Literature & Narrative Design
Speaker: Justin Paulsen
Series: Necronomi-jam Panels
Organizer: Game Dev Hub
Overview
Welcome to this relaxed, insightful lecture from university instructor and narrative designer Justin Paulsen, recorded live during Game Dev Hub’s horror-themed game jam, Necronomi-jam.
In this session, Justin moves beyond basic plot structure to explore how psychological archetypes, deep human fears, and core desires can be embedded directly into a game's behavioral loop.
By examining H.P. Lovecraft’s cosmic horror legacy through the lenses of Carl Jung, Joseph Campbell, and Sigmund Freud, this talk provides actionable frameworks to help you build unique, thematic, and immersive game narratives.
Key Topics Covered
Lovecraft as a Muse: An analysis of cosmic horror's massive footprint on Steam (featuring games like Darkest Dungeon, Dredge, and Still Wakes the Deep) and how to translate literary themes into unique interactive behavioral loops.
The Narrative Judge’s Checklist: A breakdown of what judges look for in a game jam vertical slice, focusing on purposeful protagonists, well-mirrored antagonists, and scaling gameplay loops.
The Story Circle & Iterative Loops: Reviewing Dan Harmon's 8-step story journey and discussing how to perfectly balance player challenge and habit formation without causing them to "rage quit".
Jungian Psychology in Game Design: Exploring the concepts of the Persona, the Shadow, the Anima/Animus, and the Self to create deep character projections that players can relate to.
Building a True Antagonist: How to leverage Freudian defense mechanisms—such as denial, projection, and displacement—to craft a compelling villain that embodies your hero's deeply repressed self.
Avoiding the "Self-Insert Trap": Practical advice on how to draw from your own lived experiences authentically to write timeless stories without falling into narcissistic narrative structures.
Note: Whether you are actively competing in the Necronomi-jam or just looking to elevate your understanding of mechanical storytelling, this panel offers a masterclass in making players live the narrative rather than just reading it.
Did you integrate Jungian archetypes or Freudian defense mechanisms into your jam submission? Let us know your narrative design strategies in the comments below!
Literature & Narrative Design
Speaker: Justin Paulsen
Series: Necronomi-jam Panels
Organizer: Game Dev Hub
Overview
Welcome to this relaxed, insightful lecture from university instructor and narrative designer Justin Paulsen, recorded live during Game Dev Hub’s horror-themed game jam, Necronomi-jam.
In this session, Justin moves beyond basic plot structure to explore how psychological archetypes, deep human fears, and core desires can be embedded directly into a game's behavioral loop.
By examining H.P. Lovecraft’s cosmic horror legacy through the lenses of Carl Jung, Joseph Campbell, and Sigmund Freud, this talk provides actionable frameworks to help you build unique, thematic, and immersive game narratives.
Key Topics Covered
Lovecraft as a Muse: An analysis of cosmic horror's massive footprint on Steam (featuring games like Darkest Dungeon, Dredge, and Still Wakes the Deep) and how to translate literary themes into unique interactive behavioral loops.
The Narrative Judge’s Checklist: A breakdown of what judges look for in a game jam vertical slice, focusing on purposeful protagonists, well-mirrored antagonists, and scaling gameplay loops.
The Story Circle & Iterative Loops: Reviewing Dan Harmon's 8-step story journey and discussing how to perfectly balance player challenge and habit formation without causing them to "rage quit".
Jungian Psychology in Game Design: Exploring the concepts of the Persona, the Shadow, the Anima/Animus, and the Self to create deep character projections that players can relate to.
Building a True Antagonist: How to leverage Freudian defense mechanisms—such as denial, projection, and displacement—to craft a compelling villain that embodies your hero's deeply repressed self.
Avoiding the "Self-Insert Trap": Practical advice on how to draw from your own lived experiences authentically to write timeless stories without falling into narcissistic narrative structures.
Note: Whether you are actively competing in the Necronomi-jam or just looking to elevate your understanding of mechanical storytelling, this panel offers a masterclass in making players live the narrative rather than just reading it.
Did you integrate Jungian archetypes or Freudian defense mechanisms into your jam submission? Let us know your narrative design strategies in the comments below!
Literature & Narrative Design
Speaker: Justin Paulsen
Series: Necronomi-jam Panels
Organizer: Game Dev Hub
Overview
Welcome to this relaxed, insightful lecture from university instructor and narrative designer Justin Paulsen, recorded live during Game Dev Hub’s horror-themed game jam, Necronomi-jam.
In this session, Justin moves beyond basic plot structure to explore how psychological archetypes, deep human fears, and core desires can be embedded directly into a game's behavioral loop.
By examining H.P. Lovecraft’s cosmic horror legacy through the lenses of Carl Jung, Joseph Campbell, and Sigmund Freud, this talk provides actionable frameworks to help you build unique, thematic, and immersive game narratives.
Key Topics Covered
Lovecraft as a Muse: An analysis of cosmic horror's massive footprint on Steam (featuring games like Darkest Dungeon, Dredge, and Still Wakes the Deep) and how to translate literary themes into unique interactive behavioral loops.
The Narrative Judge’s Checklist: A breakdown of what judges look for in a game jam vertical slice, focusing on purposeful protagonists, well-mirrored antagonists, and scaling gameplay loops.
The Story Circle & Iterative Loops: Reviewing Dan Harmon's 8-step story journey and discussing how to perfectly balance player challenge and habit formation without causing them to "rage quit".
Jungian Psychology in Game Design: Exploring the concepts of the Persona, the Shadow, the Anima/Animus, and the Self to create deep character projections that players can relate to.
Building a True Antagonist: How to leverage Freudian defense mechanisms—such as denial, projection, and displacement—to craft a compelling villain that embodies your hero's deeply repressed self.
Avoiding the "Self-Insert Trap": Practical advice on how to draw from your own lived experiences authentically to write timeless stories without falling into narcissistic narrative structures.
Note: Whether you are actively competing in the Necronomi-jam or just looking to elevate your understanding of mechanical storytelling, this panel offers a masterclass in making players live the narrative rather than just reading it.
Did you integrate Jungian archetypes or Freudian defense mechanisms into your jam submission? Let us know your narrative design strategies in the comments below!