VALVE CORPORATION: EXPLORATION INTO THE COMPANY - PART 2 - CINEMATIC NARRATIVE WITH GAMEPLAY

 

[1] VALVE (2004) Gordon Freeman and Alyx Vance [Online Image] Avaliable from: http://img1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100426164516/half-life/en/images/1/19/Gordonalyx2.jpg [Accessed 24/04/2014]

    Kill the aliens that enslaved the human race. Escape from a lab controlled by  a psychotic A.I. These two stories can ultimately be boiled down into one sentence, yet these are the storylines to two games that can be considered to be one of the most influential and popular games. Half-life and Portal.
    It’s clear that Valve helped to pioneer the cinematic story telling experience in games, when the games I spoke of above are often held in high acclaim with gamers and critics[2][3][4][5][6][7][8].

One of Ratman's Dens.
[9] VALVE (2007) One of Ratman's Den [Online Image] Avaliable from: http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100611154805/half-life/en/images/d/dd/Testchmb_a_13001.jpg [Accessed 24/04/2014]

    Portal communicates the lore by using insane scribbling and picture clippings, lining the panels of a small decrypted rooms hidden in test chambers. Ramblings of someone with decreasing mental stability help to guide Chell through the later tests, before abruptly ending when the Sentry Turrets are introduced. The small den’s show evidence that someone had inhabited them for long periods time, with makeshift beds, cans of food and bottles of milk and water. One even contains a makeshift shove. The walls often have foreshadowing, such as the placement of companion cubes placed over the heads of people, and even ‘The cake is a lie’ scrawled across the panels[10][11].
    This is essence of Cinematic Story telling, using the world and actions to explore the narrative, rather than dialogue. As Alfred Hitchcock has been quoted saying:

    “In many of the films now being made, there is very little cinema: they are mostly what I call ‘photographs of people talking’. When we tell a story in the cinema, we should resort to dialogue only when it’s impossible to do otherwise. In writing a screenplay, it is essential to separate clearly the dialogue from the visual elements and whenever possible, to rely more on the visual than on the dialogue[12].”

 

Concept of Chell meeting GLaDOS.
[13] VALVE (2011) Concept of Chell meeting GLaDOS [Online Image] Avaliable from: http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100307232018/half-life/en/images/1/11/Chell_facing_glados_concept.jpg [Accessed 24/04/2014]

    Interaction between GLaDOS and the player helps to add to the story without it being just exposition which can get lost in all forms of media. We are given a look into the mind or programming of this A.I. We’re allowed to explore the character, shown that she’s not just plot device, but a three dimensional character, with motives and emotions.
    The gameplay mechanics are a key part in holding up the narrative, we are taught by stepping on the button, it opens door, but stepping off it, closes the door, telling us that we need to acquire a weigh. Triggered by the button, a large container looking out of place in the ceiling, releases a box, the weighted storage cube which becomes a key element in the later stages, as the companion cube. The companion cube goes on to teach us an important mechanic involving the final battle. All of this is done without dialogue, allowing the player to discover the mechanics themselves[14].

Breen on the Breencast on the clock tower in City 17.
[15] - VALVE (2004) Breen on the Breencast [Online Image] Avaliable from: http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20091026103546/half-life/en/images/c/cd/Second_Breencast_close.jpg [Accessed 24/04/2014]

    There are drawbacks to a heavily narrative game. A strict liner format takes away the players feelings of control and replayablilty. Without any ability to affect the storyline, the game does not need to played a second time. You know the story, you had your emotional experience with it, what’s the point in playing it a second time? I feel Half-life 2 and especially the sequels suffered from this issue. But, also these games did so much right.
    We are greeted with Dr. Breen, the main anatogist of the series. Breen is not just an evil person, although looking at his motives we are can argue about this element. But looking at Breen, he justifies his reasoning, to himself, but even more so to the player. He gives speeches which you can choose to watch or just carry on.

    “Did the lungfish refuse to breathe air? It did not. It crept forth boldly while its brethren remained in the blackest ocean abyss, with lidless eyes forever staring at the dark, ignorant and doomed despite their eternal vigilance.[16]”

    It’s not just good guys verses bad guys, it muddies the water. Breen think’s he’s doing what’s best for humanity, allowing them to ascend into the Combine empire. Where as you fight beside the rebels to try to break free from the Combine’s grasp.
    When simple the narrative is done in an exciting and intriguing way, can be considered superior to a complex plot told in a broken, disjointed way. With an obvious start to endpoint, without any complexities that might confuse the player due to the way it’s presented, the story can ultimately be more engaging.

Biblography  

SOURCES

[1] - VALVE (2004) Gordon Freeman and Alyx Vance [Online Image] Avaliable from: http://img1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100426164516/half-life/en/images/1/19/Gordonalyx2.jpg [Accessed 24/04/2014]

 [2] - GAMERANKINGS (1992) Half-Life 2 [Online] GAMERANKINGS Avaliable from: http://www.gamerankings.com/pc/914642-half-life-2/index.html [Accessed 24/04/2014]

[3] - DULIN. R (1998) Half-Life [Online] GAMESPOT Avaliable from: http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/half-life-review/1900-2537398/ [Accessed 24/04/2014]

[4] - METACRITIC (1998) Half-Life PC [Online] METACRITIC Avaliable from: http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/half-life [Accessed 24/04/2014]

[5] - METACRITIC (2004) Half-Life 2 PC [Online] METACRITIC Avaliable from: http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/half-life-2 [Accessed 24/04/2014]

[6] - METACRITIC (2007) Portal PC [Online] METACRITIC Avaliable from: http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/portal [Accessed 24/04/2014]

[7] - METACRITIC (2011) Portal 2 PC [Online] METACRITIC Avaliable from: http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/portal-2 [Accessed 24/04/2014]

[8] - ADAMS. D (2007) Portal Review [Online] METACRITIC Avaliable from: http://uk.ign.com/articles/2007/10/09/portal-review [Accessed 24/04/2014]

[9] - VALVE (2007) One of Ratman's Den [Online Image] Avaliable from: http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100611154805/half-life/en/images/d/dd/Testchmb_a_13001.jpg [Accessed 24/04/2014]

[10] AONSHIX (2009) Narrative Narcissism; Half-Life [Online] Avaliable from: http://metacritical.wordpress.com/2009/06/14/narrative-narcissism-half-life/ [Accessed 24/04/2014]

[11] HAGGARD. D (2007) The Art of Narrative in Half-Life 2 [Online] Availiable from : http://danielhaggard.com/70/the-art-of-narrative-in-half-life-2/ [Accessed 24/04/2014]

 

[12] Weis. E (1982) The Silent Scream - Alfred Hitchcock's Sound Track Rutherford: Dickinson University Press Avaliable from: http://filmsound.org/silentscream/chapter1.htm [Accessed 24/04/2014]

[13] - VALVE (2011) Concept of Chell meeting GLaDOS [Online Image] Avaliable from: http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100307232018/half-life/en/images/1/11/Chell_facing_glados_concept.jpg [Accessed 24/04/2014]

[14] RICARDO AFONSO (2011) Portal, Complete Walkthrough. [Online Video] Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxOQDo_tHNY [Accessed 24/04/2014]

[15] - VALVE (2004) Breen on the Breencast [Online Image] Avaliable from: http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20091026103546/half-life/en/images/c/cd/Second_Breencast_close.jpg [Accessed 24/04/2014]

[16] VALVE (2004) Breencast [Online] Avaliable from: http://half-life.wikia.com/wiki/Breencast [Accessed 24/04/2014]

GAMES 

VALVE (1998) Half-Life [Online, CD] PC, Playstation 2, Xbox. Washington: Electronic Arts Inc.

VALVE (2004) Half-Life 2 [Online, CD] PC, Xbox 360, Playstation 3. Washington: Electronic Arts Inc. 

VALVE (2008) Portal [Online, CD] PC, Xbox 360, Playstation 3. Washington: Electronic Arts Inc.

VALVE (2011) Portal 2 [Online, CD] PC, Xbox 360, Playstation 3. Washington: Electronic Arts Inc.