Towards Self-Evolving Narrative Systems: Real-Time Adaptation and Long-Term Optimization with LLMs
Ruisheng Sun, Jiaqi Shao, Weijia Han, Linxi Ju, Yunzhen Zhang, Binyan Sun, Rong Chen, Benjamin Blas Maristany, Ye Lu, Rui Hu, Ernesto Escobar, Bing Luo
Abstract
Traditional interactive narrative systems offer strong authorial control and structural coherence but often restrict player agency. In contrast, LLM-driven narratives enable open-ended generation and greater flexibility, yet frequently suffer from inconsistency and diminished narrative control. To navigate this trade-off, we propose a hybrid narrative framework that dynamically balances pre-authored content with real-time LLM generation via semantic similarity alignment. Additionally, sustaining narrative quality over extended gameplay remains a core challenge in LLM-based storytelling. To address this, we introduce a self-evolving, feedback-driven optimization framework that leverages in-context learning to iteratively refine prompts, eliminating the need for manual prompt engineering. Through a case study and participant-based evaluation, we show that our framework enhances narrative coherence while preserving player agency, effectively aligning generated content with both authorial intent and evolving player behavior.