Dan Harmon's Embryos

• 1.  A character is in a zone of comfort
• 2.  But they want something
• 3.  They enter an unfamiliar situation
• 4.  Adapt to it
• 5.  Get what they wanted
• 6.  Pay a heavy price for it
• 7.  Then return to their familiar situation
• 8.  Having changed

This is a circle Dan Harmon, the creator of Community, uses to establish a story. He checks it over and over with every situation, every episode of his show, every arch for a season - it is his belief that this circle, and its implications, are present in every story, or at least should be. He should know, he's done the research, constantly testing it against every story he experiences. 

The question is, can game writers use it? It certainly makes sense, and has echoes, very loud echoes, of Campbell - so it makes sense that it would work.

Source: Wired