Writing

#1 Writing is something that isn't held in high regard because it doesn't revolve a great deal around game design. They have to work together, but it's for the larger part seperate from the design. I'm a writer, mainly, and usually put my creativity to use in thinking up game concepts or by trying to make current concepts unique.

As far as plot goes, it should really be developed at the same time and give a feel for the gameplay.

#2 Yes, writing is NOT a large part of game design, except for the "design documents," most of the character interactions, the story outlines, etc. I think of the writing aspect in game design as similar to a script's importance in a major motion picture. It's not "seen" by the public, but without it...no structure, no story.

A few years ago a writer for PC Gamer (I think that was the magazine) wrote, "Every game designer should read Stephen King's 'On Writing'." And the message of 'On Writing' was: The story comes first.

To put this into a game designer's context...the vast majority of the "Games Of The Year," in most of the game review formats (the web, mags, etc.), have edged into the winner's circle due to ONE thing: The Story. A gamer begins to "care" about the game characters because of their story. And when a player begins to "care," that's when you begin to experience a game, and not just play it. "Bingo - we have a winner."

A game may have a smooth interface, artistic graphics, paced learning curve, unique concepts and great gameplay...but it's the game with a rich and memorable story that creates "gamer widows."

I'm a writer. I love to tell stories. I love to share in the stories of others, and for a brief moment live in their world. And that's the secret to writing a great game, or at least I think it is: A desire 'to share "strange new worlds," and to tell the stories of those who live in them.' It all comes down to "The Story," and the writers who dream them.

#3 You know, things are changing though. In my project, writing and design must go hand-in-hand due to the nature of the story itself. We are taking a "Story Engineering" approach to adding the story because of the fact that I'm treading on never before stepped on ground. I expect to see many more examples of this in the future.

#4 I agree with martin completely (although you can have memorable gameplay experiences to)... I would personaly dislplay several examples of my writing for the community to review and critisize, but a game story just seems like something that could be stolen REALLY easily. Now I dont think someone will steal lines from a script or anything, but they might steal the general theme or concept. For me this would be devastating because I'm not just doing another generic orcs and goblins, D&D, Lord of the rings stuff, or generic sci fi future world (cuz you cant steel a concept that generic), but really awesome unique ideas that have never been seen before (anywhere) could easily be stolen by anyone and claimed as their own, if I were to expose my "A" material to the community then someone might be able to beat me to my own game (since I'm not planning on starting any of my "A" ideas till I'm done with my current game Isotope X). This is the main reason why I'm so picky with who I show my stuff to, and I suspect many people share my feelings (its a shame, i really want to show everyone my ideas :( )

#5 I think the main problem with writers being underrepresented is the fact that most people think writing is easy and that anyone can come up with an interesting, compelling story. Since everyone learns basic writing skills in high school, people generally assume writing is "easy" and that they can plot a game by themselves (which is not usually the case).

I've played through 40 hours of Chrono Trigger on SNES twice because the story meshed so well with the incredible gameplay. One of the reasons that the industry is so stagnant right now is the lack of interesting stories. These days a great deal of games rely on cliches in plot and dialogue (just look at most RTSs), and cliches are the mark of amateur writers.

Having a great story is a large part in making a good game, and I think good writers should have a more significant role in the game making process.

#6 Hello again. I share Eric's concerns about making public game storylines. "Don't flash the cash," so to speak. The theft of one's art is always personal, at least it's personal (very &#$%ing personal) to the artist.

Here's a wee bit of advice for you, and a really cheap way to protect your art - I use it when I complete a batch of work: When you are finished a project (and it's all on paper), date and initial every page, then stuff the entire works into an envelope. Stamp and address the BACK of the envelope, placing the stamp over top of the sealed flap...then mail it to yourself. When the letter is processed, a dated 'post mark' is tagged over the stamp (and the envelope's seal). DO NOT OPEN IT. If your work is stolen, hand this little package over to a Judge. Let the Courts read the dated post mark and tear open the sealed envelope. "I rest my case."

And Shaun has a good point, too: Turning on the radio and humming a tune does not a composer make, if you know what I mean. I've been playing guitar for 16 years (written 9 songs), and I still can't tune the damn thing. That's why I keep the day job. I find playing guitar a lot easier than writing a concise game storyline (nevermind a good one). And that's after 16 years of finger bleeding practise. The brunt of the matter is - writing is extremely HARD and lonely work.

#7 I think for most of the developers out now, writting is a small part of the development process. It only shows up in big AAA titles. There is no story behind Tetris or most non AAA stuff. Usually a good game can been summed up in a sentence. If there is a story it is really tacked on to the game play. Ghost Recon is about killing the enemy before he kills you. I don't know what Tom Clancy wrote but I doubt he put any real amount of work into those titles. He was used for his name. Games are interactive and writing is linear and that is why it is not as important in my opinion. If I was a real writer I would write screenplays and books and let the gaming engine develop a lot more.

#8 I'm an inveterate writer and have edited stories for a magazine as well, so I have to point out... Ideas for a game are quite common. If you threw out a game idea, people would probably walk around the street to avoid it rather than take the chance that someone might accuse them of having used their game idea and demand recompense, were they to include something like it in a game.

I agree that great writing really shines in games. I loved Planescape Torment, Deus Ex, Homeworld, Longest Journey... The list goes on.

But a story idea or a game idea is not really writing, by itself. It's only 5% of the game. Real creation takes place in the remaining 95%, making it work, making it shine, making it accessable to the reader or player.

And yes, writing is very much a part of that process. Characters need dialogue. The plot needs to be paced. The ending needs to be dramatically satisfying.

Perhaps it's scriptwriters that game designers should be studying, because that discipline seems a lot closer than literary writing.

#9 Yes, in the past, story didn't interweave with design. This doesn't have to be the case. And perhaps after my game is done, people will see that. Not only will the story be a part of the design, but the story itself must be designed. I (unlike many people) believe that single player games will always have a place in this world. But with all the advances happening lately, it seems story is beginning to get the attention it deserves. Take a look at the news for Resident Evil Online. They found a way to have a multiplayer game with a solid story...if done right, it could break new ground and blur the line between single player and multiplayer games...

#10 Another frustrated writer here. Having read the posts so far, I can completely relate. Writing is not easy. Good writing is not necessary for absolutely every game, as evidenced by "Tetris" and "Doom." There was an article on GameSpy a couple years ago that lamented the lack of quality writing in computer games. I actually e-mailed the author of that article and asked him when he had last seen a game developer put up a posting on their jobs section for a writer. Ironically, a couple days later, Volition put up a posting asking for a writer.

Writing is not easy. Good writing is incredibly hard. Wedding good writing to good game design, that's harder than Chinese algebra, as the saying goes. Fortunately, it's not impossible. If only the bigger developers would take some of that $10 billion to buy a clue and actually start hiring writers.

#11 If I'm ever big, I most certainly will. Writing is essential as far as I'm concerned. And to take games in new directions (especially single player games) some serious thought needs to be put into what hasn't been done in storytelling yet...

#12 It's not too different from the early days of the comic book industry, or the movie industry. The game industry lives and dies on art, and it is not unknown for people to focus on the pretty pictures and forget about the rest. It might take a century, but the industry will come around, they'll have no choice.

#13 I've got my money on 2 decades or less....we'll see something huge begin to develop with video games soon. There is still a ton of potential that is yet untapped...

#14 Sorry to resurrect an old post, but I have to comment on something quickly -

Quote:Here's a wee bit of advice for you, and a really cheap way to protect your art - I use it when I complete a batch of work: When you are finished a project (and it's all on paper), date and initial every page, then stuff the entire works into an envelope. Stamp and address the BACK of the envelope, placing the stamp over top of the sealed flap...then mail it to yourself. When the letter is processed, a dated 'post mark' is tagged over the stamp (and the envelope's seal). DO NOT OPEN IT. If your work is stolen, hand this little package over to a Judge. Let the Courts read the dated post mark and tear open the sealed envelope. "I rest my case."

I hate to burst your bubble Buster, and I know that many, many other people believe this, but mailing yourself works is in no way, whatsoever good copyright protection. In fact, most US courts will not accept this as evidence, meaning the judge won't even look at it! (Ask any Copyright or Patent Attorney) I'm sorry if this is a let-down, but it is the truth.

Reason: Postmark stamps are very easily forged. It is just a rubber stamp after all.

Example - Stephen King publishes his latest novel. I buy a copy, go home. I then hack my system so it thinks it's 3 years ago & scan the book into my computer. I add some "personal comments" for good measure, and print it out with the false 3 year old "date stamp". Then I put it in an envelope, stamp it with my forged postal stamp. And finally, I hire an attorney to file suit in the nearest US District Court.

However, since my forged mail is not submissable as evidence, and I have nothing else to prove my case, it will promptly be thrown out. And Mr. King's millions are safe. But on the flip side, as I said above, this also means that mailing yourself something is not a viable way to protect legitimate works.

As for the real point of this thread - I am very, veryu much in agreement that story is key to a good game. And obviously you need writing to accomplish this. And just like any other medium out there, the artist must addapt to his surroundings. While writing for a novel and writing for a game might be completely different, the key elements are the same; plot & character developement, dramatic tempo, comedic relief, tragedy, climax, etc, all do & must play a part in a game's story.

But, obviously the way these are presented to a game player is the difficult part. That is where a writer must work closely with the game designer (if he's not one in the same) to blend storytelling into the gameplay in a way that is seamless and compelling.

#15 In addition, the USPS lets you send unclosed envelopes, so it would be no big problem to send yourself empty envelopes at regular intervals, to be able to stick whatever you want in them later.

#16

Quote:
I've got my money on 2 decades or less....we'll see something huge begin to develop with video games soon. There is still a ton of potential that is yet untapped...

Jeremy, you have no idea how right you are ;) I myself have plans to integrate some untapped ideas that mend story and gameplay together. Here's a quick look at what you _will_ see and 'experience' in the next few years!

Mouxhim - The gameplay revolves around a highly dramatic yet very static story which will focus on taking a player through an emotional rollercoaster! The setting will blow the doors off of The Matrix and the player will be in charge of making their own decisions on how the game plays out, but the game will play back! Just ask yourself what if? What if I could go back in time and set things right? How would you do it? ;)

13 Cemetery Dr. - A role playing experience through an intense horror filled world, multiplayer style! Done in the style of traditional First-person style games, you take the role of one of the many 'townsfolk' involved in a mysterious incedent that covers the town in a shroud of darkness. Not playing alone still won't save you from the horror, featuring in-your-face multiplayer interactive cutscenes that will scare the pants off all the players who partake in these story-linking events! Can you face the thousands of undead and their hideous leaders? Or will you be sucked into the darkness yourself?

Infinity - A world torn with chaos, once saved by a mystical warrior, has become your journey. MMORPG, but with an epic story that only the players can compete for. Can you find one of the mystical warriors ancient artifacts? Can you find them all? And if you do, how will your heart shape the world that will form in your presence?! You could be the worlds greatest hope, or it's detrimental demise! An epic that envelopes the player into their own story, their own fame, and their own fate. Is life forever?

These are just the tip of the iceberg, so stay tuned for new developments. They are coming!

- Christopher Dapo ~ Ronixus

#17 I find a touch of irony in the fact that game design docs are a writen document yet people always look at writing as a non-issue ;).

My person views are:
Writing a story properly is critical for a game to make the next step in game design.
Technical writing is something that we should all consider more and do better at.

#18 I prefer to look at it in a different way... I'll quite happily post any game plots I come up with, hell, I'll even post my game ideas. The reason? I don't think anyone is going to look at my stuff and say "Wow! That's better than my idea I've been nursing along for years now, I'll build a game round that."

Sure they might copy elements, but a single part won't be the same as what I have envisioned... And if they make the whole game? So long as I get a free copy, I'm happy - I just got the game I've always wanted to build, and someone else built it for me. Zero effort on my part ;)

#19 As far as posting game ideas is concerned, there's so many floating around out there it's like exhaling: Just a small puff of air into a much bigger atmosphere.

The fact of the matter is that writing is a core part of any game that purports to revolve around it. And let's face it, 90% of any game ideas that "say" they're all about the story are more shallow than games that don't even mention having a storyline.

What makes the game good is making the story available to the player, emotionally, visually, and mechanically(rules and interface). You can have the best story in the world but your game will blow if you don't design the game to hook the player and draw them into it. You have to gain that suspension of disbelief in order to have a good game.

I don't know how many times I've seen both commercial and indie games that go for the cool factor and fall right on their faces because they could not get players into the game. High polygon counts, shaders, even story, don't draw players into the game. You have to design the game so that every feature is meant to make the player forget for just a short while that they are staring at a computer screen. If the player thinks "wow, that feature's cool", then you've failed. If the player thinks "wow, this *game* rocks" while they're playing, then you've failed.

The player needs to be thinking in character. Does anyone remember the old text RPG's from way back when? The ones where you don't play any character but a descriptionless person with no background who has to type commands to get around and figure out what's going on? THAT is what the gaming industry forgot, and that is why games are starting to suck. There's no gravity to the games that attract people into the gameworld. There's no emotional connection to the character. Sure, you're MMO can let the player advance 600 skills, but does it let the player hold a "connection" with their character? Aside from the feeling of relief at bashing yet another monster over the head for a few coins for absolutely no reason other than to level, which holds no reason other than to allow you into other areas to bash other monsters over the head so you can level and repeat the process...?

Design around the story, not just visual things, but making gameplay and mechanics reflect what needs to be accomplished. The player is much smarter than we think.

#20 I believe I can speak with a little authority on the subject -- I've done a bit of fiction writing and a bit of game design.

Story is overrated. For almost a decade it would be the rare game that had any story to think of at all. Now we have a bunch of games filled with overwrought melodrama, and they call it a story.

Please! Final Fantasy games do not, generally, have good stories! They're only good in comparasion to everything else in the videogame world. The problem with storytelling in games is that it has so much incredible competition, and that storytelling is not intrinsically suited to the actions of a free-acting player.

Storytelling is something holy. People have been telling stories for thousands of years! There's even a special name for really, really good stories: literature. Some of them are among the foundations of our civilization. People have been killed for telling stories. Why do totalitarian regimes kill poets? All worthwhile stories have, as an aim, the desire to teach the reader something new. Mention teaching to your typical game writer and he'll probably think about Math Blaster.

You can tell a good story even when the reader has been given every reason to not give a damn about any of the characters. You can tell a good story without any characters at all. You can tell stories without words. In fact, I think it's be possible to turn each of these things into a really killer scenario.

But it should be remembered that, until there is some tremendous breakthrough, that game storytelling is primarily just that, scenario. The "game" in Final Fantasy is exploring, searching, fighting, and optimizing. I urge you, do not emphasize the story over the game. Always remember to push algorithm over data.

As for slotting a player into the mix.... There's a reason the choose-your-own adventure book fad has largely died out. Roger Ebert one said, in response to a movie along similar lines, that people don't go to movies to decide the outcome, they do it to be shown things. Directors, likewise, good ones anyway, don't make a film with three possible endings (unless they're making Clue), they're making what they consider to be the most effective ending. At the best, making a well-written game with multiple paths will mean the player will spend a lot of time replaying the game to see each one. At the worst, the player will get fed up real quick when he realizes he'll have to do so to see the whole thing. Eternal Darkness has a story three times better than most, but I have to admit, I do not appreciate the prospect of having to play the game through three times to get the "real" ending.

Do I sound excessively confident in my opinions? I sure as hell shouldn't be. Not too long ago, I was of a rather different opinion on all of the above, but now I'm more-or-less convinced what I've said is true. While I'm not sure there are solutions to any of this, I believe it's worth trying to find them.