Module 2 - NARRATE
Building the scenario
This module is about how to build a good story for your escape game – one that pulls players in, gives them a reason to care, and connects everything to a real social issue. We’re focusing here on the story, the characters and the world you create. Puzzle design and interactive mechanics are covered in other modules.
This module covers:
- How to build an immersive story and world for your game.
- How to define the player’s mission and connect it to a social issue.
- How to create characters and choose a narrative tone.
- How to map out the player’s journey from start to finish.
1. How to build an immersive story and world
A good game world feels real and lived-in. Start with the basics: who are the players and what should they feel? Then build outwards – what happened in this world before they arrived? What conflicts are going on? Who are the key people involved?
The story doesn’t need to be told through long texts or explanations. The best game worlds tell their story through the environment itself – through objects, notes, symbols and spaces that hint at what’s been going on.
A simple checklist for building your game world:
- One sentence that sums up who the player is and what they’re doing.
- A short backstory: what happened before the game starts?
- Two or three conflicts or tensions that drive the action.
- Recurring symbols or themes that give the world a consistent feel.
- A few characters whose goals connect to the player’s mission in a meaningful way.
Activity: True/False question
Decide whether the statement is true or false.
2. Defining the player’s mission
The mission is what ties the social issue to the escape goal. It’s the answer to the question: “Why does this matter?” A strong mission makes players feel like what they’re doing has real stakes – not just for escaping, but for the wider story.
- Step 1: Connect the mission to the social issue. Be clear about why the players need to act. The social problem should be the reason everything is happening.
Example: If the social issue is climate change, the mission could be to stop a factory from leaking toxic chemicals – so escaping and solving the crisis are the same thing. - Step 2: Give the escape a narrative reason. Players should feel like escaping is the natural result of dealing with the issue, not just a random goal.
Example: In a story about mass surveillance, players collect secret data and get out before authorities catch them – the escape is directly tied to resisting control. - Step 3: Be clear about who the players are. Give them an identity and a reason to be involved. This helps them feel connected to the story.
Example: Players could be whistleblowers, journalists or activists – roles that naturally lead them to uncover the truth and escape safely.
- Reinforce the mission through the environment. Every note, object or message in the game should remind players why the issue matters.
Example: “The water is poisoned and people are already sick – get the antidote before it’s too late!” ties their actions directly to a real human consequence. - Make the ending feel meaningful. When players escape, it should feel like they’ve actually done something – not just solved puzzles and left.
Example: Escaping a corrupt factory after shutting down illegal labour operations feels like a real win, not just a finish line.
Activity: Quiz
3. Creating characters and choosing a tone
Characters and tone are what give your game its emotional pull. They shape how players feel about the story and help them connect to the social issue on a personal level.
- Give each character a clear role. Every character should have a purpose, a motivation and a relationship to the issue being explored.
Example: In a game about urban homelessness: one character is a journalist looking for the truth, another is a community organiser, and another is a city official hiding something. Each one brings a different angle to the story. - Give characters something personal at stake. Characters become more believable when their goals or fears are tied to the mission.
Example: A character investigating illegal logging might be motivated by the loss of their family’s ancestral forest – that personal connection makes the story feel real. - Let the environment tell the character’s story. You don’t need long introductions. Let objects, notes and spaces reveal who people are.
Example: A room full of discarded medical files tells you a lot about a doctor’s frustration in a game about healthcare inequity – without a single word of narration. - Set the tone early and stick to it. Decide on a tone – serious, adventurous, mysterious, satirical – and keep it consistent across dialogue, descriptions and events.
Example: A mystery tone uses cryptic notes and a sense of danger lurking. An adventurous tone is faster-paced, with bold discoveries and a sense of excitement. - Make sure characters act in line with the tone. How characters speak and behave should always feel right for the world you’ve created.
Example: In a serious game about corporate fraud, characters weigh up difficult decisions carefully. In an adventurous game about treasure smuggling, they’re cracking codes and chasing clues with energy. - Use tone to shape how players feel. The right tone helps players interpret the mission and understand what’s at stake.
Example: A mysterious tone makes uncovering injustice feel urgent and suspenseful. A serious tone highlights the human cost of the issue.