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Video Game Design Composition
A branching story provides many different paths that can lead to different
endings. As shown in Figure 3-9, the player can make many decisions that lead
to ending A. The player could also make choices that lead to ending B. The
player can explore different paths and challenges and make different decisions
to have a completely new experience each time the game is played.
The benefit to a branching story is that the player is in control of the outcome.
This leads to greater player immersion in the game. Drawbacks to branching stories
include the complexities of programming, possibilities of more bugs, and writing
more content than the player will experience in a single playing of the game.
Foldback Story
A hybrid of the linear and nonlinear structures is the foldback story. In a
foldback story,
the game branches and allows the player to make decisions, but all
paths lead, or fold, back to the same end point. A foldback story may have several
branching levels, but always has a single ending point, as shown in Figure 3-10.
Figure 3-9.
Goodheart-Willcox Publisher
In a branching story, the player can take many different paths to reach the end of the
game, and the ending may be different each time the game is played. Notice that three
different paths are highlighted here, all leading to the same ending.
Start
Decision
Decision
Decision
Decision
Decision
Decision
Decision
Decision
Decision
Decision
Decision
Decision
Ending A Ending B