Abstract:

This paper presents a framework for investigating the use of commercial computer games to stimulate learning among pupils and students aged 15+ and use key findings of such a framework as a case in point for the study of the problematic but also fruitful relation between gameplay and fiction, known as ludo-narrative dissonance. Thus, the paper will present the outline of how to deal with a very pragmatic topic that has deep theoretical implications, namely:
1) the bringing forth of valuable learning from the technology of commercial computer games in a classroom setting, and
2) ways to combine this pragmatism with scrutinizing a ’wicked problem’ (that of ludo-narrative dissonance) in both the design and theory of computer games.

Large open-world sandbox games such as Skyrim, Grand Theft Auto, Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag, The Witcher 3, and many more, have become increasingly popular. However, they often showcase a disentanglement of the actions of the linear story and the player’s freedom to act. Some would say that these games suffer from what is known as ludo-narrative dissonance (henceforth LND). Others would insist that the two parts of the game, the successive storyline as opposed to the actual gameplay, is a dissociated unit with no consequential correlation; while a third group would avow that ludo-narrative dissonance is basically an unpreventable limitation of games with plenty of player freedom. Rather than jump to the conclusion that game designers have so far failed to “fix” the wrongdoings of LND, possibly by coalescing the gameplay and the story into one idea, or that the conflict between sandbox design and narrative is a condition of all games; this paper will explore, on a more positive note, two “modes” of LND, thereby hopefully showing the analytical richness and artistic depth of the concept (or problem) and its rewarding relations to learning. The above will be fleshed out in more detail in the first section of the paper.

In the second section I turn to the first of these two modes of LND, implied ludo-narrative dissonance. Games in this department become problematically interesting in terms of storytelling since they rely either on:
1) defined characters, which means that when one plays them "incorrectly" this will conflict with their established characterizations that the game writers thought of;
2) they purportedly solve the problem of LND by having customizable characters that act as “empty” avatars for the player.

In the latter case, the player character has no established modus vivendi, and so the player is free to make all kinds of choices without breaking character. Through readings of symptomatic games and game sequences I will show how LND is implied in both cases as a means to bring out the reflexivity of games as games, and thus closer to games as an artform.

The third section of the paper deals with the second mode of LND, which I call explicated ludo-narrative dissonance. By examining the multi-character design of Grand Theft Auto V, I analyze why rather than this design crafting a stiffer narrative with fiercer and more consistent themes the game ends up displaying internal inconsistency and thus do not provide enough variety of gameplay mechanics to back the characters’ distinctive personalities. I believe such feature – and others – cry out for careful readings of LND plotted in the middle region between the one-size-fits- all design fix and the bleak there’s-no-way-out philosophy.

Keywords:

Game based learning, ludo-narrative dissonance, game theory, gameplay.