This insightful, revised book explores the challenging and evolving world of the games writer. Part I provides a fascinating overview of the history of games writing following its humble roots in the '60s to today's triple-A titles; Part II asks and answers the key question: what does a games writer do and how do they do it? Especially useful reading for novice game writers, its chapters cover a broad range of topics including contracts, NDAs, creative collaboration, narrative design, editing, adaptations, and environmental storytelling. Part III, of particular value for more advanced students of writing, addresses deeper theoretical questions increasingly relevant in today's games titles, including: Why have story at all?- What is plot and how does it work? How best can a writer use agency? Finally, Part IV presents readers with hard-earned nuggets of wisdom from today's game writers working in the US, Europe, and Japan. Packed with practical samples, case studies, and exercises, this book is essential reading for anyone interested in the world of games writing.
Features:
-Covers history of games writing, narrative design, storytelling, plot, contracts, and packed with practical samples, case studies, and exercises
-Presents readers with opinions and suggestions from today's game writers who are working in the US, Europe, and Japan
-Includes a broad range of topics e.g., creative collaboration, editing, adaptations, and environmental storytelling
- Mentions games such as Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Borderlands 2, The Walking Dead, L.A. Noire, Grand Theft Auto V, Mass Effect 3, The Stanley Parable, The Last of Us, Alien Isolation, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Life is Strange, Until Dawn, Quantum Break, BioShock, World of Warcraft, and more.
Author(s): Maurice Suckling; Marek Walton
Publisher: Mercury Learning & Information
Year: 2017
Language: English
Pages: 300
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Contents
Foreword
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Note on the Second Edition
About the Authors
Part I Games Writing in Context
Chapter 1 A Brief History of Game Stories
Game Story: The 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s
Game Story: The 1980s
Game Story: The 1990s
Game Story: 2000–2005
Game Story: 2006–2010
Game Story: 2011–2016
Conclusion
Exercises
Project
Part II What Do Games Writers Do? And How Do They Do It?
Chapter 2 Decoding And Devising the Brief
Briefs and Expectations
Game Genres
Checklist for Briefs
Discussions
Exercises
Chapter 3 NDAs & Contracts
Non-Disclosure Agreements
Sample Non-Disclosure Agreement
Contracts
Sample Confidential Services Agreement
Exercise
Project
Chapter 4 Collaboration: Team Us
Part of the Team
Who Are We?
A Team within a Team
Exercises
Project
Chapter 5 Narrative Design
Defining Story Space
Case Study: Unsolved Crimes
Other Design Structures
Exercises
Projects
Chapter 6 Outlines & Treatments
The Outline
Outline Sample
The Treatment
Projects
Chapter 7 Character Documents
How to Create a Character Document
Research
Example Characters
Example Analysis
Character Sides
Exercises
Chapter 8 Environmental Storytelling
Theory
Mise-en-Scène
Bioshock
Process
Frob
Walkthrough
Hints and Tips
Exercises
Projects
Chapter 9 Writing Scripts
Types of Script
Dialogue Tools
Environmental Script Example
Cut Scene Format
Exercises
Projects
Chapter 10 Editing
Spelling, Spacing, and Grammar
Dialogue
Word and Character Counts
Tone of Voice
Tone of Voice in Line with Character
Game World Text (Story Prose)
Exercises
Chapter 11 Consultancy
Macro Elements
Micro Elements
Boundaries and Limitations
Exercises
Project
Chapter 12 Adaptations: Turning Other Things Into Games
Key Questions
Case Study: Coronation Street
Exercises
Project
Chapter 13 Other Roles of the Games Writer
Additional Story Documents
Limbo Player Journey
Adam English Backstory
Back of Box Copy
Instruction Manual
Guide Book
Associated Prose Novel
Trailers
Audio Casting and Direction
Motion-Capture Consultancy and/or Direction
Website Copy and Other Elements
Exercises
Projects
Part III Beyond the Basics
Chapter 14 Why Have Stories At All?
Story Logic versus Game Logic
The Argument against Story in Games
The Argument for Limited Story
The Argument for Story as Gameplay
Exercises
Projects
Chapter 15 What is Plot and How does it Work?
What Is Plot?
How Does Plot Work?
Exercises
Project
Chapter 16 Other Resources for Writers: More Than Movies
Movies
Television
Theater
Audio Books
Short Stories
Graphic Novels
Novels
Choose Your Own Adventure Books
Games
Summary
Exercises
Chapter 17 Marrying Design And Story: Driver 76 Case Study
Sequence 1: Setting Up the Game and Story
Sequence 2: The First Payoff
Sequence 3: Adding Complications
Sequence 4: Shifting Character Gears
Sequence 5: Raising the Story Stakes
Sequence 6: Changing the Hero’s Fortunes
Sequence 7: The Final Test
Sequence 8: Climax and Reward
Exercises
Projects
Chapter 18 Storyloading
Storytelling, Storyforming, and Storydwelling
Storyloading
Top-Down and Bottom-Up Storytelling
Eve Online Case Study
Exercises
Projects
Chapter 19 Shifting Agency
Multiple Character Perspectives
Beyond the Player as Spectator
The Space between Player and Avatar
Exercises
Projects
Chapter 20 Time Gates and Act Stimulants
Time Gates
The Delivery
Act Stimulants
Exercises
Projects
Chapter 21 Aristotle, Games Writing, and Games
Why Watch a Play/Play a Game?
Story and Plot
Plot Structure
Plot Unity
Linearity and Alternatives
Endings
Summary
Exercises
Chapter 22 Choice or Enlightenment?
Enlightenment
Choice and Enlightenment?
Exercises
Project
Chapter 23 The Future of Games Writing
New Opportunities from Graphical Fidelity
Increase in Relative Value
Deepening Presence in Society
Increasing Reactivity
Exercises
Project
Part IV What’s It Like Being a Games Writer?
Chapter 24 What’s It Like Being a Games Writer?
Observations of Games Writers
Appendix A: Rating Systems
Appendix B: Sample Non-Disclosure Agreement
Appendix C: Sample Writing Services Contract
Appendix D: Selected Exercise Solutions (Chapter 10)
Index
