Narrative Formation Of Mass Effect 3 Video Game: A Future Narrative
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Alhamdulillahirabbil’alamin, praise be upon Allah SWT that I have finally
accomplish this skripsi. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to:
1. Dean of Faculty of Letters, Prof. Dr. H. M. Tadjuddin, M.A.
2. Head of English Department and my Guardianship lecturer, Dr. Juanda.
Thanks to him, I can continue my study.
3. My advisors, Retno Purwani Sari, S.S., M.Hum. and Nungki Heriyati,
S.S., M.A. Thanks for their kindness and patience in guiding me to write
this skripsi despite all the trouble.
4. M. Rayhan Bustam, S.S., M.Hum and Nenden Rikma Dewi, S.S., M.Hum
as my examiners.
5. All the lecturers and staffs in English Department, thanks for their
knowledge and experience they have shared for years during my study.
Bandung, 8 August 2015
Ali Topan Ramadhan
vii
APPENDICES
67
A. Prologue (Priority: Vancouver)
68
69
B. Priority: Mars
a. Conversation between Shepard and James
70
b. Conversation between Shepard and Kaidan
71
c. Conversation between Shepard and Liara
72
73
C. Priority: Citadel 1
74
a. Conversation between Shepard and Diana
b. Conversation between Shepard and James
75
c. Conversation between Shepard and Khalisah al-Jilani
d. Onversation between Shepard and Udina
76
e. Conversation between Shepard and Dr. Michel
77
78
D. Normandy: First Visit
a. Conversation between Shepard and Traynor
79
80
b. Conversation between Shepard and Adams
81
c. Conversation between Shepard and Dr. Chakwas
82
83
d. Conversation between Shepard and Liara
84
e. Conversation between Shepard and Cortez
85
f.
Conversation between Shepard and Joker
86
g. Conversation between Shepard and Hackett
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APPROVAL
NARRATIVE FORMATION OF MASS EFFECT 3 VIDEO GAME:
A FUTURE NARRATIVE
SKRIPSI
ALI TOPAN RAMADHAN
NIM. 63707742
Bandung, 8 August 2015
Approved by:
Advisor I
Advisor II
Retno Purwani Sari, S.S., M.Hum.
NIP. 4127.20.03.004
Nungki Heriyati, S.S., M.A.
NIP. 4127.20.03.020
Acknowledged by:
Dean of Faculty of Letters
Head of English Department
Prof. Dr. Moh. Tadjuddin, M.A.
NIP 4127.70.003
Dr. Juanda
NIP 4127.20.03.007
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the study
From times to times, video games have been experiencing significant
development since they were first created in 1958. The development started from
simple games such as Pong and Spacewar! that had no complexity on their
gameplay mechanism to the games that had complex mechanism, with narrative
included, such as Watch Dogs and Assassin Creeds. Ahead of the 21st century,
video games began to include the elements of narrative starting from simple to
complex narration, and they required the player to decide on options provided
carefully. Thus, because of the involvement of narrative, video games are
considered as a new story telling medium; a significant perspective against
ludologists who claims that video game is not narrative.
As other story telling mediums namely films, video games have specific
genres and sub-genres, such as Action, Strategy, Role Played Game, Simulations,
Racing, Sports, and Adventure. In fact, they also often serve mixed genres to give
a greater excitement and experience to the player. Among many genres of video
games that are circulated widely, Role Played Game (RPG) is one of the genres
that prioritize complex-narration and gameplay mechanism as its elements. The
complexities begin from making the character, customization, to the options of
choices that could determine the storyline. Although, video game as story-telling
mediums are still debated by narratologist and ludologist, game designers believe
1
2
that people need to lose themselves from the real world and the only way to do
that is to create another world, another story, another universe; in other words,
something that could immerse them. RPG is one of the genres that has a power to
bring the player to their immersive word and immersive story. As a player, it is
argued that video games always evolve through years to come, and that playing a
game containing a story may serve the feeling of having purposes or goals, that is,
not only to finish the game but also to discover the story of it.
Mass Effect Series, as one of RPG, is argued to have the power of
immersions. This game is a science fiction action role-playing third person
shooter video game series developed by the Canadian company, BioWare, and
released for video game consoles and PC. The trilogy tell a journey of a soldier by
the name of Commander Shepard, whose mission is to save the galaxy from a race
of powerful mechanical beings known as the Reapers, who exterminated virtually
all sentient organic life in the galaxy as part of a recurrent cycle of genocide for an
unknown purpose. The first game shows Shepard investigating Saren, a Reaper’s
agent who is operating under the guidance of Sovereign, a Reaper left behind in
the Milky Way tens of thousands of years before. Sovereign is a vanguard whose
purpose is to trigger the imminent return of the Reaper fleet hibernating in extragalactic dark space, restarting the process of extermination. The second
game takes place two years later, and shows Shepard battling the Collectors, an
alien race abducting entire human colonies in a plan to help the Reapers return to
the Milky Way. The final game of Shepard's trilogy centers on the final battle
against the Reapers.
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All three games have received critical acclaim for their storyline,
characters, romances, voice acting, choices, and the depth of the galaxy. In fact,
the third serial of the game has been considered as the best for its challenging
gameplay, hard choices, and its story depth. Furthermore, the game has two moral
options (Paragon and Renegade)1 that have been designed as the character’s
response to every dialogue as a dialogue tree, and sometimes emerge in critical
event as an option and will determine the game’s character ways of life,
depending on the player actions in choosing these two moral options. Unlike the
previous series of the game, when the options of choices and the stories are about
information of the galaxies conflicts, in the third serial the player has to solve the
conflicts by taking sides or bring peace to them. The result of these decisions
could affect the flow of the story and its overall narratives.
Unfortunately, narrative in video games could not be studied traditionally
because of their interactivity. Unlike reading a book or watching a film, in video
games, the player can make choices during playing and those choices may affect
the flow of the story in this game. Therefore, with the involvement of the player in
determining the flow of the story, and how the game itself can persuade the player
to take an action in the game, I discuss about how the narrative are formed and the
factors that could affect overall narrative formation of Mass Effect 3. Jorgensen’s
study (2010) has contributed on the fruitful video-games discussion. Her
1
Paragon is the morality scale through compassionate and legendary actions. Being a positive,
kind, and friendly player, during conversations and stories, will make the player more of a
Paragon, while Renegade is the morality scale through mean, cruel, and merciless actions.
4
perspectives focused on game characters as a narrative device for its ability to
provide information and the character’s backstory to the player. Different from
her, this research focused on the process of narrative formation and the factors
that can affect it.
1.2 Research Questions
According to issue narrative formation suggested, the research questions
may be formulated as followed,
1. How narrative formation is formed in Mass Effect 3?
2. What factors affect the overall narrative in Mass Effect 3?
1.3 Objectives
According to issues of research questions suggested, the objectives may be
formulated as followed,
1. to discover the process of narrative formation of Mass Effect 3; and
2. to identify the factors affecting the overall narrative in Mass Effect 3.
1.4 Significance to Knowledge
This research is expected to have significant benefits, both theoretically
and practically. Theoretically, it is expected to give knowledge about narrative
forms in video games, particularly Mass Effect 3, and the factors that affect
narrative in it. Practically, it is expected to give understanding that, in spite of the
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negative comments, video games provide practices to decide options brought into
the life, and suggest an idea of a simply medium.
1.5 Framework of Theories
Narrative in video games is argued not to be able to be analyzed by
traditional narrative theories because of video games’ requiremet for player’s
interactions. The possibilities of player’s abilities of determining the flow of the
story in Mass Effect 3 depend on how the game presents the story to the player.
Therefore, I use Future Narrative (FN), which was founded by Bode and next
developed by Domsch, to analyze narrative formation of Mass Effect 3.
According to Bode (Domsch, 2013: 1), the future is a space of yet unrealized
potentiality and by allowing the player to enter situations that fork into different
branches and to actually experience that ‘what happens next’ may well depend
upon the player; to preserve the future as future is Future Narrative.
According to game’s rule, a game has to make situations that have
possibility of different outcomes, which depends on the player actions, decisions,
values and motivations. This possibility of different outcomes is one of
characteristic in the multiform story, usually called multi-linear story. Murray
(1997) sees the computer as a new medium with great capacity for telling stories,
stories in this medium that present a single situation or plotline in multiple
versions will be called multiform stories. According to Murray (1997: 98; 126),
Immersion and Agency are parts of the components that characterize the multiform
story. Immersion is about “the experience of being transported to an elaborately
6
simulated place”, while Agency is “the satisfying power to take meaningful action
and see the results of our decisions and choices”. Meanwhile, Domsch (2013: 31)
states that video games contain narratives through narrative forms; it is helpful to
enumerate the form and classify them according to their nature and mode of
operation. I used the narrative forms as parts of FN to analyze narrative in video
game. With these theories, I would like to see how the narrative formed in the
game and what factors that affect the narrative.
CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL REVIEW
Narrative started with every history of humankind, there have never been
any people without narrative, everyone has his stories. Traditionally, Barthes in
Mayr writing (2014: 5) viewed narratives have countless forms in the world. He
also said that in that infinite variety of forms, narratives presented at all times, in
all places, in all societies. Narratives are sheltered under the field of narratology.
Ryan (2009: 289) describes narratology as a project that transcends discipline and
media. She also said that one of the main attractions of narratives is independent
of the medium in which they are presented. Abbott in Schenk writing (2013: 1112) defines narrative as follows:
Narrative is the representation of a story (as event or series of events).
Some scholars have argued that there cannot be a narrative without
someone to tell it (a narrator), but this view would exclude most drama
and film, which, though they present stories, usually do so without a
narrator. Narratives consist of two main components: the story and the
narrative discourse. (2008: 237)
Abbot’s argument indicates though film and drama usually present their stories
without narrator, they remain narratives in certain level; they have “the story” and
“narrative discourse”. Narratives that have specific term narrative arc, are agreed
to have formulation of the narrative arc sequence, that is setup – complication development phase – resolution - denouement (Bizzocchi, 2007: 3). In this issue,
narrative arc is defined as the framework for the sequence of events that make up
the plot seen and the story imagined.
7
8
In detail, Bizzocchi (2007:3) claimed that sequence of events is provided
with a distinct function of each stage, and the order, timing and details of each
step consume a deep thought of the authors. The stages themselves may be
described as effective tools to create narrative works. In the process, the setup
gives illustration of characters and the storyworld. Meanwhile, the complication
brings a challenge to be solved in the resolution or climax phase which is clarified
through the development – the long phase that control the way in which the
storytelling presents; gives an idea how the protagonist works toward his goal.
Finally, denouement offers a result whether loose ends or gracefully ends.
In academic circle, a perspective of cinema studies views film and drama
provide a careful design of narrative arc as a powerful device for channeling and
guiding the audience’s experience of story, as Bizzocchi mentioned (2007:3).
Focusing on the performance, Schenk (2013: 209) said that the film reel is not the
defining marker of this narrative but their use of moving images.
Similarly, because of the involvement of “the story”, video games are
debated as a narrative without narrator role. However, they are quite different
from film or drama despite of the use of moving images; they have loose control
over the design and implementation of details. Bizzocchi (2007: 3) identified it as
a result in a nature of interactive process of video games. He added that a share of
control is ceded to the interactor, called an agent or a player, and a critical degree
of fine authorial control is lost. For that reason, he proposed an analytical
framework of games, later adapted in present research. The framework involves 5
9
(five) narrative components, they are, storyworld, character, emotion, narrative
interface and micro-narrative.
In the point of view of narratology, video games may become a medium to
tell stories, or it may be better explained, though the games do not necessarily
involve story, story can add to the pleasure of gameplay (Bizzocchi, 2007:1).
Since the games is interactive medium, however, a traditional analysis of narrative
arc cannot be used completely to analyze narrative in video game. The
interactivity in video games and its probability to change the narrative (openness)
made Future Narrative, a subclass of narrative, be used to analyze the narrative of
video games.
Considering the arguments mentioned, this research used Future Narrative
as a grand theory, to analyze the narrative formation in Mass Effect 3. Multi-linear
Story, Narrative Forms and Immersion are also used to support the grand theory.
In the framework of anaysis, the research applied parameters proposed by
Bizzocchi (2007). Finally, to give a fruitful ideas, the theories applied are
described in the following sub chapter.
2.1 Future Narrative (FN)
2.1.1 Definition
Future Narrative is a new subclass of narrative that discusses the openness
of narrative in one medium. According to Bode in Domsch’s writing (2013: 1),
the future is a space of yet unrealized potentiality and by allowing the player to
enter situations that fork into different branches and to actually experience that
10
‘what happens next’ may well depend upon the us, upon our decision, our values,
our actions and our motivation. In this sense, future narratives preserve and
contain defining features of future time – yet undecided, open and multiple. Later,
those future experiences are crystallized into actuality by virtue of their
capabilities to do exactly what we call preserving the future as future. These
narratives are here called ‘Future Narratives’”(ibid). Adding to it, Domsch (2013)
mentioned that Future Narratives do not operate with ‘events’ as their minimal
units. Pointed to his point of view, their minimal unit is rather at least one
situation that allows for more than one continuation. He called this a ‘nodal
situation’, or a ‘node’, for short. The node is the defining feature of FNs.
Consequently, any narrative that contains at least one node can be called a FN. As
the definition says; Domsch (2013) identified and explained a situation is nodal if
it allows for more than one continuation, which means that the two continuations
that are both possible from one point have to be different from each other. The
state after the node can only be one or the other, not both at the same time, and
they are mutually exclusive. Yet, from the nodal situation, each of these mutually
exclusive states is possible to be actualized. Whereas all narratives can talk about
potentiality, openness or indeterminacy, these aspects are actually present in a
nodal situation, they are staged by the structure of the narrative.
2.1.2 Multi-linear Story
As implied in the presentation of nodal situation, the story of a narrative is
structured. Carlquist (2002: 38) clarified that there are at least three kind of story
11
structures in computer games: Linear story, Multi-linear story and Non-linear
story. Focusing on multi-linear story, Murray (1997: 30) defined it as a written or
dramatic narrative that presents a single situation or plotline in multiple versions,
versions that would be mutually exclusive in our ordinary experience. Closely
observerd, Mass Effect 3 has a branching story, therefore it could be said that
Mass Effect 3 has multi-linear story structure. Carlquist’s model visualizes the
structure of multi-linear story as follow:
A
B
C
D
E
Here, there is a starting and an ending section. The player has to start the story in
section A and ends it in section E. Along with it, it is optional what he or she does
in-between, if or in what order the subquest are played. It is said if the player for
example visits section C, he or she cannot visit section D. There are also at least
two different submodels of this type of structure as deliberated by Calquist to
describe his model:
a) One where the player always has admittance to the completely middle
section. The multiliniearity in this kind of games consists in the order of
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doing the offers missions or quest being free. The game offers a lot of
things to do and the player can select when and if he or she will do them.
b) There is a main plot that the player has to follow. This plot involves many
choices, and depending on what the player does, certain ways are opened
and others are closed. This is more linear variant of the structure. The
player follows one road but the game itself contains multiple roads.
These kinds of story settings are quite common in for example RPGs and in some
strategy games such as Commandos 2: Men of Courage. This powerful narrative
method serves different ideas from the traditional telling of stories; frankly
speaking the method offers something new. A computer, a medium in which
narratives of video games are presented, allows unique possibilities and makes
interaction become fruitful. The player as an agent experiences the feeling that he
or she in control of the game and that he or she can influence the story – to
interface the narrative. The game designer, however, is still the author of the story.
In other words, a share control is applied. The player is in charge of what can
possibly appear, the players can only choose between the options that the designer
have created in the game. There cannot be any other sections than those given.
This branching story made a choice situation to the player that led to
multiple continuations. According to Domsch (2013: 112), FNs must at least
provide one node that can lead to multiple continuations – otherwise, they are not
FNs –, but they may also present the reader/player with a choice between these
multiple continuations. He defined choice as what video games are all about, even
though the reach of agency is not always as extensive as the player might perceive
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it. He also said that a choice situation contains at least two different options.
Former, the core requirement, also understood as the basic definition of nodal
situation, leads player’s awareness of being in a choice situation to be unimportant
for its being a choice situation, though in many cases used by games or other FNs
that kind of awareness is provided. Later, it is a specific player choices. In video
games, choice situations are both regularly recognizable and invested with some
form of motivation – the player will be interested in the outcome of the choice and
will expect one outcome to be better than another will. One might therefore
further distinguish two special types of choices, the informed (or conscious)
choice and the motivated choice. A motivated choice must also be a conscious
choice, but not vice versa.
Domsch (2013: 114) said that one important aspect of choice is therefore
how informed it is – that is, whether we choose based on knowledge or arbitrarily.
Choice situations differ in the amount of information that is given about the
consequences of the different options. Here are conditions of choice situation that
Domsch described:
– No information: the agent has no reasonable knowledge about anything
that might result as a consequence of the options.
– Incomplete information: the agent is provided with some knowledge
about possible outcomes, but no certainty in relation to the probability of
the outcomes, and/or the completeness of information about outcomes.
– Complete information: the agent is provided with certain information
about all consequences of all options.
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Depending on the extent of information about the consequences of a given choice,
the nature of that choice will differ and according to Domsch (2013: 115), the
choice situations that are perceived as interesting in a structural sense provide
only incomplete information. This means that there are conflicting arguments for
and against each choice that might have probabilities, but no certainties attached
to them. This either is experienced as a meaningful choice, where the player has to
act according to probability (uncertainty) or has to hierarchise incompatibles.
Some degree of information about a given choice seems to facilitate the feeling of
agency, as agency is experienced as pleasurable especially when we are able to
make meaningful decisions within the story/game universe. When a choice has to
be made completely arbitrarily, there is only interactivity, but no (or a very low)
sense of agency. In addition, the information provided is an important link
between gameplay concerns and the fictional immersion by the player.
2.1.3 Modes of Operation
To analyze the narrative in video games required an unusual way due to
the involvement of players, the actions that took by the player are affected by the
way the game present the story through their mode of operation. According to
Domsch (2013: 31), once it is established that, rather than games being narratives,
they contain narratives through narrative forms, it is helpful to enumerate these
forms and classify them according to their nature and mode of operation.
Therefore, the following forms are considered as the foundation of the overall
narrative in Mass Effect 3.
15
2.1.3.1 Passive Forms
All passive narrative forms are in themselves experienced as passive and
therefore identical to the media from which they are appropriated (film, text,
audio), but they can, and usually are, contextualised in an actively nodal way,
since they are forms in an actively nodal structure. There are two passive forms
used in this research: Exposition and Cut scenes. The function of Exposition is to
introduce the player to the fictional world and its properties, to provide
information about the character that the player is going to play, and to introduce
the main objectives of the game, though not all of these elements need to be
present. The Cut scenes purpose is usually to provide narrative content presenting
pre-scripted events, characters in characteristic actions, dialogues, or giving
background information on the storyworld.
2.1.3.2 Active Nodal Forms
First, Player freedom in video games is always a negotiation between the
player’s input and the game’s input, and the same goes for the unfolding of a
game’s narrative, therefore, player actions is one of the active nodal forms.
Second, Quick time events are pre-rendered video sequences that can be interacted
with by the player. A passive video sequence will be shown to the player until a
node is reached, which is indicated by visual prompts telling the player that she
can now interact, usually by pressing a specific button. Finally, conversation
situations will usually limit the player’s range of options (combat options and
other interactions with the gameworld are usually disabled, and spatial movement
16
is limited or disabled), but the player can still influence the course of the
conversation. If it is not presented as part of a cut scene, it usually makes more
than one dialogue option available for the player to choose from, thus creating
what is commonly referred to as a dialogue tree.
2.1.3.3 Dynamic forms
Since video games can be described not merely as actively nodal, but also
as dynamic systems, they can contain forms that are experienced by the player as
narrative but that are neither passive presentations (such as cut scenes or screen
text) nor dependent on the player’s own input (as is the case of event triggers). In
video games, in contrast to other games that cannot be classified as dynamic and
that do not include real time into their rules, things can happen to or within the
gameworld – and therefore affect the player character as part of the gameworld –
without the player’s participation.
Being mediated to the player through the visual presentation of material
space, one could argue that such events should be included within the category of
passive forms, but this is problematic for two reasons. First, they are presented
seamlessly as part of the gameplay, they happen while the player has full control
over her character while at the same time being independent of whatever the
player does. And second, while some of the dynamic forms cannot be influenced
by the player (like an automatic day and night cycle), others can (especially
nonplayer characters), meaning that some can at least be turned into actively nodal
forms. A non-player character (NPC) is a character in a video game that is
17
controlled by the gamemaster. A non-player character in a video game is usually
part of the program, and not controlled by a human, but through artificial
intelligence (AI). Non-player characters are one of the most important actively
nodal as well as dynamic narrative forms in video games.
2.2 Immersion
Video games created for one purpose, to give people a moment for their
willing suspension of disbelief. According to Murray (1997: 98; 126), Immersion
is a part of the components that characterize the multiform story. Immersion is
about “the experience of being transported to an elaborately simulated place”.
Meanwhile, According to Ryan (2008: 54-58), there are four types of immersion,
the first three of which are used in computer games. First, there is spatial
immersion. Modern graphic engines are capable of presenting impressive and
realistic environments that change according to the player spatial movements.
Therefore, by moving around and exploring the storyworld the player feels
immersed in a constantly changing world. Second, there is epistemic immersion.
Epistemic immersion is the desire to know and it can be achieved by allowing the
user to investigate and manipulate objects and by presenting a dialogue system
that allows the user to gain additional knowledge about the storyworld. Third,
there is temporal immersion, closely related to the three narrative effects of
curiosity, surprise and suspense. The player is curious about how the story
progresses, surprised by unexpected events and experience suspense when they
know that the main character can choose between different actions that may have
18
very different consequences. Fourth, there is emotional immersion. With the goal
of moving from simple object to the simulation of interpersonal relations between
the human user and the AI-based non player character, the most important goal is
to get the user to feel emotional bonding with other characters in the world and
even experience empathy.
CHAPTER III
RESEARCH OBJECT AND METHOD
In this chapter, I describe a research object and method including the
techniques of collecting and analyzing data related.
3.1 Research Object
Narrative in video games is presented as narrative forms to influence and
initiate the player actions. The player’s involvement in determining the flow of the
story could be affected by the choice he makes in dialogue tree provided –
triggered by the way on how the game narrates the story itself to invest
motivation. Consequently, the involvement leads to the idea that video games
offer relationship of narrative and interactivity. In other words, narrative
maintains its role in the pleasure of game experience.
In various perspectives, video games involve “story” that plays in the
interactive experience. Since the story involves interactive process, the
understanding of the narrative role takes different conception. Considering that
conception, the object of this research is a narrative formation forming the overall
narrative of Mass Effect 3 with focusing on some factors initiating the final
narrative formation using Bizzocchi’s parameters. Applying specific research
method, narrative formation of Mass Effect 3 is analysed with adapting theories of
Domsch’s future narratives.
19
20
3.2 Research Method
The method used in this research is descriptive, which allows having a full
description of the research object in the form of data that have been selected based
on specific phenomena. As Nazir (2003) remarked, “tujuan dari metode penelitian
deskriptif adalah untuk membuat deskripsi, gambaran, atau lukisan secara
sistematis, faktual dan akurat mengenai fakta-fakta, sifat-sifat serta hubungan
antar fenomena yang diselidiki."
Related to characteristics of the method, the data are described, showing a
dynamic process and impact to the storyline that are made by the player because
of the interactive process. To optimize a systematic thought, the techniques of
data collection and analysis are designed to view the framework.
3.2.1
Data Collection
It is widely believed that the procedure of data collection determines the
validation of the data. In this case, the technique of data collection should meet
the requirements of scientific method of collecting data to represent factual and
accurate data presented.
In the present research, data were gathered collectively by playing a
mission so called sub grand mission of Mass Effect 3. The mission was to talk to
the council for a help; chosen based on: (1) its role as initial mission that
developed sequence of following missions, (2) its function as the first narrative
formation that had important role to draw the player’s attention to the game so
called immersion. The representative data were collected by capturing every scene
21
including objects and dialogues that support the description of issue proposed.
The technique of data collection involves 5 (five) steps. The first step is I played
the third series of the game and captured every cut-scene that related to the main
story. In addition, I played the game with choosing straight options as Paragon in
every dialogue tree that appeared in the scenes and capture it and choosing only
the main missions. Then, I read every datapads related to the main story to see the
information they provide. I also captured the history of the Mass Effect series that
presented in codex to bridge the story gaps between Mass Effect 3 and its
prequels. After that, I played the game all over again as Paragon with choosing
additional options given in dialogue tree, also choosing side missions that have
major influence to the main story to see the differences in the information and
story.
3.2.2
Data Analysis
To analyze the narrative formation, the collected data are analyzed using
the narrative components, which are storyworld, character, emotion, narrative
interface and micro-narrative. Domsch’s theories of future narratives, multy linear
story and immersion are used simultaneously to analyze the process of narrative
formation and to identify the factors that affect overall narrative of Mass Effect 3
game.
In presenting, the analysis illustrates a full description on how narrative
formation is created and on how the share control is ceded in its process. How the
player as an agent plays its role may describe the factors supporting the player’s
22
choice of options in dialogue tree. To sum up, the data analysis is presented
through a description of all factors involved in making a choice.
CHAPTER IV
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
This chapter describes the process of narrative formation and presents the
analysis of the factors that affect the overall narrative in Mass Effect 3. In
tempting to take a position in the issue, some salient positions are published to
reach the understanding of the role of narrative in the pleasure of game
experience. First, since a game may involve “story” to add the pleasure of
gameplay, the games indicates narrative components – character, storyworld,
emotion, narrative interface and micro narrative as proposed by Bizzocchi (2007).
At the same time, the concept of immersion is seen as a dynamic process, the
immersion of “flow” suggested by Csikszentmihalyi (1990).
Concerning to those positions, the discussion may cover Bizzocchi’s
parameters: (1) storyworld in which the game unfolds, (2) character, the beings
populating the game world, (3) emotion shown by the game characters and
potential emotion hidden in the player as an agent, (4) narrative interface – the
representation of narrative sensibilities in the appearance and the functionality of
the interface design, and (5) micro-narrative, that is, smaller moments of narrarive
flow and coherence that occur within a broader context of game play. In this case,
the prologue introduced in this discussion serves as a storyworld. In addition, to
focus the discussion over a discovery of the story, Paragon option appears as a
character involved. Clearly, the choice of Paragon option itself is concerned with
its potential to illustrate the strength of characters’ bond and that to invest some
23
24
forms of motivation. Meanwhile, emotion, narrative interface and micro-narrative
are explored within development phase of narrative.
As RPGs, Mass Effect 3 clarifies its form of multi-linear story with
beginning, middle and ending section. Beginning is the setup and complication,
while development phase and resolution is in the middle section, and denouement
is in the ending section of the story. At this point, it is argued that the middle
section of Mass Effect 3 potentially influencing the ending may vary; depended on
agent’s choice in available options. The choice is identified as the investment of
motivation available in situation given (provided from starting to nearly ending).
As a result, the situations, as a storyworld, described through text and visual
graphics are provided in this research analysis to give illustration and mechanism
how motivation invested in situations triggers the choice.
4.1 Process and Factors in Beginning: Prologue (Priority: Vancouver)
As mentioned, a storyworld described through text and visual graphics
may invest motivation to introduce the challenge. Thus, in this section, a
storyworld and characters are introduced through prologue to view how the
narrative formation proceeded. In its development, the challenge is introduced to
trigger the motive and emotion between the player and characters in the
gameworld. Then, the following description may give details of the idea.
This section is considered as tutorial mission of Mass Effect 3. Concerning
to the framework of narrative arc, it introduces the characters and the storyworld
in which they inhabit. In this mission, the game introduced the player, as an agent,
25
into the story and the gameplay to build emotion; such as what is happening and
what the player should do to complete the story. As prologue, this mission only
gives information to the player about the condition they face in galaxy and how to
play the game. This information is presented as story through sequences of cut
scenes. There were no differences in information given to the player between the
first play and the second play. Therefore, this mission’s analysis only shows about
the information provided by the scene.
These scenes told a story of incoming disaster to the galaxy. As an
introduction, the story began with conversations between two admirals, Anderson
and Hackett, about something that had happened to the colonies beyond the Sol
Relay, when they were all gone dark all of a sudden. This conversation builds up
the background story of the game and gives the player information of the initiated
conflicts. The initiated conflicts later become the complication of challenge to be
overcome.
Image 4.1.1 Mass Effect 3 (Prologue)
26
The conversations continued into a report that came from Commander
Sephard years ago about a race that had only purpose to cleanse organic beings all
over the galaxy every fifty thousand years. They just realized that the report was
true and they only had a little time to prepare for defending the Earth from that
legendary race. Then they decided to mobilize every fleet they had to defend the
Earth and they could only pray for what would come next. The introductory story
was closed by textual narrative that gives information, a brief history of the game
world, to the player.
Image 4.1.2 Mass Effect 3 (Prologue)
Images 4.1.1 through 4.1.2 describes the opening of Mass Effect 3’s story
as cut scenes using cinematic narrative supported with text. Its function is to
introduce the player to the fictional world and its properties (human discovered
that they are not alone and the galaxy is on the verge of extinctions). The cut
scenes itself provides the narrative content, presenting pre-scripted events, and
giving background information on the storyworld. Most games used cut scenes to
27
present their storyworld to the player. These cinematic sequences also intended to
trigger the players so they can be immersed by showing an advance visual
graphics and by giving them the background story before they take control of the
game, called as spatial immersion. To be immersed is to be interested, and
obviously, the players will continue to play the game when they are interested,
and the story will be progressed as the game played. The images tell the situations
and the conditions of the gameworld, which there is something awful approaching
the Earth, and humanity is under a siege. This information is shown to the players
without their involvement as the agent. In other words, the players have no control
over the scenes. The images of cut scenes shown above can be categorized as
exposition, because it gives the players information about the main objectives of
the game, which is to save the galaxy from the Reapers, and it makes appearance
before the players play the game (introduction).
Video game expositions can use different modes of presentation, such as
written text and graphic or cinematic narrative (as shown above) and the players
almost cannot skip these introductory sequences or texts. They are closely related
to the cut scene; the main difference is that they are not interrupting gameplay but
preceding it. Therefore, the story in this section is build up by two modes of
operation in presenting the storyworld to the players, namely through cut scenes
and exposition, and both of them are included in passive forms for their nature of
operation.
In order to reach the development phase of narrative arc, illustrating the
protagonist works toward his goal, the story progressed in the next scenes when
28
Commander Shepard, who did not know about the galaxy’s condition, was staying
in a room somewhere on Earth. A man called James came in to the room to inform
Shepard that the defense committee wanted to see him. Soon he was puzzled by
the crowded activity around him when Anderson came to pick him up. While
heading to the defense committee, Anderson gave him the information about
something ‘big’ that was headed to Earth. Shepard guessed that the Reapers were
coming and Anderson answered him that he did not know. At this point of
conversation, a dialogue tree emerges and there were two options to be chosen,
allowing the players to experience resolution as culmination of the struggles of the
development phase. This dialogue tree cedes the players a share of control of
interactive experience. It means that a critical degree of fine authorial control is
lost.
Image 4.1.3 Mass Effect 3 (Prologue)
29
As provided, these two options consists Paragon and Renegade characteristics that
may be selected to represent characteristic of Shepard as a main character:
Paragon
: We should’ve prepared more.
Renegade
: I’m certain.
As focused character in this discussion, Paragon option was chosen. Then, the
response to Anderson statement, Shepard said that Earth was not ready at all to
face the Reapers and the discussion at the defense committee was a time wasting.
Anderson gave him an understanding that they were only scared because they had
not seen what Shepard had seen. The conversation continued the story of Shepard
fighting Reapers couple of years ago and his experience could help Earth fighting
the Reapers. As the conversation goes, they arrived at an office with an officer
waiting for them. On the way to the defense committee, they met Kaidan. He
greeted Shepard as if he had known him for a long time. This scenery gave James
surprise and he approached Kaidan to confirm his curiosity if he knew Shepard.
Kaidan simply said, “I used to”.
These sequences of cut scenes provide information about Shepard
backstory. The players could know that Shepard was the only one who had seen
the Reapers and fought them. Both options that are given in dialogue tree shown
in Image 4.1.4, told the players that Shepard knew about the one who is causing
the uproar in their base. The dialogue tree also gives the players chances to
influence the course of their conversation with more positive response, which is
something that a Paragon character would do. The chances to influence the course
of the conversation also part of emotional immersion, because the players have
30
chance to build positive relationship between the characters. Most conversations
in the game are presented as cut scenes and some with a dialogue tree. Although
the players could not interact within the cut scenes, the appearance of dialogue
tree that interrupts the scene requires the players to interact with it. This
interruption is recognized as quick time events and automatically changed the
mode of operation from passive form to active form. Therefore, these scenes have
three modes of operation: cut scenes, dialogue tree and quick time events. It also
has two kinds of forms based on their nature, passive form and active form.
The story progressed to Shepard and Anderson arrival at the defense
committee. They were consulting about the disappearance of the colonies beyond
the Sol Relay. Shepard assured them that they already knew who was coming, the
Reapers. The committee asked him about the way to stop them, and then he said
that it was not about strategy or tactics, it was about survival. He also told them
that the Reapers were more advanced than human, more powerful, more
intelligent and they will never take pity on anyone. At this point, a dialogue tree
emerged as the committee wondered if there was a way to defeat the Reapers, as
shown in Image 4.1.4. There were two options:
Paragon
: We stand together.
Renegade
: Survival at any cost.
31
Image 4.1.4 Mass Effect 3 (Prologue)
The option chosen resulting in Shepard statement that human had to stand
together if they were going to have any chance to survive. The meeting was
interrupted by a report of attack on Luna Base. They just realized that the Reapers
had breached their defenses and Earth was under attack while they were
discussing on a way to face them.
The scenes above give the players information about the Reapers strength
known by Shepard. The information provided by the cut scenes and dialogue tree
processed similarly with the previous section. The conversations that presented as
cut scenes and a dialogue tree changed the course of their conversation based on
the player’s actions. In these scenes, the players have opportunity to change the
conversation between the defense committee and Shepard provided by dialogue
tree shown in Image 4.1.4. The choice made by the players gives more motivation
to them that the characters in the game should stand together to defeat the
Reapers, in other words, the players gives hope within their conversation. The
32
Reapers also make their appearance in the game within the scene and the scene
provides visual information to the players about the devastations the Reapers
brought for the first time, as shown in Image 4.1.5. This visual information also
part of spatial immersion.
Image 4.1.5 Mass Effect 3 (Prologue)
This information, provided by the cut scenes and dialogue tree as shown in
Image 4.1.1 through 4.1.5, gives the players knowledge of the storyworld. The
game mostly delivered the story by cinematic and conversation through cut
scenes. The players cannot interact with the story as long as the scene progresses,
except when the dialogue tree emerged as a need for the interaction of the players.
The dialogue tree may change the course of the conversation presented by the cut
scene depending on the player’s actions. The process continued during the game
in progress. Therefore, the cut scenes and dialogue tree has an important role in
telling the story and information about the game to the players.
33
4.2 Process and Factors in Development Phase
As mentioned, development phase is the long phase that dominates the
bulk of the storytelling, as the protagonist works towards her goal, by exploring
emotion, narrative interface and micro-narrative provided by the scenes in
missions. In this section, the development is shown by playing the missions twice
to see the differences of information between the developments of the story. This
development phase also could affect the course of the game’s story, the phase is
described as follows.
4.2.1 Priority: Mars
Following the Reapers attacks, Shepard commanded by Anderson was
talking to the Council for a help. As he was departed from Earth by ship,
Normandy, Sephard was ordered by Admiral Hackett to go to Mars. His mission
was to gather the information Dr. T’soni about something that could wipe out the
Reapers, it was held in Mars’s Archives together with the researches about
Protheans. In Mars, Sephard discovered that the facility was under attack by
Cerberus.
In the next development phase, there were significance differences in
gathering information of the storyworld between the first play and the second play
when the players was playing this mission. Therefore, following analysis shows
the differences of information gathered by the players; information that may
invest motivation initiating characters’ emotion, both games characters and the
players.
34
4.2.1.1 Conversation between Shepard and Liara
4.2.1.1.1 First Play
In his way to the Archives, he found Cerberus chased Liara. He talked to
her when the chased was over and informed her that he was ordered by Hackett to
gather information about the Reapers. Fortunately, she knew about what was
going on and how to stop the Reapers. She informed Sephard that she discovered
a weapon that could wipe out the Reapers, but Sephard seemed could not believe
about the discovery.
Image 4.2.1.1 Mass Effect 3 (Prologue)
At this point, options emerged to be chosen by the players. There were three
options available:
Paragon
: Seems too good to be true.
Renegade
: Finally, some good news.
Investigate
: We’re just learning this now?
35
As the first step to collect the data, a straight response as Paragon was chosen. The
result of the response was Sephard statement about the weapon that he would
believe it when he saw it. He asked Liara about the weapon, she explained that it
was not a weapon but a plan of device, a blueprint; she also told him that Cerberus
could be after the same thing with unknown purposes. The conversation ended
when Cerberus attacked them.
This conversation provided by the scenes gives information to the players
about blueprint of a device that could stop the Reapers and about the reason of
Cerberus attacked the facility, although it was still unclear. Simply, the
information motivates the game characters and the player’s emotion when
accomplish the mission, whether they gain a form of victory or defeat. In this
case, design strategies are managed to be applied; meaning the narrative interface
designs narrative form. In the same time, the information gives a pleasure of story
and experience of interaction through making a particular decision.
The decision to choose straight Paragon response – since the discussion
focussed on Paragon – has eliminated the other available options of response,
especially the left center option in dialogue tree. This decision also made the stor
Alhamdulillahirabbil’alamin, praise be upon Allah SWT that I have finally
accomplish this skripsi. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to:
1. Dean of Faculty of Letters, Prof. Dr. H. M. Tadjuddin, M.A.
2. Head of English Department and my Guardianship lecturer, Dr. Juanda.
Thanks to him, I can continue my study.
3. My advisors, Retno Purwani Sari, S.S., M.Hum. and Nungki Heriyati,
S.S., M.A. Thanks for their kindness and patience in guiding me to write
this skripsi despite all the trouble.
4. M. Rayhan Bustam, S.S., M.Hum and Nenden Rikma Dewi, S.S., M.Hum
as my examiners.
5. All the lecturers and staffs in English Department, thanks for their
knowledge and experience they have shared for years during my study.
Bandung, 8 August 2015
Ali Topan Ramadhan
vii
APPENDICES
67
A. Prologue (Priority: Vancouver)
68
69
B. Priority: Mars
a. Conversation between Shepard and James
70
b. Conversation between Shepard and Kaidan
71
c. Conversation between Shepard and Liara
72
73
C. Priority: Citadel 1
74
a. Conversation between Shepard and Diana
b. Conversation between Shepard and James
75
c. Conversation between Shepard and Khalisah al-Jilani
d. Onversation between Shepard and Udina
76
e. Conversation between Shepard and Dr. Michel
77
78
D. Normandy: First Visit
a. Conversation between Shepard and Traynor
79
80
b. Conversation between Shepard and Adams
81
c. Conversation between Shepard and Dr. Chakwas
82
83
d. Conversation between Shepard and Liara
84
e. Conversation between Shepard and Cortez
85
f.
Conversation between Shepard and Joker
86
g. Conversation between Shepard and Hackett
87
APPROVAL
NARRATIVE FORMATION OF MASS EFFECT 3 VIDEO GAME:
A FUTURE NARRATIVE
SKRIPSI
ALI TOPAN RAMADHAN
NIM. 63707742
Bandung, 8 August 2015
Approved by:
Advisor I
Advisor II
Retno Purwani Sari, S.S., M.Hum.
NIP. 4127.20.03.004
Nungki Heriyati, S.S., M.A.
NIP. 4127.20.03.020
Acknowledged by:
Dean of Faculty of Letters
Head of English Department
Prof. Dr. Moh. Tadjuddin, M.A.
NIP 4127.70.003
Dr. Juanda
NIP 4127.20.03.007
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the study
From times to times, video games have been experiencing significant
development since they were first created in 1958. The development started from
simple games such as Pong and Spacewar! that had no complexity on their
gameplay mechanism to the games that had complex mechanism, with narrative
included, such as Watch Dogs and Assassin Creeds. Ahead of the 21st century,
video games began to include the elements of narrative starting from simple to
complex narration, and they required the player to decide on options provided
carefully. Thus, because of the involvement of narrative, video games are
considered as a new story telling medium; a significant perspective against
ludologists who claims that video game is not narrative.
As other story telling mediums namely films, video games have specific
genres and sub-genres, such as Action, Strategy, Role Played Game, Simulations,
Racing, Sports, and Adventure. In fact, they also often serve mixed genres to give
a greater excitement and experience to the player. Among many genres of video
games that are circulated widely, Role Played Game (RPG) is one of the genres
that prioritize complex-narration and gameplay mechanism as its elements. The
complexities begin from making the character, customization, to the options of
choices that could determine the storyline. Although, video game as story-telling
mediums are still debated by narratologist and ludologist, game designers believe
1
2
that people need to lose themselves from the real world and the only way to do
that is to create another world, another story, another universe; in other words,
something that could immerse them. RPG is one of the genres that has a power to
bring the player to their immersive word and immersive story. As a player, it is
argued that video games always evolve through years to come, and that playing a
game containing a story may serve the feeling of having purposes or goals, that is,
not only to finish the game but also to discover the story of it.
Mass Effect Series, as one of RPG, is argued to have the power of
immersions. This game is a science fiction action role-playing third person
shooter video game series developed by the Canadian company, BioWare, and
released for video game consoles and PC. The trilogy tell a journey of a soldier by
the name of Commander Shepard, whose mission is to save the galaxy from a race
of powerful mechanical beings known as the Reapers, who exterminated virtually
all sentient organic life in the galaxy as part of a recurrent cycle of genocide for an
unknown purpose. The first game shows Shepard investigating Saren, a Reaper’s
agent who is operating under the guidance of Sovereign, a Reaper left behind in
the Milky Way tens of thousands of years before. Sovereign is a vanguard whose
purpose is to trigger the imminent return of the Reaper fleet hibernating in extragalactic dark space, restarting the process of extermination. The second
game takes place two years later, and shows Shepard battling the Collectors, an
alien race abducting entire human colonies in a plan to help the Reapers return to
the Milky Way. The final game of Shepard's trilogy centers on the final battle
against the Reapers.
3
All three games have received critical acclaim for their storyline,
characters, romances, voice acting, choices, and the depth of the galaxy. In fact,
the third serial of the game has been considered as the best for its challenging
gameplay, hard choices, and its story depth. Furthermore, the game has two moral
options (Paragon and Renegade)1 that have been designed as the character’s
response to every dialogue as a dialogue tree, and sometimes emerge in critical
event as an option and will determine the game’s character ways of life,
depending on the player actions in choosing these two moral options. Unlike the
previous series of the game, when the options of choices and the stories are about
information of the galaxies conflicts, in the third serial the player has to solve the
conflicts by taking sides or bring peace to them. The result of these decisions
could affect the flow of the story and its overall narratives.
Unfortunately, narrative in video games could not be studied traditionally
because of their interactivity. Unlike reading a book or watching a film, in video
games, the player can make choices during playing and those choices may affect
the flow of the story in this game. Therefore, with the involvement of the player in
determining the flow of the story, and how the game itself can persuade the player
to take an action in the game, I discuss about how the narrative are formed and the
factors that could affect overall narrative formation of Mass Effect 3. Jorgensen’s
study (2010) has contributed on the fruitful video-games discussion. Her
1
Paragon is the morality scale through compassionate and legendary actions. Being a positive,
kind, and friendly player, during conversations and stories, will make the player more of a
Paragon, while Renegade is the morality scale through mean, cruel, and merciless actions.
4
perspectives focused on game characters as a narrative device for its ability to
provide information and the character’s backstory to the player. Different from
her, this research focused on the process of narrative formation and the factors
that can affect it.
1.2 Research Questions
According to issue narrative formation suggested, the research questions
may be formulated as followed,
1. How narrative formation is formed in Mass Effect 3?
2. What factors affect the overall narrative in Mass Effect 3?
1.3 Objectives
According to issues of research questions suggested, the objectives may be
formulated as followed,
1. to discover the process of narrative formation of Mass Effect 3; and
2. to identify the factors affecting the overall narrative in Mass Effect 3.
1.4 Significance to Knowledge
This research is expected to have significant benefits, both theoretically
and practically. Theoretically, it is expected to give knowledge about narrative
forms in video games, particularly Mass Effect 3, and the factors that affect
narrative in it. Practically, it is expected to give understanding that, in spite of the
5
negative comments, video games provide practices to decide options brought into
the life, and suggest an idea of a simply medium.
1.5 Framework of Theories
Narrative in video games is argued not to be able to be analyzed by
traditional narrative theories because of video games’ requiremet for player’s
interactions. The possibilities of player’s abilities of determining the flow of the
story in Mass Effect 3 depend on how the game presents the story to the player.
Therefore, I use Future Narrative (FN), which was founded by Bode and next
developed by Domsch, to analyze narrative formation of Mass Effect 3.
According to Bode (Domsch, 2013: 1), the future is a space of yet unrealized
potentiality and by allowing the player to enter situations that fork into different
branches and to actually experience that ‘what happens next’ may well depend
upon the player; to preserve the future as future is Future Narrative.
According to game’s rule, a game has to make situations that have
possibility of different outcomes, which depends on the player actions, decisions,
values and motivations. This possibility of different outcomes is one of
characteristic in the multiform story, usually called multi-linear story. Murray
(1997) sees the computer as a new medium with great capacity for telling stories,
stories in this medium that present a single situation or plotline in multiple
versions will be called multiform stories. According to Murray (1997: 98; 126),
Immersion and Agency are parts of the components that characterize the multiform
story. Immersion is about “the experience of being transported to an elaborately
6
simulated place”, while Agency is “the satisfying power to take meaningful action
and see the results of our decisions and choices”. Meanwhile, Domsch (2013: 31)
states that video games contain narratives through narrative forms; it is helpful to
enumerate the form and classify them according to their nature and mode of
operation. I used the narrative forms as parts of FN to analyze narrative in video
game. With these theories, I would like to see how the narrative formed in the
game and what factors that affect the narrative.
CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL REVIEW
Narrative started with every history of humankind, there have never been
any people without narrative, everyone has his stories. Traditionally, Barthes in
Mayr writing (2014: 5) viewed narratives have countless forms in the world. He
also said that in that infinite variety of forms, narratives presented at all times, in
all places, in all societies. Narratives are sheltered under the field of narratology.
Ryan (2009: 289) describes narratology as a project that transcends discipline and
media. She also said that one of the main attractions of narratives is independent
of the medium in which they are presented. Abbott in Schenk writing (2013: 1112) defines narrative as follows:
Narrative is the representation of a story (as event or series of events).
Some scholars have argued that there cannot be a narrative without
someone to tell it (a narrator), but this view would exclude most drama
and film, which, though they present stories, usually do so without a
narrator. Narratives consist of two main components: the story and the
narrative discourse. (2008: 237)
Abbot’s argument indicates though film and drama usually present their stories
without narrator, they remain narratives in certain level; they have “the story” and
“narrative discourse”. Narratives that have specific term narrative arc, are agreed
to have formulation of the narrative arc sequence, that is setup – complication development phase – resolution - denouement (Bizzocchi, 2007: 3). In this issue,
narrative arc is defined as the framework for the sequence of events that make up
the plot seen and the story imagined.
7
8
In detail, Bizzocchi (2007:3) claimed that sequence of events is provided
with a distinct function of each stage, and the order, timing and details of each
step consume a deep thought of the authors. The stages themselves may be
described as effective tools to create narrative works. In the process, the setup
gives illustration of characters and the storyworld. Meanwhile, the complication
brings a challenge to be solved in the resolution or climax phase which is clarified
through the development – the long phase that control the way in which the
storytelling presents; gives an idea how the protagonist works toward his goal.
Finally, denouement offers a result whether loose ends or gracefully ends.
In academic circle, a perspective of cinema studies views film and drama
provide a careful design of narrative arc as a powerful device for channeling and
guiding the audience’s experience of story, as Bizzocchi mentioned (2007:3).
Focusing on the performance, Schenk (2013: 209) said that the film reel is not the
defining marker of this narrative but their use of moving images.
Similarly, because of the involvement of “the story”, video games are
debated as a narrative without narrator role. However, they are quite different
from film or drama despite of the use of moving images; they have loose control
over the design and implementation of details. Bizzocchi (2007: 3) identified it as
a result in a nature of interactive process of video games. He added that a share of
control is ceded to the interactor, called an agent or a player, and a critical degree
of fine authorial control is lost. For that reason, he proposed an analytical
framework of games, later adapted in present research. The framework involves 5
9
(five) narrative components, they are, storyworld, character, emotion, narrative
interface and micro-narrative.
In the point of view of narratology, video games may become a medium to
tell stories, or it may be better explained, though the games do not necessarily
involve story, story can add to the pleasure of gameplay (Bizzocchi, 2007:1).
Since the games is interactive medium, however, a traditional analysis of narrative
arc cannot be used completely to analyze narrative in video game. The
interactivity in video games and its probability to change the narrative (openness)
made Future Narrative, a subclass of narrative, be used to analyze the narrative of
video games.
Considering the arguments mentioned, this research used Future Narrative
as a grand theory, to analyze the narrative formation in Mass Effect 3. Multi-linear
Story, Narrative Forms and Immersion are also used to support the grand theory.
In the framework of anaysis, the research applied parameters proposed by
Bizzocchi (2007). Finally, to give a fruitful ideas, the theories applied are
described in the following sub chapter.
2.1 Future Narrative (FN)
2.1.1 Definition
Future Narrative is a new subclass of narrative that discusses the openness
of narrative in one medium. According to Bode in Domsch’s writing (2013: 1),
the future is a space of yet unrealized potentiality and by allowing the player to
enter situations that fork into different branches and to actually experience that
10
‘what happens next’ may well depend upon the us, upon our decision, our values,
our actions and our motivation. In this sense, future narratives preserve and
contain defining features of future time – yet undecided, open and multiple. Later,
those future experiences are crystallized into actuality by virtue of their
capabilities to do exactly what we call preserving the future as future. These
narratives are here called ‘Future Narratives’”(ibid). Adding to it, Domsch (2013)
mentioned that Future Narratives do not operate with ‘events’ as their minimal
units. Pointed to his point of view, their minimal unit is rather at least one
situation that allows for more than one continuation. He called this a ‘nodal
situation’, or a ‘node’, for short. The node is the defining feature of FNs.
Consequently, any narrative that contains at least one node can be called a FN. As
the definition says; Domsch (2013) identified and explained a situation is nodal if
it allows for more than one continuation, which means that the two continuations
that are both possible from one point have to be different from each other. The
state after the node can only be one or the other, not both at the same time, and
they are mutually exclusive. Yet, from the nodal situation, each of these mutually
exclusive states is possible to be actualized. Whereas all narratives can talk about
potentiality, openness or indeterminacy, these aspects are actually present in a
nodal situation, they are staged by the structure of the narrative.
2.1.2 Multi-linear Story
As implied in the presentation of nodal situation, the story of a narrative is
structured. Carlquist (2002: 38) clarified that there are at least three kind of story
11
structures in computer games: Linear story, Multi-linear story and Non-linear
story. Focusing on multi-linear story, Murray (1997: 30) defined it as a written or
dramatic narrative that presents a single situation or plotline in multiple versions,
versions that would be mutually exclusive in our ordinary experience. Closely
observerd, Mass Effect 3 has a branching story, therefore it could be said that
Mass Effect 3 has multi-linear story structure. Carlquist’s model visualizes the
structure of multi-linear story as follow:
A
B
C
D
E
Here, there is a starting and an ending section. The player has to start the story in
section A and ends it in section E. Along with it, it is optional what he or she does
in-between, if or in what order the subquest are played. It is said if the player for
example visits section C, he or she cannot visit section D. There are also at least
two different submodels of this type of structure as deliberated by Calquist to
describe his model:
a) One where the player always has admittance to the completely middle
section. The multiliniearity in this kind of games consists in the order of
12
doing the offers missions or quest being free. The game offers a lot of
things to do and the player can select when and if he or she will do them.
b) There is a main plot that the player has to follow. This plot involves many
choices, and depending on what the player does, certain ways are opened
and others are closed. This is more linear variant of the structure. The
player follows one road but the game itself contains multiple roads.
These kinds of story settings are quite common in for example RPGs and in some
strategy games such as Commandos 2: Men of Courage. This powerful narrative
method serves different ideas from the traditional telling of stories; frankly
speaking the method offers something new. A computer, a medium in which
narratives of video games are presented, allows unique possibilities and makes
interaction become fruitful. The player as an agent experiences the feeling that he
or she in control of the game and that he or she can influence the story – to
interface the narrative. The game designer, however, is still the author of the story.
In other words, a share control is applied. The player is in charge of what can
possibly appear, the players can only choose between the options that the designer
have created in the game. There cannot be any other sections than those given.
This branching story made a choice situation to the player that led to
multiple continuations. According to Domsch (2013: 112), FNs must at least
provide one node that can lead to multiple continuations – otherwise, they are not
FNs –, but they may also present the reader/player with a choice between these
multiple continuations. He defined choice as what video games are all about, even
though the reach of agency is not always as extensive as the player might perceive
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it. He also said that a choice situation contains at least two different options.
Former, the core requirement, also understood as the basic definition of nodal
situation, leads player’s awareness of being in a choice situation to be unimportant
for its being a choice situation, though in many cases used by games or other FNs
that kind of awareness is provided. Later, it is a specific player choices. In video
games, choice situations are both regularly recognizable and invested with some
form of motivation – the player will be interested in the outcome of the choice and
will expect one outcome to be better than another will. One might therefore
further distinguish two special types of choices, the informed (or conscious)
choice and the motivated choice. A motivated choice must also be a conscious
choice, but not vice versa.
Domsch (2013: 114) said that one important aspect of choice is therefore
how informed it is – that is, whether we choose based on knowledge or arbitrarily.
Choice situations differ in the amount of information that is given about the
consequences of the different options. Here are conditions of choice situation that
Domsch described:
– No information: the agent has no reasonable knowledge about anything
that might result as a consequence of the options.
– Incomplete information: the agent is provided with some knowledge
about possible outcomes, but no certainty in relation to the probability of
the outcomes, and/or the completeness of information about outcomes.
– Complete information: the agent is provided with certain information
about all consequences of all options.
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Depending on the extent of information about the consequences of a given choice,
the nature of that choice will differ and according to Domsch (2013: 115), the
choice situations that are perceived as interesting in a structural sense provide
only incomplete information. This means that there are conflicting arguments for
and against each choice that might have probabilities, but no certainties attached
to them. This either is experienced as a meaningful choice, where the player has to
act according to probability (uncertainty) or has to hierarchise incompatibles.
Some degree of information about a given choice seems to facilitate the feeling of
agency, as agency is experienced as pleasurable especially when we are able to
make meaningful decisions within the story/game universe. When a choice has to
be made completely arbitrarily, there is only interactivity, but no (or a very low)
sense of agency. In addition, the information provided is an important link
between gameplay concerns and the fictional immersion by the player.
2.1.3 Modes of Operation
To analyze the narrative in video games required an unusual way due to
the involvement of players, the actions that took by the player are affected by the
way the game present the story through their mode of operation. According to
Domsch (2013: 31), once it is established that, rather than games being narratives,
they contain narratives through narrative forms, it is helpful to enumerate these
forms and classify them according to their nature and mode of operation.
Therefore, the following forms are considered as the foundation of the overall
narrative in Mass Effect 3.
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2.1.3.1 Passive Forms
All passive narrative forms are in themselves experienced as passive and
therefore identical to the media from which they are appropriated (film, text,
audio), but they can, and usually are, contextualised in an actively nodal way,
since they are forms in an actively nodal structure. There are two passive forms
used in this research: Exposition and Cut scenes. The function of Exposition is to
introduce the player to the fictional world and its properties, to provide
information about the character that the player is going to play, and to introduce
the main objectives of the game, though not all of these elements need to be
present. The Cut scenes purpose is usually to provide narrative content presenting
pre-scripted events, characters in characteristic actions, dialogues, or giving
background information on the storyworld.
2.1.3.2 Active Nodal Forms
First, Player freedom in video games is always a negotiation between the
player’s input and the game’s input, and the same goes for the unfolding of a
game’s narrative, therefore, player actions is one of the active nodal forms.
Second, Quick time events are pre-rendered video sequences that can be interacted
with by the player. A passive video sequence will be shown to the player until a
node is reached, which is indicated by visual prompts telling the player that she
can now interact, usually by pressing a specific button. Finally, conversation
situations will usually limit the player’s range of options (combat options and
other interactions with the gameworld are usually disabled, and spatial movement
16
is limited or disabled), but the player can still influence the course of the
conversation. If it is not presented as part of a cut scene, it usually makes more
than one dialogue option available for the player to choose from, thus creating
what is commonly referred to as a dialogue tree.
2.1.3.3 Dynamic forms
Since video games can be described not merely as actively nodal, but also
as dynamic systems, they can contain forms that are experienced by the player as
narrative but that are neither passive presentations (such as cut scenes or screen
text) nor dependent on the player’s own input (as is the case of event triggers). In
video games, in contrast to other games that cannot be classified as dynamic and
that do not include real time into their rules, things can happen to or within the
gameworld – and therefore affect the player character as part of the gameworld –
without the player’s participation.
Being mediated to the player through the visual presentation of material
space, one could argue that such events should be included within the category of
passive forms, but this is problematic for two reasons. First, they are presented
seamlessly as part of the gameplay, they happen while the player has full control
over her character while at the same time being independent of whatever the
player does. And second, while some of the dynamic forms cannot be influenced
by the player (like an automatic day and night cycle), others can (especially
nonplayer characters), meaning that some can at least be turned into actively nodal
forms. A non-player character (NPC) is a character in a video game that is
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controlled by the gamemaster. A non-player character in a video game is usually
part of the program, and not controlled by a human, but through artificial
intelligence (AI). Non-player characters are one of the most important actively
nodal as well as dynamic narrative forms in video games.
2.2 Immersion
Video games created for one purpose, to give people a moment for their
willing suspension of disbelief. According to Murray (1997: 98; 126), Immersion
is a part of the components that characterize the multiform story. Immersion is
about “the experience of being transported to an elaborately simulated place”.
Meanwhile, According to Ryan (2008: 54-58), there are four types of immersion,
the first three of which are used in computer games. First, there is spatial
immersion. Modern graphic engines are capable of presenting impressive and
realistic environments that change according to the player spatial movements.
Therefore, by moving around and exploring the storyworld the player feels
immersed in a constantly changing world. Second, there is epistemic immersion.
Epistemic immersion is the desire to know and it can be achieved by allowing the
user to investigate and manipulate objects and by presenting a dialogue system
that allows the user to gain additional knowledge about the storyworld. Third,
there is temporal immersion, closely related to the three narrative effects of
curiosity, surprise and suspense. The player is curious about how the story
progresses, surprised by unexpected events and experience suspense when they
know that the main character can choose between different actions that may have
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very different consequences. Fourth, there is emotional immersion. With the goal
of moving from simple object to the simulation of interpersonal relations between
the human user and the AI-based non player character, the most important goal is
to get the user to feel emotional bonding with other characters in the world and
even experience empathy.
CHAPTER III
RESEARCH OBJECT AND METHOD
In this chapter, I describe a research object and method including the
techniques of collecting and analyzing data related.
3.1 Research Object
Narrative in video games is presented as narrative forms to influence and
initiate the player actions. The player’s involvement in determining the flow of the
story could be affected by the choice he makes in dialogue tree provided –
triggered by the way on how the game narrates the story itself to invest
motivation. Consequently, the involvement leads to the idea that video games
offer relationship of narrative and interactivity. In other words, narrative
maintains its role in the pleasure of game experience.
In various perspectives, video games involve “story” that plays in the
interactive experience. Since the story involves interactive process, the
understanding of the narrative role takes different conception. Considering that
conception, the object of this research is a narrative formation forming the overall
narrative of Mass Effect 3 with focusing on some factors initiating the final
narrative formation using Bizzocchi’s parameters. Applying specific research
method, narrative formation of Mass Effect 3 is analysed with adapting theories of
Domsch’s future narratives.
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3.2 Research Method
The method used in this research is descriptive, which allows having a full
description of the research object in the form of data that have been selected based
on specific phenomena. As Nazir (2003) remarked, “tujuan dari metode penelitian
deskriptif adalah untuk membuat deskripsi, gambaran, atau lukisan secara
sistematis, faktual dan akurat mengenai fakta-fakta, sifat-sifat serta hubungan
antar fenomena yang diselidiki."
Related to characteristics of the method, the data are described, showing a
dynamic process and impact to the storyline that are made by the player because
of the interactive process. To optimize a systematic thought, the techniques of
data collection and analysis are designed to view the framework.
3.2.1
Data Collection
It is widely believed that the procedure of data collection determines the
validation of the data. In this case, the technique of data collection should meet
the requirements of scientific method of collecting data to represent factual and
accurate data presented.
In the present research, data were gathered collectively by playing a
mission so called sub grand mission of Mass Effect 3. The mission was to talk to
the council for a help; chosen based on: (1) its role as initial mission that
developed sequence of following missions, (2) its function as the first narrative
formation that had important role to draw the player’s attention to the game so
called immersion. The representative data were collected by capturing every scene
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including objects and dialogues that support the description of issue proposed.
The technique of data collection involves 5 (five) steps. The first step is I played
the third series of the game and captured every cut-scene that related to the main
story. In addition, I played the game with choosing straight options as Paragon in
every dialogue tree that appeared in the scenes and capture it and choosing only
the main missions. Then, I read every datapads related to the main story to see the
information they provide. I also captured the history of the Mass Effect series that
presented in codex to bridge the story gaps between Mass Effect 3 and its
prequels. After that, I played the game all over again as Paragon with choosing
additional options given in dialogue tree, also choosing side missions that have
major influence to the main story to see the differences in the information and
story.
3.2.2
Data Analysis
To analyze the narrative formation, the collected data are analyzed using
the narrative components, which are storyworld, character, emotion, narrative
interface and micro-narrative. Domsch’s theories of future narratives, multy linear
story and immersion are used simultaneously to analyze the process of narrative
formation and to identify the factors that affect overall narrative of Mass Effect 3
game.
In presenting, the analysis illustrates a full description on how narrative
formation is created and on how the share control is ceded in its process. How the
player as an agent plays its role may describe the factors supporting the player’s
22
choice of options in dialogue tree. To sum up, the data analysis is presented
through a description of all factors involved in making a choice.
CHAPTER IV
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
This chapter describes the process of narrative formation and presents the
analysis of the factors that affect the overall narrative in Mass Effect 3. In
tempting to take a position in the issue, some salient positions are published to
reach the understanding of the role of narrative in the pleasure of game
experience. First, since a game may involve “story” to add the pleasure of
gameplay, the games indicates narrative components – character, storyworld,
emotion, narrative interface and micro narrative as proposed by Bizzocchi (2007).
At the same time, the concept of immersion is seen as a dynamic process, the
immersion of “flow” suggested by Csikszentmihalyi (1990).
Concerning to those positions, the discussion may cover Bizzocchi’s
parameters: (1) storyworld in which the game unfolds, (2) character, the beings
populating the game world, (3) emotion shown by the game characters and
potential emotion hidden in the player as an agent, (4) narrative interface – the
representation of narrative sensibilities in the appearance and the functionality of
the interface design, and (5) micro-narrative, that is, smaller moments of narrarive
flow and coherence that occur within a broader context of game play. In this case,
the prologue introduced in this discussion serves as a storyworld. In addition, to
focus the discussion over a discovery of the story, Paragon option appears as a
character involved. Clearly, the choice of Paragon option itself is concerned with
its potential to illustrate the strength of characters’ bond and that to invest some
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24
forms of motivation. Meanwhile, emotion, narrative interface and micro-narrative
are explored within development phase of narrative.
As RPGs, Mass Effect 3 clarifies its form of multi-linear story with
beginning, middle and ending section. Beginning is the setup and complication,
while development phase and resolution is in the middle section, and denouement
is in the ending section of the story. At this point, it is argued that the middle
section of Mass Effect 3 potentially influencing the ending may vary; depended on
agent’s choice in available options. The choice is identified as the investment of
motivation available in situation given (provided from starting to nearly ending).
As a result, the situations, as a storyworld, described through text and visual
graphics are provided in this research analysis to give illustration and mechanism
how motivation invested in situations triggers the choice.
4.1 Process and Factors in Beginning: Prologue (Priority: Vancouver)
As mentioned, a storyworld described through text and visual graphics
may invest motivation to introduce the challenge. Thus, in this section, a
storyworld and characters are introduced through prologue to view how the
narrative formation proceeded. In its development, the challenge is introduced to
trigger the motive and emotion between the player and characters in the
gameworld. Then, the following description may give details of the idea.
This section is considered as tutorial mission of Mass Effect 3. Concerning
to the framework of narrative arc, it introduces the characters and the storyworld
in which they inhabit. In this mission, the game introduced the player, as an agent,
25
into the story and the gameplay to build emotion; such as what is happening and
what the player should do to complete the story. As prologue, this mission only
gives information to the player about the condition they face in galaxy and how to
play the game. This information is presented as story through sequences of cut
scenes. There were no differences in information given to the player between the
first play and the second play. Therefore, this mission’s analysis only shows about
the information provided by the scene.
These scenes told a story of incoming disaster to the galaxy. As an
introduction, the story began with conversations between two admirals, Anderson
and Hackett, about something that had happened to the colonies beyond the Sol
Relay, when they were all gone dark all of a sudden. This conversation builds up
the background story of the game and gives the player information of the initiated
conflicts. The initiated conflicts later become the complication of challenge to be
overcome.
Image 4.1.1 Mass Effect 3 (Prologue)
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The conversations continued into a report that came from Commander
Sephard years ago about a race that had only purpose to cleanse organic beings all
over the galaxy every fifty thousand years. They just realized that the report was
true and they only had a little time to prepare for defending the Earth from that
legendary race. Then they decided to mobilize every fleet they had to defend the
Earth and they could only pray for what would come next. The introductory story
was closed by textual narrative that gives information, a brief history of the game
world, to the player.
Image 4.1.2 Mass Effect 3 (Prologue)
Images 4.1.1 through 4.1.2 describes the opening of Mass Effect 3’s story
as cut scenes using cinematic narrative supported with text. Its function is to
introduce the player to the fictional world and its properties (human discovered
that they are not alone and the galaxy is on the verge of extinctions). The cut
scenes itself provides the narrative content, presenting pre-scripted events, and
giving background information on the storyworld. Most games used cut scenes to
27
present their storyworld to the player. These cinematic sequences also intended to
trigger the players so they can be immersed by showing an advance visual
graphics and by giving them the background story before they take control of the
game, called as spatial immersion. To be immersed is to be interested, and
obviously, the players will continue to play the game when they are interested,
and the story will be progressed as the game played. The images tell the situations
and the conditions of the gameworld, which there is something awful approaching
the Earth, and humanity is under a siege. This information is shown to the players
without their involvement as the agent. In other words, the players have no control
over the scenes. The images of cut scenes shown above can be categorized as
exposition, because it gives the players information about the main objectives of
the game, which is to save the galaxy from the Reapers, and it makes appearance
before the players play the game (introduction).
Video game expositions can use different modes of presentation, such as
written text and graphic or cinematic narrative (as shown above) and the players
almost cannot skip these introductory sequences or texts. They are closely related
to the cut scene; the main difference is that they are not interrupting gameplay but
preceding it. Therefore, the story in this section is build up by two modes of
operation in presenting the storyworld to the players, namely through cut scenes
and exposition, and both of them are included in passive forms for their nature of
operation.
In order to reach the development phase of narrative arc, illustrating the
protagonist works toward his goal, the story progressed in the next scenes when
28
Commander Shepard, who did not know about the galaxy’s condition, was staying
in a room somewhere on Earth. A man called James came in to the room to inform
Shepard that the defense committee wanted to see him. Soon he was puzzled by
the crowded activity around him when Anderson came to pick him up. While
heading to the defense committee, Anderson gave him the information about
something ‘big’ that was headed to Earth. Shepard guessed that the Reapers were
coming and Anderson answered him that he did not know. At this point of
conversation, a dialogue tree emerges and there were two options to be chosen,
allowing the players to experience resolution as culmination of the struggles of the
development phase. This dialogue tree cedes the players a share of control of
interactive experience. It means that a critical degree of fine authorial control is
lost.
Image 4.1.3 Mass Effect 3 (Prologue)
29
As provided, these two options consists Paragon and Renegade characteristics that
may be selected to represent characteristic of Shepard as a main character:
Paragon
: We should’ve prepared more.
Renegade
: I’m certain.
As focused character in this discussion, Paragon option was chosen. Then, the
response to Anderson statement, Shepard said that Earth was not ready at all to
face the Reapers and the discussion at the defense committee was a time wasting.
Anderson gave him an understanding that they were only scared because they had
not seen what Shepard had seen. The conversation continued the story of Shepard
fighting Reapers couple of years ago and his experience could help Earth fighting
the Reapers. As the conversation goes, they arrived at an office with an officer
waiting for them. On the way to the defense committee, they met Kaidan. He
greeted Shepard as if he had known him for a long time. This scenery gave James
surprise and he approached Kaidan to confirm his curiosity if he knew Shepard.
Kaidan simply said, “I used to”.
These sequences of cut scenes provide information about Shepard
backstory. The players could know that Shepard was the only one who had seen
the Reapers and fought them. Both options that are given in dialogue tree shown
in Image 4.1.4, told the players that Shepard knew about the one who is causing
the uproar in their base. The dialogue tree also gives the players chances to
influence the course of their conversation with more positive response, which is
something that a Paragon character would do. The chances to influence the course
of the conversation also part of emotional immersion, because the players have
30
chance to build positive relationship between the characters. Most conversations
in the game are presented as cut scenes and some with a dialogue tree. Although
the players could not interact within the cut scenes, the appearance of dialogue
tree that interrupts the scene requires the players to interact with it. This
interruption is recognized as quick time events and automatically changed the
mode of operation from passive form to active form. Therefore, these scenes have
three modes of operation: cut scenes, dialogue tree and quick time events. It also
has two kinds of forms based on their nature, passive form and active form.
The story progressed to Shepard and Anderson arrival at the defense
committee. They were consulting about the disappearance of the colonies beyond
the Sol Relay. Shepard assured them that they already knew who was coming, the
Reapers. The committee asked him about the way to stop them, and then he said
that it was not about strategy or tactics, it was about survival. He also told them
that the Reapers were more advanced than human, more powerful, more
intelligent and they will never take pity on anyone. At this point, a dialogue tree
emerged as the committee wondered if there was a way to defeat the Reapers, as
shown in Image 4.1.4. There were two options:
Paragon
: We stand together.
Renegade
: Survival at any cost.
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Image 4.1.4 Mass Effect 3 (Prologue)
The option chosen resulting in Shepard statement that human had to stand
together if they were going to have any chance to survive. The meeting was
interrupted by a report of attack on Luna Base. They just realized that the Reapers
had breached their defenses and Earth was under attack while they were
discussing on a way to face them.
The scenes above give the players information about the Reapers strength
known by Shepard. The information provided by the cut scenes and dialogue tree
processed similarly with the previous section. The conversations that presented as
cut scenes and a dialogue tree changed the course of their conversation based on
the player’s actions. In these scenes, the players have opportunity to change the
conversation between the defense committee and Shepard provided by dialogue
tree shown in Image 4.1.4. The choice made by the players gives more motivation
to them that the characters in the game should stand together to defeat the
Reapers, in other words, the players gives hope within their conversation. The
32
Reapers also make their appearance in the game within the scene and the scene
provides visual information to the players about the devastations the Reapers
brought for the first time, as shown in Image 4.1.5. This visual information also
part of spatial immersion.
Image 4.1.5 Mass Effect 3 (Prologue)
This information, provided by the cut scenes and dialogue tree as shown in
Image 4.1.1 through 4.1.5, gives the players knowledge of the storyworld. The
game mostly delivered the story by cinematic and conversation through cut
scenes. The players cannot interact with the story as long as the scene progresses,
except when the dialogue tree emerged as a need for the interaction of the players.
The dialogue tree may change the course of the conversation presented by the cut
scene depending on the player’s actions. The process continued during the game
in progress. Therefore, the cut scenes and dialogue tree has an important role in
telling the story and information about the game to the players.
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4.2 Process and Factors in Development Phase
As mentioned, development phase is the long phase that dominates the
bulk of the storytelling, as the protagonist works towards her goal, by exploring
emotion, narrative interface and micro-narrative provided by the scenes in
missions. In this section, the development is shown by playing the missions twice
to see the differences of information between the developments of the story. This
development phase also could affect the course of the game’s story, the phase is
described as follows.
4.2.1 Priority: Mars
Following the Reapers attacks, Shepard commanded by Anderson was
talking to the Council for a help. As he was departed from Earth by ship,
Normandy, Sephard was ordered by Admiral Hackett to go to Mars. His mission
was to gather the information Dr. T’soni about something that could wipe out the
Reapers, it was held in Mars’s Archives together with the researches about
Protheans. In Mars, Sephard discovered that the facility was under attack by
Cerberus.
In the next development phase, there were significance differences in
gathering information of the storyworld between the first play and the second play
when the players was playing this mission. Therefore, following analysis shows
the differences of information gathered by the players; information that may
invest motivation initiating characters’ emotion, both games characters and the
players.
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4.2.1.1 Conversation between Shepard and Liara
4.2.1.1.1 First Play
In his way to the Archives, he found Cerberus chased Liara. He talked to
her when the chased was over and informed her that he was ordered by Hackett to
gather information about the Reapers. Fortunately, she knew about what was
going on and how to stop the Reapers. She informed Sephard that she discovered
a weapon that could wipe out the Reapers, but Sephard seemed could not believe
about the discovery.
Image 4.2.1.1 Mass Effect 3 (Prologue)
At this point, options emerged to be chosen by the players. There were three
options available:
Paragon
: Seems too good to be true.
Renegade
: Finally, some good news.
Investigate
: We’re just learning this now?
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As the first step to collect the data, a straight response as Paragon was chosen. The
result of the response was Sephard statement about the weapon that he would
believe it when he saw it. He asked Liara about the weapon, she explained that it
was not a weapon but a plan of device, a blueprint; she also told him that Cerberus
could be after the same thing with unknown purposes. The conversation ended
when Cerberus attacked them.
This conversation provided by the scenes gives information to the players
about blueprint of a device that could stop the Reapers and about the reason of
Cerberus attacked the facility, although it was still unclear. Simply, the
information motivates the game characters and the player’s emotion when
accomplish the mission, whether they gain a form of victory or defeat. In this
case, design strategies are managed to be applied; meaning the narrative interface
designs narrative form. In the same time, the information gives a pleasure of story
and experience of interaction through making a particular decision.
The decision to choose straight Paragon response – since the discussion
focussed on Paragon – has eliminated the other available options of response,
especially the left center option in dialogue tree. This decision also made the stor