In The Absense of Theme In Games
The concept of theme has been burning in my mind lately.
Many game teams that I’ve worked with and the ones that I’ve lead, have often heard me talk about this subject. Theme is often a mysterious and elusive concept.
Let’s begin with some context. Here’s how I like to talk about theme as it pertains to story and plot:
if plot = what happens
then
theme = what the plot is about
Here’s an example using Raiders of the Lost Ark:
The plot follows Indiana as he races to find the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazi’s can.
What Raiders is about is belief.
We get a hint of this when we hear Indiana say, “I don’t believe in magic, a lot of superstitious hocus pocus. I’m going after a find of incredible historical significance, you’re talking about the boogie man. Besides, you know what a cautious fellow I am.” [throws his gun into his suitcase]
This line and action marks the end of the first act, and from there adventure ensues.
At the end though the power of the Ark is revealed. With that action, he believes, and it makes the final shot of the film that much more poignant. Without that thematic concept the film would have been superficial, and the ending less of a defining moment. Indiana as a character actually changes by the end of the film.
So what does this have to do with games?
This concept can be applied to games without a storyline, but for this post I’m focusing on those that do. Keep in mind, I’m not really talking about story, I am talking about something deeper, memorable, and resonating.
Before I go further we should try and further define plot and theme as it pertains to games. I believe it works like this:
plot = game events accomplished by the player
theme = why they are moving through those events
The above statements are lacking, and if you look at the Raiders of the Lost Ark example it doesn’t work. Indiana’s theme, as I defined it above, isn’t to, “save the world.” So when going through this exercise, you must remove goals from the theme equation, because it’s deeper than that, it’s about meaning. We should further this thought using a game as an example, because after all we’re talking about games.
Dead Rising
This game is an excellent example of theme playing a major role in gameplay. Here’s my breakdown:
plot = survive for 72 hours
theme = what’s the cost of survival?
Theme in this game is important because the player has choices. Dead Rising is a sandbox game so choices are integral within that game mechanic. But Grand Theft Auto 3 was a sandbox game and though you had choices as to what you can play around with, you still pretty much had a single thematic storyline.
As for Dead Rising I see three things that puts the theme into balance:
- survival
- the mystery
- saving others
You don’t have to do any of the missions to find out the mystery. You don’t have to save other people, and you can just choose to survive the 72 hours (game hours not real hours), there are plenty of things to do. Or you can dive into the game and master the challenges that are provided to you. The challenges are difficult, and can be frustrating, but they are thematic and they let the player create their story. That story is your of your own design, and you make it in “real time.”
The great thing about the design is the collection of mechanics that drive you to make decisions. In Dead Rising you can actually win some and you can actually lose some. Most games only allow to win, and they force you to win, because otherwise you can’t go on. Dead Rising often drives you to decide who to save, and who to let go. You have the choice to just keep moving forward through the temporal time frame or you can reload (at a cost). Can you actually save all the living people?
Hands down the most brilliant set of over arching game design mechanics this year. The designers delivered on the theme 110% and by doing this they have created a game that’s more than the sum of its parts. They’ve made something memorable, and in addition they’ve made something memorable in the marketplace before you even have a chance to play it.
Designers should consider this at all times. Sadly most do not.
Cool post. Is theme only in relation to story-driven games, or more to the point, games the tell stories similar to movies and books? Does a game like Animal Crossing have a theme, or need one?
(note: If I had actually played dead rising, I’d probably know the answers to these questions.)
This applies to games without story as well. Chess is the perfect example of theme. It’s a battle and pawns will be lost, and sometimes the queen as well. The theme or thematic question here would be, “What do you sacrifice to win?”
It is better to frame the theme as a question and is often called the, thematic question. With that question you can then proceed to test your plot/game against it. The key to the question is to be specific and yet open. In [i]Dark Forces: Jedi Knight[/i] the thematic question would be, “What is the price paid for the light or dark side?”
That question is specific because it doesn’t directly involve the plot. You can’t confuse what I’m calling theme here with genre. The theme or thematic question relates to character and how they grow through the plot/game. In order to describe this further I should to into more detail.
for the story:
plot = what happens
theme = what it’s about
for the character motivation:
want = is what the characters plot goals are
need = is what the characters theme goals are (this is often something the character doesn’t know they need)
So in a nut shell the protagonist starts out in the story believing one thing, but in order to accomplish their goals (which may not be the ones they started out with) they must dig deep down and change themselves. The must grow to overcome the obstacles.
Now in the case of games we do this with the player. An RPG allows the player character to grow to meet the plot motivations. But are there things that make the player themselves fulfill their needs?
In Dead Rising the player has a choice to how they want to finish the game. They are pushed and pulled in the 3 other areas (as I describe in my original post). It’s cool because in reality the player can choose their plot, and the two other items become sub plots. All of which bleed into their gameplay and force them to address their original “wants”. Now keep in mind I’m talking about player wants, not necessarily what the protagonist, Frank West, wants. This is how we can make the player take the role of the character and become them, rather than just making them generic.
Wow, you should have been giving the “story in games” talk this year instead of Warren Spector. He brought up the point you’re discussing, that “Deus Ex” isn’t about its plot, its about family, loyalty, rebelling against power etc…and I think your post brings out how important these elements are to a good experiance.
But, his talk (imo) was unfocused enough to leave me wanting much more…
Hey Roho!
Yes, I love Warren, but I’m often confused where he’s coming from. He might be a bit old school for my taste, and frankly I’m no spring chicken.
As you described the thematic ideas in Deus Ex, I feel that it might have too many themes. By limiting yourself to a single theme, you can go deeper, rather than wider. In a game wouldn’t you want to explore an idea to it’s core? Give it it’s due? In this regard games are like books. A reader/player can explore the world at their own pace, rereading/replaying as they go. They can find understanding. In a film, you have to keep up.
As you said at GDC, games should teach us something that we can use in our daily lives. I disagreed, but in my heart of hearts I agree 150%. When you fully explore a theme you are giving your audience multiple opportunities to connect with your game. It is in that connection that we become/learn/understand and I would like to simply say, find joy.
I think too many technical designers out there try to systematize EVERYTHING. Systems are great, they are important, and they provide a logical mental structure so the player can better understand the worlds we create for them, i.e. through tools, interface, logic etc. Then lose contact with the overall experience they are trying to give the player.
In the end the designer/writer/creator must infuse/inform those systems with some sort of creative content. In the end, life must be breathed into the game; and where does that come from? I believe that comes from personal expression. A game about everything might ultimately be a game about nothing. As a designer; have a voice, have an idea, just don’t think about the mechanics. Think about where you want to _take_ the player.
I work with Yuan. Lets be best friends.
“Lets be best friends.”
And so it begins!