Understanding

I desire to have a proficient understanding of Textual Media and be able to put it all together.  However, the elements that are used to develop a textual game are a little confusing to me.  I can see the storylines and pattern of how the pages are structured, but the concepts of how you play the game are a bit fuzzy.  Maybe the time line and age are factors in how a person interacts with the subject matter.  In games, I see several sections: 1) the stories, 2) the characters, 3) the scenes, 4) the global structure, and 5) the art work, plus some times there is a less to be learned.    As a reader, character, and game player, I believe that there are some elements I am missing in my understanding that would make my experience with this new textual media a lot more exciting.