Interactive Narrative Design/Week 1
Interactive Narrative Design
Cai Zihan / 0378043
23/9/2025-30/9/2025/Week 1
Interactive Narrative Design/Bachelor of Design in Creative Media / Taylor's University
TABLE OF CONTENT
In the first class of the semester, the professor explained what Interactive Narrative Design is. Centered around this theme, the professor introduced what we would learn in this course, the lesson structure, assessments, and student responsibilities.
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| Fig 1.1 What will we learn（2025/9/23，Week1） |
Figure 1.1 illustrates the fundamental narrative principles and elements proposed by the professor, along with plot development and interactive narrative structures. The professor explained the meaning of each term and provided examples to make them easier to understand.
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| Fig 1.2 What will we learn（2025/9/23，Week1） |
In the next class, we will be learning Unity3D. The professor will teach us how to download Unity3D in class to prepare for next week.
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| Fig 1.3 Key Traits （2025/9/23，Week1) |
Fig. 1.3 shows some important terms explained by the teacher in class, with detailed explanations provided to aid our understanding.
- Complex narrative structure
- Harder to maintain pacing and coherence
- Player freedom vs authored vision
- Designing meaningful choices (not superficial)
- Increased production workload (multiple paths, assets)
- Testing & QA (many permutations)
In general, interactive narrative design is a form of storytelling that allows users to influence the narrative progression and outcome through their choices and actions.
I'd like to introduce the movie Shutter Island.
The protagonist, suffering from schizophrenia, creates another self within his mind as a defense mechanism to escape painful experiences in reality. On one hand, he seems aware of the abnormality of it all and longs to awaken from this fantasy; on the other, he cannot face the wounds of the past and prefers to remain immersed in this delusion.
The most intriguing aspect of this film is how the protagonist believes this island isn't a normal one, and the audience follows suit in thinking it's abnormal. Yet by the end, we discover the truly abnormal one is the protagonist himself. The film concludes with an open ending, leaving viewers uncertain whether the protagonist ultimately returns to sanity or continues living within his own mental world.
An open ending like this encourages viewers to discuss the protagonist's final choice, prompting them to rewatch the film to uncover clues hinting at the outcome.
The narrative perspective follows the protagonist, so whatever the protagonist perceives, the audience follows their line of thought.
The employee discovered this black hole.
Outcome 1: He wasn't greedy—he took only a little money and then destroyed the black hole.
Outcome 2: He used the black hole to steal more things, causing it to grow larger and larger.
- He locked himself inside the safe, and people didn't discover him until the next time they opened it.
The black hole grew larger and larger until it developed its own will, beginning to devour the Earth.
The four of them have been close friends since childhood, and all share a passion for adventure.
Richard:Resolute and decisive, loyal and principled, with a touch of stubbornness. He's always the first to charge into danger, but often overlooks the details.
Eileen：Cool-headed and sharp-eyed, sometimes appearing aloof, yet deeply values companions. An expert in biology and chemistry, playing a pivotal role in researching the causes of mutated animals and developing antidotes. Skilled in deduction and strategic planning.
Blake：Richard's close friend and the peacemaker of the four-person squad. Skilled in mechanics and engineering, he handles weapon modifications and excels at communicating with diverse groups. He often acts as a mediator during conflicts between factions within the human community.
Sophia：Erin's childhood friend and the team's emotional anchor. Empathetic, gentle yet resolute, and highly perceptive, her profound respect for life makes her the voice of peaceful coexistence. She possesses an innate affinity with animals and can understand mutated creatures' behavior to a certain extent.
Theme：
Central Theme: Ecological balance and technological ethics, alongside humanity's choices in dire straits.
If players choose to confront mutated creatures to the end, the theme leans toward humanity's survival struggle after technological abuse and reflection on the exploitation of nature. If they attempt coexistence with some mutated animals, the theme focuses on restoration possibilities after ecological imbalance and mutual understanding between different species. Exploring the limited lifespan of mutated beings also sparks contemplation about the essence of life and the meaning of existence. Different choices will present these themes through distinct interpretive dimensions.
Conflict：
Core Conflict: The struggle for survival resources and vengeful confrontation between humans and mutated animals, alongside strategic disagreements within humanity regarding crisis response.
Shifts in Conflict Resolution:
1. If military confrontation is chosen, conflict resolution will unfold through successive battles, potentially culminating in the extreme weakening or even extinction of either humans or mutated animals.
2. If the path of scientific research and reconciliation is chosen, conflict resolution will be achieved through the development of ecological balancing agents or the establishment of communication mechanisms, leading to a fragile coexistence or a new ecological order. Within the differing strategic approaches among humans, the faction supported by the player will also yield different outcomes for internal conflict resolution, which in turn will influence the approach to resolving external conflicts with mutated animals.
This week, the professor introduced us to the MIB for this semester and used case studies to help us understand it more clearly.
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