Interactive Digital Storytelling (IDS) is an increasingly popular eld, with a number of novel systems emerging in the last few years. However, these systems have typically focused on narratives involving only a single person. In contrast, multiplayer video games are a common and popular form of entertainment. In this paper we ask whether the way in which these works might inspire a new generation of multi-player narratives. In particular we look at the multiplayer video game "Dark Souls" and consider the goals and inter-player interactions present within the game. We then reimagine what these might look like as multiplayer narratives, and demonstrate how they might be realised with a sculptural hypertext approach. We conclude that even within a single game there are a number of rich possibilities demonstrated, from asynchronous indirect examples where the players enrich each others worlds and exchange information, to synchronous direct examples where players have direct in uence over the choices of other players, and thus the outcomes of their stories.
• Applied computing → Computer games; • Software and its engineering → Interactive games; • Human-centered computing → Hypertext / hypermedia; Collaborative interaction; Collaborative and social computing devices; • Computing methodologies → Modeling and simulation; interactive storytelling, narrative, multiplayer, player interactions, games
Interactive Digital Storytelling (IDS) is a type of storytelling that
allows the reader to change the story through their actions. The
Copyright held by the author(s).
most popular examples of IDS can be found in digital games.
Examples range from emergent, simulation driven narratives (such as
Dwarf Fortress[
Most of these games are single player as opposed to multiplayer.
This is despite the huge popularity of multiplayer games 1, their
recognised social bene ts[
A number of multiplayer games contain elements that can be considered interactive narrative experiences. For example, the Massively Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Game (MMORPG) World of Warcraft2 contains "Dungeons", in which a group of players need to overcome a highly-structured series of challenges in order to receive a reward. A game such as Space Station 133 o ers a more emergent form of storytelling, where the story arises from the actions and experiences of the players. In this game, players take on positions aboard a space station, with some players being designated as "traitors". These "traitors" are assigned goals designed to bring them into con ict with other players.
These interactive narrative experiences can be considered a
limited form of multiplayer 4 narrative experience. But the
majority of the literature in the IDS space deals with singleplayer
narratives[
In this paper, we consider the dynamics of the multiplayer
experience present in a number of multiplayer games and attempt to
reimagine them into a narrative space. We propose an initial model
for multiplayer narrative and inter-player narrative interactions,
based on Sculptural Hypertext[
One of the rst IDS systems was TaleSpin, a system that
generated stories based on the answers a user provided to a series of
questions[
Some systems do not fall cleanly into any category, using
elements of each, such as Facade[
Only a few systems exist within the multiplayer narrative space.
Fairclough and Cunningham proposed a multiplayer case-based
story engine that used a "story director" (SD) to assemble a plot
using moves from Propp’s morphology[
A system proposed by Peinado and Gervas uses a knowledge
intensive case-based reasoning approach to plot generation[
In our work we propose using Sculptural Hypertext as a model
for multiplayer narratives. In a sculptural hypertext the author
creates a collection of narrative nodes. Each node has a set of
preconditions and e ects. Unlike traditional hypertext, all nodes
are potentially available, but links are removed based on the current
reading context. For a node to be accessible, all of its preconditions
must be satis ed by the world state. Visiting a node modi es the
reading context, revealing or hiding new nodes[
In [
We are interested in this kind of collaborative multiplayer narrative, in Social Shark multiple players take it in turn to in uence a collectively experienced story, but clearly other models of interaction are possible. For inspiration we have looked at the types of interaction found in more traditional multiplayer games, and explored how these might translate into multiplayer narratives. 3
Multiplayer games consist of a number of signi cant gameplay
elements. Goals and interactions are areas frequently looked at as
signi cant to the multiplayer experience[
In this section, we look at the video game "Dark Souls", identify the inter-player interactions present and consider how to adapt them to the narrative space. 3.1
Dark Souls is a third-person action role-playing video game. Players play as an "undead", a cursed human that is unable to die permanently, who must collect resources known as souls and humanity in order to prevent them becoming mindless like most of the other undead. Mechanically, this is represented by "humanity", a resource that can be expended to restore the player to human form. In this form, the player games a number of bene ts, such as being able to summon other players for aid.
At the beginning of the game, the player’s character is condemned to an undead asylum, which the player is required to escape. Following that, they are left to explore the decaying world outside of the asylum in a open-world fashion. Much of the history of the world is implicit, told through the visual style of the game and dialog with non-player characters (NPCs).
The goal of the player is to progress through the game, defeating a number of strong opponents so that they can make a nal narrative choice at the end of the game - To usher in an age of darkness, or to prolong "the age of re" and end the undead curse. A number of sub-goals exist within the game in the form of tasks given to the player by NPCs, or joinable groups known as "Covenants". The player’s progression through the game can be considered to be in a xed number of states, depending on several interactions with key objects in the game, in addition to bosses defeated.
Each player has an individual version of the game, independent in almost all aspects, including progression and space. However, a number of interactions between players still exist.
The simplest interaction in Dark Souls is to leave a message on the ground, which other players can later read. In order to do this, players require an item, known as the "Orange Guidance Soapstone". Using this item presents players with a dialogue, where they construct a short phrase from a pre-made grammar. "Try Jumping" and "Illusory Wall Ahead" are examples of messages. Each message appears in the game of an unknown number of other players, and may or may not be helpful. To aid in determining this, players can add a positive or negative rating to the current message they’re reading, which is visible to other players.
The death of a player in Dark Souls forms a passive interaction. When a player dies, there is the potential for a bloodstain to appear on the ground in the games of other players. Should another player stand on the bloodstain, they will witness a ghost of the dead character, acting out their nal moments. This can provide a warning of future danger to the other players.
Dark souls also contains a cooperative play system that allows players to directly ght and assist each other, called "summoning signs". Players can place these signs on the ground, in a similar way to messages, using the "White Sign Soapstone". These signs appear in the games of other players, who can then interact with them to summon that player into their game. A player can only summon someone to assist if they are in human form, the area boss is alive and they haven’t placed a summoning sign. The summoned player appears as a copy of their avatar in the hosts’ game, with a restricted set of abilities. The area is then sealed o , preventing either player from exiting. The area can be unsealed by defeating its boss or the summoned player dying. If the boss is successfully defeated, the summoner’s game progresses, while the summoned is returned to their own game with resources as a reward. If the summoned player dies, they are returned to their own game with no rewards.
Several mechanics exist to begin player versus player ghts. Each ght behaves very similarly: a copy of the invader’s avatar enters the game of another player, with a restricted set of abilities and the task of killing them. The winner of the ght receives resources as a reward. The loser is sent back to their last checkpoint, possibly losing a number of resources, depending on the mechanic used to initiate the ght. A number of these mechanics operate in the same way as the White Sign Soapstone. They place a sign that requires the to-be-invaded player to interact with it. Others allow a player to forcibly invade the game of another player. These mechanics generally require the expenditure of an item, as in the case of the "Cracked Red Eye Orb" or the invaded player to be in a speci c area, as is the case for players who have a "Cat Covenant Ring" equipped. All of the mechanics require the player to be in human form. 4
Our objective is to identify the interactions between players within Dark Souls, and then reimagine these as narrative interactions in a multiplayer story experience. How would the players interact and be aware of each other, what is the impact and extent of their agency?
In each case we use a sculptural hypertext model to de ne the interaction. As discussed in section 2, Sculptural hypertext is a system that allows navigation of a set of nodes based on whether a node’s preconditions are satis ed by the current system state, known as the reading context. Our choice of sculptural hypertext is based on it facilitating an authored approach, rather than utilising narrative generation techniques.
To model a multiplayer narrative one would need to create a separate sculptural hypertext instances for each player. Each instance is then given access to the reading context of the other instances. Nodes can then be crafted whose conditions depends on the other player’s context and therefore, their actions. This provides the means for a player to in uence the narratives of others. W r i t e a R e p o r t :
C o n d i t i o n s : { p l a y e r 1 } h a s s e e n P r o f e s s o r Plum w i t h M i s s White { p l a y e r 1 } a t { l o c a t i o n 1 } E f f e c t s : ( 8 P l a y e r s ) r e p o r t a v a i l a b l e on { Plum White R e l a t i o n s h i p } Read t h e F i l e :
C o n d i t i o n s : r e p o r t a v a i l a b l e on { Plum White R e l a t i o n s h i p } { p l a y e r 2 } a t { l o c a t i o n 2 } Leaving a message for another player is a purely aesthetic change to the narrative, but one that could in uence the receiving player’s future decisions by giving them access to information from an alternative story world. By limiting the set of messages the author can control the extent and value of these interactions, as well as forcing them to comply with the rules of the narrative itself (for example, by referring only to the internal story world, or being in the voice of a particular character).
In Dark Souls these messages are typically functional (avoiding an obstacle, warning of an impending enemy), but in a broader narrative could also add detail or richness to the world, or expand on the player’s understanding of a character’s motivation. For example, imagine a simple murder mystery where other player’s messages manifest as background information on suspects, provided by detectives working on similar or past cases.
In terms of a sculptural hypertext it assumes a set of players
experiencing the same murder mystery story (although not
necessarily simultaneously), and could be implemented through the
unlocking pattern[
Being aware of the death of a player is very similar to leaving a message, except it is not voluntary, and lacks the richness of a messaging system. Dark Souls focuses on player deaths, which is entirely in line with the game’s aesthetic, but the idea could be broadened in narrative terms to involuntary signalling of any signi cant event that occurs to the player.
For example, imagine a location-based ghost story where players can encounter the ghost at a variety of di erent places according to the way in which the story unfolds. When they do, in the stories of other players, it changes the way in which that location is described. For example, a warm sunlit garden could become cold and drab. Just as in Dark Souls, this simultaneously adds richness to the story world and provides clues to the player seeing the e ect. Ghost E n c o u n t e r :
C o n d i t i o n s : { p l a y e r 1 } a t { l o c a t i o n 1 } ( o t h e r c o n d i t i o n s t h a t i n d i c a t e an e n c o u n t e r s h o u l d happen ) E f f e c t s :
( 8 P l a y e r s ) g h o s t s e e n a t l o c a t i o n 1 D e s c r i p t i o n o f Garden : ( T e x t d e s c r i b e s warm and v i b r a n t g a r d e n ) C o n d i t i o n s : { p l a y e r 2 } a t { l o c a t i o n 1 }
NOT g h o s t s e e n a t l o c a t i o n 1 D e s c r i p t i o n o f Garden : ( T e x t d e s c r i b e s c o l d and d r a b g a r d e n ) C o n d i t i o n s : { p l a y e r 2 } a t { l o c a t i o n 1 } g h o s t s e e n a t l o c a t i o n 1
In terms of sculptural hypertext this is also a form of unlocking, but in this case the more speci c example of an alternative node pattern. In this pattern, there are multiple versions of a single node (that otherwise have the same location and place in the narrative) but the version the player sees depends on their reader context. This was imagined to deal with things like alternative descriptions of a place depending on the time of day, but could equally be applied to this kind of involuntary inter-player signalling. Again the assumption is that a set of players are experiencing same story. Figure 2 shows an example of how this might be implemented. 4.3
Summoning Signs are a much more complex interaction as they summon another player into your world to help you directly. To do this requires a simultaneous experience. There are also two distinct viewpoints within the narrative - one for each player.
Simultaneous experiences require that a sculptural hypertext front end continuously polls the engine, as it is no longer just this players actions that can change their state, but also the actions of other independent players acting in real time. Thus a player contemplating which choice to make on a list might suddenly see that list change, as another player makes their choices.
For example, consider a romantic adventure where the players are angels sent to Earth to guide and protect a young couple destined for love. Each player is assigned one half of the couple and their narrative follows that person throughout the romance, but the interventions of each player impacts on the experience and possible actions of the other, as they try to manoeuvre the pair to nd love.
This is about as far removed from the Dark Souls premise as you can get, but functionally follows the same collaborative simultaneous interactions. Figure3 shows an example of how part of this Romeo r e j e c t s R o s a l i n e :
C o n d i t i o n s : { p l a y e r 1 } f o l l o w s Romeo ( o t h e r n a r r a t i v e c o n d i t i o n s . . . ) E f f e c t s :
( 8 P l a y e r s ) Romeo has r e j e c t e d R o s a l i n e J u l i e t and P a r i s meet : ( T e x t has P a r i s m e n t i o n i n g Romeo and R o s a l i n e ) C o n d i t i o n s : { p l a y e r 2 } f o l l o w s J u l i e t
NOT Romeo has r e j e c t e d R o s a l i n e E f f e c t s :
( 8 P l a y e r s ) J u l i e t i s u n s u r e o f Romeo J u l i e t and P a r i s meet : ( T e x t makes no mention o f R o s a l i n e ) C o n d i t i o n s : { p l a y e r 2 } f o l l o w s J u l i e t
Romeo has r e j e c t e d R o s a l i n e E f f e c t s :
( 8 P l a y e r s ) J u l i e t i s i n t r i g u e d by Romeo interaction might be encoded as sculptural hypertext nodes, using the same alternative node pattern as above.
In Dark Souls this whole collaborative venture occurs as a multiplayer encounter within a singleplayer game, as the player has to use a summoning stone to bring in the second player. There is a primary player who has existed for the duration of the game, and a assisting player that is only temporarily part of the game world.
This whole collaborative encounter is e ectively part of a significant foldback pattern. In this pattern, the narrative branches (in this case to be either single player or multi-player) and then returns to the same point. This is shown in Figure 4.
In our romance example, this re-conceptualises the story as a single player experience where the player plays an Angel following both characters. However they can (at some strategic point) summon in another player representing another Angel to assist them, with each Angel a ecting one half of the couple. Such encounters are likely to be very di cult to both author and successfully run. This is because it requires players to be matched dynamically, rather than choosing to play together from the o set. 4.4
The last interactions we described in Dark Souls are those that initiate a player versus player ght. These fall into two major categories: voluntary summoning and forcibly invading another player’s game. Forced invasion can occur either through item use or the player to be invaded entering a restricted area.
In a narrative this has the same dynamics as the collaborative simultaneous interactions, but now the goals of the two players are at odds, and the reading becomes a competition to see who can prevail. For example, a spy story in which the players follow characters on opposing sides. In terms of sculptural hypertext this could be implemented in a very similar way to our romance example above.
However, one problem with this type of narrative is likely to be the importance of speed. The player that acts rst, or acts mosts, will be at an advantage, and thus likely to skim read or skip narrative information presented to them. Thus competitive multiplayer narratives are likely to need some kind of system to regulate the rate at which choices are made (for example, by requiring a certain time to elapse between choices, or by giving players credits to spend on choices and replenishing this supply at some regular interval). 5
In this paper we investigated the potential of multi-player narratives. We did this by looking at the multiplayer game Dark Souls and considered the goals of each player and the interactions available between players. We then reimagined these as narrative interactions, gave examples of multiplayer stories that might use these types of interactions, and showed how they might be implemented by a sculptural hypertext system.
This initial work shows that even within one game we can see the inspiration for many di erent types of multiplayer narrative, from asynchronous indirect examples where the players enrich each others worlds and exchange information, to synchronous direct examples where players have direct in uence over the choices of other players, and thus the outcomes of their stories.
Although we focused on goals and interactions, the case study also shows that timing and information ow are signi cant for the player’s experience of narrative. And that while sculptural hypertext seems a promising model for multi-player narratives, the assumptions behind sculptural systems may need to change to enable them (for example, by introducing rules on the rate of choices, and by active rather than passive polling of the reader state).
It is clear that this work only scratches the surface of what might be possible with multiplayer narratives. For our future work we propose to undertake a more systematic analysis of multiplayer games, expanding both the range of games and genres, and also the factors by which those games are characterised. Our hope is that this will reveal a wide range of multiplayer models, each of which could potentially by translated to a multiplayer narrative model that could be prototyped in a sculptural system and explored in greater depth.