Throughout my fellowship, I spent my summer immersed in the world of video game storytelling. With the guidance of my faculty mentor, English professor Paul Graham, I've been researching how game creators construct compelling narratives and build unique new realms by blending elements like art, music, dialogue, and more.
If I had to say which discovery I'm most proud of, it'd be finding the existence of 'ludonarrative harmony,' which is the intersectionality of the player, the game, and its ethos. This concept is responsible for engaging players in the game's philosophy and themes as well as its mechanics.
With the help of Dr. Graham's expertise in writing and storytelling, alongside my knowledge of the language of games, we thoroughly studied exactly what elements are at play when creators construct these wonderful worlds. Learning how to closely read a unique art form such as this was an incredible opportunity to apply what I've learned here at SLU to the art I love. An opportunity I wouldn't have had in a normal classroom environment.