Storytelling on PGD

**cragwolf** · 13-04-2007, 02:28 AM

I sympathise with cairnswm's point of view, but on the other hand, I can also see how a good story can significantly add to the enjoyment of the game. The trouble is that most stories suck, as the human imagination is quite a limited instrument. This is why I tend to prefer simulations, which are based on true stories, i.e. reality or history. One of the reasons I like WWII games so much, particularly ones which take the simulation aspect seriously, is because WWII is one of the greatest stories in human history. Less focus on narrative, more focus on facts, is part of my recipe for a good game.

**godbeast** · 13-04-2007, 11:00 PM

For about 7 years, I've been searching for inspirations in books, history, real life events (I sometimes cut some nice articles from newspapers), science etc. I collected more than 200 pages of such stuff in my notebooks. I chose a Polish national drama for the core story (very brutal yet romantic).

So I tried to write something good out of those, but it never came up the way it should look. Then I realized that I'm starting from the wrong point. It's just that when you decide to write something huge and you really want to put your heart in it, the first thing you do imo is the "world" concept. You have to play god, create from the begining to the end, with is borning and annoying. When you finish with that, choose some points in "the world" history and start writing "your story". Concept plan first, then some more details, character creation (or adoption) etc.

I knows that's it ain't America, but doing that way, I have more than 70 pages of pure scenario (main story), with is only around 30% of full project.

When I read it, I start to get the feeling with way I'd like to see and hear it on my screen, and how would I implement the gameplay.

**WILL** · 31-05-2007, 02:50 PM

So would you guys be interested in a game story writing competition?

**jasonf** · 31-05-2007, 03:03 PM

Would this be in the form of an Interactive fiction game or a paper?

A story adventure game like Sam & Max hit the road?
An epic adventure about the people of a village persecuted by a terrible demon who's taken up shop under their beloved church?...

I'd be interested, but what would be the prize?... the best story is made into a PGD collaberation game.. afterall, we have enough coders, artists, musicians, scripters.. to make a combined project.. but do we have the management and the will to do it?

**WILL** · 31-05-2007, 03:18 PM

It would obviously be a short story competition.

And it would probably run for about a couple of months or so to give people time to write something interesting.

Of course this is just shooting out ideas... I wouldn't have the time to run such a competition.

Yeah, I had thought about a team making it into a game.

In fact better if a commercial development team would be interested in taking a winning story and turning it into a game. But that depends on what kind of exposure it gets.