I agree with the idea that one of the most important things within a game is the development of the environment. The environment in which a game takes place is central to convincing the player that they are transported into a new world. Environments within a game adds context to the overarching narrative. Within the article “Game Design as Narrative Architecture”, Henry Jenkins describes the importance of spatial stories and environmental storytelling. In the article he discusses “what ways the structuring of game space facilitates different kinds of narrative experiences” (Jenkins). When I think of environmental storytelling I think of Dead Space. The environment of Dead Space is arguable the most important part of the game. It takes place in a ship in space that is infested with these creatures called necromorphs. This game is supposed to evoke feelings of fear and loneliness. The ship is damaged and painted with the blood of the people on the ship. There are bodies and documents that paint an image of events that must have taken place before you got there. It gives the player the illusion of a bigger world with events taking place all around them. Without the environment, the narrative itself might not be able to tell the story of the game in a convincing way. The game wouldn’t be what it is today. I believe it wouldn’t be nearly as scary or successful. One statement I completely agree with is, “Environmental storytelling creates the preconditions for an immersive narrative experience” (Jenkins). The only way to truly immerse the character into a narrative is to surround them with a believable environment. An environment that enriches the main plot of a story, and even enhances it or enlarges it. I think that it is interesting if the environment encourages different narratives that are separate from the main narrative. The environment of a game could even be used to develop side narratives that don’t have anything to do with the main story but encourages players to venture off and find these subtle easter eggs. Obviously not all games need an environment in order to be a good game, but for those that are building a larger game world I feel that putting extra time into the story of the space is essential for success.
Works Cited
Jenkins, Henry. “Game Design as Narrative Architecture.” (2003).
I wholeheartedly agree that environment is one of the most important aspects of a game. It is the first thing that can be seen as soon as a player begins a game, and inconsistencies would immediately break any semblance of immersion. The importance of this aspect is doubly important when it comes to breaking the immersion of the built game. For instance, Rainbow Six Siege is this tactical shooter, with realistic situations, guns, character stories, and mechanics. They broke this vision of the game during April Fools, when they converted a map into a child’s room, with the map objects, characters, guns, and even the context of the situation, into that of a child’s imagination. Absolutely everything associated with the even was redone visually, absolutely destroying any realism the game had. But all of this just reinforced the completeness of the environment created to invoke this feeling.
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