Story Design: Faction System

“Stories by the player, not to the player.”

Stories are trapped in the quintessential problem of being told to the player, not by the player. Games, which distinguish themselves in the ability to grant individual autonomy, most often have stories limited to one predetermined result. However, this problem can be solved by driving the story through a faction system. A faction system is multiple, competing organizations, which the player can seek out, join and support. The player’s chosen faction rises in strength and stature, as the player fights for its cause. As the faction rises, its values and ideology take effect on the world; the player can ultimately set the course of the story through the faction he chooses to support.

To illustrate, imagine playing as a character caught in a world tearing itself apart. Various faction groups have emerged, each one fighting for power. An imperial monarchy, utilizing its wealth, has attempted to gain control through raw force. You could join their ranks and ascend to the rank of general, in support of this totalitarian regime. A resistance movement has formed, trying to win sway with the lowly masses; some of its members are willing to commit mass violence to undermine the imperial power. As the player, would you slaughter innocent life in the name of a greater cause? Alternatively, you could join a hidden force which puppet-masters politicians and eliminates threats; their goal is “security”, but with an amoral, consequentialist “ends justify the means” philosophy. As the player, it is your responsibility to choose which faction you support, and in which ways that faction will shape the world. Could you cleanse the imperial empire of corruption? Or would a revolution be the best means of brining change? With a faction system, the player determines the fate of the story and the world.