On the other hand, several computer science studies aim to improve the believability of NPC dialogue through knowledge representation (e.g., Afonso & Prada, 2008 Strong & Mateas, 2008), or natural language processing (e.g., Rose, 2014), but few of these are motivated by findings from CA. However, there is little study of dialogue with NPCs within linguistics. Previous work has also reviewed dialogue systems, how players relate to them, and the roles they fulfil (Domsch, 2017 Mäyrä, 2017 Brusk & Björk, 2009). Popular topics include how language is used by players while playing games (e.g., Marsh & Tainio, 2009 Mondada, 2011 Paulus et al., 2016 Graham & Dutt, 2019), and how players construct identities through natural language within video games (e.g., Pearce, 2017 Goodfellow, 2015, Potts, 2015). There are now many studies applying linguistic methods and theories to video game discourse and culture (e.g., Ensslin, 2011 Ensslin & Balteiro, 2019). Secondly and relatedly, dialogue systems for interacting with NPCs are rarely informed by linguistic studies. We show areas of deviation between the latter and conversation in video games, thereby highlighting features that may disrupt a player’s suspension of disbelief. We employ the pragmatic approach to conversation, particularly from the field of Conversation Analysis (CA), which aims to describe and explain everyday behaviour. Firstly, there are few analyses of which aspects of NPC dialogue break players’ immersion. This paper represents progress on two fronts. How can we make conversations in video games more immersive? Critics have called for a richer set of conversational mechanics in games (Brown, 2019 Extra Credits, 2012) here we focus on dialogue by NPCs (non-player characters, including party members/allies, bystanders and enemies) and how it might be adapted to meet this challenge.
Keywords: immersion, NPC dialogue, conversation analysis, linguistics, tropes 1 Introduction Considering how and when to perpetuate, subvert, or transcend tropes can help guide designers in improving their game mechanics. We call this approach Trope-Informed Design: tropes are tools that can make or break a player’s experience. Based on these insights we propose alternative designs to improve immersion. We demonstrate how politeness theory (how to avoid unsociable, face-threatening behaviour) can help us understand when and why conversations with NPCs disrupt player immersion. Drawing from the fields of pragmatics and Conversation Analysis we show how these tropes differ from real, face-to-face conversations. This paper examines tropes in video games pertaining to conversations between player characters and Non-Player Characters (NPCs). Improving video game conversations with trope-informed design by Stephanie Rennick, Seán Roberts Abstract
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