Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Guild Wars 2 writers talk (at length) about MMO story]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/16/guild-wars-2-writers-talk-at-length-about-mmo-story/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/16/guild-wars-2-writers-talk-at-length-about-mmo-story/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/16/guild-wars-2-writers-talk-at-length-about-mmo-story/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Guild Wars 2 - Human concept art
What's it like to pen the narrative for one of the most anticipated MMORPGs, well, ever? It's quite different from writing a novel or a screenplay, according to ArenaNet's Angel McCoy. She joins Guild Wars 2 lead writer Bobby Stein and Peter "The Explorer" Fries for an MMO story-flavored sit-down with fan site Under the Pale Tree.

The interview is a lengthy one (who knew that writers could be so wordy?), and it covers a bunch of ground including the megalithic sprawl of GW2's narrative, the challenges inherent in writing particular races, and the differences between in-game dialogue and cutscene exposition. There's more to it, of course, but honestly the thing is so huge that we're going to go finish reading it after we've jotted down this here news post.

MassivelyGuild Wars 2 writers talk (at length) about MMO story originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 May 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetangel-mccoyarenanetbobby-steinfantasyguild-wars-2guild-wars-2-interviewguild-wars-2-storyguild-wars-2-writersgw2gw2-storyinterviewmmo-storynarrativencsoftpeter-friesstoryWed, 16 May 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Guild Wars 2 and the evolving narrative of a personal story]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/19/guild-wars-2-and-the-evolving-narrative-of-a-personal-story/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/19/guild-wars-2-and-the-evolving-narrative-of-a-personal-story/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/19/guild-wars-2-and-the-evolving-narrative-of-a-personal-story/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Yeah, it's mostly golems with these guys.
Guild Wars 2 has promised players a personal narrative from very early in development, but with all of the beta testing and class previews, it's a feature that hasn't seen as much description. So as the game draws ever closer to release, it's a good thing that the most recent development blog is all about the development of a player's personal narrative over the course of gameplay. According to the blog, the choices players make start during character creation and continue from there, resulting in 30 potential story paths just through the starter region alone.

Of course, branches alone aren't worth much of anything if they don't lead to some interesting gameplay in the process. The design blog discusses how this works in the Asura starting area, whose designers began with a design document stating that the player needed to investigate two genius golemancers to determine which one was culpable in a crisis. Rather than forcing the player to simply run to two separate locations and have a chat, the staff realized that the two geniuses would be more likely to be interacting at an event -- say, a competition of golems. The refinement goes on from there, with each step refining the narrative and investing the players further to make something more memorable than a simple questioning session.

MassivelyGuild Wars 2 and the evolving narrative of a personal story originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Mar 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anetarenanetdeveloping-narrativesdeveloping-storiesdevelopmentdevelopment-blogfantasyguild-wars-2gw2narrativencsoftpersonal-storystoryMon, 19 Mar 2012 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Storyboard: Not in control]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/17/storyboard-not-in-control/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/17/storyboard-not-in-control/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/17/storyboard-not-in-control/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Facemask theater! All facemasks. All the time.
One of the weird parts of roleplaying, at least for me, is the fact that I'm not really in control at all.

I don't mean in the narrative sense, although that's also true. I'm talking about the simple fact that my characters have minds of their own, and that's half of the entertainment value. I see something happening, I know it's going to be bad, and I find myself thinking that the best thing my character can do is keep his or her mouth shut. And then I'm hammering away at the keyboard because even though I think otherwise, he or she has a very different opinion.

Writers are familiar with the idea, of course. Characters wind up talking to you, even when you don't mean for it to happen. But it happens with roleplaying just as surely, and you wind up with a character driving in a totally different direction than you had planned, with your main-line character sitting on the side while some C-list concept takes center stage. And the funny part is that it all feels right, all the way through.

Continue reading Storyboard: Not in control

MassivelyStoryboard: Not in control originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Feb 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>character-designcharacter-voicescharactersfeaturednarrativeopinionroleplayingrpstoryboardFri, 17 Feb 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[ArenaNet closes the book on Guild Wars' Winds of Change]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/14/arenanet-closes-the-book-on-guild-wars-winds-of-change/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/14/arenanet-closes-the-book-on-guild-wars-winds-of-change/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/14/arenanet-closes-the-book-on-guild-wars-winds-of-change/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Guild Wars - I assume this image has something to do with Winds of Change
If you missed the Winds of Change arc that's bridging the gap between Guild Wars and Guild Wars 2, now's a great time to head to the official ArenaNet blog to catch up. The devs have provided a handy summary post and a bit of an explanation for their narrative goals as both Guild Wars and its highly anticipated sequel move forward.

ArenaNet also acknowledges the community feedback regarding the difficulty of the Winds of Change content, and the firm says that initially "the difficulty was getting in the way of people enjoying the story, making it far more of a slog than we'd intended and actively undermining their enjoyment of it."

Happily, recent updates have led to "major balance tweaks" and second looks at both normal and hard-mode content, so if you were frustrated before, it's worth your time to give it another go.

MassivelyArenaNet closes the book on Guild Wars' Winds of Change originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arena-netarenanetchallengedev-blogfantasyguild-warsguild-wars-2gwgw2mmo-storynarrativencsoftnew-contentwinds-of-changeTue, 14 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[WildStar Wednesday talks about the game's narrative design]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/08/wildstar-wednesday-talks-about-the-games-narrative-design/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/08/wildstar-wednesday-talks-about-the-games-narrative-design/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/08/wildstar-wednesday-talks-about-the-games-narrative-design/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

This is your captain speaking. We're having a little problem with our entry sequence, so we'll be experiencing some turbulence followed by... exploding.
Unless you were at PAX Prime last year, about all you've seen of WildStar in action has been the game's cinematic trailer. While it didn't give much of an idea of how the game played, said video certainly had a lot of style. According to the latest WildStar Wednesday community blog post, that style was a big part of the game's narrative design, which is seen as one of the main points of development -- making a game that feels large, engrossing, and epic.

As lead designer Chad Moore explains it, the narrative design team is responsible for outlining the world of Nexus, which was in part created to serve as a perfect locus for a variety of different adventures. While this design team isn't particularly concerned with mechanics, it is concerned with ensuring that every part of the game has the same degree of personality as the first cinematic trailer. If you're one of the many people anticipating the game heavily, take a look behind the scenes to see how it produces its feel.

MassivelyWildStar Wednesday talks about the game's narrative design originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aestheticcarbinecarbine-studioschad-moorecommunity-blogdesignfeelgame-designgame-feellooksnarrativenarrative-designncsoftproductionwildstarwildstar-wednesdayWed, 08 Feb 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Storyboard: Get them in a tree, throw rocks at them]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/12/storyboard-get-them-in-a-tree-throw-rocks-at-them/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/12/storyboard-get-them-in-a-tree-throw-rocks-at-them/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/12/storyboard-get-them-in-a-tree-throw-rocks-at-them/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

This would be what is called a theme week.
The past week or so has been pretty terrible for one of my favorite characters in Final Fantasy XIV. Over the course of the last week, she's been drugged, been tied up, had her heart broken twice (more or less her own fault), broken someone else's heart, been scarred, and been screamed at, and she's managed to see one of her dearest friends begin to turn into an enemy. And I'm writing this on Monday, so I can only begin to imagine what's going to happen over the course of this week.

Of course, there's a disconnect here because while she was knee-deep in roleplaying misery, I was having an absolute blast -- some of the most fun I've had roleplaying in a long time, actually. Now, there's something to be said there about making your characters miserable for fun and profit, which I intend to discuss next week. But it occurred to me that this is one of the fundamental disconnects between roleplayers and the non-RP part of any game's population. The goal in any MMO is to become more capable... but the goal of roleplaying, at least to start with, involves making things worse and becoming significantly unhappier.

Continue reading Storyboard: Get them in a tree, throw rocks at them

MassivelyStoryboard: Get them in a tree, throw rocks at them originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Aug 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advicecolumnfeaturedmiserynarrativenarrative-arcopinionroleplayingrpstoryboardunhappinessFri, 12 Aug 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively Exclusive: RIFT's Drowning in Snow, part three]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/06/massively-exclusive-rifts-drowning-in-snow-part-three/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/06/massively-exclusive-rifts-drowning-in-snow-part-three/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/06/massively-exclusive-rifts-drowning-in-snow-part-three/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Today we've got a special treat for all of you RIFT lore junkies out there. That's right, it's time for Part 3 of the ongoing Drowning in Snow series. This episode sees the deadly Kelari assassin Kira Thanos and her companion Uriel fighting their way through an onslaught of water rifts and Abyssal Cultists. Will they make it out alive, or will they be engulfed by the salty waters of the elemental plane? Follow on past the cut for the next installment of Drowning in Snow and find out for yourself.

Continue reading Massively Exclusive: RIFT's Drowning in Snow, part three

MassivelyMassively Exclusive: RIFT's Drowning in Snow, part three originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 06 Aug 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>drowning-in-snowkirakira-thanoslorenarrativepart-3part-threeriftrift-planes-of-telarastorytriontrion-worldsurielSat, 06 Aug 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Funcom building a bridge between the real and the fantastic in The Secret World]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/31/funcom-building-a-bridge-between-the-real-and-the-fantastic-in-t/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/31/funcom-building-a-bridge-between-the-real-and-the-fantastic-in-t/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/31/funcom-building-a-bridge-between-the-real-and-the-fantastic-in-t/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Funcom has released a new dev blog focused on The Secret World, and today's entry is penned by lead content designer Joel Bylos. Much like with yesterday's video teaser, the focus is on the game's environments, and in particular, its localization in the real world.

Bylos, who also served as a content designer on Funcom's Age of Conan expansion before moving to The Secret World, says that the game aims to capture the essence of the modern era while adding a supernatural and conspiratorial twist to places you think you know. "Above ground, New York looks just like the New York you have visited in real life. If you really wanted to, you could find the exact same area depicted in the game on Google Maps. But beneath the streets sprawls the corporate-industrial juggernaut of the Illuminati, known only as the Labyrinth," Bylos explains.

The dev blog goes on to mention the game's mission system as another tool for grounding the narrative in reality. Whether you're burning zombies, performing an exorcism with a vacuum cleaner, or chasing ghosts with mirrors, The Secret World looks to use the mundane as a window into the fantastic. Check out the game's official website for the full dev blog.

MassivelyFuncom building a bridge between the real and the fantastic in The Secret World originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 May 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dev-blogdev-diaryfantasyfuncomhorrorjoel-byloslocationsmissionsnarrativenew-yorkreal-world-locationssecret-worldstorythe-secret-worldtswvacuum-cleaner-exorcismTue, 31 May 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively Exclusive: The Secret World's Dag Scheve talks MMO story]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/20/massively-exclusive-the-secret-worlds-dag-scheve-talks-mmo-sto/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/20/massively-exclusive-the-secret-worlds-dag-scheve-talks-mmo-sto/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/20/massively-exclusive-the-secret-worlds-dag-scheve-talks-mmo-sto/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

MMO story has been getting a lot of press these days, and Funcom has thrown its hat into the ring with a couple of noteworthy developer blogs concerning narrative in The Secret World. The upcoming fantasy-horror MMORPG looks to combine its unique real-world setting and skill-based progression with a compelling narrative populated by memorable NPCs.

We recently chatted with lead writer Dag Scheve to follow up on his NPC-focused dev diary with a few burning questions. Scheve also talks about the narrative and design challenges inherent in massively multiplayer storytelling, and you'll find all that and more in our exclusive interview after the cut.

Continue reading Massively Exclusive: The Secret World's Dag Scheve talks MMO story

MassivelyMassively Exclusive: The Secret World's Dag Scheve talks MMO story originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 20 Apr 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dag-schevedev-blogdev-diaryexclusivefantasyfeaturedfuncomhorrorinterviewinterviewsmission-terminalsnarrativenpcsstoriesstorythe-secret-worldtswWed, 20 Apr 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What's your most memorable MMO quest?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/19/the-daily-grind-whats-your-most-memorable-mmo-quest/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/19/the-daily-grind-whats-your-most-memorable-mmo-quest/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/19/the-daily-grind-whats-your-most-memorable-mmo-quest/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

With all the talk about story in MMOs lately, you'd think it was a new concept for the massive genre. While titles like TERA and The Old Republic are hyping their narrative content in the months leading up to release, we're left to wonder whether everyone has forgotten about the humble quest and the fact that it's been steadfastly serving as a story device (if only we'd bother to read it) for the better part of 15 years.

Whether it's killing 10 rodents or delivering NPC unmentionables, the storytelling framework has always existed in MMOs both large and small. The quality and variety is certainly lacking at times, but with thousands of games to choose from, surely a couple of them have featured noteworthy quests that put a smile on your face. Whether that was due to the quality of the writing, the asides and in-jokes, or the immersion factor, inquiring Massively minds want to know about your favorite MMORPG quest. What was it, where can we find it, and why was it memorable?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What's your most memorable MMO quest? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 19 Dec 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>game-discussiongamer-discussionmmo-discussionmmo-hot-topicsmmo-issuesmmo-topicsmmorpg-discussionmmorpg-hot-topicsmmorpg-topicsnarrativequestsstoryswtortdgteratera-onlinethe-daily-grindthe-old-republicvanguardSun, 19 Dec 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[One Shots: A long way from home ]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/10/one-shots-a-long-way-from-home/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/10/one-shots-a-long-way-from-home/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/10/one-shots-a-long-way-from-home/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


We love to hear tales of people's journeys in different MMOs. Sure, you can easily go from one place to another, but when you get involved in the story, it just makes it feel so much more epic, we think. Today's breathtaking Lord of the Rings Online One Shot and narrative comes to us from Skypp Skydarkener, Treasure Hunter. Skypp sends in his tale: Months inside the dark cave that is Moria. Watcher is slain. Dark Delvings conquered. Water Works cleansed. I come out the other side of Moria with many things accomplished; many wondrous things witnessed. Greeting me on the other side is a lake that reflects the stars no matter what time of day. Clouds and sun do not obscure the stars from the waters as you can see in this shot.

If you love to write yourself into the larger story - or just tell your own stories - we want to hear from you! One Shots are even sweeter when they've got a great story to go with them. All you need to do is grab a screenshot on your adventures, then jot down a short note to go with it and email it to oneshots AT massively DOT com. We'll post it here for everyone to enjoy and let them know you sent it in!

Gallery: One Shots



MassivelyOne Shots: A long way from home originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 10 Aug 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>lord-of-the-rings-onlinelotronarrativeone-shotsscreenshotscreenshotsskypp-skydarkenerMon, 10 Aug 2009 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[BioWare's founders emphasize the importance of storytelling in their games]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/15/biowares-founders-talk-about-the-importance-of-storytelling-in/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/15/biowares-founders-talk-about-the-importance-of-storytelling-in/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/15/biowares-founders-talk-about-the-importance-of-storytelling-in/#commentsFiled under: , ,

BioWare co-founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk were the keynote speakers at Game Developers Conference Canada in Vancouver, British Columbia yesterday. Their speech was titled Emotionally Engaging Narrative: Gaming's New Frontier. Given BioWare's huge portfolio of successful story-driven games, it's no surprise they had a lot to talk about.

Not all game-types need a good narrative to be successful or fun (e.g., Bejewelled, Tetris, etc.), but MMORPGs could probably benefit from a greater emphasis on compelling and engaging storytelling. Both Ray and Greg talked about various types of narrative, including linear and non-linear, active and passive, and internal and external.

We know that story will be the fourth pillar of design in Star Wars: The Old Republic and here's an example of external narrative they say we'll see when it releases: "Manipulation of world server data based on a broad range of user activities can actually change the game world." We're not quite sure what that means, but here are a couple guesses: Online voting to determine the next expansion race or fan fiction making it into the game's narrative.

MassivelyBioWare's founders emphasize the importance of storytelling in their games originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 15 May 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowaregamasutragreg-zeschuknarrativeray-muzykastar-wars-the-old-republicstorystorytellingswtorFri, 15 May 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Player vs. Everything: Online Games and Sex]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/30/player-vs-everything-online-games-and-sex/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/30/player-vs-everything-online-games-and-sex/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/30/player-vs-everything-online-games-and-sex/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

As humans, sex is something that plays a very important role in our lives and personal experiences. It's a pretty universal and emotionally charged topic that can dramatically influence how we think of ourselves and how we view our relationships with other people. Even outside of the act itself, ideas about sex and human relationships shape the way we act, the way we dress, the way we live, and the people we associate with. Dealing with the complicated issues surrounding sex is part of the human condition. It's not at all surprising that sex is frequently portrayed in all forms of media which attempt to explore that human experience. However, are video games (and specifically online games) really ready to examine this topic?

There was a really interesting lecture posted by the videogame news blog Rock, Paper, Shotgun a few days ago in which Daniel Floyd discussed the topic of sex in video games. His key point is that if video games are going to attempt to explore the topic of sex effectively, they need to portray it in a way that ties it to relationships and intimacy. Watching the video made me start thinking about how sex is portrayed in MMOGs, especially with the recent launch of Age of Conan, a game that sold itself as a "mature title" with strong violence and sexuality. After a lot of reflection on the topic, I really don't think that mainstream online games are ready to explore sexuality, nor are they even capable of portraying it tastefully with their current limitations.

Continue reading Player vs. Everything: Online Games and Sex

MassivelyPlayer vs. Everything: Online Games and Sex originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 May 2008 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conancyber-sexfeaturedjoystiqfeaturesnarrativesecond-lifesexsexualsexualitystorystorytellingworld-of-warcraftFri, 30 May 2008 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Blackstar exclusive interview]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/16/blackstar-exclusive-interview/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/16/blackstar-exclusive-interview/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/16/blackstar-exclusive-interview/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,


We've spoken previously about the unique-looking space-combat MMO Blackstar, being developed by Spacetime Studios -- how previous publisher NCsoft had chosen to cancel their connection with the title, and how Spacetime recently regained the IP, to continue development on their own. From the look and sound of everything that's been shown to the public so far, this game has the potential to be NCsoft's "one that got away".

Intrigued by the goings-on with the studio, we contacted Spacetime's President and Executive Producer Gary Gattis to see if he could give us a peek behind the curtains -- or photon displacement cascade, as the case may be -- at how development on Blackstar is progressing. Mr. Gattis not only graciously consented to the interview request, but also gave us 4 pieces of concept art to share with our readers; art that has only made us long even more for the game's eventual release. Read the full interview after the jump!

Gallery: Star Legends

Continue reading Blackstar exclusive interview

MassivelyBlackstar exclusive interview originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 May 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anthony-sommersblackstarbreakfast-tacoscinco-barnesconcept-artdavid-levydescentfeaturedgary-gattisinterviewjake-rodgersjoystiqfeaturesnarrativencsoftscornspacetime-studioswing-commanderFri, 16 May 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Is narrative important?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/30/the-daily-grind-is-narrative-important/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/30/the-daily-grind-is-narrative-important/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/30/the-daily-grind-is-narrative-important/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

A lot of industry people talk about the importance of narrative in games, and how it's going to be a driving force in revolutionizing the state of games in the near future. Certainly, MMOs with rich histories and lore can benefit from well-written quest descriptions, but there is a cookie-cutter feel to many of them that is slightly off-putting; they're written broadly enough so that any player, any class can fulfill the requirement.

Regardless, even if the quest can be boiled down to 'Go kill 10 things', it can make a world of difference to read an engaging lead up, explaining who's involved, and how it affects the world -- but is this the type of narrative people are talking about? Is it possible to craft a true storyline, with a beginning, middle, and end, in an MMO, which for all intents and purposes, is meant to run forever? Do you feel like your favorite MMO could use more active lore? Is narrative as important as gameplay?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Is narrative important? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>historykill-10-thingslorenarrativequest-descriptiontdgthe-daily-grindWed, 30 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SGW's Chris Klug explains his storytelling philosophy]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/30/sgws-chris-klug-explains-his-storytelling-philosophy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/30/sgws-chris-klug-explains-his-storytelling-philosophy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/30/sgws-chris-klug-explains-his-storytelling-philosophy/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Chris Klug is Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment's Creative Director. He sets the vision for what kind of artistic and narrative experience players of Stargate Worlds will have. It's comforting for would-be SGW players, then, that Klug seems well educated in the basics of storytelling known to novelists and screenwriters.

Klug describes his storytelling philosophy in an article at RPG Vault. He talks about driving the story and characterization forward with each moment of game-play, and evoking a wide variety of emotions. You'd find many of the techniques and concepts he describes in a screenwriting textbook at USC. The folks at Cheyenne have told us before that SGW will stand out for its approach to storytelling, but this is the first evidence we have that they are on the right track.

Oh, and the article features two new SGW-related images.

MassivelySGW's Chris Klug explains his storytelling philosophy originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Nov 2007 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cheyennecheyenne-mountain-entertainmentchris-lugnarrativequestsrpg-vaultsgwstargatestargate-worldsstorystorytellingwritingFri, 30 Nov 2007 09:00:00 EST