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Username:SimonFraserUniversityLibraryBook:FundamentalsofGameDesign,SecondEdition.Nopartofanychapterorbookmaybereproducedor
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NonlinearStories
Ifyouallowtheplayertoinfluencefutureeventsandchangethedirectionofthestory,thenthestoryisnonlinear.Thischapterexaminestwoofthemost
commonstructuresfornonlinearstoriesbranchingstoriesandfoldbackstoriesindetailinthenexttwosections.Athirdapproach,emergentnarrative,is
moreofaresearchproblemthanastandardindustrymechanism,andwelldiscussitbriefly.Afterthatwelllookatanewhybridtechniquethatshowsgreat
promiseforthefutureofinteractivestorytelling.Finally,wellstudyanimportantissueforanytellerofnonlinearstories:Howmanyendingsshouldthestory
have?

BranchingStories
Abranchingstoryallowstheplayertohaveadifferentexperienceeachtimeheplaysthegame.Thestoryoffersnotoneplotlinebutmanythatsplitofffrom
eachotheratdifferentpoints.Asthedesigner,youdecideonthedifferentpossibleplotlinesandhowtheyrelatetoeachother.Duringplay,thestorytelling
enginekeepstrackofwhichplotlinetheplayerisfollowingatanygiventime.Whenthestoryreachesabranchpointaplacewherethecurrentplotline
subdividesthecoremechanicsmustsendatriggertothestorytellingenginetotellitwhichofthepossiblebranchesofthestorytheplayerwillfollownext.

Gameeventseitherplayereventsoringameeventsgeneratedbythecoremechanics(suchasanactiontakenbyanAIdrivenNPC)determinewhich
branchthestorywilltake.Playereventsthatinfluencethedirectionofthestoryfallintotwocategories:effortstoovercomeachallengeordecisionsthatthe
storyaskstheplayertomake.Branchpointsconnectedwithplayerdecisionshaveonebranchforeachoptionthatyouoffertotheplayer.Typically,branch
pointsassociatedwithchallengeshaveonlytwobranchesleadingonfromthebranchpoint,oneforsuccessandoneforfailure,thoughyoucanalsocreate
differentnumbersofbranchesfordifferentdegreesofsuccessifyouwantto.Wellconsidertheemotionalconsequencesofbranchesbasedonchallenges
versusthosebasedonchoicesinthelatersectionEndings.

Immediate,Deferred,andCumulativeInfluence

Ifaneventinthegamecausestheplottobranchrightaway,thateventhasanimmediateinfluenceonthestory.Thisisthemostcommonkindofbranch
andtheeasiesttoimplement.Theplayermakesanirrevocabledecisionwhichroadtotake,forexampleandthestorypromptlyreflectshischoice.

However,sometimestheplayercanmakeadecisionearlyinthegamethatinfluencesabranchpointmuchlater,inwhichcasethatdecisionhasdeferred
influence,orhecanmakeawholeseriesofdecisionsthroughoutthegamethatcumulativelyaffectabranchpoint,suchthathisactionsanddecisions,taken
together,havecumulativeinfluence.
Ifyouusedeferredorcumulativeinfluence,youmustmakeitcleartotheplayerwhatthepossibleconsequencesofhisdecisionswillbe.Itsunfairtogive
theplayerachoiceearlyinthegamewithoutwarningthatthischoicewillhavelongtermrepercussions,andthenchangethedirectionofthestoryhoursor
dayslaterbasedonthatchoice.Furthermore,ifhewantstochangehismind,hehastoreloadthegameallthewaybackatthepointwherehefirstmade
thechoice,choosedifferently,andthenplayallthewaythroughthegameagain.(Thatsassuminghestillhasasavepointtheretoreloadfrom.)Andhecan
onlydothisatallifherealizeshowhisdecisionsaffectedthecurrentbranch,whichmaynotbeobvious.

Forexample,ifyouallowaplayertochooserightatthebeginningofaroleplayinggamewhetherhewillplayasahealercharacterorafightercharacter,you
shouldtellhimthatsuchanimportantchoicewillhavesignificantdeferredconsequencesthroughoutthegame.

Manyroleplayinggamesusecumulativeinfluencetobuildupasortofreputationfortheplayer.Thegamekeepstrackoftheplayersbehaviorovertime,and
iftheplayerconsistentlyperformsevildeeds,theNPCsinthegamebegintotreathimasanevilcharacter.Again,youshouldwarntheplayerthathis
cumulativebehaviorwillhaveconsequenceslaterinthegame.
TrivialdecisionswhichcolorhatwillIwear?shouldhaveonlytrivialconsequences.Ifatrivialdecisionhasaprofoundconsequence,theplayerwillfeel
cheated:Hedidntknowthatthedecisionmatteredandhadnoreasontoexpectittomatter.Attachingimportantconsequencestotrivialdecisionsviolates
therequirementthatstoriesbecredibleanddramaticallymeaningful.TheHitchhikersGuidetotheGalaxy,atextadventure,didthisforcomedicandironic
purposes,butmostplayersandcriticsjudgedittobeanunreasonablydifficultgameforexactlythisreason:Theplayercouldntpredictwhatthe
consequencesofhisactionswouldbe.

DesignRuleBeClearAboutConsequences

Giveplayersareasonableamountofinformationaboutthepossibleconsequencesoftheirdecisions,especiallyifthedecisionsconsequencesaredeferred,sothattheycanmake
informedchoices.Donttieimportantconsequencestowhatseemtobetrivialdecisions.

TheBranchingStoryStructure

Adiagramofabranchingstorylookssomewhatlikeatree,althoughbyconventiontherootthebeginningofthestoryappearsatthetop,sothatthetree
branchesoutasitgoesdownthepageandthestorygoesforwardintime.Figure7.2showsasmallpartofthestructureofabranchingstory.

Figure7.2.Partofthestructureofabranchingstory

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EachofthecirclesinFigure7.2representsabranchpoint,andeacharrowrepresentsabranch,thatis,theplayersmovementalongaplotlinetothenext
branchpoint.Thestorytellingenginekeepstrackoftheplayerspositioninthestoryatanygivenmoment.

AsyoulookatFigure7.2,besuretonotethefollowing:
Thebranchpointsdontalwayshavethesamenumberofbranchesleadingawayfromthem.Astorycanbranchinanynumberofdirectionsatany
givenpoint.
Thebranchesgodownorsideways,buttheynevergobackupagain.Thediagramdepictsthepossibleprogressofastory,andstoriesalways
moveforwardintime,neverbackward.Inthecourseofplayingasinglegame,theplotneverfollowsthesamebranchorpassesthroughthe
samebranchpointtwice.Thisenforcestherulethatstoriesmustnotcontainidenticalrepeatingeventsandhelpsavoidtheriskofcontinuity
errors,asdiscussedearlier.
Unlikebranchesonarealtree,differentbranchescanmergethatis,differentplotlinescanconverge.Manybranchpointscanbereachedbymore
thanonepath.
Thediagramdepictstwopossibleendingsthatmaybereachedbydifferentpaths.Thecompletediagramwouldshowadditionalendingsfarther
down.
Thediagramshowsonlyonestartpoint,butinfactastorycouldhaveseveralstartpointsiftheplayermadeakeydecisionbeforethestory
actuallybegan.Theplayermightselectoneofseveraldifferentcharacterstobehisavatar,andthatchoicecoulddeterminewherethestory
begins.Orthestorytellingenginecouldchoosefromamongseveraldesignatedstartpointsatrandomjusttomakethebeginningdifferenteach
timetheplayerplaysthegame.

Thebranchingstorymechanismistheclassicmethodforcreatinginteractivestoriesthatgiveplayerslotsofagency.Branchingplotlinesletyoutellastory
inwhichtheplayersactionsstronglyaffecttheplot,andhecanseetheeffectofhisactionsifheplaysthegamemorethanonceandmakesdifferent
decisionsthesecondtimethrough.

DisadvantagesoftheBranchingStory

Beawareofthefollowingthreeseriousdisadvantagesofthebranchingstorymechanismbeforeyoudecidetousethatstructureforyourgamesstory.
Branchingstoriesareextremelyexpensivetoimplementbecauseeachbranchandeachbranchpointrequiretheirowncontent.InFigure7.2,
aplayercanexperienceatmostsixbranchpointsinplayingfromthetoptothebottomofthefigurenotverymany.Thatrepresentssixplayer
choicesorchallenges.Aftersixchoicesforexample,totaketheleftforkoftheroad,toenterthebuilding,togoupstairsinsteadofdown,totalk
totheoldwoman,toacceptalettersheoffers,toleavetheroomtheplayerhasbarelystartedthegame.Yeteventhissimplifiedexample
involves21branchpointsand35differentbranches,eachofwhichrequiresitsownstorycontent:gameplayandnarrativematerial.Ifnoneofthe
branchesmergedagain,therewouldbeevenmore.Thisrapidgrowthinthenumberofbranchesiscalledthecombinatorialexplosion.
(Combinatoricsisthefieldofmathematicsthatstudiesthenumberofpossiblecombinationsofasetofthingsinthiscase,asetofbranch
pointsinabranchingstory.)
Asaresult,mostmoderngamesdontactuallyincludemuchbranching,andtheyoftenincludelongperiodsduringwhichtheplayerplaysbutdoesnt
changethestory.WingCommander,aspacecombatsimulator,containedabranchingstory,butitbranchedonlybetweenmissions,notduringthem.
Eventually,theWingCommanderseriesabandonedbranchingstorylinesentirelybecausetheyprovedtobetooexpensive.
Everycriticalevent(thosethataffecttheentireremainderoftheplot)hastobranchintoitsownuniquesectionofthetree.Supposea
charactercanliveordieataparticularbranchpoint.Ifhedies,hemustneverbeseenagain,whichmeansnoneoftheplotlinesfromhisdeath
onwardcanincludehim.Hisdeathrequiresanentirelyseparatepartofthetreethatcannevermergebackintotherestotherwise,hemight
reappearaftertheplayerknowsthathesdead.Ifthishappenswithtwocharacters,thegamerequiresfourseparateversionsofthestory:a
versioninwhichbothliveaversioninwhichbothdieaversioninwhichAlivesandBdiesandaversioninwhichBlivesandAdies.Again,the
numberofpossiblecombinationsexplodes.
Theplayermustplaythegamerepeatedlyifhewantstoseeallthecontent.Ifthestorylinebranchesbasedonhowwelltheplayermeetsthe
gameschallengesandhesverysuccessful,thenthenexttimeheplayshehastoplaybadlyonpurposeinordertolearnthedramatic
consequencesofhisfailure!Alotofplayerswouldconsiderthistobeabsurd.Theypaidagreatdealofmoneyforthecontentinthegame,and
theonlywaytoseeitallistoplaybadlypartofthetime.Thisfactorfurthercontributedtotheindustrysabandoningstoriesthatbranch
frequently.

Ifyouwanttomakeabranchingstory,youwillhavetoplanoutthestructureintheconceptstageofdesign.Youshouldnotactuallywritethestoryatthat
pointinthedesignprocess,butyouwontbeabletoplanabudgetorscheduleforyourgameunlessyouknowhowmuchcontentitwillrequire,anda
branchingstorysresourcerequirementsexpandveryrapidly.

Ifyoufindthatthesedrawbacksdiscourageyoufromusingabranchingstructure,youcanchoosethecompromisethatthegameindustrymostoftenuses
whenitcreatesnonlinearstoriestoday:thefoldbackstory.

FoldbackStories

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Foldbackstoriesrepresentacompromisebetweenbranchingstoriesandlinearones.Inafoldbackstory,theplotbranchesanumberoftimesbuteventually
foldsbacktoasingle,inevitableeventbeforebranchingagainandfoldingbackagaintoanotherinevitableevent.(Thesearealsosometimescalledmultilinear
stories.)Thismayhappenseveraltimesbeforetheendofthestory.SeeFigure7.3forasimplifiedexample.TheSecretofMonkeyIslandfollowsthis
format,asdomanyofthetraditionalgraphicadventuregames.

Figure7.3.Simplifiedstructureofafoldbackstory

Mostfoldbackstorieshaveoneending,asshowninthefigure,butthisisntarequirement.Youcanconstructafoldbackstorythatbranchesoutwardto
multipleendingsfromitslastinevitableevent.

Foldbackstoriesofferplayersagencybutinmorelimitedamounts.Theplayerbelievesthatherdecisionscontrolthecourseofevents,andtheydoattimes,
butshecannotavoidcertaineventsnomatterwhatshedoes.Shemaynotnoticethisthefirsttimethatsheplaysandmaythinkthatthestoryreflectsher
ownchoicesatalltimes.Ifsheplaysthegamemorethanonce,however,shewillsuspectthatsomeeventsareinevitableandthattheapparentcontrolshe
enjoyedonthefirstplaythroughwasanillusion.Thisisnotnecessarilyabadthingandcanbeusefultoyouasastoryteller.Theresnoreasonwhyan
interactivestorymustoffertheplayerawaytoavoidanyeventthatshedoesntwanttoexperience.Afterall,storieshavealwaysincludedtheoccasional
eventthattheprotagonistcandonothingabout.IfScarlettOHaracouldhavepreventedAtlantafrombeingburnedinGonewiththeWind,thestorywould
havehadaverydifferentoutcomeandlostmuchofitsemotionalpower.Itsreasonabletouseinevitableeventstoestablishplotcriticalsituationsthatthe
playercannotreasonablyexpecttopreventorchange.
Thefoldbackstoryisthestandardstructureusedbymoderngamestoallowtheplayersomeagencywithoutthecostandcomplexityofabranchingstory.
Developersroutinelyconstructtheinteractivestoriesinadventuregamesandroleplayinggamesasfoldbackstories.Ofallformsofnonlinearinteractive
storytelling,itistheeasiesttodeviseandthemostcommerciallysuccessful.

Ifyouwanttocreateafoldbackstory,youshouldchoosecriticalturningpointsintheplottobetheinevitableevents.Theyneednotalwaysbelargescale
eventsliketheburningofAtlanta.Theysimplyshouldbeeventsthatchangethingsforeverandfromwhichthereisnoturningback.Theherofacinghisfinal
challenge,forinstance,orthedeathofanimportantcharacter,bothworkwellasinevitableevents.ObiWanKenobisdeath,inStarWarsIV:ANewHope,
workswellasaninevitableevent.

EmergentNarrative
Emergentnarrative,atermintroducedbydesignerMarcLeBlancinhislectureFormalDesignToolsatthe2000GameDevelopersConference,refersto
storytellingproducedentirelybyplayeractionsandingameevents(LeBlanc,2000).Emergentnarrativestorytellingdoesnotcontainnarrativeblocks(which

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hecallsembeddednarrative)createdbyawriter.Thestoryemergesfromtheactofplaying.Thereisnoseparatestorytellingengineandnopreplannedstory
structure,eitherlinearorbranchinginprinciple,anythingcanhappenatanytimesolongasthecoremechanicspermitit.

PlayingTheSimscancreateemergentnarrativesbecausethegamesimulatestheactivitiesofagroupofcharactersandcontainsnoprewrittennarrative
blocks.However,TheSimsisnotreallyadevicefortellingstoriestotheplayerbecauseitgivestheplayersomuchcontrolthathedoesntfeelasifhes
interactingwithastorybutratherthathescreatingastory.Thegameismoreofanauthoringtool.(SeeChapter5,CreativeandExpressivePlay,forfurther
discussionofplayerstorytellingasaformofcreativeplay.)
Thechiefbenefitofemergentnarrativeisthatthesequenceofeventsisnotfixedbyalinearorbranchingstructure,sotheplayerenjoysmoreagency.He
canbringaboutanysituationthatthecoremechanicswilllethimcreate.However,theplayercancontrolthestoryseventsonlytotheextentthathecan
controlthecoremechanicsthroughhisplay.Ifthedesignersetsupthecoremechanicsinsuchawayastoforceaparticularsituationontheplayer,his
experiencecanbejustasrestrictedasinafoldbackstory.

LeBlanchimselfpointsoutthatemergentnarrativeisnotwithoutitsproblems.Foronething,itrequiresthatthecoremechanicsbeabletoautomatically
generatecredible,coherent,anddramaticallymeaningfulstoriesanextremelytallorder.Coremechanicsaredefinedintermsofmathematicalrelationships
ratherthanhumanoneshowcantheyproducereasonablehumanbehavior?Howcanyoumakethemgenerateemotionallysatisfyingstoriesalgorithmically?
Atthemoment,withthefieldinitsinfancy,nobodyknows.Furthermore,thecoremechanicsmustlimitrepetitionandrandomness,andatthemoment,the
coremechanicsofmostgamesproducealotofboth.Finally,emergentnarrativeseemstooffernothingforconventionallytrainedwriterstodo,anditmight
notbewisetogiveuponordinarywritersjustyet,giventhemillenniaofstorytellingexperiencetheyrepresent.

Thebestinformationavailablerightnowdoesntrevealtheexistenceofanycommercialgamesthatmakeuseofpurelyemergentnarrativewithoutany
embeddedthatis,prewrittenmaterial.Theindustrydoesnotyethaveanysoftwarethatgeneratesstoriesgoodenoughforcommercialentertainment
products.Atthemoment,emergentnarrativeremainsanexperimentaltechnique,partofanAIresearchfieldknownasautomatedstorytelling,whichoffers
greatpotentialforthefuture.

CharacterAgnosticPlotsandKingofDragonPass

Inmostroleplayinggames(RPGs),theplayergetstodesignheravatarfromscratchatthebeginningofthegametochoosetheavatarsrace,sex,profession,andmanyotherdetails.
Thegamesplot,therefore,mustbecharacteragnostic,whichistosay,thedetailsoftheplotdonotdependonthecharacter.Suchplotshavesomeofthesameproblemsasplotscreated
fornonspecificavatars,whichwereintroducedinChapter6,CharacterDevelopment.However,thereisadifference.Nonspecificavatarshavenodetailsthedesignercanworkwith.
Whenaplayercreatesanavatar,shecreatesthosedetails,andthecoremechanicsandstorytellingenginecanworkwiththem.

TheplotsofthestoriesinmostRPGsarentverysophisticated,soforthemostpartthisdoesntmattermuch.Theplayercompletesaquest,usuallybykillingalotofmonsters,andthe
plotmovesforward.Itmaybranchonewayiftheplayerischoosingtoroleplayasanevilcharacter,andanotherifsheisgoodbutitsusuallyalargefoldbackstorythatendsupinthe
sameplaceregardless.

ThegameKingofDragonPass,publishedin1999byASharp,isanimportantexceptionthatdeservesmoreattentionthanitreceived.ThegameissetinGlorantha,themagicalworldof
theRuneQuesttabletopRPGgames.Superficially,KingofDragonPassappearstobeasortofmanagementsimulation.Theplayerspendsmuchofhertimemanagingfoodproduction
andlookingafterhertribe.WhatsetsKingofDragonPassapart,however,isitsstorytellingmechanism.

ThegoalofthegameistobecomekingofanentireregionknownasDragonPass,throughacombinationofeconomicgrowth,warfare,anddiplomacy.Theplayerleadshertribeassisted
byaCouncilofElders,consistingofsevenNPCs.EachElderhashisorherownappearance,personality,andotherattributes,andtheplayermaycallonanyofthemforadvicewhena
criticalsituationarisesthatdemandsadecision.TheadvicetheplayergetsnaturallydependsonthepersonalcharacteristicsoftheElderthattheplayeraskssomeEldersare
aggressive,sometimid,somediplomatic,andsoon.TheplayermayalsosendEldersonmissionsofonekindandanother,andtheoutcomeofthemissionmaydependonwhichElder
theplayersends.Sendingawarmongeronadiplomaticmissioncanhavedisastrousconsequencessendingaskillednegotiatoronapurchasingmissioncanbehighlyprofitable.

OrdinaryRPGstreatthestoryasajourney,andtheircharacteragnosticplotsituationsarenormallyassociatedwithaparticularlocation.Iftheplayeravoidsvisitingthelocation,she
neverexperiencesthesituation.Also,mostofthesituationsinordinaryRPGsmustberesolvedthroughcombat,sonomatterwhotheplayerhasinherparty,shehastofightherwayout
ofitonewayoranother.

KingofDragonPassisdifferentbecauseinsteadoftheplayergoingtofindadventure,theadventurescometoher.Theplayerdoesnothaveanavatarwhomovesaround,butevents
happentoherallthesame.Thegamemaintainsahugedatabaseofcharacteragnosticsituations,andaseparatedatabaseofElders(andpotentialreplacementElders).Situationsarise
eitheratrandomorinresponsetoearlierevents.WhenasituationoccursthatrequiresanEldersattention,theplayermustchoosewhichElderwilldealwithit.Thestorytellingengine
readstheEldersattributesandcomputesanoutcomefromthem.Itnarratesthisoutcometotheplayerand,ifappropriate,triggersanothersituationthatwascausedbythefirstone.(The
databaseofsituationsinKingofDragonPassdoesnotlooklikeanordinarystoryrather,itiscodewritteninaspecialprogramminglanguagedevisedjustforthispurpose.)

Thisdesignhastwobenefits.First,becauseeachsituationischaracteragnostic,anEldermaydiewithnoharmtothestory.ThatNPCsimplygetsremovedfromthedatabaseofElders
andcannottakepartinanyfutureevents.Thereisnoproblemofacombinatorialexplosion.

Second,andevenmoreimportant,theoutcomeofasituationnotonlychangesglobalstatusattributessuchasthestateofthetribe,itcanalsochangetheattributesoftheElderwhowas
involved.TheplayerschoiceofElderinfluencestheoutcomeofthesituation,andthesituationinturnmayaffecttheElderspersonality:makingacallowyoungmanmorewise,or
humblinganarrogantwarrior.This,then,mayinfluencesubsequentsituationsthattheElderisinvolvedin.Justasinpresentationalfiction,thereisaninterplaybetweencharactersand
eventsthatchangesboth.

Asaresult,thegamecanbeverydifferenteverytimetheplayerplays.TheEldersshechoosestosurroundherselfwithcanproducemuchmorevariedresultsthanweseeintheusual
RPG.TheplayermustbeagoodjudgeofcharactertoknowwhichElderstouseforwhatmissions.ForthisreasonKingofDragonPassmightbestbecharacterizedasaleadership
simulatorbutsofar,itistheonlyoneknown.

Endings
Readersfindtheendingofastoryoneofitsmostcriticalemotionalmoments.Storytellerscrafttheirendingstoevokespecificfeelingsintheaudience
sometimesevenintheverylastsentence.Butaninteractivestorycanhavemultipleendings.Howmanyendingsshouldyourstoryhave?
Includemultipleendingsifyouwanttogivetheplayeranoutcomethatreflectsthedramaticactionshetookthroughoutthestorythoseactionsthatactually
mattertothestory,asopposedtoactionsirrelevanttothedrama,suchasreorganizinghisinventoryorbuyingnicerclothing.However,theplayersdesirefor
anoutcomethatreflectshisactionsvariessomewhatdependingonwhatthoseactionswere.Playersdramaticactionsinagamemaybedividedintothose
takentosurmountachallengeandthoseinwhichtheplayermakesachoice.

PrematureEndingsDontCount!

Byendingwemeanatrueconclusiontothestory,notaprematureendingcausedbytheplayerfailingtomeetachallenge.Althoughdyinginthemiddleofalongroleplayinggamedoes
amounttolosingthegame,itsnotreallytheendofthestory,simplyaninterruptionintheplayersexperienceofthatstory.Theplayerwillundoubtedlyrestartthegameandcontinueif
shefindsplayingthegameacompellingexperience.Prematureendingsshouldbequickbecausetheyreonlytemporary,sodontsquanderresourcescreatingalotofnarrativematerial

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toaccompanyprematureavatardeath.Norshouldyoumaketheplayerwaitalongtimetogetstartedagain.Manymoderngamesdontevenrequiretheplayertoreloadthegameaftera
prematureendingtheyreloadautomaticallyforher,restartingnearwheresheleftoff.Othergamessimplydontlettheavatardieatall,toavoidthewholeissue.

ChallengesandChoices

Ordinarycompetitivegames,thosewithoutstoriesatall,stilloffermorethanoneending:Theplayerwinsorsheloses,dependingonhowwellsheplayed.So
iftheplayermeetsyourgameschallengeswell,youmightwantthestorytoendwell,andifshemeetsthembadly,youmightletthestoryendbadly.Justas
thefinalscoreofanordinarycompetitivegamereflectstheplayersskillinanumericway,sotheoutcomeofthestorycanreflecttheplayersskillina
dramaticway.Ingeneral,playersexpectthatiftheymeetallthegameschallengesandmakeittotheend,thestorywillendinsomereasonablypositive
way,reflectingtheskillthatgottheplayersuccessfullytotheend.Ifbadplayproducesaprematureending,youdonthavetocreateafullfledgedconclusion
forit.Whenagamesdramaticactionsconsistmostlyofthosetakentoovercomechallenges,playersusuallytoleratestoriesthatofferonlyoneending.
If,ontheotherhand,thedifferentpossibleendingsreflecttheplayersdramaticchoicescriticaldecisionstheplayermadeinthecourseoftheinteractive
storyratherthanherabilitytoovercomechallenges,thentheplayerwilldefinitelyexpectherchoicestoaffecttheoutcomeofthestory.Ifthegametellsher
thatachoiceisimportant,andshefindsoutthatitreallywasnt,itwillbedistinctlydisappointing.Youmaywishtocreateanumberofendingstoshowthe
consequencesoftheplayersdramaticchoices.Gamesthatincludealotofdecisionmakingespeciallymoralchoices,whichfeeldramaticallyimportant
shouldbenonlinearandoffermultipleendings.

WhentoUseMultipleEndings

Devisemultipleendingsforyourstoryifandonlyifeachonewillwrapupthestoryinawaybothdramaticallymeaningfulandemotionallyconsistentwith
theplayerschoicesandplay.Ifyoudidntgivetheplayeralotofdramaticfreedom,thentheresnopointingivingherdifferentendings.Ontheotherhand,if
youhavetoldtheplayerthatheractionsandespeciallyherchoicesarecrucialtotheending,thenyoushouldliveuptothatpromiseandgiveherwhatever
endingheractionsearn.Youmayhavetocreateseveralendings,dependingonhowmanycriticalchoicesyougavetheplayer.

Foramoredetaileddiscussion,seetheDesignersNotebookcolumn,HowManyEndingsDoesaGameNeed?(Adams,2004).

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