The progression and sequencing on a transmedia narrative can have a significant impact on how various media are used. These questions should be answered while designing the story’s structure:

  • Does the story move progressively forward to a final action beyond which the audience can’t imagine another? (Story Level Design Tasks)
  • Does the conflict build progressively to the end of the story? (Story Level Design Tasks)
  • Does the climax occur at an appropriate point in the story? (Story Level Design Tasks)
  • Does the climax involve a swing in the protagonist’s values in absolute and irreversible way? (Story Level Design Tasks)
    • From negative to positive
    • From positive to negative
    • With or without irony
  • Is the crisis a true dilemma for the protagonist? (Story Level Design Tasks)
  • Is the crisis located at an appropriate point in the climactic action? (Story Level Design Tasks)
  • Does the resolution provide a climax to any sub-plots that remain open? (Story Level Design Tasks)
    • Is this done in a way that links to the central plot?
  • Does the resolution show the spread of the climatic effects? (Story Level Design Tasks)
  • Does the resolution give the audience an opportunity to gather its thoughts after a powerful climax? (Story Level Design Tasks)
  • Is the temporal ordering of the narrative: (Story Level Design Tasks)
    • Sequential/linear
    • Non-sequential/non-linear
  • Will changing the temporal order in which elements of the narrative are accessed affect the reader’s/viewer’s ability to understand the meaning of the narrative? (Story Level Design Tasks)
    • If so, is there a clearly identified starting point for entering the narrative?
  • Is the temporal ordering logical from a user perspective? (Story Level Design Tasks)
  • Does the temporal ordering support the meaning of the story? (Story Level Design Tasks)
  • Does the temporal ordering impede or enhance user understanding? (Story Level Design Tasks)
  • Is the spatial ordering of the narrative logical from a user perspective? (Story Level Design Tasks)
  • Does the spatial ordering support the meaning of the story? (Story Level Design Tasks)