Theodore and the Culinary Arts

Embark on Theodore's journey as a chef! Will you be able to make the correct choices for Theodore? Created for a school assignment - CRWR 312

Artist Statement

Theodore and the Culinary Arts was largely inspired by Microscope. The story takes place in one of the villages that we had created during our Microscope game. The theme that I aimed to convey through this interactive story was centered around integrity and making the right choices despite self-doubt and concern. Theodore and the Culinary Arts allows players to have agency in choosing the decisions that Theodore makes. Often, the choices that are given to players present a moral dilemma which directly aligns with the thematic arguments this interactive story aims to present. Choices that reflect integrity and honesty are rewarded while choices that are selfish lead players to a worse conclusion to Theodore’s story. Theodore and the Culinary Arts presents a balanced combination of predetermined narrative elements and agency for players to navigate the land of the Gnomes. Players make decisions that have an impact on the conclusion to Theodore’s story, which directly employs the principles of my Craft of Play. I hope that players will come out of the experience with a heightened awareness of the impact that their decisions can make, especially when presented with situations similar to those in Theodore and the Culinary Arts. 

The three components of the class that influenced Theodore and the Culinary Arts were Microscope Play, Finite and Infinite Games, and Wanderhome. All three collectively shaped the overall story and narrative structure. For Wanderhome, out of all games that we played throughout the course, it guided us towards a very different direction compared to other games, encouraging us to find a home, providing a very visual and serene experience. Finite and Infinite Games assisted in providing a basis for narrative building, characterization, and the various elements of fiction. All three components of the course were critical in shaping the narrative development of Theodore and the Culinary Arts, as well as many other components of the course. 

Works Cited

Robbins, B. (2011). Microscope, Board game.

Carse, James P. Finite and infinite games: A vision of life as play and possibility.

New York: Free Press, 2012.

Dragon, Jay. Wanderhome (2021), Book game.