Writing Tutorials, or Press Start. . . to Start - Professional Techniques for Video Game Writing - page 120

The antagonist and protagonist are who the story is about, so the player needs to
know as quickly as possible what the characters want, what makes them want it, and
how are they going to go about getting it. Without these key pieces of information,
the player can't understand what the story is about.
Just as with the world, establishing a character begins with appearance. However,
the most important way to define a character is not how they look but what they do.
If the opening of the game is a WWII beach landing then is the protagonist hanging
back and panicking? Brave, but just a foot soldier? A strict commander? Action
speaks louder than words, meaning that a writer must show not tell.
In a game, though, the writer doesn't fully control the character—the player does.
While the writer can give parameters and objectives that define the character, each
player will play that character in their own way. Does this render the writer's choice
of character action meaningless? No.
Whileitistruethatplayersdotakeameasureofcontroloverthecharacter,a
look at most game forums will show that players rarely make a distinction between
the writer's definition of a character and their own actions. Just as with other media,
if the chemistry is right, players will suspend their disbelief. They accept the rules
of game narrative and will take their character cues from the behavior the writer and
designer place upon the game's characters.
Establishing the Situation—Goal and Conflict
Drama equals conflict. 12 Conflict stems from anything that prevents the protagonist
from reaching their goal. As such, the narrative cannot make sense until the player
understands what the protagonist wants and who or what is going to stop them.
The Getaway starts with the protagonist's wife being kidnapped in a violent man-
ner. This incident sets out what will follow, as the central protagonist is forced into
a series of criminal acts to save his wife. For the player, the bad guys are bad because
we've seen them being bad. 13 We know instantly what the protagonist is doing (try-
ing to save his wife) and why (because the bad guys are no-nonsense violent thugs
who will kill her in a very painful manner if he doesn't). This clear goal instantly
places the player in the narrative and tells them what they need to do. It also helps
create narrative drive.
Creating Narrative Drive
Narrative drive isn't the street in Hollywood where all the writers live; it's the force
that pulls a reader into the plot and makes them want to keep going. If the player
doesn't feel an urge to discover more about the story, it might not stop them from
playing the game, but it will lessen their sense of immersion.
A simple way to create narrative drive stems from the selection and arrangement
of narrative information—what a player is told and when they are told it. Wondering
12 Drama without conflict: Kratos and the Gods have a picnic, everyone likes each other, the end. It is
unlikely that God of War would've garnered so much praise if this had been its story.
13 “Show not tell� in action!