Journal of Robotics, Networking and Artificial Life, Vol. 2, No. 4 (March 2016), 243-246

A Design Plan of a Game System including an Automatic Narrative Generation Mechanism:
The Entire Structure and the World Settings
Jumpei Ono

Graduate School of Software and Information Science, Iwate Prefectural University152-52, Sugo, Takizawa, Iwate 020-0693, Japan
Takashi Ogata

Faculty of Software and Information Science, Iwate Prefectural University152-52, Sugo, Takizawa, Iwate 020-0693, Japan
E-mail: g236m001@s.iwate-pu.ac.jp, t-ogata@iwate-pu.ac.jp

AbstractIn this paper, we propose a narrative generation system based on the scenario generation method in tabletop roleplaying games (TRPGs). This system uses an integrated narrative generation system (INGS) that synthesizes
various narrative generation mechanisms. The TRPG is an analog game in which one or more players (PLs) play
the role of characters within the framework of the narrative prepared by the game master (GM). A PL promotes thedevelopment of scenes, which leads to the completion of the narrative. In particular, we concentrate on the “worldsetting” that consists of the rules or constricts for a narrative and also the components defined by the rules and thestage setting of the narrative. In an ordinary scenario, a GM sets a basic world setting for the narrative generation
through the interaction between the PLs. We consider preliminarily prepared scripts corresponding to various world
settings in addition to the detailed mechanism to use it.
Keywords: integrated narrative generation system, narrative generation, table-top role playing game, world setting

1. Introduction
We design a narrative generation system based on agame format that refers to a scenario generation method
in tabletop role-playing games (TRPGs)1. This system is
an application of the integrated narrative generation
system (INGS)2-4 that was developed using the gamemethod; the proposed system generates a narrative
based on the interactions between a user and the system.
The INGS consists of a concept generation
mechanism to generate a structure of narrative, and asurface representation mechanism to represent thenarrative through sounds, words and pictures. The INGS
has noun conceptual dictionary and verb conceptual
dictionary for constructing an event concept in thenarrative5, story content knowledge for constituting thestructure of the narrative6, each event concept in theconceptual structure of narrative is connected in front
state and behind it by a state-event translation
knowledge base4.
2. Overview of the TRPGThe TRPG is an analog game where a player (PL)becomes a character and plays each role within theframework of a narrative prepared by the game master(GM). This role-playing by the character reaches aconclusion as the scene develops, and as a result, a big
narrative is completed.
Further, Fig. 1 shows the relationship between theconcepts of a “scenario.” The “scenario” consists of the

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243Jumpei Ono, Takashi Ogata“world setting” and the “scene sequence. The “scenario”
is formed during the progression of a game through theinteraction between the GM and a PL.
Scenario
Scene sequence
Scene

Scene

Char
acter

Location

Thin
gs

SceneTime

Restr
ict

World settingFig. 1 Scenario and its components
We will now discuss the TRPG in detail. First, a“scene sequence” in the “scenario” is created based on
the actual incident or fictitious it. Next, the “scenesequence” by the GM is modified and expanded as thegame progresses. The “world setting” includes thesetting of the game such as the place and time andconsists of the limitations or rules applicable to the“scenario.”
3. Generation Process
The generation process is divided into three steps—“preparation of necessary information,” “generation ofnarrative,” and “output for a conclusive result.
In the “Preparation of necessary information” step
implies the preparations required to obtain theinformation for an initial scenario prepared by the GM.
The user inputs the information that is necessary for theGM to generate the initial state of the world setting andthe scene sequence. Based on the “world setting”, theuser inputs the editing contents of the conceptual
dictionary, as described. The user can operate thelimitations of a verb. For example, if the user adds “acat” to the limitations of a verb concept “buy,” a cat
becomes to be able to “buy” a thing like a human.
By using the initial scene sequence, a user inputs anevent that will play a key role in the scenario; forexample, “a man obtains a treasure.” An initial scene
sequence will consist of elements. This scene will be apartial structure of a story expressed in a conceptualform. It consists of states indicating the static
information of characters, things, locations, events

indicating the dynamic change in a state, and therelationships among them that can be used to connect
these events structurally. The narrative is a structure
consisting of events and relationships in the INGS. Thisis called an attribute frame. It records the properties andcharacteristics of individual elements and is connected
to an event through an ID.
In the “generation of narrative” step, the scenario
was fleshed out of the scene sequence based on theexchanges between the GM and the PL. Therefore, thispart is the core of the system.
On the basis of a scene shown by the GM, the PL
suggests a scene. The scene chain expansion utilizes thestory (story contents) generation function of the INGS.
The extended scene sequence is shown as a scenes
sequence to the PL by the above mentioned process.
When a progress condition is met in the present person,
attribute frame of a thing, the place after this processing,
GM stop that GM receives the suggestion of the scenefrom PL temporarily and show a “scene (climax)” and a“scene (ending)”.
In the “Output of a conclusive result” refers to thestage that outputs the scenario information in the final
stage, expanding the scene sequence one way or another.
For example, a novel-like sentence is thought to becreated and produced as output. In this case, the gameprocess is equivalent to a novel generation process. Thesystem outputs a sentence as shown in the generation
process. A structured text is obtained by compiling thesentences outputted for every scene. The user includes
more names in the scenes and completes a story bymodifying the outputted end results.
4. World SettingThis section shows a conceptual dictionary in the INGS,
and describes the “world setting”.
4.1 Conceptual dictionary in the INGS
The conceptual dictionary is related to the “worldsetting”. The conceptual dictionary is used forcontrolling the world setting in a designed system. The
conceptual dictionary includes a noun conceptualdictionary, verb conceptual dictionary, and modifier
conceptual dictionary (conceptual dictionary foradjective, adjective verb, and adverb); it storesknowledge at the conceptual level as components. A

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A Design Plan ofcharacteristic function in verb conceptual dictionary isto describe the “restriction” while using the elements inevents such as “~ do ~.” To adjust this “restriction,” thesystem should be able to modify a realistic event such as“Taro eats an ice cream” into an unrealistic event suchas “The car eats an ice cream.”game. Those purpose is stored an attribute frames in thestates.
E) Things“Things” represent the tools that a character uses;
particularly these are the elements that are necessary forachieving the purpose of the character.

5.2 Elements in the World Setting

The above five elements are the “world setting”
component. When the designed system generates anarrative and progresses game, the elements is required
relationship between characters, things, locations, thatare included in the “world setting”. Concretely, there is(1) a relationship among characters, things, andlocations, (2) an ability to achieve a certain purpose, (3)a motive of each character. In addition, for (2), therestrictions in the “word setting” limit the ability of eachelement.

The “world setting” is like a stage for the progression ofa narrative. The “world setting”, define the type ofcharacters, things, locations, time, event and action thatcharacters can perform. As a similar example, Nomura
suggested the “background world”7. The “backgroundworld” consists of “space”, “existence”, “time”, and thecomponent generates “phenomenon” and “event”.
Here, we mention each element in the “worldsetting”.
A) Restrictions
The “world setting” including the stage setting of thegames such as places or times, has a kind of limitation
in a “scenario.” The narrative could include “a humancannot fly in the sky without a vehicle” in the realistic“world setting.” On the other hand, “a person can fly inthe sky” in the fantastic “world setting.” In this way, therestriction is a kind of a rule for the action possibility.
B) Locations“Locations” is the space where characters or things exist
and, for the objective achievement of a character, it canbe either a beneficial or an unfavorable element. Theyshow the environment of the stage for the narrative. Forexample, a character is police, climate etc. in therealistic “locations”.
C) Time“Time” is the time when characters or things exist andaffects the styles of characters or things. For example,for the case “to light,” the character of the reality world
uses a lighter, whereas a more primitive world character
uses a firestone.
D) Characters“Characters” are all the people appearing in thenarrative, which include the characters controlled by theuser. Each character has the purpose, in the case of acharacter being controlled by a PL, and the PL defines
the purpose of the character as the game progresses;
other characters are defined by the GM at the start of the5.3 Generation of a Narrative through the World
SettingFig.2, Fig.3 and Fig.4 show (1) a relationship among
characters, things, and locations (Fig.2), (2) an ability toachieve a certain purpose (Fig.3), (3) a motive of eachcharacter (Fig.3).

protect

Character A
grudgeCharacter B
murderCharacter C

findCharacter Dhashas

Thing αLocation X

Fig. 2 (1) Relationship among characters, things, andlocations“Character A” can search [any person]“Character A” can fight against [any person]“Character B” dies of a [disease]“Character C” can interfere with “Character A”“Character C” can fight against [any person]“Character D” can cure [disease] using “thing α” at“location X”
Fig. 3 (2) Ability to achieve a certain purpose

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Jumpei Ono, Takashi Ogata

References“Character A” wants to help “Character B”“Character C” wants to disturb “Character A”“Character C” wants to kill “Character B”“Character D” wants money
Fig. 4 (3) Motive of each character
The system generates a “scene sequence” shown in
Fig. 5 by using the relationship (Fig. 3) and motive (Fig.
4). The “Character C” inserts “C interferes with A” into
behind either scene for to achieve its own purpose.
Scene 1. “B” gets a [disease]→
Scene 2. “A” searches for a doctor→
Scene 3. “A” hears the wish of “D”→
Scene 4. “A” grants the wish of “D”→Scene 5. “D” starts the treatment of “B”→
Scene 6-a. “B” is saved, or
Scene 6-b. “B” is not saved
Fig. 5 Generated scene sequence
The system gives an appearance based on the world
setting in Fig. 2, as shown in Fig. 5. The appearances ofeach element are change based on “world setting”. For
example, in the realistic “world setting,” the “characterA” is a detective and the “character C” is a climate. In
contrast, in the fantastic “world setting,” the “characterA” is hero, “[disease]” is a curse, and the “character C”is a devil.

1. “Tabletop role-playing game - Wikipedia, the freeencyclopedia”,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabletop_roleplaying_game (Last access, 2015, July).
2. T. Ogata and A. Kanai, An Introduction of Informatics ofNarratology: on Thought and Technology of Narrative
Generation (Gakubunsha, Tokyo, 2010). (In Japanese)
3. T. Akimoto and T. Ogata, An Information Design ofNarratology: The Use of Three Literary Theories in aNarrative Generation System, The International Journalof Visual Design, 7(3) (2014) 31-61.
4. T. Ogata, Development of the Integrated NarrativeGeneration System, Proc. of the 13th Forum onInformation Technology (2), (2014) 323-330. (InJapanese)
5. T. Ogata, Building Conceptual Dictionaries for an
Integrated Narrative Generation System, Journal ofRobotics, Networking and Artificial Life, 1(4) (2015)
270-284.
6. T. Ogata and J. Ono, Language Notation Dictionaries andthe Use in an Integrated Narrative Generation System,IEICE Technical Report, 115(69) (2015) 25-30. (InJapanese)
7. K. Nomura, Sory Sekai no Tsukurikata (How to Making aStory World) (Shinkigensya, Tokyo, 2014). (In Japanese)

5. Conclusion
In this paper, we proposed a narrative generation system
based on a game format that refers to the scenario
generation method in a TRPG. This system can support
story generation through the interactions with the user.
In the present conditions, the system design assumes
that a human being controls the PL side and generates astory accordingly. When a system computer controls thePL side, there is a possibility of generation of a story
that is unexpected for a human user. However, in thepresent conditions, the scene for the PL side is decided
by the user and the procedure for this generation is notclear. Therefore, the scene is difficult to be designed byan automated PL. In future, we would like to automate
the process of scene generation on the PL side.

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