I was thinking it would be productive to brainstorm a list of possible actions for a character in a story that could conceivably be converted into gameplay. Specific examples are good too, but the goal is to identify generalized descriptions of narrative actions that are valid for a myriad of gameplay scenarios. By all means, please add more to the list if you can think of some I haven't covered (or that aren't a combination of the following):
- Player must acquire an item / a person
(hard to get to)
- Player must convince an NPC to do something or stop something
- Player must hide an item / a person
(hard to prevent others from finding)
- Player must find an item / a person
(hard to locate)
- Player must help someone overcome an emotional burden
(heal others' pain / dismiss others' woes)
- Player must force upon someone an emotional burden
(It's better to break it to them -> dialogue)
- Player must uncover a mystery
(go in search of clues, investigate characters & testimonies, etc.)
- Player must circumvent an obstacle blocking progression, physically
(bridge collapsed)
- Player must resolve conflicts between various parties
(party members fighting each other, break social / political disagreements through action or discourse)
- Player must develop skill in a particular field
(training -> tutorial, unlock new ability, gain entrance to new story arc)
- Player must earn the approval/favor of another character
(complete whatever tasks earns favor of Master / political leader / Father, etc.)
- Player must best another character at some skill
(demonstrate "mastery" of practiced skill over a rival of some sorts)
- Player must evade danger
(initiate travel somewhere to avoid pursuit, challenge of evading attacks headed towards the player, etc.)
- Player must deliver an item somewhere
(Index to Halo Control Room, Severed Head to bandit leader, etc.)
- Player must protect another character
(escort mission, defeat enemies out of need to protect allies)
- Player must go to a certain place
(either find it if location unknown, or get to the place if difficult to get to)
- Player must overcome one of their own emotional burdens
(restore self-confidence by completing a difficult task)
- Player must restore a social connection to its rightful form
(get Johnny to forgive Mary by helping Mary to complete a task)
- Player must prove something to be true in the face of uncertain opposition
(Prove innocence of friend despite evidence stacked against, search for clues, etc.)
- Player must earn/win the love of another individual
(woo a character -> get items / complete tasks to win their trust/love, etc.)
- Player must preserve the honor of himself or another character as a result of an insult or wrongdoing: vengeance
(defeat the one who mistreated your community, accomplish a difficult task on behalf of a friend who was cheated from their success by the villain)
