Video game writing : from macro to micro / Maurice Suckling, Marek Walton.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Suckling, Maurice, author.

Contributor:

Walton, Marek.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Video games--Authorship.

Video games.

Video games--Authorship--Vocational guidance.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (349 pages)

Edition:

Second edition.

Place of Publication:

Dulles, Virginia ; Boston, [Massachusetts] ; New Delhi, [India] : Mercury Learning and Information, 2017.

Summary:

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.

Contents:

Intro

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

Chapter 3 NDAs &amp

Contracts

Non-Disclosure Agreements

Sample Non-Disclosure Agreement

Sample Confidential Services Agreement

Exercise

Chapter 4 Collaboration: Team Us

Part of the Team

Who Are We?

A Team within a Team

Chapter 5 Narrative Design

Defining Story Space

Case Study: Unsolved Crimes

Other Design Structures

Projects

Chapter 6 Outlines &amp

Treatments

The Outline

Outline Sample

The Treatment

Chapter 7 Character Documents

How to Create a Character Document

Research

Example Characters

Example Analysis

Character Sides

Chapter 8 Environmental Storytelling

Theory

Mise-en-Scène

Bioshock

Process

Frob

Walkthrough

Hints and Tips

Chapter 9 Writing Scripts

Types of Script

Dialogue Tools

Environmental Script Example

Cut Scene Format

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)

Chapter 11 Consultancy

Macro Elements.

Micro Elements

Boundaries and Limitations

Chapter 12 Adaptations: Turning Other Things Into Games

Key Questions

Case Study: Coronation Street

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

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

Chapter 15 What is Plot and How does it Work?

What Is Plot?

How Does Plot Work?

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

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

Chapter 18 Storyloading

Storytelling, Storyforming, and Storydwelling

Storyloading

Top-Down and Bottom-Up Storytelling

Eve Online Case Study

Chapter 19 Shifting Agency

Multiple Character Perspectives

Beyond the Player as Spectator

The Space between Player and Avatar

Projects.

Chapter 20 Time Gates and Act Stimulants

Time Gates

The Delivery

Act Stimulants

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

Chapter 22 Choice or Enlightenment?

Enlightenment

Choice and Enlightenment?

Chapter 23 The Future of Games Writing

New Opportunities from Graphical Fidelity

Increase in Relative Value

Deepening Presence in Society

Increasing Reactivity

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.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (ebrary, viewed July 27, 2017).

ISBN:

1-68392-030-9

OCLC:

993114864