Game cut scene evaluation

In my game narrative the structure of my game follows Todorov's structure but also challenges the structure as well. The elements of Todorov's theory are clearly used in my narrative but the order of the structure does not follow the normal structure. According to Todorov's theory the structure of a narrative progresses like this:

·      Equilibrium

·      Disequilibrium

·      Recognition of disequilibrium

·      Attempt to resolve disequilibrium

·      Resolution - equilibrium restored

My game follows this theory almost perfectly apart from the beginning where there is to be no equilibrium.

My narrative starts off in a post apocalyptic world where zombies, who are the antagonists, are hunting down survivors, who are the protagonists day by day. This shows my narrative starts straight from disequilibrium, although throughout the game there are hints of backstory of a time when there was an equilibrium, people hint of a golden age before the zombie virus where the world was connected to each other and technology was at its height. This shows that it still follows Todorov's theory but only hints about it and doesn’t really explore it in too much - many computer games use similar narrative devices, though some games like the 'Metal Gear Solid' series become known for the depth of detail in their narrative structure - Hideo Kojima employs layers of elaborate narrative backstory both within individual games and across the whole series.

Here is the summarized structure of my game narrative.

·      Starts off in disequilibrium as the world is already in a bad state because of the zombie virus

·      The recognition of disequilibrium is already present for the protagonists

·      They discover a means to restore the equilibrium

·      Pursue the solution and successfully reach their goal

After this last solution partial equilibrium is restored but not fully, the reason I have done this is for future installments of the game where the story can be carried on and full equilibrium can be achieved.

1I have used Binary Opposites by featuring an antagonist and a protagonist, and using present and past as a feature of the narrative storyline.

The cut scene, which I had made, fits into the narrative just after the main character is introduced and the setting is established. At this point the audience knows that there are zombies, that the world is no longer functioning properly and that normal people are few in number. They also know that a certain medicine is needed in order to stay immune from the virus.

In the scene previous there is a cliffhanger where the main character passes out. The cut scene that I filmed had him waking up confused in a place he has never been before. At this point of the narrative we are in disequilibrium and the main protagonist and the antagonists have been introduced, this scene will expand on other characters to discover if they are a threat or not. The cut scene filmed is a mix between narrative and game play. 

The scene is also very interactive as you can customize your character and also engage in conversations where you choose what to say. From the customization aspect of the cut scene I took inspiration from the many games, which allow you to change your character, such as many sand box games e.g. 'GTA' and 'Saints Row.'

The dialogue element in my cut scene was heavily influence by the 'Mass Effect' franchise of video games. These games have a very rich story line in which you can control the outcome, they use branching dialogue so during conversations you choose what to say. You can choose whether to be a stone cold killer or a glorious freedom fighter, the decisions you take in these games ultimately have massive outcomes in the game, I wanted to incorporate this into my narrative so the audience will feel as if they are the actual character.

Immediately after this cut scene it is mainly gameplay of the character as the character explores the area around him and is able to customize himself more, this relates to the cut scene we have just seen as it expands on the customization elements of the game. Also the character has found himself in a new location, naturally he would explore his surroundings and get used to what is around him.

The cut scene after this would be an explanation of the side missions which are in the game, this expands on the world he is living in as he has to hunt for his food now.

My narrative is linear and follows a straight storyline, although there is a lot of background lore where characters talk and reminisce about the past a lot. The plot which I have established starts off with the main character being a lone survivor, by the end of the game he becomes the trusted leader of a pack and has a lot of responsibility, as the game progresses you will see his slow change.

The setting of the cut scene is extremely important to the game play and narrative as this location becomes your hub where you are able to upgrade your character and store equipment. The character will be going back and forth from this location and others, but overall this location will be in a lot of the game.

Over all i think the narrative of my game suits my target audience very well and has the potential to attract other audiences, there will be a slight niche in favour of males over female audience but it should be more balanced than other games in the genre. I am very pleased with the quality of the cut scene, I believe it puts the audience accurately in the main character's shoes, the audience feel as if they are in the game instead of playing as someone else. If I was to change anything about the game I would add more characters and a different kind of antagonist (perhaps a rival group of survivors), but this is not a problem because I designed my game so that there will be future installments where a lot more can be added and improved.