Videogames as Narrative Medium
© 2003 Nich Maragos

  1. Chapter I - Are Games Art?
    1. The Case Against
    2. The Case For
  2. Chapter II - Narrative Components of Games
    1. Imagery
    2. Sound
    3. Movies
  3. Chapter III - Conventional Narrative in Games
    1. Plot
    2. Character
    3. Point of View
    4. Setting
    5. Theme
    6. Sidequests
    7. Metanarrative
  4. Chapter IV - Interactive Narrative in Games
    1. The Arbitrary Choice
    2. The Burdensome Choice
    3. The Interpretive Choice
    4. The Behavioral Choice
    5. Rewards
  5. Chapter V - Conclusion
  6. Works Cited

Works Cited

Black and White. Electronic Arts, 2001. Personal Computer.

Borow, Zev. "The Godfather." Wired Jan 2003: 103+.

Chrono Trigger. Squaresoft, 1995. Super Nintendo Entertainment System.

Disaster Report. Agetec, 2003. PlayStation 2.

Dragon Warrior. Enix, 1989. Nintendo Entertainment System.

Elliott, Ted. "Hacking Through the Underbrush." Wordplay. 10 Apr 2003

Final Fantasy X. Squaresoft, 2001. PlayStation 2.

Grand Theft Auto III. Rockstar, 2001. PlayStation 2.

Heinlein, Robert A. Stranger in a Strange Land. New York: Putnam, 1961.

Jensen, Jeff. "Videogame Nation." Entertainment Weekly 6 Dec 2002.

King, Lucien, ed. Game On. New York: Universe, 2002.

Kroll, Jack. "'Emotion Engine'? I Don’t Think So." Newsweek 6 Mar. 2000: 64.

Levy, Steven.. "Here Comes PlayStation 2." Newsweek 6 Mar. 2000: 54-59.

Lilo & Stitch. Dir. Chris Sanders. Perf. Daveigh Chase, Ving Rhames. Disney, 2002.

Metal Gear Solid. Konami, 1998. PlayStation.

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. Konami, 2002. PlayStation 2.

Mortal Kombat. Midway, 1992. Arcade.

Ninja Gaiden. Tecmo, 1998. Nintendo Entertainment System.

O’Brien, Paul. The X-Axis.

Orwell, George. 1984. New York: Signet, 1949.

Phantasy Star Online. Sega, 2001. Dreamcast.

Planescape: Torment. Interplay, 1999. Personal Computer.

Pong. Atari, 1972. Arcade.

Poole, Steven. Trigger Happy. New York: Arcade, 2000.

"PSX 2 to Swallow Industry?" Next-Generation Online. 8 Mar 1999.

Q*bert. Gottlieb, 1982. Arcade.

Schiesel, Seth. "A Universe Where Ideas Can Trump Actions." New York Times 27 Apr 2000.

Scholes, Robert E. Elements of Fiction. New York: Oxford, 1968.

Sider, Don. "Virtual Vice?" People Weekly 16 Dec 2002: 79-80.

Silent Hill 2. Konami, 2001. PlayStation 2.

Sims, The. Maxis, 2000. Personal Computer.

Street Fighter II: The World Warrior. Capcom, 1991. Arcade.

Suikoden III. Konami, 2002. PlayStation 2.

Wallace, David Foster. "David Lynch Keeps His Head." A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again. Boston: Little, Brown. 146-212.