Interactive Narrative Design - Weekly
Interactive Narrative Design - Weekly (Week 1 - Week 14)
SUN JIAYUE (0376224)
MMD61104 / Interactive Narrative Design / Bachelor of Design ( Hons) in Creative Media /Taylor's University
Weekly
Week 1 :
What I learned：
Basic narrative principles and elements: Character, setting, plot, conflict, and theme.
Plot Development: Prelude, plot development, climax, epilogue, and resolution.
Interactive narratives include linear, branching, pivotal, emergent, and sandbox.
In class, we mainly distinguish between linear and nonlinear. Linear basically has only one ending, while nonlinear has multiple different endings, allowing you to experience different plot developments and endings.
Movie reviews：
The movie Venom has three parts, which are closely linked and revolve around the relationship between reporter Eddie Brock and the alien symbiote Venom: from strangers and confrontation to symbiosis and dependence, and finally to the end and sacrifice.
The trilogy of movies has a coherent plot and a linear storyline, while the repeated fluctuations and cyclical changes in the relationships between the characters are nonlinear. Venom is both a destroyer and a protector; Eddie is both a host and a passive victim, which is also a nonlinear change.
Week 2:
Exploration and Environmental Storytelling：
What is Environmental Storytelling?
- Story told through the world, not direct narration
- Objects, spaces, and give atmosphere clues
- Players piece together story by exploring
Key Elements：
- Objects & Props (letters, graffiti, broken furniture)
- Spatial Layouts (empty rooms, blocked passages)
- Atmosphere (lighting, sound, weather)
- Player Agency (discover at own pace)
Week 3:
This week's lesson covered the five core elements of game storytelling: Character, Setting, Conflict, Plot, and Theme. These elements together form a complete story structure, making the player's experience more meaningful and emotionally profound.
Let's analyze this using the following example：https://youtu.be/3XA0bB79oGc
- Character
For example ：A boy addicted to games and shunning the outside world
gradually learns empathy and acceptance through an encounter with a dog with a
missing leg. Each choice the player makes reflects his transformation and
growth.
- Setting
- Conflict
- Human-to-Human Relationship—Rivals or Enemies
- Human-Self Relationship—Inner Struggles
- Individual-Society Relationship—Oppression
- Human-Technology Relationship—Questions of Change and Ethics
- Plot
- Beginning: The boy is addicted to games and refuses to communicate.
- Triggering Event: His mother brings him a disabled puppy.
- Ascending Action: He tries to ignore it, but is gradually moved.
- Climax: He finally understands the dog's pain and courage.
- Ending: He turns off the game, walks into the sunlight, and completes his inner growth.
- Theme
- What elements should a good narrative system have?
Week 4:
At the beginning of this week's class, we first reviewed the main content from last week, which included interactive narrative design, environmental storytelling, and the five core narrative elements. We then delved deeper into the examples from Week 2, exploring the characteristics of interactive narrative. The instructor explained the differences between traditional linear storytelling and interactive narrative, as well as how the common design pattern of "gated progression" is used to drive a story forward.
Afterwards, the instructor guided us through practical exercises in Unity, sir us how to implement game mechanics such as allowing the player to turn a lamp on and off, collect cubes, add sound effects, and finally trigger the appearance of a large tree upon meeting specific conditions. The instructor walked us through the code editing and creation process step by step.
Regarding the coursework, since the deadline for our first project (Project 1) was in Week 4, I spent time this week watching numerous films to refine my project concept. I also gathered a large number of visual reference images and video scenes. In the end, I completed and submitted my Project 1 on time.
Week 5:
In Week 5, we focused on lighting interactions and door interactions. During the lessons, we learned how to design different lighting colors and variations to enhance scene atmosphere and interactivity. Max started from the basics, including drawing objects, and gradually guided us through writing Unity code logic. He explained what each line of code represents and how it functions, helping us understand the underlying principles behind the interactions.
During the learning process, I encountered several difficulties, especially in coding and debugging the lighting effects, and often could not achieve the desired results. At these times, Max patiently guided me, providing clear and practical suggestions for improvement. He helped me analyze problems step by step, enabling me to better understand both the code logic and the design principles. Through repeated practice and adjustments, I eventually mastered the methods for creating interactive lighting and door effects and could implement them independently.
This week taught me that interaction design requires not only creativity and aesthetics but also logical and technical support. I also realized the importance of being careful, patient, and actively seeking guidance when learning new skills.
Week 6: Online Class and Project Progress
In Week 6, we did not have a physical lecture but attended an online class instead. During the last hour of the session, our instructor asked us to begin working on Project 2. The main task of Project 2 is to create an interactive 3D project.
For my design approach, I decided to continue developing the storyline from Project 1 and expand upon it. I planned to build three rooms within the scene, each containing interactive objects. Since each room represents a different theme, the types of interactions and objects will also vary.
I shared this concept with the instructor, and he provided several helpful suggestions. For example, he recommended adding buttons to trigger interactions, placing photos to create picture frames, and exploring other interactive methods. His feedback greatly supported and refined my design ideas.
Week 7: In-Person Class and Project Progress
In Week 7, we returned to in-person learning and presented our project progress to the instructor. The main topic of this class was learning how to add text dialogues to our designed scenes and how to use buttons to create choices that demonstrate interactivity on screen.
The instructor guided us step by step through the process, explaining the logic behind button selections and how to move to the next branch after a choice is made. For example, the first choice allows the player to select either “left” or “right.” If the player chooses “left,” the system displays “Your choice is correct,” and then the player can select a color to change the scene’s appearance. This portion was done under the instructor’s guidance.
After that, we began coding the right-side interaction ourselves. I realized that coding requires great attention to detail, as even small mistakes can cause errors. During editing, I frequently encountered issues, but the instructor helped me check the code line by line and explained what each part meant, which gave me a clearer understanding of the logic. Initially, my document order was incorrect, preventing the program from running properly, but after careful debugging, I finally completed it successfully. Through repeated practice, I gradually learned the related coding logic and how to design interactive experiences.
Week 8:
In Week 8, our focus was on designing buttons in Unity and implementing color changes. Max guided us through the relevant Unity code logic, demonstrating step by step how to display a dialogue, choose “Yes” or “No,” and trigger corresponding color changes. He led us through each step, helping us understand the underlying logic, and encouraged us to try creating additional colors on our own.
During the process, I encountered several difficulties. I made frequent errors due to being less careful with coding and not fully understanding how to set color values correctly. This made it challenging to achieve the desired results. I realized that attention to detail and logical rigor are crucial in programming tasks.
Despite the challenges, through repeated attempts and corrections, I eventually mastered the logic behind the button interactions and successfully created the color effects I wanted. This experience not only helped me become familiar with basic button and color interaction in Unity, but also improved my logical thinking and problem-solving skills in programming.
Week 9:
In Week 9, we officially began working on our project. At the beginning of the week, I felt quite anxious because I believed that my project was not developing well and was not achieving the results I had hoped for. The house structure was still incomplete, such as the absence of a ceiling, which made the space feel unfinished. I also noticed many flaws and gaps in the overall design, which caused me to doubt the quality of the project.
During this period, I consulted Max about my concerns. After reviewing my work, he reassured me not to worry. He pointed out that my design clearly communicated the story environment, had a strong visual impact, and that the sound design matched the atmosphere well. His feedback helped me realize that the project was still in a developmental stage and that the issues I was concerned about did not reflect fundamental problems with the concept.
After receiving this encouragement, I was able to calm myself and adjust my mindset. Instead of focusing on my anxiety, I began to approach the project more methodically, improving the design step by step. I gradually refined the structure, atmosphere, and interactions, allowing the project to become more cohesive over time.
This week taught me the importance of trusting the creative process and learning to manage uncertainty during production.
Week 10:
In Week 10, I completed Project 2, in which I developed a relatively simple game prototype. The main goal of this project was to apply the interaction design methods that Max introduced in class and translate theoretical concepts into practical design outcomes.
During the development process, I followed the design approach by Max, focusing on spatial structure, interaction logic, and narrative progression. The game consists of three different rooms, each representing a distinct memory and emotional state:
- Room 1: Classroom
This room serves as the starting space of the game. By using a familiar and realistic environment, it helps players gradually enter the narrative world.
- Room 2: Memory of Losing a Family Member
This room represents a more emotional and heavy memory. Through environmental design and atmosphere, it conveys the character’s sense of loss and emotional weight.
- Room 3: Self-Doubt
This room focuses on the character’s inner psychological struggle, using space and interaction to express feelings of self-negation and internal conflict.
In each room, I designed one to two simple interactive elements to enrich the storytelling and encourage exploration, such as triggering text, discovering clues, or advancing the narrative. In addition, I used lighting design to guide players toward key objects and help them locate important clues, while also enhancing the emotional atmosphere of each space.
To further support narrative understanding, I incorporated story text and written elements throughout the game. These textual components help players interpret the meaning of each room and piece together the overall story. By combining spatial design, interaction, lighting, and text, I aimed to create an immersive gameplay experience that allows players to engage with the narrative through exploration.
Week 11:
This week we didn't have any lectures scheduled. Instead, Mr. Max gave me specific suggestions on my Unity projects and guided me to improve my coursework.
This week was dedicated to feedback and discussions with Mr. Max after completing Project 2. Based on my overall design and narrative structure in Project 2, Mr. Max offered suggestions for further refinement and development of my final project.
First, he suggested adding a longer corridor to the spatial structure. Lengthening the walking path effectively extends the player's exploration time and enhances immersion. Setting multiple doors in the corridor, some of which cannot be opened, not only creates anticipation and suspense but also intensifies the psychological pressure of the space, generating more emotional fluctuations for the player during exploration.
Second, Mr. Max believed I could incorporate more interactive design elements, such as trigger able text prompts, environmental feedback, or micro-interactive content. These texts are not merely explanatory but can serve as fragments of memory or narrative clues, further enriching the story's background and allowing players to gradually piece together the complete emotional and narrative threads through exploration.
Furthermore, he pointed out some shortcomings in my current design, believing that the visual and functional design of some spaces and structures still has room for improvement and can be redesigned and adjusted. One crucial piece of feedback was that the overall structure of the house was too flat, lacking spatial hierarchy. This would somewhat diminish the player's immersive experience. Therefore, I needed to "renovate" the house, adding changes in height, structural undulations, or spatial transitions to make the scene more three-dimensional and better aligned with the story's emotional development.
Overall, this feedback provided a very clear direction for optimization in my final project. I will now focus on systematically improving and restructuring the project, particularly in terms of spatial hierarchy, exploration pacing, the amount of interaction, and narrative depth.
Week 12:
This week we didn't have any lectures scheduled. Instead, Mr. Max gave me specific suggestions on my Unity projects and guided me to improve my coursework.
This week, based on Mr. Max's feedback from last week, I further refined my game design. First, I added a longer corridor to the overall spatial structure, incorporating more environmental elements and interactive content along with other areas. By extending the player's exploration path and introducing diverse interactive designs, the story unfolds more naturally, providing players with a more complete and engaging gaming experience.
Upon completion, Mr. Max gave positive feedback on this phase of the project. He believed the current design presents a relatively complete and clear storyline, particularly in the detailed narrative and environmental design, effectively guiding players to understand the story. This approach of using details to drive the narrative helps enhance player immersion, making them feel more actively involved in the game world.
Meanwhile, Mr. Max also suggested further optimization, namely adjusting the way the text is presented in the game. By modifying the text style, layout, or presentation rhythm, the text content can delve deeper on an emotional and narrative level, better complementing the spatial and interactive design and further enhancing the overall immersive experience.
Week 13:
This week we didn't have any lectures scheduled. Instead, Mr. Max gave me specific suggestions on my Unity projects and guided me to improve my coursework.
In today's class, Mr. Max provided feedback on each student's design proposal individually. I've already thoroughly reviewed my storyline, and the overall narrative structure is now clear.
Over the next week, I plan to focus on refining the exterior environment. I want to incorporate more natural elements into the scene, such as trees and environmental decorations, to enhance the realism and immersion of the overall space. I also plan to add a perceptible entrance door to the house, providing players with a more complete and coherent gaming experience upon entering the scene.
I also consulted Mr. Max about this design direction in class. He believes that adding details to the exterior environment and the entrance structure can effectively enrich the narrative layers and provide a better foundation for subsequent exploration and interaction. This adjustment not only helps enhance environmental storytelling but also allows players to form an initial understanding of the overall story atmosphere before entering the interior space.
Week 14:
This week was the Christmas holiday week, and classes were suspended, so there were no formal classroom teaching or group feedback sessions. Nevertheless, this week provided me with an important period for reflection and organization. After reviewing Project 2 and my discussions with Mr. Max, I gained a clearer understanding of the overall direction of the Final Project.
During the holiday, I mainly reviewed the existing design elements, rethought the spatial structure and narrative rhythm, and made preliminary plans for areas that need further refinement, such as the length of the corridor, the interactivity of the doors, and adjustments to the overall spatial hierarchy of the house. Although there were no classes scheduled this week, it laid a solid foundation for the in-depth design of the Final Project.
Reflection：
Through these past weeks of learning and project production, I have gained a more systematic and in-depth understanding of interaction design and immersive experience creation. From the initial basic operations, such as designing buttons and color changes in Unity, to intermediate stages like lighting and door interactions, and finally to building scenes, adding story elements, and shooting and editing videos, each step has shown me the importance of combining theory with practice.
During the learning process, I encountered numerous challenges. For example, in Week 8, I struggled with coding and color value settings when creating button interactions; in Week 9, I lacked confidence in the overall effect of my scene design; and in Week 5, I had difficulties implementing the logic for lighting and door interactions. Each time I faced problems, I solved them through consulting the instructor, repeated trials, and step-by-step adjustments, learning valuable lessons along the way.
These experiences taught me that successful creation requires not only technical skills but also patience, carefulness, and a positive mindset. The guidance from Max helped me build confidence and taught me how to calmly approach challenges and refine my work gradually. I also realized the importance of team collaboration, as every stage—from scene setup and prop creation to filming and editing—requires coordination and division of responsibilities.
Overall, this project has not only enhanced my technical abilities but also strengthened my problem-solving skills, logical thinking, storytelling, and teamwork. I believe these experiences will serve as valuable references and support for my future creative and academic endeavors.
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