Historical games in the current market are a popular point of interest for many players. While as action-filled, immersive, and thought-provoking as they can be, a deep and rich story seems to be the key to what draws many players in. Developers tackling these titles have faced challenges to meet this fad, primarily to bring fresh and effective authenticity to the events and setting the game takes place within. They’re left with the question of just how much can be taken out of the history to make the creative story fit within the boundaries of a game’s design?
The Divide Between Quality Over Authenticity
With a story in mind, what liberties can a developer take with the real history framing their project? Some changes may prove to be detrimental to what they’re attempting to establish, however, tweaking history could actually improve the plot and structure of the game. But what would happen if the developer removes an integral part of history?
There’s an undoubtedly delicate balance between authenticity and entertainment, so in response, many developers can circumvent the gap in history they may be leaving behind by altering parts of the game’s writing. Developers can combine fiction with history by creating a strong connection with the players, specifically by creating a sense of how one may feel if put in the position of the characters they’ll be controlling. Along with first-hand immersion and effectively adapted events, even at a slight cost to authenticity, everything can come together for a wealth of entertainment and enlightenment. There’s no question that quality overrides some aspects of authenticity, but both can combine seamlessly if done right, to overcome the challenge of developing a narrative for any historical video game.
Developer Outreach and Real-World Experiences
Most historical games take inspiration and base themselves on real-world experiences that many have lived through. Developers can often take advantage of opportunities to meet veterans or those who experienced the events they wish to portray, along with a research company like Epoch XP that can delve into the selected histories. An understanding of outreach and archived history is an important aspect for creating a solidly accurate story for players to participate in, as it lays the foundation for what the developer can show and allow their player base to experience. Each resource proves to offer an important hand in historical projects as a whole in today’s era of gaming, lifting the weight off of what the developers could only originally do with their added insight.
No matter how it’s put in the end, developers face hefty challenges translating real-world history into a digital interactive form. The stories have to be accurate and flow well with the in-game worlds. However, they aren’t without the tools and resources they can utilize to help create the best experiences, even with the problems present with developing such projects. In-depth immersion, focus on player connection, and outreach to those who lived during the respective eras being recreated all provide the right ideas to make a truly authentic story for any historical game and audience.
–
At Epoch XP, we specialize in creating compelling narratives and provide research to give your game the kind of details that engage your players and create a resonant world they want to spend time in. If you are interested in learning more about our gaming research services, you can browse Epoch XP’s services.