How to write a video game script that kicks-ass

Last Monday I told you how to go about writing a video game script. That post explained how to turn your idea into a workable design, something that could be made into a game if you found a team willing to take it on.

What it didn’t tell you was how to make a good script. A story-line that will make the player laugh, cry, or scream, characters that will inspire countless fanfics, twists that will make the critics splurge praise like “most innovative game ever of all time!” and “the game that proves video games can have stories too!”

In order to make a good script you need two things. An unfettered imagination, and a solid understanding of how stories and characters work. I can’t give you the first one, but I can help you a little bit with the second.

First, you need to realize that stories and characters are inextricably entwined. Without an identifiable, sympathetic, admirable or plain bad-ass hero, your story is doomed from the beginning. Conversely, if the most amazing character in the world is never given a situation in which they can demonstrate how deep or bad-ass they really are, then nobody will ever know. Luckily, games have a unique way of creating characters. They can let the player do it.

Who is your hero?

There are numerous ways to create a character. However, I would argue that with games there are two routes you can take with the central - playable - hero. The first method is the blank slate. This is the character that barely speaks, whose face you rarely see. Because they are blank, the player is able to project themselves into the game. The benefit of these characters is that they can be universally appealing, and create a more immersive experience. The downside is that - done badly - they can be unmemorable, or uninspiring.

The second method is to create a complex, interesting character that the player cares about and want to know about. This is the character with a past, the character with hang-ups, the character with doubt. Ideally, this is the character that grows emotionally throughout the game, as well as increasing his stats. The benefits of a character like this are that they can drive the story more effectively, and provide psychological depth. The downside is that they can take control away from the player, and thus damage the immersion.

Analysis of video game characters has been fairly varied, but one topic that raises a lot of contention is that of female main characters. As most female gamers will tell you, when they have the option, they’ll play as a woman (although in some virtual games they choose the opposite, in order to avoid some of the gender specific harassment that can occur online). In many games, however, that isn’t an option. Lots of blank slate characters are male, which gives females players an additional hurdle to overcome when identifying with them.

All contention aside, however, I personally prefer the blank slate. Why? Because a game - as I’ve said before - is not a movie. The most important thing a game has going for it is that you control the action - and the consequences. Involving the player in the choices makes them accountable, and can reinforce dramatic tension. Case in point - Bioshock, and the Little Sisters. You make the choice, and it is your choice that shapes the character. Put the player into what is essentially a movie that requires you to hit a button every now and then to keep it playing is not a good video game. It may be a great story, but it is not a good video game.

You killed my mother! Now you must die!

Backstory is not essential to your more complex characters, but it can help provide a context. Generally speaking, backstory should inform your game, not dictate it - you don’t want huge long flashbacks explaining why so-and-so hates blah-de-blah - a vague reference to a so-and-so’s mother leaves it all open to the imagination, and gives the fanfic writers something to work with. You, the writer, however, should know all so that you can keep things consistent.

I like pie

More important than your character’s backstory (although the two are related) is the character’s motivation. Everyone wants certain things and fears other things, whether it’s riches, justice, or pie. Generally speaking, the type of motivation will also tell you something about the character - everyone knows the mercenary with his quick wit and jibes about only sticking around for the reward, and everyone knows the quiet driven pro with revenge burning in his eyes.

Frequently with games there is an over-reaching motivation (saving the world) and then each character has minor motivations (impress his girlfriend, collect a reward, discover her past, confront the villain who killed their parents). Sometimes a character’s motivation is at odds with that of the game - the hero may only want to go home, but gets sucked ever deeper into events despite their best efforts.

Often, right before the final boss sequence, all characters will realize that saving the world is the most important thing after all. Mercenaries will stick around despite being offered their money, revenge seekers will discover that they have finally achieved peace, and amnesiacs will recall their past and realize that they need to save the world if they want to continue making memories.

This is often due to character growth. Games are all about progression - you begin the game as the kid with the weird hair, and finish as undefeated champion and slayer of ten thousand monsters. Those magic experience points mean the character becomes stronger, faster, more observant, more magical and tougher. It should also mean that they gain in wisdom, maturity and common sense. When they face demons and win, that should impact them in some way beyond merely making them better equipped for beating the next demon.

So here I’ve got a character with a dead mother, a love of pie, and a desire to get revenge and save the world. What next?

Come back next week - we’ll take a look at how to hook your player right from the opening sequence, and what mistakes you should definitely avoid.

Related Posts

• Can’t Draw? No Problem!
• The Faces of Gaming
• Writing a Kick-Ass Script 2: The Opening Scene
• Sidekicks
• How to make a movie into a video game?

10 Responses to “How to write a video game script that kicks-ass

Kevin Pijl Says:
April 28th, 2008 at 5:47 pm

Thank you for providing great information about video game scripting. I was wondering if you have details about script writing for video games that you can share as well as how to possibly pitch my idea to developers. Thanks again.

Richard Says:
April 29th, 2008 at 6:27 pm

Nice series of articles. Although I’d suggest that any writer avoid the term ¨kick ass¨.

When designing characters and a narrative, these books can be a big help. They are all designed around non-interactive entertainment, but you can learn alot about narrative construction and character design from them:
Story by Robert McKee
The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell
The Writer’s Journey by Christopher Volger
The Seven Basic Plots by Christopher Booker

Story is about constructing a narrative for screenplays.

Hero’s Journey is an academic examination of myths from across the world, and how they have common factors.

Writer’s Journey simplifies Hero, making it more accessible for writers.

The Seven Basic Plots does what the title says - breaks down the seven basic plots used in fiction: comedy, tragedy, quest rags to riches, rebirth, overcoming the monster etc.

Richard Says:
April 29th, 2008 at 6:30 pm

@Kevin Pijl
Most developers take ideas from their staff, rather than outsiders.
The best way to get in is get involved with the modding community and independent developers. Build up a record there and you stand a better chance of getting a job within a game developers, and a chance to pitch your idea.
If you want in as a writer, you’ll need experience at writing fiction at a professional level - screenplays, fiction, theatre, TV. Learning to code and other aspects of game design would improve your chances.
Plus you stand a fair chance of getting your idea developed by modders and indie developers.

Ken Says:
May 5th, 2008 at 10:55 pm

This is interesting! I like your artwork at the top of the article. Who is the character in red?

Write the Game » Writing a Kick-Ass Script 2: The Opening Scene Says:
May 9th, 2008 at 1:03 pm

[...] week I told you how to go about making a great character for your future video game masterpiece. If your character is the sword, it is the story is the sheath which makes him (or her) [...]

Write the Game » Writing a Kick-Ass Script 3: The Meat and Potatoes Says:
May 12th, 2008 at 12:36 pm

[...] you’ve introduced the characters, trained up your player (if needed), and opened your story, you are faced with a daunting question. [...]

Keira Peney Says:
May 12th, 2008 at 12:53 pm

Ken - that’s an Amano artwork from FF6, and is of Terra

ND Roundup « Narrative Design Portfolio of Courtney Keene Says:
May 14th, 2008 at 11:46 am

[...] Writing a Kick-Ass Game Script 1 2 3 [...]

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October 24th, 2008 at 12:00 pm

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kingslayer Says:
June 21st, 2009 at 12:07 am

I’d like to speak to you more about writing game scripts. Can you reach out to me so we can?

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