Forms and Functions of Multimodal Storytelling in Story-based Video Games

Bachelor Thesis , 2014 , 35 Pages , Grade: 3,0

Communications - Multimedia, Internet, New Technologies

This paper focuses on the video game genres that have some kind of narrative form and offer a coherent plot, which could be compared to other types of literature. This paper serves as an analysis of story-based video games in order to prove to what extend video games can be considered literature, and how certain forms and functions are realized in these.

While both examples focus on their moral and ethical function, they feature different aspects in regard to concepts like religion, death, and what is right or wrong. Further¬more, the analyses of the games in this paper show how real existing moral conventions can be exceeded, and how they can be called into question. Can video games convey moral and ethical values? And if so, in which way? Another important aspect is the portrayal of religious beliefs and how those can be compared to real existing religions.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

• Introduction
• Aim of this work
• Relevance of the analyses
• Structure and method
• Theoretical Framework
• Working definitions
• Working Definition of “Multimodal Storytelling"
• Working Definition of "Story-based Video Games"
• What is a "Visual Novel"?
• Concepts used in this analysis
• Religious Beliefs in Video Games
• Ethics and Moral in Video Games
• Analysis of The Elevator by Cyanide Tea
• Overview
• Form
• Depiction of Religious Beliefs
• Analysis of The Walking Dead by Telltale Games
• Overview
• Form
• Ethics and Moral Functions
• Conclusion
• Summary
• Résumé
• Prospects
• Works cited

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte

This bachelor thesis aims to analyze the forms and functions of multimodal storytelling in story-based video games, specifically focusing on the visual novel genre. The analysis seeks to demonstrate how video games can be considered a form of literature and explore the ways in which they convey moral and ethical values, religious beliefs, and other societal concepts.

• The role of multimodal storytelling in video games
• The potential of video games as a form of literature
• The depiction of religious beliefs and ethical values in video games
• The analysis of specific examples of story-based video games, including visual novels and adventure games
• The exploration of the relationship between video games and real-world societal values

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel

The introduction outlines the aim of the thesis, which is to analyze the forms and functions of multimodal storytelling in story-based video games. It also discusses the relevance of the analysis, highlighting the often-negative perception of video games and the need to explore their potential as a form of literature. The introduction concludes with an overview of the structure and method of the thesis.

The theoretical framework chapter defines key terms such as "multimodal storytelling," "story-based video games," and "visual novel." It also introduces concepts that will be used in the analysis, including religious beliefs and ethics in video games.

The analysis of The Elevator by Cyanide Tea focuses on the depiction of religious beliefs within the game and how it influences players' moral values. The chapter examines specific text passages and compares them to the protagonist's development within the game.

The analysis of The Walking Dead by Telltale Games explores the ethical and moral functions of the game, examining specific text passages and decision points in relation to in-game statistics. The chapter analyzes the game's portrayal of concepts such as death, forgiveness, and honesty.

Schlüsselwörter

The keywords and focus themes of the text include multimodal storytelling, story-based video games, visual novels, religious beliefs, ethics, morality, video game analysis, literary functions, and societal values. The thesis explores the potential of video games as a form of literature and examines how they convey moral and ethical values, religious beliefs, and other societal concepts.

• College: Justus-Liebig-University Giessen
• Grade: 3,0
• Author: Marcel Weyers (Author)
• Publication Year: 2014
• Pages: 35
• Catalog Number: V287646
• ISBN (eBook): 9783656879794
• ISBN (Book): 9783656879800
• Language: English
• Tags: video games, multimodal, multimedial, visual novels, storytelling, literature, graphic novels