Abstract
The purpose of this research is to integrate traditional storytelling methods with environmental shifts to test the effectiveness in enhancing player immersion and narrative communication. The researcher created a custom single-player level in Fallout 4, which tasks players with investigating a case and finding out the truth of the quest’s narrative with the help of environmental shifts. The researcher collected data on the effectiveness of their researched, environmental shift best practices by observing testers’ playtests and their subsequent understanding of the story.
Degree Date
Spring 2024
Document Type
Thesis
Department
Level Design
Advisor
Katie Wood Clark
Acknowledgements
I am profoundly grateful to Professor Katie Wood Clark, my thesis advisor, for her invaluable guidance and unwavering support throughout this project. Her insights have been crucial to my research. I also owe a debt of gratitude to Professor Mike Porter for his assistance in this journey. My thanks also go to the dedicated playtesters whose engagement and feedback were essential in refining my level design. Additionally, I am thankful to all those who supported me along the way. Finally, I appreciate your interest in my work and thank you for taking the time to engage with it.
Format
Recommended Citation
X. "Layne Zhang, “Best Practices: Enhancing Narrative Communication Through Environmental Shifts,” PDF, SMU Guildhall, 2024.
