History Main / EmergentNarrative

An "emergent narrative" or "procedural narrative" is any VideoGame storyline that is not written ("embedded"[[note]]These terms were introduced by Marc [=LeBlanc=] (of [[UsefulNotes/MechanicsDynamicsAesthetics MDA]] fame) at GDC 2000.[[/note]]) into the game by its developers, but emerges from the player's interactions with [[GameSystem various gameplay subsystems]]. More specifically, the player ''recognizes and interprets'' events that occur within the game space as part of an ongoing narrative[[note]](with "narrative" here [[http://gamestudies.org/07010701/articles/simons defined simply as]] "a sequence of causally and chronologically linked events")[[/note]] and ''projects'' their own emotions onto the in-game character constructs. Because emergent narratives are thus player-driven, rather than developer-driven, and because computers generally cannot recognize narratives as easily as humans do, they tend to be a lot messier than the carefully curated embedded narratives, and it is hard to ensure that every player will experience one, in the first place. On the other hand, because our brains are so well-adapted to telling stories, the inherent messiness of emergent narratives tends to get curated and to diminish in [[AfterActionReport subsequent retellings]].

* '''Uncertainty'''. Because narrative tension comes from not knowing what happens next, the player's complete control has to be moderated by either [[UsefulNotes/RandomNumberGenerator plain randomness]] (of [[RandomEvent events]] or [[GameplayRandomization outcomes]]) or [[VideoGameAI artificial intelligence]], which allows the characters to pursue their own agendas in opposition to the player (or at least to ''seem'' like they do).

* Both ''VideoGame/MiddleEarthShadowOfMordor'' and its sequel ''[[VideoGame/MiddleEarthShadowOfWar Shadow Of War]]'' feature the Nemesis System, which dynamically populates and shuffles the enemy orc social hierarchy based on [[PlayerCharacter Talion's]] actions. Orc and Olog captains are procedurally generated with random personality and appearance traits, remember, reference, and learn from previous encounters with Talion (if they survive them or come BackFromTheDead), and gain further abilities and individuation (like [[RedBaron nicknames]]) as they climb the ladder, ''especially'' if they manage to kill [[ResurrectiveImmortality Talion]]. Even Orc grunts can kill you and gain prestige in the Orc hierarchy. Later in ''Mordor'' and early on in ''War'', Talion learns to brainwash orcs and then subtly orchestrate their rise to power from the shadows, and you are able to do this much earlier in ''War'', producing highly memorable FromNobodyToNightmare narratives.

-->-- "[[https://www.researchgate.net/publication/292437181_Open_Design_Challenges_for_Interactive_Emergent_Narrative Open Design Challenges for Interactive Emergent Narrative]]"

As usually defined, emergent narratives specifically concern plots that arise from repeated player-game interactions (player-environment, player-{{NPC}}, NPC-NPC, etc.), but not from player-player interactions in multiplayer modes. This therefore excludes collaborative story-telling and role-playing of every kind ({{tabletop|RPG}}, {{LARP}}, online, as well as "story games"), even though these feature emergent narratives trivially, because it's their main goal. Also excluded are non-interactive narrative generators, from the 1977 ''[[https://www.cs.utah.edu/nlp/papers/talespin-ijcai77.pdf Tale-Spin]]'', to Website/ThisVeryWiki's [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/storygen.php Story Generator]]. Video games designed to facilitate emergent narratives often have following features[[note]](partially adapted from [[http://163.173.228.40/fichiers/art_3150.pdf this paper]])[[/note]]:

Note that academic game studies further subdivide emergent narratives into [[https://kotaku.com/5594540/the-game-narrative-triangle--redkingsdream "player-driven" and "procedural"]], with the former consisting only of immediate player actions and the player's interpretation of them; the latter, meanwhile, is comprised of the in-game events that have been built in by the devs but occur at runtime according to procedural logic, rather than to a writer's direction. The distinction is very fluid, however, so this trope basically blends them together. Lastly, there is also an ongoing research field of "computational narratives", where VideoGameAI actually tries to parse and to direct in-game events and player actions as a dramatic narrative thread.

As usually defined, emergent narratives specifically concern plots that arise from repeated player-game interactions (player-environment, player-{{NPC}}, NPC-NPC, etc.), but not from player-player interactions in multiplayer modes. This therefore excludes collaborative story-telling and role-playing of every kind ({{tabletop|RPG}}, {{LARP}}, online, as well as "story games"), even though these feature emergent narratives trivially, because it's their main goal. Also excluded are non-interactive narrative generators, from the 1977 ''[[https://www.cs.utah.edu/nlp/papers/talespin-ijcai77.pdf Tale-Spin]]'', to Wiki/ThisVeryWiki's [[https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/storygen.php Story Generator]]. Video games designed to facilitate emergent narratives often have following features[[note]](partially adapted from [[http://163.173.228.40/fichiers/art_3150.pdf this paper]])[[/note]]:

* The ''Franchise/FireEmblem'' franchise has this trope as one of its core appeals. Unlike most [=RPG=]s which have a limited playable cast with pre-written storylines, Fire Emblem games tend to include [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters very wide casts]], most with little plot relevance, allowing the player themselves to tell the character's story through the game mechanics. This includes combat outcomes (which are often recontextualised as the unit's decision - e.g., an unlucky death due to RNG may be interpreted as a HeroicSacrifice), relationship development (through RelationshipValues and support conversations, characters can experience a wide variety of different personal plotlines, and support levels usually determine a character's life story after the end of the game, and building relationships can give combat boosts when the units fight together and even determine the stats of their children), and many {{Easter Egg}}s encouraging this blending of story and game mechanics (e.g., characters can often speak to and even recruit enemy characters they have a pre-existing relationship to).

* Both ''VideoGame/CrusaderKings'' games simulate hundreds of artificially intelligent characters (mostly nobles and royals) across many generations, with heirs being procedurally generated based on which dynastic marriages occurred, with or without the player's intervention. They also simulate a vast number of environment factors, from geography to religion, ensuring that every playthrough has literal centuries of fresh dynastic drama.

* The ''Franchise/FireEmblem'' franchise has this trope as one of its core appeals. Unlike most [=RPG=]s which have a limited playable cast with pre-written storylines, Fire Emblem games tend to include [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters very wide casts]], most with little plot relevance, allowing the player themselves to tell the character's story through the game mechanics. This includes combat outcomes (which are often recontextualised as the unit's decision - e.g., an unlucky death due to RNG may be interpreted as a HeroicSacrifice), relationship development (through RelationshipValues and support conversations, characters can experience a wide variety of different personal plotlines, and support levels usually determine a character's life story after the end of the game), and many {{Easter Egg}}s encouraging this blending of story and game mechanics (e.g., characters can often speak to and even recruit enemy characters they have a pre-existing relationship to).

* ''VideoGame/FTLFasterThanLight''[='=]s story follows you, a starship captain, with valuable information for your allies who are on the losing side of a rebellion, while the Rebels pursue you. During your journey, you accumulate currency, crew, equipment, and ship upgrades from various "beacons", or waypoints. Sectors are randomly generated, and what occurs at each beacon is usually a RandomEvent. Each event and even an empty beacon will describe some occurrence, the outcome of which you usually have a hand in. Seen all together, the events form a narrative of how you went from a basic ship and skeleton crew to ready-to-face-the-Rebel-flagship. (Or how you failed to.) Your journey can go one way in one playthrough and be significantly different in the next. The only story elements that definitely occur are those at the very beginning and at the very end (assuming you make it that far).

* Both ''VideoGame/MiddleEarthShadowOfMordor'' and its sequel ''[[VideoGame/MiddleEarthShadowOfWar Shadow Of War]]'' feature the Nemesis System, which dynamically populates and shuffles the enemy orc social hierarchy based on [[PlayerCharacter Talion's]] actions. Orc and Olog captains are procedurally generated with random personality and appearance traits, remember, reference, and learn from previous encounters with Talion (if they survive them or come BackFromTheDead), and gain further abilities and individuation (like [[RedBaron nicknames]]) as they climb the ladder, ''especially'' if they manage to kill [[ResurrectiveImmortality Talion]]. Even Orc grunts can kill you and gain prestige in the Orc hierarchy. Later in ''Mordor'', Talion learns to brainwash orcs and then subtly orchestrate their rise to power from the shadows, and you are able to do this much earlier in ''War'', producing highly memorable FromNobodyToNightmare narratives.

* Both ''VideoGame/MiddleEarthShadowOfMordor'' and its sequel''[[VideoGame/MiddleEarthShadowOfWar Shadow Of War]]'' feature the Nemesis System, which dynamically populates and shuffles the enemy orc social hierarchy based on [[PlayerCharacter Talion's]] actions. Orc and Olog captains are procedurally generated with random personality and appearance traits, remember, reference, and learn from previous encounters with Talion (if they survive them or come BackFromTheDead), and gain further abilities and individuation (like [[RedBaron nicknames]]) as they climb the ladder, ''especially'' if they manage to kill [[ResurrectiveImmortality Talion]]. Even Orc grunts can kill you and gain prestige in the Orc hierarchy. Later in ''Mordor'', Talion learns to brainwash orcs and then subtly orchestrate their rise to power from the shadows, and you are able to do this much earlier in ''War'', producing highly memorable FromNobodyToNightmare narratives.

* ''VideoGame/MiddleEarthShadowOfMordor'' features the Nemesis System, which dynamically populates and shuffles the enemy orc social hierarchy based on [[PlayerCharacter Talion's]] actions. Each orc is procedurally generated with random personality and appearance traits, remembers and references previous encounters with Talion (if he survive them), and gains further abilities and individuation (like [[RedBaron nicknames]]) as he climbs the ladder, ''especially'' if he manages to kill [[ResurrectiveImmortality Talion]]. Later in the game, Talion learns to brainwash orcs and then subtly orchestrate their rise to power from the shadows, producing highly memorable FromNobodyToNightmare narratives.

* '''Uncertainty'''. Because narrative tension comes from not knowing what happens next, the player's complete control has to be moderated by either [[UsefulNotes/RandomNumberGenerator plain randomness]] (of [[RandomEvent events]] or outcomes) or [[UsefulNotes/VideoGameAI artificial intelligence]], which allows the characters to pursue their own agendas in opposition to the player (or at to least appear as if they do).

Note that academic game studies further subdivide emergent narratives into [[https://kotaku.com/5594540/the-game-narrative-triangle--redkingsdream "player-driven" and "procedural"]], with the former consisting only of immediate player actions and the player's interpretation of them; the latter, meanwhile, is comprised of the in-game events that have been built in by the devs but occur at runtime according to procedural logic, rather than to a writer's direction. The distinction is very fluid, however, so this trope basically blends them together. Lastly, there is also an ongoing research field of "computational narratives", where UsefulNotes/VideoGameAI actually tries to parse and to direct in-game events and player actions as a dramatic narrative thread.

* ''VideoGame/DwarfFortress'' excels in this. At world creation a detailed history is procedurally generated for the whole world, which continues as the player creates their fortress. Each action by the player is recorded in the world history, which may affect later playthroughs in the same world. You can even start a fortress on top of a previously abandoned one, or visit it in Adventure Mode. But beware, as whatever caused the doom of that fortress is probably still lurking around.

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Will go under InteractiveStorytellingTropes.