Dramatic Storytelling and Narrative Design: A Writer’s Guide to Video Games and Transmedia

Cover
Half Title
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Table of Contents
Preface
Acknowledgments
Author Biography
Introduction
Glossary
	Terms
	Distinctions
	Notes
Chapter 1 Orientation
	Coming Out of Obscurity
	Who This Book Is for
		The Student
		The Writer From Another Field
		The Entertainment Executive
		Game Designer
		Game Producer
		Technologist in Media
		Content Designer for Artificial Intelligence
		Warning for Career Changers
	What This Book Is Not
	Notes
	References
Chapter 2 Definitions and Distinctions
	What Is Narrative Design?
	Writing for Games Vs. Traditional Media: What’s the Difference?
		Prime Objective: Addiction
	Narrative Designer Vs. Game Writer: What’s the Difference?
		Barks
		What’s in a Name?
Chapter 3 Roles and Responsibilities
	ID the IP
	Help Design the Golden Path
	Establish Structure
	Establish Characters and Worlds
	Identify Story Mechanisms and Devise Their Rulesets
	Plan and Manage the Content
	Reinforce the Theme
	Write, Revise, and Polish the Content
	Assist in the Localization of the Written and Spoken Content
	Direct Voice-Over Sessions and Filmed Content
		Voice-Over
		Filmed Content
	Other
	Notes
	References
Chapter 4 Game Writing at the Ground Level
	Example Spreadsheet for Narrative Content
	Asset ID
	Category
	Character
	Line
	Character Count
	Notes
	Pipeline
Chapter 5 Conflict
	The Engine of a Story
		Conflict in the Home World
		Conflict in the New World
		Conflict Vs. Evil Atmosphere
		Conflict and Tragic Mistake
		The Lurking Menace
	In Conclusion
	Notes
	References
Chapter 6 Character and World
	The Protagonist
	Making A Protagonist Whom People Want To Play As
		Professional Goal Vs. Personal Goal
		Personal Priorities
		Avoiding Swappable Protagonists
		Collision of Priorities
	Protagonist Survey
	The Antagonist
		Unity of Opposites
		A Note About Hannibal Lecter
	Archetypes and Stock Characters
	Dialogue
	World as Character
	Character and World Rulesets
	Notes
	References
Chapter 7 Structure
	What Is Structure and Why Is It Important?
	Where Games Fail
	Main Structural Beats
		Act 1
		Act 2
		Act 3
	Dramatic Escalation Warnings
		Premature Character Introduction
		Long Missions With No Narrative Interspersed
		Arbitrary Bells and Whistles
	Different Lengths of the Acts
	Notes
	References
Chapter 8 Other Storytelling Methods for Games
	Other Storytelling Methods
		Episodic Storytelling
		Open World Incentivizing
		Lore Discovery
		Kishotenketsu
		Pixar Storytelling Method
	Frictionless Narrative
	Notes
	References
Chapter 9 Meaningful Choice, Branching Narrative, and Downstream Effects
	Breaking It All Down
	Note
Chapter 10 Analysis of Narrative in Contemporary Games
	What Are the Criteria of Well-Told Narrative in Games?
	Am I Emotionally Invested?
	Why Do Games Struggle at Telling Emotional Stories?
	Game Narrative Breakdown Examples
	NBA 2K16
		Premise
		In a Nutshell
		Main Characters
		Key Story Beats
			Act 1
			Act 2
			Act 3
		Positives of the Narrative
		Negatives of the Narrative
		In Conclusion
	THE LAST OF US (2013)
		Premise
		In a Nutshell
		Main Characters
		Key Story Beats
			Act 1
			Act 2
			Act 3
		Positives of the Narrative
		Negatives of the Narrative
		In Conclusion
	Addendum: The Last of Us HBO Series (2023)
		Visual Limitations of the Game Medium
		Ingredients for a Successful Adaptation
	Notes
	References
Chapter 11 Breaking In
	Entry Points
		Attitude
		Familiarity
		Larger Perspective Than Games
	If You Come From Another Medium, What Should You Expect?
	Notes
	Reference
Chapter 12 Rules and Tools for Success
	Flexibility
	Brainstorming Sessions
	Robust Documentation
		Story Bible
		Crucial Component to Story Bible: Visual Structure
		Other Components to a Story Bible
			Tone Document
			One-Pager
			Elevator Pitch
			Character Bios and Sample Dialogue
			Genre and Platform
			Backstory of the World
	The Software Tools
		For the Basics
		For Productivity and Visibility
		For Brainstorming and Presenting
	Notes
	Reference
Chapter 13 The Future of Interactive Storytelling
	The Future Player
		Player as a Disruptive Force
			Seeing Through the Smoke and Mirrors of Silicon Valley
			Players Have More Power Than Ever Before
		The Future of Story
			Story Redefined By TikTok?
			Lore Discovery
	Other Disruptive Forces to Game Narrative
		Interactive Television as Games?
		The Rise of ESports
		Artificial Intelligence
			Narrative Game Development
			Taking a Stand
	Future Job Requirements of a Narrative Designer
		Adopting Technical Skills
		Creating a Narrative Tool-Set
	In Sum
	Notes
	References
Chapter 14 Transmedia
	The Changing Media Landscape
	Transmedia at Its Most Basic Level
		Relationship With New Technology
		When Bigger Budgets Prevail
		Why Are Video Games a Natural Fit for Transmedia?
			Competitive Edge
			Early Adopters
		Greatest Transmedia Campaign Ever?
	The Basics
	The Purpose
	Two Kinds of Transmedia Experiences
		A Pure, Singular Story Experience Aka Unified Story Experience
		Fractured Story Experience
		Sacrificial Lambs
	Media Release Strategies
	Final Thoughts On Transmedia
	Notes
	References
Chapter 15 College and University Programs
	List of Universities for Game Development
	Notes
Index