#game narrative

[hasellia]

BOTW felt like it was telling the player; "Nature is an important part of who you are as a fellow creature of this Earth, and maybe building guardians of mass destruction isn't a good idea."

TOTK seems like it's telling the player; "Every tree is a potential enemy that's out to fucking get you! Burn. Surely, nothing bad has ever come from building guardians of mass destruction!"

[heartmachinez]

Hyper Light Breaker: Meet PB

PIVOTING TOWARD CHARACTER-BASED STORYTELLING

A while ago, we shared that we were developing Hyper Light Breaker with a limited form of character creation in mind - our player “characters” would be specific species, all following the same character archetype. The goal was to reduce animation scope down significantly by sticking with the single archetype.

As time went on, however, we discovered that a specific story was taking shape. And it needed to be told through a discrete cast of characters with their own backstories, motivations, and personalities.

We are now pivoting away from broader character customization, in favor of enriching player experience and empathy through highlighting each of these unique characters and their journeys through the world. We are still retaining customization in the form of offering near limitless loadout options, hub options, and other ways for players to have agency over this world.

With that said, please meet…

PROTOBREAKER

PB was featured prominently in our Announcement Trailer, but the character’s identity and role in the Hyper Light universe has been shrouded in mystery since. We’re now ready to share a little more about her.

You meet PB in the Hotel Lobby of the Hub, the launch point for all of your ventures into the Overgrowth. A former highly skilled Breaker herself, she now works a desk job where she assigns and oversees Breaker missions.

PB has a long history in this world. But she is generally reserved, and minces few words. It is up to you to uncover her past, and play a crucial role in writing this new chapter in her story.

PB IN THE WORLD OF HYPER LIGHT

PB has a unique role in Breaker’s narrative. The abandoned wilds of the Overgrowth are shrouded in mystery, and PB has been here since they were first sealed away from the rest of the world.

Within the Breakers, PB is your commander, so she passes along your marching orders from Breaker HQ. But like you, she’s curious about the Overgrowth’s mysteries. In particular, she wants to learn the goals and motivations of the Crowns—why do they fight the Breakers? What are they protecting, and why?

PB knows many secrets about this place, but she’s not quite sure which of them are relevant to the mystery. When you discover some brand new information about the Crowns or the Overgrowth, you’ll bring those stories back to PB. She’ll share her own memories with you, and help you put the mystery together.

PB has a few secrets herself, too. She’s been living in the Overgrowth for a long time, and she seems to have a strange personal connection to the Crowns. If you help her discover more about the Overgrowth, she may share some of her history with you!

LET US HEAR FROM YOU!

How do you feel about our character-based storytelling process?

What do you think happened to PB?

Blaze

0 notes

[darkdemeter]

Wolf And The Marvels - concept cover reveal. Project is still in alpha, all material is subject to alterations in the future.

An interactive choice based game-narrative on carrd. Inspired by titles such as Telltale Games' The Wolf Among Us, you will take on the role as Sheriff. A dark and gruesome mystery falls over New York and the Avengers are being pinned to take the blame. Determined to clear their name, you will get to the bottom of this case, even if it gets you fired or killed.

None are so hardy to trust a wolf to do good by the people, it's in your nature to prey upon the weaker sheep, but Wanda Maximoff has complete faith in you. For a city poisoned by illusion, corruption and fear, a metropolis of skyscrapers never looked so small compared to you.

[fogaminghub]

🌌 Calling all gamers and sci-fi lovers! Tomorrow is the day you've been waiting for—Awaken – Astral Blade drops! Embark on a biopunk adventure as Tania, a unique bioengineered character, exploring the lush yet mysterious Horace Islands. This game is influenced by cinematic classics like Annihilation and Blade Runner 2049, making it a must-play!

With fluid combat mechanics, a rich narrative, and choices that impact your journey, this game is set to immerse you into its captivating world.

Get ready for the release on PS5! 🎮🚀 

[nicholasandriani]

A Journey Through 2023: Stories, Games, and Adventures

Can I be honest with you? Then again, you’re here for a reason my confidant. Certainly we can be truthful with one another. I mean that’s why we’re compelled to tell our stories. Whether fictionalized or not we’re displaying and sharing ourninternal struggles through whatever medium they require, The Bad News (full disclosure: this sucks. skip to “Good News” if you’re not in the mood) 2023 hit…

[spaced0lphin]

Fic to Official — Is there a Pathway?

Have there ever been fic writers who go on to write for their favourite IPs in an official capacity? I’d say “asking for a friend,” but let’s be real — I’m not, I’m asking for me. I’m the friend, and because I am a good friend to myself, I’m going to put it out there.

I get this weird sense sometimes; like it’s somehow gauche or silly to wonder about such things and that even voicing the desire is both redundant and an act of flagrant ass-showing. As though it’s an unwritten rule within fandom that to wonder aloud if you could ever contribute officially to something is a marker of unrestrained and offensive delusional grandeur. A social faux pas of the highest order. I’m saying the same thing six ways here — which, I’ll admit — doesn’t do me wonders in the realm of selling myself as a writer at the moment, but I digress.

I’m compelled to wonder… and that’s because I am, admittedly and with affection, insane. I’d be my own friend. I am my own friend — but I am also completely off my rocker. I think that might work to my benefit even if I don’t have the typical background.

I am a creative person. I do 3D & 2D art, I write, and sometimes I make music. I combined these skills to make a big narrative mod for an existing IP. (I’m hard at work refining its second edition, but the first is out there and playable.)

I moved to another country at the age of 19 on my own and without any help from my family. I went to university and got a degree in Game Art. I’ve done and continue to do a lot of things people told me all my life I could never do, and I’ve even achieved some of them. When making my mod, I found a precision knack for non-linear narrative storytelling and obsessively writing dialogue to be as on-model as I could. I’m not trying to blow my own horn off too much, but that’s a recurring theme with feedback for my writing that I notice — my dialogue ‘sounds’ correct. I think my attention to character voice and writing themes that work to their strengths is something that would make me a good fit as a franchise writer for an established IP. I just don’t know what the hell to do about it, frankly.

I would probably commit crimes of some kind or other to work on narrative teams at BioWare or Respawn. These studios — Respawn in particular, these days — have the kind of character-focussed writing that sort of makes me salivate, as a creative person. I’ve tried pursuing a few different studios for advice on all this but never received anything back. So why not ask the writing community?

I do get told sometimes, “write a book.” I’ve certainly got plans for that, but the question is — has there ever been a fandom creator who’s got in on the merits of the things they’ve made for fandom? What did they do to achieve that? Why don’t we talk about it? And… could I be one?

[churchinthedarkness]

The Church in the Darkness are long time guests of LudoNarraCon, the annual online festival about narrative games.  And we’re glad to be featured again for 2023, now with a 90% off discount!  Check out us and all the featured games on Steam right here:  https://store.steampowered.com/sale/LudoNarraCon

As part of LudoNarraCon, our project director Richard Rouse also participated in the panel Game Stories Told in Most Unexpected & Surprising Ways which includes Richard Dansky (of The Hunt:  Showdown), Daniel Benmergui (of Storyteller) and Latoya Peterson (of Insecure: The Come Up Game).  The panel is streaming all weekend long as part of LudoNarraCon, and  but also you can watch it anytime on YouTube right here:  

Not all the games features will all promise cults in the jungle, but there's more to life than joining the Collective Justice Mission.   Right?  Right?  

[deception-united]

Writing Tips Master Post

Character writing/development:

Character Arcs

Making Character Profiles

Character Development

Comic Relief Arc

Internal Conflict

Character Voices

Creating Distinct Characters

Suicidal Urges/Martyr Complex

Creating Likeable Characters

Writing Strong Female Characters

Writing POC Characters

Building Tension

Plot devices/development:

Intrigue in Storytelling

Enemies to Lovers

Alternatives to Killing Characters

Worldbuilding

Misdirection

Consider Before Killing Characters

Foreshadowing

Narrative:

Emphasising the Stakes

Avoid Info-Dumping

Writing Without Dialogue

1st vs. 2nd vs. 3rd Perspective

Fight Scenes (+ More)

Transitions

Pacing

Writing Prologues

Dialogue Tips

Writing War

Writing Cheating

Worldbuilding:

Worldbuilding: Questions to Consider

Creating Laws/Rules in Fantasy Worlds

Book writing:

Connected vs. Stand-Alone Series

A & B Stories

Writer resources:

Writing YouTube Channels, Podcasts, & Blogs

Online Writing Resources

Outlining/Writing/Editing Software

Writer help:

Losing Passion/Burnout

Overcoming Writer's Block

Fantasy terms:

How To Name Fantasy Races (Step-by-Step)

Naming Elemental Races

Naming Fire-Related Races

How To Name Fantasy Places

Ask games:

Character Ask Game #1

Character Ask Game #2

Character Ask Game #3

Miscellaneous:

1000 Follower Post

2000 Follower Poll

Writing Fantasy

[richardrouse3]

I'll be back at LudoNarraCon (I believe this is the 6th one I've talked at) this weekend talking about Difficult Decisions & Moral Quagmires - Player Choices in Game Narratives in games with the wonderful Desiree Cifre, Garce P Fong, and Josh Sawyer. It's all streaming for free on Steam! come watch for free on Steam - looks like we're on first at 10am PT on Thursday! The talks should then Stream all weekend.

http://ludonarracon.com

http://ludonarracon.com/2024-speakers

[omorales81]

So great catching up with my fellow Narrative Department scribes at #GDC2024! #Gaming #NarrativeDesign #WritingCommunity #GDC #TheNarrativeDepartment #TND

[sourinksoda]

Bitter water [ Talen and Faolan’s youth ]

Two boys meet by the river on opposite beds, watching the other with intrigue and the urge to connect.

One early afternoon many, many moons ago, a young Talen was partaking in his daily routine of dozing off on the dusty banks of the river, when a noise distracts him enough to only just take notice of a wispy white dog? Or a boy, maybe? On the opposite bank.

Patting down the dust from his worn clothes, he curiously plucks a stone from the shallows, clumsily skimming the rock over their way. As it sharply clacks against the lone tree, something the size of a kid his age flinches behind it. Talen in glee lets out a call for them to skim it back.

A boy slowly pokes his head out from behind the tree, uncurling from its safety as he nervously fishes around the knoll for and picks up the small smooth piece of chipped slate. He steps over great roots making his way to the shore, pulling the knees of his bottoms away from the small splashes of water in his way.

Squinting over the water to Talen’s energetic figure he shyly barks back “I-I’m not sure how?”.

“It's easy!” a cheerful yell rings out as Talen, barely keeping balance, pushes all his energy into a full body gesture feigning the action to take. The boy perks up at the demonstration with an eager smile. Looking down at the stone, confidently rubbing his fingers into a firm grip, he winds his body back, before finally launching forward with all his might. In a flash the stone slipped loose, skipping at speed across the water landing with a sudden splash at both sides of the river.

“You did it!!!” muffled words heard under the warble of water, attempting to lift himself up out of the shallows, gasping, soggy and shocked.

With another great splash, feathered hands reach out for his, helping him to his feet.

“I haven’t ever seen anybody do anything like that on their first try! That was amazin’!” Talen remarks overjoyed at his new friend’s show of skill.

His face falling as their eyes meet, the boy near tears, cold and embarrassed. 

“I-I’m sorry” he splutters out.

“Here l-let’s”.

Talen helps the boy now looking more like a pup, back up onto his bank of the river under that lone tree, taking off and wrapping his old poncho around him.

“Sorry you got all wet”, he says quietly after a while, hanging his head and pulling at the grass under his clay clad wet boots.

The pup now, who seemed to look more boy-like, pulled the ratty poncho down, his head popping free, wiping away muddy hair, from his hazy blue eyes.

Looking down at the blades of torn out grass and small blue flowers at his toes, then to the boy sitting next to him.

“Do you- Do you know how to make these?” he says, threading and knotting two flower stems delicately together.

Talen looks up wary in his eyes, he doesn't meet the boy's gaze just yet, letting go of the clumps of grass as his eyes meet with the steadily forming chain of flowers.

“I’d seen my mom do those, didn't ever get shown how” he looks back to his clumps of grass doubtful.

“I could show you?” Muffled a reply from beneath the poncho.

“What? Show me? But…” he trails off, head sinking into his knees.

A baby blue flower pokes through, gently poking the tip of his nose.

“You showed me how to do that cool rock thing”.

Bursting down his own walls “But- but I made you fall!” Talen exclaimed.

The boy shines him a sheepish smile, twirling the chain of flowers between his fingers, “and it was fun! Fun to have a friend”.

Their eyes meet once again, all of the two’s anxieties having drifted away down stream, their shared deep desire laid bare and rang clear, all the two of them ever wanted was a friend.

Their arms strewn round one another in comforting reassurance as chuckles of muffled joyous laughter slipped between the cracks.

That day the two of them felt a wholeness they never had before, returning every day by the river to play, tell stories and grow up together.

Everyday until the red war came.

Hello, hello!

If you made it all the way down here conga rats! [a treat 4 u! 🥞]

Seriously tho thanks, I've been really trying to practice my writing for HeartFeller and other things.

This is the backstory to two key characters from my game, that isnt really in the game in this form [ at the moment anyway ], Talen Cairo and Lord Faolan Rend, theyre both around 7-10ish here.

Yes theyre dumb and in love also, love them alot.

[composeregg]

edit (10/23/2024) now that the poll is over: Original version, with 10 questions, from April 2023 here

And, given that the original is from April 2023, that means I can very easily say:

No, this was not an ISAT reference!

Just because I use parentheses and 2nd person pov and love the same concepts of what a time loop can do to a person doesn't mean it's ISAT

(Yes, I like ISAT, the original poll is why I was recommended the game! But if you look at the original, you can see all the origins of the options to choose from, including what spurred me on with the moss option from the replies)

If I were going to make something for ISAT, I would never be so vague, you can simply look at my ao3 for proof of that

[ampleappleamble]

haven't seen this on here yet so:

in case you don't want to slog through the shitscape that is the bird/letter website, take a peek beneath the cut (shamelessly copied from the something awful forums dungeon meshi thread)

- Her first memory of video games was watching her father playing Wizardry on Famicom, also Dragon Quest, Ultima, and Fire Emblem among others.

- She was a difficult child so her parents didn't let her play. Wizardry is a boring game to watch, but the monster illustrations on the walkthrough evoked her imagination and made her keep watching.

- She only started becoming a serious gamer after the serialization of Dungeon Meshi was locked, for research purposes. Before that, she read fantasy novels such as The Neverending Story (Michael Ende) and The Lord of the Rings (JRR Tolkien).

- The international title for Dungeon Meshi: Delicious in Dungeons was decided by her editor.

- D&D popped up a lot when she researched the history of video games, so she read the rule books, replay novels, and games inspired by D&D.

- One of the first games she studied was the Legend of Grimrock (game's 80% off on Steam atm). Originally, she wanted Dungeon Master (FTL Games) which was famous for "RPG with meals" but hunting down the game and machine was too much.

- She didn't like games other than turn-based RPGs at first, but she decided to stop being picky and play anything that piqued her interest.

- She played Zelda: BotW and TotK on a borrowed Switch from her editor due to the console's scarcity at the time.

- She enjoyed Red Dead Redemption 2 and God of War for their stories. RDR2's incredible attention to detail had Kui engrossed so much that she asked her editor and other mangaka to play it so she could discuss it with them.

- Kui praised The Witcher 3 localization as something only possible with full support from the developer. Cyberpunk 2077 is one of her all-time favorites.

- Papers, Please was her first taste of indie games.

- Disco Elysium is the perfect game for her due to the lack of fighting, intriguing story, charming character interaction, and top-down perspective. She tried playing it in English at first due to an unlikely chance for JP loc, but it was out of her ability. Thus she is forever grateful to Spike Chunsoft for localizing it.

- Kui played Baldur's Gate 3 from the time it was in Early Access. Again, she's grateful for Spike Chunsoft's JP loc. She hoped BG3's success would bring the possibility of JP loc for other titles too, such as Pathfinder: wotr

- She likes games with top-down perspective because they have narration text for monologues and scenery description. Even if the graphic is lacking, the texts show the atmosphere and each character's behavior and psyche. Also, characters that react to your choices.

- She praised Unpacking and House Flipper for being able to tell what kind of person lives there only through their belongings, and that there's no right or wrong for the placements; she would make the best arrangement and then enjoy her hard work while sipping tea.

- The biggest inspiration for Dungeon Meshi was the Cosmic Forge pen from Wizardry VI. With improved graphics from its predecessor, now it could show broken farming tools in the background and many more details that made exploration so much fun.

- At the time of the interview (Dec '23) she still hadn't watched DunMeshi anime, but she attended the recording sessions. She's embarrassed that the dialog she wrote now acted passionately by professionals. Marcille's screaming was wonderful but also made her want to flee.

- Kui was anxious about the CP2077 anime adaptation, but she was relieved it was the Night City she knows and loves.

- Other than minor adjustments, she left it to TRIGGER as to how to adapt

- She's happy that Mitsuda Yasunori was chosen as the anime composer, as she used to play Chrono Cross and rewatched the opening many times.

- Her anticipated games in 2024 are Cloudpunk, Nivalis, and Avowed.

- DunMeshi would be hard to adapt into a game because in the first place, what Kui depicted in the manga are parts that are omitted in games for the sake of brevity.

- If DunMeshi game was Wizardry-like, it'd be told through Laios' perspective and eating was essential not to die

[pigeon-princess]

"Does he have the..." "The sword of Aegon the Conqueror? Blackfyre? Yeah, he does."

[fogaminghub]

https://www.fogaminghub.com/post/master-the-mibu-rivalry-a-complete-walkthrough-for-rise-of-the-ronin

🌟 Immerse yourself in the world of Rise of the Ronin with our latest blog post on the Mibu Rivalry mission! 🎮✨ 

From taking down Serizawa to building a bond with Isami Kondo, we’ve got all the tips and strategies you need. Level up your gameplay and enjoy the adventure! 🏯💪

[wynandcore]

Saw the sonic 3 trailer are you telling me the movie based on Sonic Adventure 2 is Not anti-military??? No anti-authority theming here?? Nothing?? The game where a kid gets gunned down? Where Shadow’s grief and hate for humanity is BECAUSE of the military?? Where Sonic runs from the cops and is consistently annoyed at their existence?