ORCID

0009-0003-4377-4444

Keywords

Theme Parks, Interactivity, Narrative, Rides

Abstract

This thesis examines the opportunities to combine video game concepts such as branching narrative games and cooperative games with interactive theme park rides or attractions. With the state of the contemporary themed entertainment industry explicitly defining the guest’s role to the context of the ride or attraction’s storyworld, there is a need to reassess the conventional forms of theme park ride interactivity to create a more dynamic narrative, gameplay experience, and guest or audience engagement. Through a brief analysis of relevant themed experience and video game references, this research proposes a cooperative theme park ride that utilizes a modified version of the branch-and-bottleneck branching narrative structure with a state-tracking system. Furthermore, this narrative structure and approach integrates a four-person group structure and role-based cooperative gameplay. This thesis showcases how the exploration of video game concepts, when integrated with theme park ride design, can provide opportunities to expand the borders of interactivity and narrative within ride experiences. The result is a creative design proposal, supported with research and imagery, that provides future designers a toolkit to develop interactive and gamified ride or attraction experiences that seamlessly integrate cooperative goal structures, role-based definitions, and branching narratives. The intent is to create variable story explorations and experiences that are enhanced by cohesive group gameplay to encourage guest re-rideability.

Completion Date

2025

Semester

Spring

Committee Chair

Weishar, Peter

Degree

Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.)

College

College of Arts and Humanities

Department

Theatre

Identifier

DP0029383

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

Campus Location

Orlando (Main) Campus

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