Class Argument and Interactive Narratives

The curricular unit Argument and Interactive Narratives aims to encourage students to develop interactive arguments for videogames and animations and to explore them according to the interactive nature and freedom that each one offers in terms of complementing the gameplay and / or usability. This curricular unit is essential to acquire the skills needed to create fiction and playful interactive narratives as well as learning how to build a game design centered on narrative issues. 

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Types of fiction. Tecniques to write fiction. Character, conflict, story, scenario, dialogue and theme. Characters. First sketches, context, physionomy, personality. The protagonist and his goal. Protagonists without goals. Action, environment and dialogue. Character types in videogames. The hero, the reluctant hero, super-hero, anti-hero, etc. Videogames as emergent systems: immersion, actions, reactions, interactivity, gameplay, paidia and ludus. Worlds and scenarios. 2D, 2.5D and 3D worlds. Ambience, context and dimensions. Types of representations. Storytelling techniques I: story progresssion, the three-act struture: beginning, middle, ending. Epilogue and catharsis. Storytelling techniques II: elements to create a great story. The narratives we play: narrative structures (linear, non-linear, multilinear and emergent). Emergent authenticity, different endings and flowcharts. 

The teaching methodology is rooted in a Project-Based Learning (PBL) approach, combining a theoretical introduction to the syllabus with the expository and critical analysis of various video game examples (complemented by images, documentaries, and films). This project-oriented practical approach helps consolidate the subject matter while creating a comprehensive and engaging classroom dynamic for the discussion and analysis of video games and multimedia applications, primarily focused on character, world, and script development.

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