Dialogue and logic - Writing for Video Games - page 79

aware of how it works will enable you to write your scripts in a manner which
makes it much easier to implement and reduces the need for changes and
additions once the logic is applied.Your script could look like the following:

Scene - Edwards talks to Wilks
Edwards:

Hey, Wilks. // Greeting used every time

First Time
Wilks: What's up?
Edwards: I heard that you witnessed the shooting.
Wilks: That so? // Nervous, but puts on brave face
Edwards: Just tell me what happened!
Wilks: Get lost! I didn't see nothing!
// Edwards looks angry - he should have handled it better
Other times (not talked to Wilks about Johnny)
Wilks: I got nothing to say.
Edwards has talked to Johnny
Edwards: Your friend Johnny saw you with the body.
Wilks: That junkie ain't fingering me!
Edwards: It's not looking good, man.
// Wilks thinks, weighing his options
Wilks: Listen, all I saw was a guy in a leather jacket running
away. The woman was already dead.
// Leather jacket is key info
Edwards: Thanks.
Repeated response line when all information is obtained
Wilks: Get lost, will you?

If the structure of the above is not clear enough to the design team, or who-
ever is implementing your scripts into the game, you should be prepared to
elaborate, either by talking to the people involved or putting further instruc-
tions into the script itself, whatever works best for everyone involved.
The above example could be further complicated if Edwards has found
out other information about Wilks. If he has already talked to Sally and found
out that Wilks is a drug dealer, say, it could affect his attitude towards him, in
which case you may need to create a whole new version of the above scene
which reflects this.There is a danger that this approach can get out of hand,
so wherever possible keep it simple and try to create lines which suit most
eventualities. If necessary, put an extra line or two into the scene - wrapped