5. Narrotology v Ludology

Narrotology can be described as “the ensemble of… narrative texts, images, spectacles, events; cultural artifacts that tell a story” (Bal, Mieke, Boheemen, Christine van, 2009). It is through the analysis through these texts which help us understand how narratives are constructed. Barthes’s distinction between proairetic and hermeneutic codes provide a base to understand narrative forms. Proairetic codes are often used in gaming cultures as actions initiated must be completed by users. This, in turn, will impact the series of events that occur, for instance, completing a level in Angry Birds will unlock a new world in the game and also a short film of the narrative to help users understand the plot. These codes are effective as it, in a way, forces audiences to complete games as there is an incentive to find out more, leading to a more loyal fan base. However, Ludology – “to understand the form and structure of games” (Mateas, M, 2005) - may also impact the way in which audiences refer to a text. It could be argued that the instance of playing a game has no correspondence to a narrative or story, which can be true of other games within the app market, such as “1010!”. This debate, however, between Narrotology and Ludology may be diffused when applied to Angry Birds.

Audience readings can have an impact on narrative stories that are created within a gaming franchise. Here, Narrotology becomes a key part in allowing audiences to examine the perception of time and space and how it can construct meaning within narrative forms. Angry Birds intertwine these codes into the basic narrative structure in order to create enigma for the user and keep them engaged within the game. This is apparent with the short films played at the start of each new level on the first Angry Birds release. Here, audiences are given a glimpse into the storyline, with the unlocking of each level providing further knowledge of what happens between the conflict and progression of the story between the birds and pigs. This is an effective method used by game developers in order to keep audiences engaged within a text as they are forced to play the game until they are able to unlock the next part of the story and understand the unfolding narrative. This could further be applied to Transmedia narratives, as the enigma can be used as a strategy “to draw viewers who are comfortable in a particular medium to experiment with alternative media platforms” (Jenkins, H 2007).  Not only would this create move activity for the Angry Birds franchise, but also for other games which follow a similar narrative structure. Ludology, however, may also be applied as it is likely that most audiences had their first experience with Angry Birds on the mobile game app. Therefore, it could be argued that game theory comes into play as audiences may be more engaged in the act of doing rather than seeing. Despite this, it is evident that there is a clear narrative structure to the basic Angry Birds game, with the transmedia story being transferred across other entertainment platforms into the products such as ‘Toons TV’ and the ‘Angry Birds Movie’.