"The alchemists had two components to their philosophy. These were the principles of solve et coagula.
Solve was basically the equivalent of analysis, it was taking things apart to see how they worked. Coagula was basically synthesis, it was trying to put disassembled pieces back together, so that they worked more efficiently.
These are two very important principles which can be applied to almost anything in culture."
(Alan Moore)
Story and game. Narrative and system. It's a troubled, frequently renewed marriage full of misunderstandings. Roller coaster rides between disputes and reconciliation. We kind of keep the model going, but neither of the two sides really gets to shine.
Therefore the following article will zoom out to look at the big picture, using Thomas Grips SSM framework as a starting point. It does a pretty good job on the analysis ("solve") of narrative and systemic aspects of modern-day games. However, the follow-up step of synthesis ("coagula") is kept a bit nebulous. Instead of new revelations or clarifications, we get a description of the status quo.
In contrast, the second part of this article will try to sketch out two concrete results of ludonarrative synthesis, and thus possible synergistic bridges between two worlds that should conflict in theory. In consequence two equally valid, yet fundamentally different, approaches to game design will unfold.
Systems and Stories
To start off, a few definitions. In concept we will stick to the elements of the SSM framework for now, but use some more intuitive terms:
System
Rules: At its core, a system's behavior is defined by a specific ruleset.
Interactions: Rules interact in certain ways and react to the input made by the player. This creates characteristic dynamics called "gameplay".
Story
Audiovisuals: At the lowest level narrative elements are simply audiovisual components.
Plot: Via events and scenes over time an explicit storyline emerges.
Now, as mentioned above, issues arise when trying to combine both sides on an equal footing.
Systems are inherently strongly tied to the player. How challenging or interesting interacting with a specific set of rules actually is, depends to a large degree on the experience and background of the respective player. Ideally a game demands neither too much nor too little skill from its players, inducing a state of "flow". The excessive use of passive narrative elements can easily disrupt this.
Stories on the other hand are way more linear and pre-planned in terms of their impact. Therefore full-fledged skill-based gameplay loops are of limited use for them. Typically they will rather represent an "annoying obstacle" preventing the audience from experiencing the next narrative sequence, thus disturbing the narrative's pacing. Many story games therefore operate without any loops (Heavy Rain, Gone Home) or keep them extremely simple (Uncharted) to not endanger their narrative flow.
Conflicting Goals
This basic antagonism between story and system is no surprise of course. After all both sides, looked at in isolation, pursue fundamentally different goals. This is where we need a new "M" in SSM:
Systems are to be transformed into mental models.
Knowledge: Players understand the set of rules itself.
Understanding: Players apply their knowledge in the context of the system's output (feedback) to grasp complex gameplay dynamics.
Stories convey messages.
Statement: A specific statement emerges from the plot.
Emotion: Statements are evaluated via emotional stimuli.
An equal partnership will therefore necessarily have to result in an endless sequence of compromises and be highly limited in its potential value. Hence one of the two sides will have to clearly take the leading role. Indeed both possible design methods resulting from this approach show a lot of potential for synergistic effects.
Synthesis I: Interactive Systems
Putting the system in the lead will result in gameplay-driven games. Players interact with them repeatedly to iteratively refine their mental model, and learn to influence the system's dynamics reliably and deliberately (play). The focus lies on exploring the game's mechanical depth.
Games in this category are not played for their story. However, intuitively intelligible story elements can support players in building up their understanding of the rules and their gameplay implications. In this case, thematic and narrative components serve the system. They range from very abstract (chess) to highly explicit (plot sequences).
Narrative Support: Examples
Even rather abstract games make use of narrative symbolism.
Examples can be found even in games exhibiting a rather dry visual presentation. For instance, the dice in
