Divine Decisions: A Study of Agency in Video Game Narrative

This paper describes the Divine Decisions project, an experiment on the synthesis of physical and digital design techniques in the field of video game design and development. The project is inspired by unique types of video game input devices like the Nintendo R.O.B, the digital twin technologies utilized in Activision Blizzard’s Skylanders series, and the narrative themes present in titles such as Undertale and Fear and Hunger, with the ultimate goal of creating a uniquely immersive experience that enhances the user’s sense of agency and responsibility for their choices. Divine Decisions examines how the use of physical, interactive elements can affect how an audience experiences a digital narrative and how they choose to interact with it.