Interactive Media and Games Design level 3: January 2015

Dark souls has a depressing story and atmosphere. Using story changing elements like permeant NPC deaths that truly effect the story and there for changing a lot of the story by just killing someone that you might think is not important .Dark Souls is a action role-playing game that still keeps its medieval time period without it feeling "cheesy". Being that there is a lack of a pause button keeps the player immersed in the game. The story is never given to you at any time so you could make your own story if you so want to. The world design is very bleak and dark with a lot of depressing themes in it as well. I think that Dark Souls way of story telling by the lack of story telling that there is but instead trying to explore the game to find the story works so well into this game because you as the player start out with no clue what is happening within the game and to have some voice just telling you everything can be a immersion breaker.

Pensona 4 is a 3rd person Japanese Role-playing on which its plays like a RPG but some parts of the normal levelling up system uses more of a dialogue system. Its from of story telling is quite nomal for a video game which is that the story develops as the game progresses, The main story itself is quite linear itself but the game has quite a nice handful amount of other quests and things you can do within the game itself.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/05/-sp-hikers-killed-japanese-volcano-pictures-final-moments

How my Protagonist will react to this situation:

Mark quickly woke up to find that parts torn debris all around him. His mind became clouded with his friends, wishing for his safety. He tries his best to break himself free of this debris prison but the destroyed bit of buildings are not moving anytime soon. He tries his hardest to break free, even praying to the god he never have believed in, but has only succeeded to tire himself out. As his gash on his right hand start bleeding, he slips in and out of consciousness until he falls asleep.

Stasis: It starts out in the debris but it goes to a flash back to normal life

Trigger: The earth-quake starts to happen

The quest: Finding the missing friends

Surprise (Obstacles): Scar in right hand does not help (infection starts in the good arm and decrease the arms use), debris blacking paths, finding the one that dislikes him first.

Critical choice: Haruki's arm is broken and under a unmovable piece of debris and has to chose to remove it with something sharp (axe gets found somewhere).

Climax: Big argument over the morality of Rin and how fit of a leader Mark really is and other stuff.

Reversal: Rin finally understands that leaving Haruki to die was not a good idea and tells Mark that he is a better leader then she otherwise though.

Resolution: Mark learns to become a better leader while Rin is less arrogant to other people.

Story

Mark quickly woke up to find that parts torn debris all around him. His tries his best to break himself free of this debris but the destroyed bit of buildings are not moving anytime soon. He tries his hardest to break free but has only succeeded to tire himself out, he slips in and out of consciousness until he falls asleep.

Mark is sitting on his couch with a controller in hand and eyes glued. There was a knock at the door. He hesitated but put the controller down and answered the door to three people. Haruki, Takumi and Rin. Mark smiled and greeted them “Evening Haruki, Evening Takumi.” Then saw Rin and his smile dropped quickly “Rin.” Mark said in a toneless way. “Mark” Rin replied with the same toneless voice. He invites all three of them in his house.

Mark regains consciousness and starts shouting; “Help!” As he also noticed that he has made a deep cut within his right hand. He hears mumbling from outside, he gives out a final shout of “Help!” As loud as he can. The mumbling gets louder and louder as he sees light coming out from the holes, the lights blind him for a second but his vision becomes clear again and he sees Takumi and Rin standing over him with Takumi holding his hand out, Mark tries to use his good arm but the deep cut makes it impossible to use. Mark takes Takumi’s hand with his left arm and gets up quickly. Mark looks around and starts to sob about the home that he use to own just to be destroyed with in a mere instant. “We need to find Haruki, cry later.” Rin barked. Mark stops sobbing, not agreeing with how Rin said it but worrying about Haruki’s safety.

As hours go by of searching for their friend they have almost lost hope until a faint cry has been heard from a pile of debris. They pick up most of the debris to find Haruki under but no matter how hard they tried, the debris that is on his arm cannot be moved. “It hurts so much I think its broken!” Haruki shouted still trying to move his arm even putting himself in more pain. “Stop trying to move your arm, we need to think of another way to get you out … but how?” Mark Questioned. Takumi tries again and again to move the debris off but it was no use. Rin finds a axe within the rubble and chops off the arm before anyone could tell him to stop and Haruki has fainted as a result. “ Rin! Are you f*cking crazy?!” Takumi screamed. “It was either that or we had to leave Haruki and he could die.” Rin yelled. Mark did not say a word knowing that it was too late; Takumi picked up Haruki and started to carry him.

An hour of walking and Mark is feeling weak to the knees. Rin comes over and says “Get up, now” This was the last straw for Mark and anger gave him the energy to get back up and shouted “What the f*ck is wrong with you?! All you have done all day is been nothing but a dick, why are you being so horrible to everyone and you even cut off Haruki’s arm without even asking him? That really low!” Rin yelled at the top of her voice “If I did not do all that then Haruki might still be trapped and im also being hard on you because you are weak!” Mark replies with “Weak?! Caring about my friends are weak?! If you really think that then I never want to talk to you again.” Rin just stood there for a second and then just slowly walked away almost looking a bit sad from hearing that. Mark just walked behind her and Takumi.

Everyone is quite and did not say a word until they finally reach a hospital. Mark gives a sigh in relief to finally see some good news in front of him. As they go in and get Haruki to the medics as fast as possible. Takumi places Haruki on a bed and let the medics take him away for treatment. They sit down in the waiting room without saying a word to each other. Ten minutes of silent waiting becomes broken when Rin finally says while starting to sob, “I’m sorry about what I done and said.” After a few seconds of letting it sink in, Mark replies with “Don’t worry about it, it was a tough day for all of us, just remember that we are your friends at the end of the day and we will support you when you need it.” Takumi nods in agreement. Rin starts to tear up and cries out “Thank you both! I promise to be a more respectful person to you guys.”

Rin has kept her promise and became a better person for it. Takumi became stronger as a person though the tragic time. Mark finds some new leader skills with in the crisis and Haruki did unfortunately lose an arm but was still alive to tell the story to his children and grand children all thanks to the teams effort to get him to the hospital.