Big Red Kitty, Tyler Durden and Fulgrim
Posted On Thursday, April 9th, 2009 By Jay
I’ve often wondered about the nature of narrative in a persistent world. In WoW the character is nothing more than a cog. A part of the masses and left to make stories only relevant to the player. Narrative in real life is a very personal experience. We each experience the same story of life from different perspectives. I’m curious sometimes why game developers don’t explore similar concepts from the characters perspective.
Oh, that isn’t to say there aren’t great games with great narratives out there. What I’m referring to is the ability for the player to relate directly to the character. The player doesn’t necessarily have to “experience” the emotional state that the character goes through, that would be silly. I’m talking about creating Tyler Durden moments for the character and similar experiences for the player.
Fulgrim after dealing a life ending blow to his brother Ferrus Manus realized, in horror, what he had become and the root of his evil. The corruption of his spirit by outside forces. His abandonment of his fathers ideals. His epiphany: he betrays those that depend on him for leadership and protection.
Imagine a moment similar for you. A moment of illumination when beliefs, practices, ideas and actions of that past have been brought into crisp and clear focus. You remember them. That moment sticks with you. It hangs as a clear divider between what memories happened before and what memories happened after. These moments keep readers coming back.
As an example, on March 30th, the world of warcraft world blog community witnessed such a moment. Big Red Kitty reflected in one weekend on his action and the effects on his life. Details, telling. The effects heart felt.
How does one create such a moment? What game mechanics are involved? What declaration is made to distinguish the old from the new?
What would this kind of mmo look like?
