Emergent Resurgent
Happy Anniversary Scribblers!
It’s been a year since I started this blog, so that’s pretty cool, right? Not as cool as “Helldivers 2.”
The gaming world has been abuzz with the recent release of this live service game that, while echoing the likes of Fortnite in structure, brings a nostalgic twist reminiscent of my old-school raison d’etre Dungeons & Dragons.
What sets HD2 apart is the implementation of a live game master. Joel is the guy’s name, and he injects a dynamic and unpredictable element into the game world. Players are going crazy for it.
This rekindled memories of my early days spinning yarns for shows like "Alias" and "Lost," when we embraced the concept of emergent storytelling—although we didn’t call it that. Ir was just how we rolled.
"Helldivers 2" thrives on mystery, expectation, and a design that supports collective player experiences. This approach reminds me of the storytelling freedom we had under J.J. Abrams's creative guidance. We had a framework, yes, but within that, we were free to explore, adapt, and innovate.
It was like we were on a road trip from LA to NYC, but we weren’t sure exactly how we were gonna get there. We had the peeps in the car and the snacks, and we’re just gonna check out cool shit on the way. We just had to be there in 22 hours — 22 episodes.
I wonder if this is how Joel thinks about it. How much of a map does he have in his pocket as he shapes the "Helldivers 2" experience in real time?
The contrast with the post-"Lost" era in television is stark, where shows often faced the pressure to adhere to a strict narrative roadmap, leading to a stilted progression of episodes. This control and predictability, while offering security, often stifled the organic flow of storytelling, a challenge that "Helldivers 2" defies with its evolving approach.
This emergent aspect challenges the norm of live service games, which typically lay out a detailed content roadmap for years ahead. The game's success in delivering an evolving narrative of surprises and mysteries has captured the gaming community's imagination and wallets, setting a new benchmark.
Will the excitement and positive reception surrounding "Helldivers 2" signify a potential shift in the gaming industry? Will other live service games be compelled to embrace this emergent model?
Will anyone be able to replicate the emergent narrative success of "Helldivers 2," or will it remain an exceptional outlier, much like "Lost?"
I hope not. Reflecting on my journey with The League of Heroic Scribblers on "Heroes," I know how challenging it can be to navigate threats to emergent narratives when hundreds of millions of dollars are on the line. But that’s another tale for another time.
Maybe next year. Happy Anniversary, my fellow scribblers!
