Cardboard semiotics: reconfigurable symbols as a means for narrative prototyping in game design

In this paper, we propose the technique of cardboard semiotics. We explain the importance of symbolic analysis as a tool for building narrative prototypes in videogames. Borrowing from the participatory design work in the early 1990s, we suggest a means for adapting and extending this work based on the implicit participation of gamers' immediate-level stories (i.e., the gameplay with narrative implications). Our paper first introduces the concept of semiotics and explains how cardboard semiotics can function as an applied technique within the domain of videogame design and development. Next, we propose a theoretical basis for our work using a simple three act narrative structure and explore some basic concepts from narrative game design. Finally, we conclude with some simple examples of how cardboard semiotics might function in a design environment.