From story to controller

the magic of literary adaptation for digital games

Abstract

The present article addresses the process of adapting canonical literary texts for digital games, focusing on the necessary modifications to the narrative, characters, and setting of the original work. The objective was to investigate how reading and interpreting literary stories impact game development. The aim was to encourage students to create their own interpretation of the chosen work, without relying on analyses already established in academic circles. The methodology involved an activity with students from the Digital Games course at a Technology College in the interior of São Paulo, where they were challenged to adapt a short story into a game for the Interactive Fiction course. During the process, the teams modified the plot, incorporating new characters, actions, and outcomes, transforming the narrative into a transmedia experience. It was concluded that the activity was successful, as the students performed a critical and original reading of the literary text, demonstrating the importance of interpretation and creativity in the development of narrative and interactive games.