Learn how to see. Realize that everything connects to everything else.
Leonardo da Vinci
A Narrative Structure as a Framework
It’s important to understand that a narrative structure is not a template or a “paint-by-numbers” system. Stories built with structure do not become formulaic any more than a photograph becomes rigid when using the rule of thirds or a painting becomes dull when employing perspective lines. Instead, structure is a tool—a system that reveals the underlying architecture of storytelling. It allows for creative freedom within a clearly defined framework, ensuring that everyone involved in the project is aligned on both the emotional and structural goals of the story.
This framework serves as a guide to keep the entire team focused on a shared vision. It allows each collaborator to understand how their contributions affect the narrative flow, emotional pacing, and player engagement. Structure ensures that key moments—such as tension, release, discovery, and resolution—are not lost amidst the many moving parts of game development.
The Three “F’s”
At the core of the Emotional Journey model are three interconnected elements that define how a story functions: the Foundation, the Flow, and the Fractal. These three “F’s” provide the structural logic needed to craft a story that feels deep, cohesive, and emotionally resonant.
Foundation: The foundation forms the baseline structure of the story, much like the perspective lines in a painting. It provides balance and ensures that key story elements work harmoniously.
Flow: Flow refers to the logical progression of the story—how one moment leads naturally to the next. It is crucial for maintaining momentum and keeping players engaged. Without flow, the story can feel like a series of disconnected events with no emotional continuity.
Fractal: The fractal element reflects how the narrative structure can be applied across multiple levels of storytelling. The same structural principles govern the overarching game story, individual acts, chapters, missions, and even smaller segments such as scenes or dialogues. This fractal approach ensures that every narrative layer supports the player’s emotional journey, creating a rich and interconnected experience.
By thinking about narrative through these three lenses, storytellers can craft experiences that are both expansive and intricately detailed.
An Invisible Foundation
Just as the Golden Ratio manifests naturally in many aspects of art and nature, narrative structure is an invisible but ever-present element of storytelling. Any game experience—whether it’s a short play session or a full campaign—follows a beginning, middle, and end. Ignoring or denying this underlying structure does not make it disappear. In fact, even without conscious effort, many creators intuitively apply structural elements in their stories because they are deeply ingrained in human psychology.
This structure is intimately tied to our perception of time and life itself. From birth to death, our lives follow an arc that we subconsciously project onto stories. For this reason, even audiences who have no formal knowledge of storytelling can sense when a narrative is poorly structured. Some storytellers possess an innate sense of structure and make it seem effortless, while others rely on formal theories to refine their craft. My approach to narrative structure draws heavily from established theories in literature, film, and psychology but is specifically adapted to the unique demands of video game storytelling.
A Psychological Flow
Humans are wired to recognize and seek out patterns. This cognitive tendency influences how we experience and interpret stories. Our brains constantly analyze new information and test it against what we already know, forming connections and expectations. When a story introduces a new element, we instinctively try to fit it within the narrative framework we’ve been given. If the story builds on these expectations with mystery or revelation, it enhances engagement. However, if connections are unclear or absent, it can create ambiguity, disorientation, or even disengagement.
A well-structured narrative acts like a psychological roadmap, guiding players through an emotional journey step by step. It taps into our need for pattern recognition, balancing moments of anticipation and surprise to keep players invested in both the story and their role within it.
Story as Fractal
The Emotional Journey model operates on both macro and micro levels. It scales to fit any type of contained narrative content, meaning that a wide range of game elements can be mapped to the same structural principles.
For example:
- The entire game story can be structured using the model.
- Individual acts, chapters, or missions can follow the same structure.
- Smaller experiences, such as a player play session, game map, or dialogued scene, can also be mapped using this framework.
This fractal scalability ensures that each part of the game contributes to the overall emotional arc. Whether the player is completing a brief side mission or undertaking a full campaign, the narrative structure helps maintain engagement by offering natural progression points and emotional peaks.In a game like Destiny, for example, the model can be applied to various layers of gameplay. A short activity, such as a patrol or strike, may follow the structure in a condensed form. Meanwhile, larger experiences, like story missions, pinnacle weapon pursuits, or seasonal arcs, mirror the same structural flow on a broader timescale. This approach keeps the emotional stakes consistent, guiding players from moment-to-moment fun all the way to long-term engagement over hundreds or even thousands of hours.
Next > The Emotional journey – PART 3 – “The structure explained”