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Struggling to find the way into your game? Consider these classic forms of conflict that allow any idea for a narrative to develop into a design.
Games are about goals that are challenging to reach. Narratives in games turns those challenges to conflicts, and puts a nice wrapping on the underlying mechanics of the game.
These are the various types of conflict with gameplay examples included. Each presents the player with a problem he or she must solve.
Man vs. Man
Two or more individuals on opposite sides of an issue.
Good vs. evil
Group vs. group
Two vs. one
Top score/ranking
Both want the same object
First to the top of the mountain
Someone said something about you
Rumors
Someone stole something from you
Someone turns out to be something other than what you thought they would be
Man X turns Man Y over to the authorities
Man vs. Nature/Environment
If the environment is preventing man from being in a place or a state he wants to be in.
Weather - he’s cold
Locked door - he can’t get in
Geography - can’t cross cavern
Jail - can’t get out
Security - can’t get past security system
Keeping you out - can’t get access to club/room/level
Keeping you in - can’t find way out
Man vs. Society
Laws or a basic code of conduct is preventing the character from doing what he wants to do or forcing him to do something that he didn’t want to do. Codes of culture can be illegal, depending on the role of the player.
Mafia member wants to return to society, but cannot.
Romeo wants to marry Juliet, but can’t.
No Irish need apply (Irish couldn’t get jobs in 1800’s leading up to the early 1900’s)
Perceptions of religion
Someone broke a law
Someone has a secret that, if revealed to others, would cause them to feel some particular way
Man vs. Himself
The character’s conflict is within.
He’s afraid, and he must push through it
The situation asks more of him that he perceives he can give… he does it anyway and succeeds
He finds himself in a moral dilemma - he doesn’t want to steal, but it’s there for the taking
Should she date her best friend’s ex?
He’s tired, doesn’t feel he can go on
He is conflicted about whether or not to turn in his best friend
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