What is the essence of games, and why do people play them? The first thing that comes to mind is entertainment. It's nice to come home after a hard day's work, sit comfortably, and spend an hour or two on some excellent game that will relax your brain and bring pleasure. A significant percentage of gamers approach games from this angle.
As for me, I've always evaluated a game primarily in terms of story, narrative design, and the prescription of the game universe. So, the project we are currently developing has a tremendous and well-described lore and story to which we have devoted much time and effort.
Personal experience
The world of video games has come a long and incredible way. Modern technology allows what happens on the screen to come to life and for us, the players, to participate directly. However, it was sometimes different. Let's take the late 90s when developers had to do everything possible to hide certain flaws, weaknesses, and so on.
In addition to purely visual compensation (fog, duplicate textures), the creators put a particular emphasis on story, narrative, lore, and a colorful universe that would captivate the player and make them return. My first such experience was the RPG Baldur's Gate. I wasn't familiar with the world of Forgotten Realms until the first BG, and that's precisely how it immersed me in this world.
The adventure of the first BG was incredibly atmospheric and fantastic. The journey started with a personal tragedy of the protagonist, and further events spiraled into a real political detective with intrigue, scandals, and investigations. The storyline abounded with unexpected twists and turns and variations. I believed in each party member, read their dialogs, and learned backstories with great interest. Anything that wasn't shown on screen due to technical limitations, I made up with my imagination. And no graphics can do better than your imagination.
Diablo 2 was another iconic game for me from the late 90s. Yes, the story and history are more like background scenery, but the universe itself... Gloomy, cruel, and highly fascinating, it struck me with biblical motifs and events. In short, I wanted to return to Diablo 2 not only for the sake of furious farming another legendary armor or reducing the population of monsters - details and atmosphere bribed the world. Diablo 2's narrative designers did their best. Although the game is not about a deep story, the essence of Sanctuary becomes clear to you quite quickly thanks to the few text descriptions and thoughtful level design.
The iconic Fallout 2, an RPG that became a genre benchmark, also won my heart. Going through its quests for the first time, I forgot about sleep, food, and the outside world. The story didn't let go for long hours; the characters seemed genuinely alive, and every decision had consequences. The variation was terrific and motivated me to replay the game repeatedly.
Of course, since then, many more story-driven games have surprised me to the core and inspired me. Some of them I read like a great book, not paying attention to the sometimes poor gameplay or not up-to-date graphics. Thus, games about stories have since occupied a special place in my heart, justifying my respectful attitude to the narrative and prescribed world of my project.
Back to the future…
What do we have now? Unfortunately, current trends are such that graphics and a good story rarely go hand in hand. In recent years, we have noticed a particular direction in the gaming industry: many AAA games suffer from poor storytelling, and developers prefer to focus more on visuals and gameplay, reducing the importance of narrative in games. It can't help but cause a certain amount of concern.
Instead of offering engaging and profound stories, games are often based on superficial and clichéd plots that leave no impression after the ending. One of the main determinants of poor storytelling is an over-focus on action and special effects, to the detriment of character development and narrative meaning.
One of the reasons why developers have started to ignore the narrative is the gaming industry's fascination with multiplayer modes and eSports. Based on the ideas of competition and fast action, developers must remember that games should also offer emotional and mental challenges. They focus on creating an arena for competition, ignoring the fact that a quality story can enhance the interest of a game and turn it into something deeper and more appealing to a broader audience.
Surely, this is not to say that all modern AAA games suffer from shoddy work by narrative designers. Some exceptions exceed all imaginable and unthinkable expectations and offer engaging and compelling stories. Of course, I'm talking about the recently released Baldur's Gate 3, which I'm confident is a true breakthrough for the entire RPG genre. However, more than such games are needed, and they are often lost among many products with simplistic and superficial stories.
Why does narrative matter?
First, it serves as the basis of the game's plot. It creates conflicts and sets purpose and motivation for characters and players. Thanks to an interesting story, players feel part of an exciting adventure and get emotionally involved in what is happening. Heroic feats, difficult choices, the development of relationships between characters - all this makes each game moment unique and exciting.
In addition, lore helps establish the context of the game world and its depth. Lore accounts for the culture, history, and various aspects of the people or the game world. Lore creates a unique atmosphere and an engaging rules system that immerses players in the game's universe. Players can explore historical events, technology, mythology, and more, expanding their knowledge and understanding of the world the game offers.
Story and lore also strengthen the emotional connection between players and characters. A compelling story that players engage in evokes strong emotions such as joy, sadness, fear, or anger. It creates a deep emotional attachment to the game and promotes its appreciation as a form of entertainment and art. Players become imbued with the characters, empathize with them, and become closer to them.
Moreover, the story and lore are often the basis for additional game content such as sequels or DLC. Players interested in that particular universe want the adventure to continue, want even more content, and delve deeper into the game's universe.
The story and narrative draw players into epic adventures, provide a sense of purpose and direction, and make them think about complex moral and ethical issues. A game's story and elaborate world are critical to its success because they make gamers feel part of something significant.
The game's lore creates a particular context that contributes to forming a community. Players begin to discuss events, speculate about possible variants of plot development, and share their theories. They become connected to the game not only through gameplay but also through its world. It often leads to the creation of fan forums, communities in social networks, and even the organization of gatherings where dedicated players meet and discuss the game in real life.
Let's summarize. Lore is critical in building a community that will become your first and most loyal players. A community immersed in the game world has a huge potential for developers and may be a critical factor in the product's success in the market. So, when creating a game, remember the value of a quality story and narrative. Hire a narrative designer immediately!