# Tension Space Analysis for Emergent Narrative

**Authors:** Ben Kybartas, Clark Verbrugge, Jonathan Lessard  
**arXiv:** [2004.10808](https://arxiv.org/abs/2004.10808)  
**Date:** 2020-04-22  
**Summary page:** https://www.summarizepaper.com/en/paper/2004.10808v1/

## Key points

- The paper explores the potential of emergent narratives in interactive storytelling through simulation.
- Emergent narratives have applications in games, narrative generation, and virtual agents, but their complexity makes it difficult to comprehend their expressive potential during the design phase of development.
- The authors propose a novel approach to emergent narrative using the narratological theory of possible worlds.
- They demonstrate how works can be understood through a formal means of analysis inspired by expressive range analysis.
- They present a new way to author content for the emergent narrative system using a sketch-based interface.
- Designers can create unique storylines within the simulation by manipulating tension spaces between characters or objects.
- Tension space is defined as an abstract space that represents the relationships between different entities within the simulation.
- By adjusting these relationships through sketches, designers can craft compelling stories that emerge from interactions between characters or objects.

## Summary

The paper titled "Tension Space Analysis for Emergent Narrative" by Ben Kybartas, Clark Verbrugge, and Jonathan Lessard explores the potential of emergent narratives in interactive storytelling through simulation. The authors recognize that while emergent narratives have applications in games, narrative generation, and virtual agents, their inherent complexity makes it difficult to comprehend their expressive potential during the design phase of development. To tackle this issue, the authors propose a novel approach to emergent narrative using the narratological theory of possible worlds. They demonstrate how works can be understood through a formal means of analysis inspired by expressive range analysis. Additionally, they present a new way to author content for the emergent narrative system using a sketch-based interface. This approach enables designers to create unique storylines within the simulation by manipulating tension spaces between characters or objects. The tension space is defined as an abstract space that represents the relationships between different entities within the simulation. By adjusting these relationships through sketches, designers can craft compelling stories that emerge from interactions between characters or objects. Overall, this paper presents an innovative approach to understanding and designing emergent narratives in interactive storytelling through simulation. It provides valuable insights into how designers can leverage narratological theory and tension space analysis to create engaging stories within complex simulations.