Games are a storytelling medium and people are primarily consumers of stories.

But now we need to make people actually do something as part of the story.

 

No, what people do is the story. It's the designers role to create what the player can do and typically setting up the conflict(s) that the player is doing things against.

Think of holding hands in Ico. The player has to do it because the conflict forces the two characters to maintain close proximity, but eventually it takes on an emotional importance.

 

Yes, I really agree with this. "Show" is still passive, which is fine for film. There's a place for "show" -- I love a good scripted story in games. But in many games I think "enable" > "show" > "tell" (as RockoDyne just gave an example of).

I don't want to sidetrack this thread, but it would be interesting to discuss ways to enable players to make stories (i.e., do things) more than be passive observers of scripted stories.

 

We should do that in a different thread though, it would be lost here.

Should I do it or you?

 

You guys can share it.

 

I'll keep an eye out for a thread if you have a chance to start one.