How video games turn players into storytellers | David Cage

Summary

In a thought-provoking presentation, David Cage explores the evolution of storytelling, highlighting the significance of choices in shaping narratives. He contrasts traditional storytelling, where writers dictate characters' paths, with interactive storytelling, which allows audiences to make decisions and influence outcomes. Through an engaging demonstration using his game 'Detroit: Become Human,' Cage illustrates the potential of interactivity in creating immersive experiences. He emphasizes the complexity of crafting interactive scripts, which far exceed traditional lengths, and envisions a future where this medium evolves into a recognized art form, akin to cinema's transformative impact in the 20th century.

Takeaways

• 🎭 Storytelling has evolved significantly since Aristotle's time, with traditional methods focusing on mimicking life and evoking emotions.
• 🔍 A critical limitation of traditional storytelling is its inability to incorporate the notion of choice, which is fundamental to human experience.
• 👥 Choices shape our identities, and storytelling can be enriched by allowing audiences to make decisions for characters.
• 🎮 The speaker introduces an interactive storytelling method, where the audience participates in decision-making during the narrative.
• 🐟 In a live demonstration from 'Detroit: Become Human,' the audience decides how to interact with the environment, showcasing the impact of choices.
• 📚 Interactive scripts are significantly longer than traditional scripts, ranging from 4,000 to 5,000 pages to accommodate branching narratives.
• 🕹️ Interactive storytelling requires writers to manage complex structures of possibilities, making them co-creators with the audience.
• 🌟 This approach to storytelling represents a revolution in entertainment, blending narrative and gameplay to enhance engagement.
• 🎨 The speaker believes interactive storytelling can become a recognized form of art, akin to the impact of cinema in the 20th century.
• 🚀 The future holds promise for a new generation of talents in interactive storytelling, who may redefine the landscape of narrative experiences.

Q & A

What is the primary focus of the speaker in the script?

The speaker focuses on how storytelling has evolved, particularly emphasizing the importance of choices in narratives and introducing interactive storytelling as a new medium.

How does the speaker relate storytelling to human experience?

The speaker suggests that storytelling mimics life and evokes emotions, but traditional narratives lack the ability to replicate the concept of choices, which significantly shape human experiences.

What experiment does the speaker propose during the talk?

The speaker proposes an interactive scene where the audience can make decisions for a character, allowing them to engage in storytelling actively.

What is the name of the game referenced in the interactive scene?

The game referenced is 'Detroit: Become Human,' which features androids that resemble humans.

What role does Vicky play in the interactive scene?

Vicky controls the main character, Connor, while the audience makes choices that affect the storyline.

How does the speaker illustrate the concept of choices in storytelling?

The speaker illustrates this by showing how different choices made by the audience can lead to various outcomes and consequences in the narrative.

What distinguishes an interactive script from a traditional film script?

An interactive script is significantly longer, ranging from four to five thousand pages, as it includes multiple branches and possibilities based on player choices, unlike a linear film script, which is about 100 pages.

What potential does the speaker see in interactive storytelling?

The speaker believes that interactive storytelling could revolutionize entertainment and become a new art form, similar to the impact of cinema in the 20th century.

What does the speaker believe will happen in the future of interactive storytelling?

The speaker anticipates that new talents will emerge, creating moving and meaningful interactive experiences that will reshape storytelling.

Who does the speaker compare future interactive storytellers to?

The speaker compares future interactive storytellers to iconic filmmakers like Orson Welles and Stanley Kubrick, suggesting they will be recognized for their contributions to this new medium.