer, or simply a lover of storytelling, When Worlds Collide is an eye-opening and thought-provoking read that will forever change the way you look at stories." &&&8211; Damien Goodwin (Star Wars Outlaws, The Casting of Frank Stone, Returnal)”

"People often ask why I care about storytelling in games. From now on I'll just give them this book" &&&8211; Antony Johnston, (Dead Space, Resident Evil Village, Middle-Earth:Shadow of Mordor)

Table of Contents:

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements 7

Introduction 11

1. Games Versus Stories 17
2. Precursors 35
3. Not Rocket Science 51
4. Cause and Effect 69
5. Genre Trouble 83
6. The Grammar of Games 97
7. Character Development 115
8. Speak Easy 133
9. Adventures in Time and Space 149
10. Processes, Pipelines and Performances 163
11. Ethical Dimensions 181
12. Dead Authors and Emergent Stories 195
13. How to Make a World 209
14. Rise of the Mega Narrative 223
15. Tales From the Metaverse 239
16. The Shape of Things to Come 251