Game Narration – Types of Game Narrators

The Arbiter

Rules
The Arbiter is Rule-oriented.
Her Gameplay experience should be the more consistent as she sees the Game as a Game.
What are the Core Rules of your Game?
How are they Implemented?
How are they Explained?
How are they Displayed?
How are the Characters regulated?
How does Character Creation work?
How do Settlements work?
How do Natural Environments work?
How does Wildlife work?

Balance
How does the Arbiter sees Difficulty?
How does she Implement it?
Does Difficulty mean Diversity for her?
How Progressive is she?
How does she display this Progressiveness?
How Adaptable is she?
How flexible is she?
How does she view Equity?
How does it practice it?
Does she discriminate between Players?
For which reasons?
Are these necessary discrimination?
How do they follow the Rules?
Does she apply a Global treatment of the Players?
How does she test the Players?
How does she test the Characters?
What sort of Games does she propose?

Customization
All initiatives are allowed.
As long as they are in the Frame of the Game.
How do the Players take advantage of a Flexible Situation?
What possibilities do they have?
How do they test these possibilities?
What are they looking for?
Which trial are they trying to overcome?
Under which conditions?
Do they try to end it fast?
Do they try to end it efficiently?
Do they try to end it without taking damages?
Which personal constrains do they fix themselves?
Which Tactics do they adopt?
How do they adapt their Group Dynamics?
Which possibilities does it open them?

Replayability
How do Limitations allow the Players to find new possibilities?
Do they test new ways?
Do they test Unusual ways?
What is impossible for them?
Why is it impossible?
Which Characters Classes do they Try?
Which Characters Classes do they Prefer?
Which Characters Classes should they Try?
Which Characters Classes do they feel most Comfortable with?
Can they Replay as a different Class?
How does it modify the experience?
How is Randomness implemented in the Game?
How do we Control Randomness?
With which Tools?
Do we use Dice?
Do we use Coins?

Optimal Genre
Do you write Action?
What’s the value of Fair play to you?
What’s the value of Competition?
What’s the value of Concurrency?
What’s the value of Improvement?
Which Frame is ideal to create these?

The Naturalist

Causality
How would a phenomenon would occur in Real Life?
This is the main concerned of the Naturalist.
Which Rules are we following?
How are the World’s rules defined?
Who defines them?
Which Values are we using?
Which System are we using?
How do we perform a Simulation?
Which Phenomenon occurs?
How is Survival displayed?
What should the Players do to Survive?
Which Condition should be Fulfilled?
How is the Atmosphere of an Environment influencing its different parameters?
What is the Natural Structure?

Balance
How are Consequences displayed?
What are the Consequences of a specific act?
How are they Integrated into the World?
How are these Integrations designed?
How does the Game benefit from them?
Do they Players feel more Immersed thanks to them?
Do they show more Implication?
Do they look for Realism?
How do they define Realism?
Do they want to Struggle?
What causes them Struggle?
Which level of Pain are they expecting?
Which level of Pain are they facing?
Do they want to feel Not Special?
How Resilient are they?
How Patient are they?

Customization
How Flexible are you?
Are you up to Moderate Flexibility?
How important are the Characters to you?
How important are the Players?
Should they be the Centre of Narration?
Can they Die?
Should they Die?
Under which Conditions?
For which reasons?
How do you test Players Adaptability?
How do you break Players Adaptability?
Which room do you leave for Experimentation?
How can the Players find the Right way?
How hard is it to find the Correct way?
Is there only 1 Right way?
Should there only be 1 Right way?

Replayability
Events should happen the same way for the same Parameters.
When do these Parameters change?
Which effects does this have on the Game?
What are the risks for the Game?
Will Redundancy develop?
How Redundant risks the Game to become?
Should we have the Same Outcomes?
Should we have the Same Consequences?
Will the Game become Dull?
How Predictable does it become?
What are the disadvantages of having a Strong Plan?
What are the disadvantages of Preparation?
How Accurate should the Plan be?

Optimal Genre
Do you write Horror?
Do you create Adversity from the Environment?
Are your Games moderately Passionate?
Is there No Hatred?
Is there No Despondency?
Do you use Natural Cruelty?

The Director

The Story
What is a Story?
What makes a Story Memorable?
How do you develop Relationships?
How are they displayed?
How Intense are your Stories?
How much time do you spend on Dialogues?
Which Themes do you engage in?
Do you Own your Characters?
How do you develop them?
Do the Players want to play with them?
Do the Players want to play against them?

Balance
How does a Director develop a Sense of Balance?
Balance is not crucial to a Director.
However, Coherence is.
How do you Assist the Player?
How do you Guide the Player?
Should you offer an Enjoyable Experience?
Should the Story be Enjoyable?
Is it your Goal?
What is the Goal of the Story?
What is the Goal of the Game?
Is it designed to help Players?
Which Goal should they reach?
How do they Unlock Possibilities?
How Flexible are you?
How do you display your Flexibility?
How Adaptive are you?

Customization
The Director may be the Most Adaptable Game Narrator.
How Malleable are your Games?
How can Players go through them?
Can they Create their Characters?
To which extent?
Which Choices do you leave them?
Which Parameters can they modify?
Are they Appearance related?
Are they Skill related?
Are there choices to make during the Game?
Can the Players customize the game?
Which margin do they have for Expansion?
How extensive is it Extensive?
How Broad is the Game’s World?
How do you ensure Continuity?

Replayability
Are there Multiple ways to End the game?
Are there Multiple ways to Win the game?
What are they Multiple Endings?
How are they achievable?
Are some of them more desirable?
Can you establish a Hierarchy?
What can the Players hope from their following experiences?
Which novelties have you prepared?
Are they Character Oriented?
How do they modify Character Development?
Are they related to Character Design?

Optimal Genre
Do you write Comedy?
Do you write Drama?
Do you enjoy Intimate Stories?
What makes Intimacy appealing?
Is it the Smaller-Scale?
Is it the Depths it allows?
Are you Playful?

The Builder

The World
What is your World made of?
How do you define it?
How does your Game function?
Why did you decide to build this Game?
What makes this Game unique?
What makes it Enticing?

Balance
How Detailed are your Worlds?
What are these Details about?
Is Balance important to you?
How is it Displayed?
How much Information did you produce on your World?
How is this Information given to the Players?
Is it overwhelming for them?
Is it on the point?
Can they start playing the game immediately?
Which Information should you give them?
Which Information catalyses them?
Which Information inhibits them?

Customization
Are you Environment-Oriented?
How do you create Levels?
What are their Limitations?
Which interactions are possible beneath them?
Why is your World Pre-defined?
Which Templates do you offer to the Players?
Do you purvey Characters Templates?
Do you purvey Accessories Templates?
Do you purvey Settings Templates?
Does the World adapt to the Players?
Should the Players adapt to the World?
On which occasion?
How permissive is the Game?
How open is it?
How guided is it?

Replayability
Do you build Large-Scale Games?
Do you enjoy Large-Scale Games?
Why?
How clear is the Game Map?
How easy is Exploration?
What makes it difficult?
Is it the Environment?
Is it the Creatures?
What is easy to discover?
Can everything be discovered on the 1st run?
How do you define Exploration?
Should it be Time-Consuming?
What Enticement do you feel while exploring?
How Enthusiast are you?
How Enthusiast should the Players be?

Optimal Genre
Do you write Adventure?
How Enthusiastic are you?
How Encouraging are you?
Could you be Entitled?
Could you be Rigid?

Narrator	Arbiter	Naturalist	Director	Builder
Aim	Rules	Causality	Story	World
Strength	Balanced	Realistic	Flexible	Ambitious
Weakness	Balanced	Predictable	Story > Game	Rigid
Balance	+++	+++++	+	++
Customization	+++	+++	++++	++
Replayability	+++	+	++++	+++++
Genre	Action	Horror	Comedy/Drama	Adventure