Story Vs Game Design

tim-cain narrative-design game-design story mechanics genre

Abstract

Problem: What is more important for a game — story or game design?

Approach: Tim Cain deconstructs the question itself, arguing it contains a false dichotomy, then examines games across the spectrum from story-light shooters to mechanics-light narrative experiences.

Findings: Story is a subset of game design, not a separate category. Different genres lean on different pillars — shooters thrive with minimal story, while narrative adventure games need almost no combat mechanics. Most games need both, and the balance depends entirely on genre and intent.

Key insight: The question "story vs game design" is a non-question — like the Buddhist koan about whether a dog has Buddha nature. Story is game design, and trying to pit them against each other misunderstands what game design actually encompasses.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LptJrOO2zSQ

1. The Question Is a Trick Question

Tim opens by pointing out that the viewer's question — "What is more important, story or game design?" — is fundamentally flawed. Story is part of game design. Asking which is more important is like asking "what's more important, the engine or the car?"

Game design is an umbrella that includes:

  • System mechanics (rules of play)
  • Setting
  • User experience (UX)
  • Story/narrative
  • Many other elements

Tim notes this is actually a double trick question. His question back ("what do you mean by game design?") is a trick because his answer would be the same regardless. And the original question is a trick because the answer varies entirely by game and genre.

2. Games With Almost No Story

Tim points to the games of the 1980s and 90s — many had stories so thin they were really just settings. He uses Doom as the prime example:

  • Doom's "story": Demons are loose on a base. Kill them.
  • That's not really a story — it's a setting. A proper story would involve a scientist's experiment gone wrong, a ticking clock, characters to interact with, narrative acts.
  • But for a shooter? A setting is enough. FPS games don't need elaborate stories to be fun.

3. Games With Almost No Mechanics

On the other end of the spectrum, Tim describes games that are essentially interactive storytelling with minimal system mechanics:

  • You move from room to room
  • You click on things
  • Story is exposited to you
  • Your only agency is choosing what rooms to visit and what to interact with

These are games where someone wanted to tell a story and chose games as the format. Tim notes that modern examples have gotten better at nonlinear storytelling, where the player pieces together the narrative order themselves.

4. The Non-Question

Because both extremes exist — great games with almost no story and great games with almost no mechanics — Tim argues the "story vs game design" question dissolves. He compares it to:

  • The Buddhist koan: "Does a dog have Buddha nature?" (The answer is to un-ask the question)
  • The loaded question: "Have you stopped beating your spouse?" (Contains a false premise)
  • "What's better, graphics or setting?" (Graphics depend on setting for thematic coherence — you can't cleanly separate them)

5. What Most Games Actually Need

Tim's practical takeaway:

  • Many games rest their appeal on one primary pillar — beautiful visuals, fun puzzles, good combat, compelling story, or interesting mechanics
  • If you're lucky, you get a game with all of them
  • But not every game needs all of them
  • Counter-Strike doesn't need you stopping mid-match for story beats
  • Adventure games don't need combat — you walk, talk, and experience narrative
  • Most games need some of everything, but the ratio depends entirely on the game

6. References