I’m typically a fairly self-controlled person when it comes to video games. I’m decent at managing my time and turning the game off after an hour or two. But I’ll admit: I’ve had a few 2am gaming sessions, and it’s always because of one thing: getting lost in the world of the game. Exploring Hyrule has kept me up later and playing for longer than anything else.

In fact, the video game world is an excellent example of how to world-build. No other storytelling genre can compete in this category, especially in our screen-centric world. The thrill of exploration coupled with the rise in incredibly life-like graphics has a way of making video game worlds come to life. But, even if novels can’t quite live up to the same level of depth that the medium of games can offer, novels can take some cues from video games in how to bring their worlds to life.

First and foremost, video games offer the model of immersion into a digital world to the point that it creates the desire to explore. My favorite games all have this element, from Breath of the Wild to Xenoblade Chronicles. Freely wandering around the world is part of the fun of the game itself. While novels can’t offer that specific experience of exploration and discovery of a fictional realm, as authors we should still strive to make our readers wish that our world was tangible and real. Though we cannot offer the same mode of exploration, we can still use our worlds as a hook for readers’ interest in our story and our created realm. If readers are bought into the world and fascinated by it, they will also be bought into the larger story itself.

To achieve a world immersion state, it is vital to add as many details as possible into your world descriptions. Not just the types of trees, what the sunset looks like, or the changing weather, but also the movement of the environment around them, the special items unique to the world (like food, drink, shops, etc.), and how long or short traveling takes to get from place to place. The smallest details will add a pop of liveliness that helps the novel world inch closer to the all-encompassing one of the video game. After all, these small details add up. Consider even what background conversations are occurring. In games, NPC (non-player character) dialogue is part of what adds flavor to the video game world. While you don’t want these details or snippets of random conversation or lengthy depictions of the sky to bog down the pacing of the story, sprinkling in choice details throughout the narrative can add to the realness of the world.

In addition to the backdrop and setting of your story, consider how the world itself relates with the plot. Just as with character arcs, the world shouldn’t be secondary to the overall plot. Xenoblade Chronicles X, for all the critiques I have of that particular game, does exceptionally well at making the world itself matter to the story. The whole game focuses on the need for humanity to survive in a strange land, so mere exploration of the land feels integral to the plot and immersion factor of the game. In the novel, make sure your hero has compelling reasons to travel to particular places. Even if you have the coolest idea for a city or location for your world, you can’t show that place unless there’s a compelling need in the narrative to travel there. Otherwise, the cool factor will be overshadowed by the unnecessariness of going there. If it matters to the story, the readers will naturally be invested in exploring more of your imagined realm.

Also, as another continuation of plot, think about how the environment of the world can provide obstacles. In games, often you’ll encounter things like ice blocks that cause slipping or freezing, lava can’t be touched, or unstable blocks or rocks that will fall if you stay on them for too long. By using natural, environmental barriers, you can create further immersion and deeper connection between the plot and the world.

Thinking of establishing your novel world as a place your readers want to explore, like a video game, is a powerful way to think about how to bring that world to life and why it matters. A compelling backdrop makes for a compelling read, after all. As a final lesson in this series, next month, I’ll discuss the most important part of any story: the themes.