What is Lego Narrative: How Ken Levine Proposes Creating Replayable Game Stories

Contents:

• Where Linear Stories Fail
• Lego Narrative as a New Approach
• Let's Consider Lego Narrative as an Example
• A Zero-Sum Game
• How to Expand the System Even Further
• So What About Narrative?

Ken Levine's Irrational Games studio has returned to the gaming arena after a decade of silence with the announcement of a new game – the immersive simulator Judas. Despite visual parallels with Levine's previous work, BioShock, Judas promises to offer a unique gaming experience and is significantly different from everything the team has created before. The developers aim to create a deep storyline and innovative gameplay that will allow players to immerse themselves in a new world.

Judas will be based on the Lego narrative concept that Ken Levine introduced in 2014 after the release of BioShock Infinite. The essence of this idea is that the game contains many narrative elements that connect together like Lego blocks. The player is empowered to combine these elements themselves, creating a unique and personalized experience. This approach allows for deeper immersion in the story and the formation of their own understanding of the events unfolding in the game.

Game designer Ken Levine offers a new perspective on storylines in video games, emphasizing the importance of player choice in driving the story forward. He argues that narrative can be integrated into the game system, allowing players to experience new emotions and sensations with each replay. This approach not only enriches the gaming experience but also creates unique stories based on decision-making, making each game unforgettable.

Introducing the LEGO narrative concept, which deserves special attention. This ambitious idea combines elements of storytelling and modular design, enabling the creation of unique and multi-layered narratives. LEGO narrative offers users the opportunity to choose and combine different storylines, characters, and worlds to create their own stories. This approach not only expands the boundaries of traditional storytelling but also makes it more interactive and engaging. LEGO narratives are suitable for a variety of formats, including literature, film, games, and educational programs, opening up new horizons for creativity and self-expression.

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Where Linear Stories Fail

BioShock and System Shock are Ken Levine's signature projects, which cemented his status as an icon among game designers. Despite their success, Levine expresses fatigue with traditional approaches to storytelling in video games. This speaks to his commitment to innovation and a desire to create unique gaming experiences that go beyond the ordinary.

To create a deep emotional impact, according to Levine's experience, linear games must become increasingly ambitious and expensive. This leads to increased development timelines and complexity. As a result, players receive a product that lasts only a few hours: after the first playthrough, they experience all the emotions the story has to offer, but reliving those moments becomes impossible. Plot twists designed for surprise only make an impression once. Therefore, it is important to find new approaches to creating stories and mechanics to prolong player engagement and give them the opportunity to relive unique moments.

Ken Levine's approach to large-scale linear games was significantly shaped by his experiences working on BioShock Infinite. His book, "Press Reset," details how the project repeatedly changed to suit the game designer's vision. Working on a large team proved so stressful that Levine decided to disband Irrational Games immediately after the game's release. As a result, he assembled a small team to develop a new project, which is now known as Judas. This move was an important milestone in Levine's career and reflects his desire for creative freedom and control over the development process.

Ken Levine expressed dissatisfaction with the development of Infinite, noting that the project brought him nothing but disappointment. He often expressed his concerns about the lack of familiar faces on the team. At one point, Levine shared his doubts with Roy and stated that he did not want to continue working on a new game with such a large team. He considered bringing in a small number of employees from Irrational and switching to smaller-scale projects.

An excerpt from Jason Schreier's book, "Press Reset: How the Game Industry Ruins Careers and Gives Second Chances" (2021), raises important questions about the dynamics of the game industry and its impact on the careers of developers. Schreier analyzes how the pressures of high expectations and constant competition can destroy the careers of talented professionals. At the same time, he explores the opportunities that arise after failure, emphasizing the idea that even in times of crisis, new paths to development and creative fulfillment can be found. The book offers an in-depth look at the inner workings of the game industry, revealing both its shortcomings and opportunities for renewal. Essential reading for anyone interested in how contemporary trends and challenges impact careers in games.

Linear stories in video games pose a number of problems. Firstly, the gaming community is becoming increasingly active and impatient, and players are eager to learn as much as possible about the development process and the story. However, good drama requires a certain amount of mystery—by revealing the plot and key twists in advance, developers risk spoiling the game's overall experience. Under these circumstances, developers must maintain strict secrecy, which isn't always well received by audiences. This creates a tension between player expectations and the need to maintain suspense, complicating the process of creating high-quality content.

Role-playing games feature nonlinearity, but the classic approach to plot forks requires significant resources and limits the number of possible outcomes. This leads to developers facing challenges in creating diverse stories and unique gaming experiences. It is important to explore new methods and technologies that expand the horizons of role-playing games and make them more interactive and engaging for players. Effective solutions can include adaptive storylines and algorithms that automatically adjust to user choices, thereby creating a deeper and more varied gameplay experience.

It's important to note that even the best story-driven games rarely utilize the unique capabilities of video games in their narratives, especially interactivity. Plot and gameplay often function independently. Regardless of how you interact with game mechanics, communicate with NPCs, and express yourself in the game world, the main storyline remains constant. It tells the story not of your choices and actions, but of the protagonist created by the writers. This limitation reduces the level of player engagement, which is sought after by a more personalized gaming experience.

During the development of BioShock Infinite, I uttered an unfortunate thought: "Imagine if Elizabeth could get angry at Booker and say, 'Fuck you, I don't like what you're doing, I'm leaving.'" As soon as I said that, I was overcome with doubt: "Can we really implement that in the game?" The fact is, BioShock Infinite has a fundamentally linear plot aimed at creating a compelling, on-rails story. As a result, although the game was successful, Elizabeth interacts with Booker, not the player. This highlights the importance of developing characters and their dynamics within a given narrative.

Ken Levine is a renowned game designer who has made significant contributions to the development of video games. His works are distinguished by a unique approach to creating interactive stories and deep themes that touch on human nature. Levine rose to fame with projects like BioShock, which not only won numerous awards but also changed the way games tell stories. His development philosophy combines engaging gameplay with social and ethical issues, making his games more than just entertainment, but true works of art. Ken Levine continues to inspire a new generation of developers, emphasizing the importance of creativity and originality in the gaming industry. Linear games have their drawbacks, one of which is the lack of opportunity to expand the story after release. DLC for story-driven games often introduces new elements but fails to deepen the original story. However, the Lego narrative concept can change this situation, providing the opportunity for a dynamic and multi-layered narrative that can be expanded and developed. This increases replayability, allowing players to return to the story again and again with new impressions and discoveries.

Ken Levine shared his thoughts on new approaches to narrative in video games. In his GDC lecture, he emphasized that his ideas should not be taken as a definitive recipe for game creation. Rather, they are his contribution to the ongoing discussion about how to effectively engage players in a story. This conversation began long before him, and today many game designers are actively seeking new answers and solutions. Levine also noted that at this stage, some of his proposals may seem naive or unrealistic, but they are intended to stimulate creative thinking in the industry.

The game designer does not seek to criticize traditional approaches to storytelling in games, but respects the mastery of studios like BioWare and CD Projekt RED in their storytelling techniques. Levine wants to discuss the possibilities of fundamentally changing the perception of game narrative. He proposes new ideas that can enrich the player experience and push the boundaries of game design, opening new horizons for storytelling in video games.

Lego Narrative as a New Approach

The key idea of ​​Lego Narrative is to create a replayable storytelling experience, where the development of the story depends on the player's actions. This allows players to experience unique moments in each playthrough. It is important to emphasize that the implementation of this concept requires highly developed NPCs with advanced artificial intelligence capable of believably and vividly responding to the player's actions. However, at the moment, technology is still far from creating AI that could be comparable to human thinking. The development of such systems will open new horizons in the gaming industry and significantly increase the level of interaction between players and virtual characters.

Levine believes that the problem can be solved by simplifying design tasks, at least until technology reaches new levels of development. Overly ambitious goals can lead to analysis paralysis, which can stall progress. Taking the first steps, even if they're imperfect, is essential for further development.

Game designers, looking at early physics-based video games, note that computers in the last century couldn't process the complex logical interactions of geometric shapes. Realistic physics was an unattainable goal at the time. However, programmers found creative ways to simulate object interactions. Simple 2D shapes like spheres and cubes were a starting point. Modern technology now allows us to simulate fluids and fabrics, as well as implement complex destruction systems. The possibilities in this area will only expand in the future. The simplified physics of early games, despite their limitations, created engaging gameplay experiences and impressed players with their innovation.

The LEGO narrative offers unique opportunities to create dynamic stories that adapt to the player's actions. It is not necessary to imbue NPCs with every human trait to achieve this goal. It is important to focus on key aspects that will shape character interactions and plot development. This allows for a varied story that is not only engaging but also deep, given the player's choices. Basic elements such as character motivations, goals, and reactions can form the basis for building an interactive narrative. This approach avoids unnecessary complexity and focuses on creating an engaging gaming experience.

• Create non-linear narrative elements that interact with each other.
• All such elements should begin with a player action.
• Most of the consequences of these actions should be clear to the player in advance.

Let's Consider a Lego Narrative with an Example

The concept of a Lego narrative becomes clearer if we imagine a hypothetical game in the style of Skyrim. This is a large open world where players can interact with different factions, each of which has its own unique needs and goals. The game space includes dungeons, as well as a variety of characters offering a variety of quests. This approach allows players to independently shape storylines and make decisions that influence the development of events. The LEGO narrative creates a dynamic game environment where every choice matters and can lead to unexpected results.

The game features four races, each living in its own unique village. Each village features key characters with whom the player will actively interact. Levin calls these characters stars. They differ from ordinary NPCs by having interests—unique desires and beliefs that shape their personality. These interests form the basis for a variety of interactions between the player and the character. For example, Frank, the orc's chief blacksmith, has three interests:

• Hates elves.
• Wants someone to build a temple to the old gods.
• Is in love with the orc Barbara.

The player's actions related to the characters' interests directly affect the NPC's attitude towards the protagonist. This reflects the karma system familiar to many. For example, if the player helps the blacksmith build a temple, the blacksmith will appreciate the help and provide a discount on his services in the future. At the same time, if the player supports the elves, the orc may become angry and increase the prices of his goods. Thus, every action has consequences, shaping a unique experience of interaction with the game world and its characters.

The NPC relationship scale to the hero includes several key checkpoints, and reaching each of them has a certain impact on Gameplay. The more favorably the blacksmith treats the hero, the more benefits they receive: in addition to constant discounts, the blacksmith can assist in combat or offer unique weapons. However, if the relationship is damaged, the blacksmith may refuse to serve the hero or even summon orcs, which significantly complicates the gameplay.

The relationship scale is always dynamic. Even if you've established a friendly relationship with a blacksmith, there's no guarantee they won't become your enemy in the future. Everything depends on your actions and decisions. Your actions may change the status of this friendship and, accordingly, the loss of all the bonuses it brought.

Having NPCs with multiple interests greatly expands player options and makes characters more multifaceted. This creates a more realistic perception of the world. For example, a blacksmith won't automatically become hostile after the player saves an elven village or abandons building a temple. This allows players to freely develop relationships, choosing the path that suits them best, rather than following strict rules like "kill the elves or you won't befriend the blacksmith." This approach fosters deeper engagement with the game world and makes the story more engaging and varied. Multiple interests contribute to a deeper understanding of the zero-sum concept. This is because a variety of interests allows players to view a situation from different perspectives, which in turn helps reveal hidden aspects and nuances. A more detailed study of this topic will allow us to better understand how different interests interact and how they can influence outcomes in the context of limited resources.

A single village contains multiple stars, each with unique interests. This creates the basis for engaging interactions, giving the player the opportunity to independently explore the relationships between characters. However, the game is not limited to just a few stars in a single faction. In fact, the game features many more characters, and the task of making each of them fully-fledged individuals with their own interests presents a significant challenge.

To allow minor NPCs to react to the player's actions, Levine proposes implementing a faction-wide macroscale based on the opinions of the stars. This scale would include checkpoints, each of which would influence interactions with NPCs, providing both bonuses and negative effects. This approach will make the interaction more dynamic and exciting, increasing the level of player involvement in the gameplay.

The blacksmith, admiring your achievements, regularly shares them with his comrades, which has a positive effect on your image. Public opinion of you begins to form: orcs begin to recognize you, greet you, and offer assistance. However, it should be noted that the village has several "stars," and the overall mood of the faction depends on interactions with each of them. To become an honored hero of the village, you must purposefully please all the important figures. If you act in your own interests, supporting some and rejecting others, this will negatively affect your perception. As a result, the opinion of others will remain unstable and fluctuate around the average level.

The game provides the player with feedback on every action, including interactions with minor NPCs that create the illusion of a living world. These characters, while merely extras, can enrich the gameplay experience and add depth to the story, making every interaction meaningful.

Zero-Sum Game

The relationship system described by Levin is based on the zero-sum principle. This means that it is impossible to please everyone: befriending one character will inevitably lead to displeasure with another, and supporting one group will generate hostility from another. Conflicts can also arise within a group. For example, most orcs hate elves, but among them there is an orc who is secretly in love with an elf. Similarly, one dwarf might strive to build a forge in a vacant lot, while another dreams of establishing an inn. Thus, the dynamics of relationships in this system demonstrate the complexity and multifaceted nature of social interactions.

This state of affairs implies that the player will inevitably have to make decisions, which, in turn, contributes to the story's replayability. The more situations in the game that require a choice between two sides, the more complex and multilayered the web of actions and consequences becomes. This makes the gameplay more engaging and varied, allowing players to explore different scenarios and their impact on the story.

For a successful zero-sum game, it's crucial to properly balance the bonuses and negative consequences arising from the actions of the various parties to the conflict. If things go wrong, an orc woman in love with an elf becomes a healer. If you succumb to village pressure and begin to oppress the elves, she will refuse to provide you with medicine. On the other hand, if you support the "black sheep," ordinary orcs may refuse to help you in battle. This balance between choices and consequences creates a deep and engaging game mechanic, where every decision has its consequences.

When seeking compromise, it's important to maintain relative neutrality, but you must recognize that striving for balance in everything can lead to counterproductive results. The absence of significant negative consequences often means the absence of tangible advantages. You won't create enemies, but you won't gain reliable allies either. It's important to find a balance that will not only avoid conflict but also allow you to truly benefit from interacting with others.

The zero-sum principle, combined with diverse interests, provides the opportunity to achieve the same results in different ways in relationships with a given character, as seen with the orc Frank. This means that the player has great freedom in choosing their interaction strategy, even if they do not support the NPC's interests but still wish to establish a close relationship with them. For example, one player and Frank might share a hatred of elves, while another shares religious beliefs. Each interaction becomes a unique story, opening up new possibilities for plot development.

How to Expand the System Even Further

The Lego narrative structure provides a powerful framework that can be expanded and enriched with a variety of external elements. This allows players to perceive their relationships with characters in new ways and deepen their interactions. Using this structure contributes to the creation of more complex and multi-layered stories, which makes the gameplay more engaging and rich. As a result, players are able to explore new aspects of characters and their dynamics, significantly enhancing the overall gameplay experience.

Unique creatures that are not aligned with any faction can appear in the game world. Red and silver dragons are prime examples of such stars. They ignore mundane concerns and conflicts between races, possessing their own interests, bonuses, and negative effects. The red dragon strives for chaos, and if the player chooses the path of destruction, they will attract the player's attention and support. The silver dragon, on the other hand, seeks harmony and peace and will become an ally to those who reject violence. These dragons add depth and variety to the gameplay, allowing players to choose their strategies and interact with the world in different ways.

Want to expand the system even further? Introduce a global external threat that will impact all players in the game. For example, you could introduce the concept of the emergence of powerful creatures seeking to destroy all intelligent races, similar to the White Walkers from Game of Thrones. At the end of the game, these merciless creatures begin to attack, changing the dynamics of player choice—both future and past decisions. Entire villages may unite with you for the final battle and support you to the end, or no one will be there at the decisive moment. This approach will add new depth and tension to the gameplay, forcing players to rethink their strategies and interactions.

Global external obstacles open up new horizons of interests for NPCs. These new interests create a variety of opportunities for developing relationships with other characters. They are not limited to standard motives such as "defeat evil" or "protect family, village, or loved one from threat." For example, a hypothetical necromancer might find ways to profit from a given situation, which adds depth and layering to in-game interactions. This diversity of interests makes the world more rich and engaging for players, allowing them to explore different scenarios and possibilities.

So what about the narrative?

This game cannot boast of an original plot, as it includes familiar elements: warring races, love affairs, and powerful enemies threatening the world. These tropes have already become familiar to many players. However, Levine emphasizes this at the beginning of the presentation, emphasizing that he is not offering a ready-made solution, but rather demonstrating the potential of Lego narrative. This opens up new possibilities for creating unique stories and interactions in gameplay.

While the described system does not affect traditional storytelling, it serves as a foundation for customizable stories. Lego narrative creates a dynamic system of relationships, where various elements constantly interact with each other. These interactions are driven by the player's will, rather than following a fixed plot. This approach opens up new horizons in creating interactive narratives, allowing players to shape unique stories based on their choices and actions.

By defining how to interact with different NPCs, you create unique variations on the same plot. This leads to engaging stories where you truly become the protagonist. Your choices influence the course of events, opening up new possibilities and paths. Thus, each gaming session becomes unique, and your decisions shape the world around you.

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To ensure that players make decisions based not only on objective benefits but also on subjective experiences, it is necessary to deeply develop characters. This includes creating multi-layered personalities with unique stories, motivations, and emotions. Well-written characters can evoke empathy in players, which in turn influences their choices. It is important that players can see not only the character's goals, but also their internal conflicts, fears, and hopes. Thus, emotional attachment to characters will become an important element of the gameplay, making choices more meaningful and impactful.

Two heroines live in two villages, each dreaming of marrying the protagonist. Marrying one of them provides unique benefits: the first will gift a powerful sword, a family heirloom, while the second will offer assistance in crafting various items. If these heroines are well-developed and charismatic characters with whom the player can establish an emotional connection—love them or even hate them—the choice will become complex and multifaceted. The player will face an internal conflict between personal preferences and gameplay bonuses. Thus, a marriage of convenience will turn into a conscious choice based on pragmatism, and a marriage of love will become a reflection of true feelings.

Levin is still seeking answers to some questions regarding his new project, Judas. One of them is the need for a macronarrative with a global conflict. It's important to understand how to seamlessly integrate hidden player actions that NPCs may not be aware of. This could contradict the zero-sum principle, allowing players to secretly improve relationships with both sides of the conflict. It will be interesting to see what conclusions the game designer comes to and how he implements these ideas in the game.