Practice always come with theory. They are two sides of the same coin. If know nothing about what you are trying to do, then how can you possibly do it? And if you do not practise the skills which you have theoretically learned, then how can you progress with learning that knowledge? I see a lot of people when it comes to Games Design, leaping in the deep end without at first reading the do's and don't's, and something always gets lost in the process. Having the knowledge helps you to put it into practice properly and more accurately, ultimately coming out with a much better concept.
Recently, I've been reading up on the writing and creating side of games. From learning exactly how a good Quest game is designed, to how to create convincing dialogues within a game which are necessary, relevant and turn your game from a flop to a AAA title. Not to mention what you should and shouldn't do in the industry.
From what I've been learning, I found that there were statements and quotes which stood out to me. The kind which stick in your head and make everything seem clear and simple, so much so that you bang your head in frustration for not realising what it meant before.
As simply as that, I'm going to share a few of these which I found particularly useful:
What is a Quest?
'A journey across a symbolic, fantastic landscape in which a protagonist or player collects objects and talks to characters in order to overcome challenges.'
This was taken from the book Quests by Jeff Howard; a nice, easily comprehensible statement to summarise a Quest.
'Quests in games can actually provide an interesting type of bridge ..[] in that games can contain predefined sequences of events that the player then has to actualise and effect.'
A statement by Jesper Juul, explaining how narratology and ludology can be connected by the use of interactivity - meaning the player has to enact and make happen a story which is ultimately already laid out.
'A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow men.'
Another definition of a Quest as written by Joseph Campbell, signifying the biggest aspects of what makes a Quest.
'Designing the spaces of quests is a matter of planning increasingly more remote, difficult to access, exotic Locations in which quest-givers more and more relevant to the quests can be found.'
Taken from Quests (Jeff Howard), a statement suggesting the typical pattern of the progression through a quest, a pattern which defines quests.
'In essence, designers should consider ways to motivate their quests by the acquisition of an object of great power, then break their artefact into pieces and place them strategically across their game world in ways that will prompt players to explore and overcome challenges.'
A perfect example of this is throughout the entire series of the Legend of Zelda, where, let's take Ocarina of Time as an example, Link must travel to different structures in treacherous places to overcome puzzles and enemies to obtain the medallions containing the power of the sages - which then ultimately allows him to reach and defeat Ganondorf.
'We made a conscious decision years ago that we believe games can be both interactive entertainment and a compelling medium in which to tell stories and develop characters.'
A statement from Dille & Zuur Platten (The Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing and Design), this relates to an earlier blog post, discussing the opposition between narratology and ludology. They believe that both CAN go hand in hand, where the story is more like the supporting cast.
'Sitting between the conflict inherent in the story and the stakes that are played for is where the core dramatic tension of the game-play narrative takes place.'
Dille and Zuur Platten again, a point of advice to those beginning to work upon the idea of creating tension. The most tension arises when the stakes begin to come to light through the conflict i.e - the protagonist learning that should he lose this fight, then the entire city is doomed.
Danny Bilson makes an analogy regarding relationship and dialogue:
'If you meet a guy in level 2 and he double-crosses you, you're going to have very strong feelings about him in level 4. Now what happens if he helps you? What's changed? What's his agenda? What are you going to think when you run into him in level 4?'
In other words, twists and turns in the game keep it fresh.
'Story in video game terms is anything which helps you immerse yourself into the game-playing experience.'
When Dille and Zuur Platten say this, they mean that the story/dialogue in a game should be relevant - a piece of information vital to helping the game move along and engage the player in what they are doing, rather than casual, unnecessary drivel which will send the player to sleep.
'A character's physical appearance is often a manifestation of his wants, needs, status, current situation and life experiences.'
From the Ultimate Guide to Video game writing and design, this statement refers to the ideology that a character's appearance should not be designed before the rest of the character, else it can restrict and limit your creativity when it comes to creating the character as a whole. When you form a character, it is what makes that character which tends to drive how he or she will ultimately look.
This last one is more about the team you will inevitably work in when it comes to working on a real industry project:
'It is very important that the entire team focus on a simple, memorable, one sentence (or paragraph) version of what the game is about.'
If everyone is under the same impression by the very same statement defining your game concept, then everyone is on the same page and the likelihood of miscommunication decreases quite a lot. Each team player understands the same notion, and can work together from that. Ultimately, this ties in with the concept of a 'hook', generally a one-liner which sums up the story in a hand-full of powerful words - something you'd expect to find on the back of the game box.
Of course, I could very possibly go on for much longer, but I picked out points that these writers have made which I found are good to know. If they are useful for you - the reader- too then all the better!
