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California Institute of the Arts
Story and Narrative Development for Video Games
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California Institute of the Arts

Story and Narrative Development for Video Games

This course is part of Game Design: Art and Concepts Specialization

Dariush Derakhshani

Instructor: Dariush Derakhshani

49,750 already enrolled

Included with Coursera Plus

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4 modules
Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
4.7

(1,265 reviews)

Beginner level
No prior experience required
Flexible schedule
1 week at 10 hours a week
Learn at your own pace
98%
Most learners liked this course

4 modules
Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
4.7

(1,265 reviews)

Beginner level
No prior experience required
Flexible schedule
1 week at 10 hours a week
Learn at your own pace
98%
Most learners liked this course
  • About
  • Outcomes
  • Modules
  • Recommendations
  • Testimonials
  • Reviews

Skills you'll gain

  • Game Design
  • Writing
  • Software Design Documents
  • Storyboarding
  • Storytelling
  • Creativity
  • Ideation
  • Video Game Development

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Taught in English

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Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the Game Design: Art and Concepts Specialization
When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.
  • Learn new concepts from industry experts
  • Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
  • Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
  • Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 4 modules in this course

In this course, you will examine how storytelling acts as a vital mechanism for driving video gameplay forward. Looking at several historical and contemporary games, you will be asked to evaluate and interpret different story styles with the goal of identifying themes and procedures for your own game ideas. We'll examine traditional narrative story processes, such as three-act structure, and how they fit into game story flows and the strategic elements of gameplay. Ultimately, you will learn how to define character, setting, and structure to create a compelling game concept.

For the first week of the class, we will be analyzing the components of three-act structure using a classic fairytale as an example. We'll examine the characters in the story by figuring out their goals and the main conflict that creates a rising arc of action to keep the audience interested.

What's included

6 videos7 readings1 peer review1 discussion prompt

6 videos•Total 26 minutes
  • Welcome•1 minute•Preview module
  • What makes a story compelling?•3 minutes
  • How games benefit from stories•4 minutes
  • How to see a game as a story first•5 minutes
  • Defining the Spine•3 minutes
  • Three-Act Structure and Rising Action•6 minutes
7 readings•Total 37 minutes
  • About this Course•8 minutes
  • Getting Started•8 minutes
  • Academic Integrity•2 minutes
  • Instructor Presence and Staff Support •1 minute
  • Forum Guidelines•5 minutes
  • Requesting Peer Reviews•5 minutes
  • Story Synopsis: Sleeping Beauty•8 minutes
1 peer review•Total 90 minutes
  • Breaking Down the Story•90 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 5 minutes
  • Meet and Greet•5 minutes

In this week, we will draw a parallel between last week’s discussion on rising action and how that relates to gameplay. Looking at a pair of contemporary games, we'll learn how to identify story structure and themes of rising action, just like we would with traditional stories and movies. Lastly, we’ll evaluate the role that primary and secondary characters come to play in the unveiling of a game’s story and discuss the importance of understanding how these games present their stories in the actual gameplay.

What's included

4 videos12 readings1 peer review

4 videos•Total 20 minutes
  • Writing Your Own Story Synopsis•4 minutes•Preview module
  • Defining Characters and Character Goals•7 minutes
  • Using Secondary Characters•3 minutes
  • Writing a Character Brief•4 minutes
12 readings•Total 87 minutes
  • Story Synopsis: StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty•8 minutes
  • Story Synopsis Points•8 minutes
  • Story Synopsis: Angry Birds•8 minutes
  • About Character Briefs•8 minutes
  • Character Brief: Jim Raynor•8 minutes
  • Character Brief: Emperor Mengsk•5 minutes
  • Character Brief: Tychus Findlay•5 minutes
  • About Setting Descriptions•8 minutes
  • Setting Description: Angry Birds•8 minutes
  • Setting Description: Mar Sara•8 minutes
  • Setting Description: The Hyperion•8 minutes
  • Setting Description: Char•5 minutes
1 peer review•Total 90 minutes
  • Character Studies•90 minutes

This week, we explore ideation techniques and learn how to consolidate our ideas into more formalized stories specifically for pushing them towards a game design. We will take a look at the importance of, and ways to refine, characters and settings as we develop an initial concept in story form first, and then next week, into a game.

What's included

4 videos8 readings1 peer review

4 videos•Total 25 minutes
  • Story Ideation Techniques•8 minutes•Preview module
  • Personal Writing Advice•5 minutes
  • Refining the Spine•5 minutes
  • Connecting Ideas and Characters•6 minutes
8 readings•Total 63 minutes
  • About Idea Sheets•8 minutes
  • Idea Sheet: Dead-Eye Jane•8 minutes
  • Idea Sheet: Settings for The Shooter•8 minutes
  • Review: Story Synopses•8 minutes
  • Story Synopsis: The Shooter•10 minutes
  • Review: Character Briefs•5 minutes
  • Character Brief: Jake•8 minutes
  • Character Brief: Dead-Eye Jane•8 minutes
1 peer review•Total 90 minutes
  • Rewriting “The Shooter”•90 minutes

For this last week of class, we will begin by seeing what a game design document is, and evaluate a few different templates you can use. Then, we will take the story we built in last week’s course, The Shooter, and define it as a playable game outlined in a game design document.

What's included

5 videos6 readings1 peer review

5 videos•Total 24 minutes
  • Introduction to a Game Design Document•5 minutes•Preview module
  • Diving Deeper into the Design Document•4 minutes
  • Turning The Shooter's Story into a Game•5 minutes
  • The Shooter's Rising Gameplay•8 minutes
  • Course Wrap Up•1 minute
6 readings•Total 44 minutes
  • About Story Presentation Schemes•8 minutes
  • Presentation Scheme: Part One - StarCraft II Gameplay Overview•8 minutes
  • Presentation Scheme: Part Two - StarCraft II Missions•10 minutes
  • What is a Gameplay Flowchart?•8 minutes
  • Gameplay Flowchart: StarCraft II•5 minutes
  • Course Credits•5 minutes
1 peer review•Total 90 minutes
  • Finalizing “The Shooter”•90 minutes

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Instructor

Instructor ratings

Instructor ratings

We asked all learners to give feedback on our instructors based on the quality of their teaching style.

4.8 (179 ratings)
Dariush Derakhshani
Dariush Derakhshani
1 Course•49,750 learners

Offered by

California Institute of the Arts

Offered by

California Institute of the Arts

CalArts has earned an international reputation as the leading college of the visual and performing arts in the United States. Offering rigorous undergraduate and graduate degree programs through six schools—Art, Critical Studies, Dance, Film/Video, Music, and Theater—CalArts has championed creative excellence, critical reflection, and the development of new forms and expressions.

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Learner reviews

4.7

1,265 reviews

  • 5 stars

    78.81%

  • 4 stars

    16.04%

  • 3 stars

    3.47%

  • 2 stars

    1.18%

  • 1 star

    0.47%

Showing 3 of 1265

V
VP
4

Reviewed on Jul 11, 2020

The course is really good and really educational and i would recommend people about it. Though the thing that i didn't like was that i wanted some more examples for different types of games.

S
SC
5

Reviewed on Nov 15, 2015

The instructor carefully illustrates all points necessary for wring a game story. The logic is extremely clear, course materials intact and homework amount is decent for students.

S
SV
5

Reviewed on Oct 31, 2015

The basics of this course are well defined and prepare you for proper story and narrative development in video games. I like the step-by-step process this course takes.

View more reviews
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Frequently asked questions

Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:

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When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.

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