COLLABORATIVE STORYTELLING, NARRATIVE MANAGEMENT, AND THE IMPACT OF INCLUDING GAME MECHANICS AS A STORYTELLING DEVICE
Date
2025-05
Authors
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
Tabletop Roleplaying Games, or TTRPGs, are a type of game that combines
mechanical interactions and gameplay elements with narrative components and
collaboration in storytelling. Due to several factors, such as multiple participants
contributing to a singular narrative output or the inclusion of chance, there exists a
more complicated relationship between the story, its creator(s), and its viewer(s) than
in traditional mediums. Despite this, the narrative opportunities the medium presents
are typically a lower priority than the gameplay ones, particularly in discussions of
design. This study presents the results of a bespoke TTRPG created with intentional
interaction between its gameplay mechanics and plot. This game was designed,
created, and conducted for this project, followed by feedback and extensive analysis.
This analysis includes both what alterations would need to be included in any similar
TTRPG project, as well as showcasing what this project demonstrates about the nature
of storytelling. It explores ludonarrative harmony and dissonance, the malleability of
authorship, and the ability for a story to surprise those creating it. The game utilizes a
horror genre, chosen to exaggerate the relationship between mechanical and narrative
tension, and to prioritize the feelings and mindsets of the characters over the
progression of the plot itself. The results show that mechanics have an undeniable
impact on the reception of a given narrative, able to influence both simple elements
such as the tone of a scene, and complex elements such as the way a character solves a
particular problem. It also highlights that allowing random elements to influence the
outcome of a narrative can create an unexpected ending. TTRPGs are a storytelling
medium that have significant depth available to them and can create narrative
interactions that are difficult or impossible to replicate in a traditional medium.