Interactive Script Formatting - Professional Techniques for Video Game Writing - page 16

or quest-by-quest, making sure to name or number the scenes and beats so they can
be grouped together this way later on. Those columns can be filled in automatically.
Then I type the character name in the appropriate column, the line in the cell next
to it, the trigger for that dialog, and notes for the voice talent. Then I move on to the
next line of dialog. I find it much easier to write all of these notes at the same time I
write the dialog, rather than powering through the conversation and then going back
and adding actors' notes and triggers.
I also like to start my dialog-writing time by editing something I wrote two or
three days before. The work I did yesterday is usually too fresh and still looks fine.
Material from a few days ago has had enough time to age, and I have enough distance
to be able to tell if it's starting to stink or not.
Sadly, Excel is not the most ideal program of all time. The spell checker can
be spotty, formatting can be tricky, and files can grow to astronomical sizes some
computers will choke on.
If you make yourself learn the tools available to you, you'll get a feel for which will
work best for the job ahead of you. And if you're not sure which is most appropriate,
just pick one and get started. If it's not right, you'll feel it soon and can make the
switch.
2.5 Representing Branching and Nonlinear Narrative
In both spreadsheet and modified screenplay format, plot branches can only be rep-
resented in a linear way. For instance, making a note where the branching possibility
happens and going through dialog for one possible path, then writing through the
dialog for the next possible path, and so on. The Bratz script in Appendix A is an
example of the linear “if choice B� strategy.
Because this is kind of clunky, most writers resort to visual representations of
their nonlinear narrative. These methods truly have no standard. It comes down to
using whatever works. Some people list one event per note card and pin them up on
a big bulletin board, then use string to show paths between events. Others draw it
outonabigwhiteboardorsketchitonpaperandthenscanitintoacomputerfor
digital editing. I've seen trees, webs, matrices, and spirals.
Some writers say they can keep the narrative and all its branches straight just in
their own head, but in game development you have to be able to communicate your
vision to others, and sometimes there's nothing like a flow chart or diagram to get the
point across. In these cases, a cleaner presentation can be critical, so consider using a
program like PowerPoint, Visio, or Dia to pretty up the scribbles.
2.6 Specialized Tools
Many writers look at the current state of patchwork solutions and think there has
to be a better way. Tools programmers do, too, and I know of at least three possible
solutions in the works. The tech guys see programs like Final Draft and Movie Magic