Week 3 introduced narrative structures, character development and film theory approaches to meaning-making. The lectures clarified that narrative is not simply a sequence of events, but a structured system designed to guide audience understanding and emotional response.
Through concepts such as equilibrium and disruption, character arcs, and implicit meaning, I began to analyse how emotional journeys are constructed over time. This was particularly relevant to cooperative games, where emotional development often parallels the progression of collaboration between players.
At this stage, I started analysing It Takes Two as a potential case study. The game’s narrative of relationship breakdown and repair closely mirrors real emotional processes, making it an ideal example for studying emotional healing. I observed how character conflict, gradual reconciliation and shared challenges function as narrative tools to encourage empathy and emotional engagement.
Week 3 helped me shift from visual analysis alone to a combined narrative and emotional perspective, reinforcing the importance of storytelling in emotional design.