ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the keys to creating an organization and shape to one’s story. Inspired in part by Aristotle, Joseph Campbell, and Lajos Egri, the author has come up with a multitude of story beats or milestones that have proven to be successful in game narrative. Some of these milestones include Inciting Incident, Introduction to Protagonist’s Purpose, Refusing the Call, Accepting the Call, the Point of No Return, Adjustment to a New World, Low Point, In the Belly of Jonah’s Whale, Ticking Time Bomb Introduced, Obligatory Scene/Climax, Reversal, and Denouement.
I also discuss potential pitfalls in game development that undermine narrative structure, including premature character introduction, long missions with no narrative interspersed, and arbitrary bells and whistles.
