Relationships Between People or Groups That Take A While to Decipher, But Eventually Form Their Own Coherent World

As discussed in Chapter 2.10, "NPC Rooting Interest Techniques," some Emotioneering techniques are multi-functional, in that they serve more than one purpose. This technique is also a Motivation Technique, explored in the previous chapter.

One way to provide Cohesiveness is to take the various characters, locations, and events that at first seem disconnected and let the player gradually discover that there are larger relationships and possibly plot-lines tying them all together.

Before addressing games, let's see how the challenge has been handled in film and television. An example would be the hip, darkly funny (and very worth seeing) film, Go. It presents us with a number of teens in a variety of weird adventures. Gradually we see that their different plot-lines, which at first seem unrelated, eventually all tie together. Pulp Fiction, which seems to have been one of the inspirations behind Go, did the same thing. Shifting to television, the show Seinfeld also consistently interwove seemingly disparate plot-lines in a funny way. The film L.A. Confidential struck a serious tone as it tied together a number of characters and plots that at first seemed disconnected.

Here's an example from a hypothetical game: Let's say that, in the game, you've been collecting shards of colored meteors that have been splintering and falling to earth. These colored rocks, especially when they're collected in quantities, give you unique abilities.

Meanwhile, there have been sightings of alien craft that have been appearing in your vicinity with increasing frequency.

The rocks and the alien craft seem unrelated. Later, however, you find out the larger pattern: These meteors have been sent by aliens, who want you to develop your powers so you can help them in their approaching hour of need.