What’s a Writer to Do? Redefining our Role in Crafting Player-Driven Narratives.

What’s a Writer to Do?

Redefining our Role in Crafting Player-Driven

Narratives

What’s a Writer to Do?

Will we ever succeed in engrossing players in rich, story-driven narratives, while simultaneously allowing them to

define their own paths

– and their own stories –

through such a narrative?”

Mary De Marle

Narrative Designer Lead Writer at Eidos Montreal

Currently working on:

Narrative Designer Lead Writer at Eidos Montreal Started writing for games in 1997. Published Titles include:

Mary De Marle

Mary De Marle

Narrative Designer Lead Writer at Eidos Montreal Started writing for games in 1997. Published Titles include:

“You’re a writer…”

“What do you do?”

(A True Story)

What Does a Game Writer Do?

Helps develop the game story. Writes all dialogs. Writes in-game text and artifacts.

What Does a Game Writer Do?

Helps develop the game story. Writes all dialogs. Writes in-game text and artifacts.MIND THE GAP!

The Gap (a.k.a. How Story-driven Games are Often Developed)

Game Designer determines player fantasy. Writer develops story and writes dialogs/text to convey it.

Story Development

Game Development

Sound engineers add the punctuation. Programmers make the world reactive. Animators make them move. Artists build and paint the world and people in it. Level Designers define layout and placement of game challenges. Game Designers define core mechanics.

Game

Story

The Gap (a.k.a. How Story-driven Games are Often Developed)

“Stop interrupting my

fun!”

The Goal of a Story-based Game

Make the Player LIVE the story (and have fun while he’s doing it!) How can he, if we continue to treat gameplay

and story as separate entities? He won’t until WE find a way to bridge the gap

between story and game. To do that, we should look at the player.

The Player’s Experience

The Player is writing his story inside our story by: Interpreting what he sees and hears. Making decisions based on this and then

using game mechanics to act on them. Noticing how the world reacts to his

decisions. Building his own story to explain it.


His story is being conveyed to him through: Core gameplay mechanics Layout and structure of levels Placement of game challenges NPC behaviors, movements, and designs Look and feel of the world Sound effects, voice acting, and music


Oh, and let’s not forget: Cut scenes Scripted events Dialogs In-game artifacts

Traditionally, the writer’s role has been confined to developing these.


If we want our story to be the Player’s story, then everything in the game world must help to convey it. And everyone creating the Player’s Story

must work together to ensure it happens!

Who’s Creating the Player’s Story?

Core gameplay mechanics Layout and structure of levels Placement of game challenges NPC behaviors, movements, and designs Look and feel of the world Sound effects, voice acting, and music

Who’s Creating the Player’s Story?

Where (and how) does the writer fit in?

The Writer is the Keeper of the Story Logic.

He can ensure that the story’s logic remains consistent across all other disciplines.

Bridging the Gap (a.k.a. How Story-driven Games Could Be Developed)

Designing a game story begins when Game Designers determine the game’s essence.

Writers would call this the “theme.”

Fighting back is the only

way to resist invasion.

Men can ch

ange fate by

masterin

g tech

nology.

There is no peace

without war.


Knowing the game essence guides the game designers’ development of: Player abilities Core mechanics, etc.

Knowing it should also guide the writer’s development of story.


Once the story is designed, to make it a game story, it must be divided into playable sequences.

ACT ONE

L1 L2 L3

M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6

A subway station in NY; the hero must meet a contact there.

•Introduce Femme Fatale•Obtain gameplay key to open next level.


Knowing the intentions of each sequence will guide the creation of gameplay blocks. How many blocks are needed? Does each support the overall story goal? Is there still more story information to convey? If so, how will we convey it?

Cut scenes Scripted events Etc.


Story Logic

ACT ONE

L1L2

L3

M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6

Aah-ha!!!


Gameplay Sequence

OBJ1 OBJ2 OBJ3

C1 C2 C1 C2 C1 C2

Aah, okay…


Meanwhile, story information will also guide the creation of visuals. Locations

Why are we here? Who lives here? What is the history of this place?


Meanwhile, story information will also guide the creation of visuals. Locations Character Groups

What is their goal? What are their core beliefs? What are their methods and tactics?


Meanwhile, story information will also guide the creation of visuals. Locations Character Groups Main Story Characters

What is their gameplay and story function? What are their defining character traits? What is their back-story?


Meanwhile, story information will also guide the creation of visuals. Locations Character Groups Main Story Characters

When Successful…

Story underlies and supports the gameplay, creating a unified game experience.

Game Experience

Story

Game

The Narrative Designer’s Role

Understand the Game Design vision. Develop a story to support it. Work within the team to deconstruct

the story into playable segments. Communicate the underlying logic of

each segment to team members.

The Narrative Designer’s Role

Review work to ensure it’s conveying the right story.

Suggest changes, if it’s not. Adjust story to match gameplay, when

necessary. Write the script (or oversee the writers

who write it).

All Game Writers’ Responsibilities

Play games. Know your game. Play your game. Talk to the other disciplines – a lot! Remain flexible. Trust your creativity.

Any Questions?

What’s a Writer to Do? Redefining our Role in Crafting Player-Driven Narratives.

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