Environmental Storytelling: The Power of Narration in Space

This bachelor thesis explores environmental storytelling as a narrative method in video games. It examines how story can be communicated through space, lighting, objects, and spatial composition without relying on spoken or written explanation. The theoretical part focuses on environmental storytelling, level design, and the relationship between player and environment. The practical part applies these principles in the creation of a 3D narrative environment set in Victorian England. The project was evaluated through user testing using the think-aloud protocol and questionnaires. The results showed that the environment was generally successful in communicating the core narrative situation, while also revealing that more complex story elements may require subtle explicit support. The thesis concludes that environmental storytelling can be an effective narrative tool when the environment is designed in a clear, intentional, and visually coherent way.