How to Write Compelling Stories for Videogames
There are certain elements required in order to write compelling stories in novels, books, and movie scripts. You must consider the interactive nature of videogames, but in general, you can follow the same route.
Video games have become one of the biggest forms of art and entertainment. They have evolved from score-based objectives like Asteroids or Pac Man, into movie-like experiences such as The Last of Us, Uncharted, and Death Stranding.
0. The birth of movie-like experiences
The driving factor that made games evolve into interactive experiences has been the CD, or any form of optical media. Moving on from cartridges allowed developers to make games with bigger file sizes, and implement 'cutscenes'.
Cutscenes serve as a resting point for gamers once they complete a level, but more importantly, it allows the writers to further enrich the game's lore by conveying a message through them.
For the first time we started to see video game characters talk and interact with each other; not only in cutscenes, but during gameplay as well. This completely changed the way video games were made, and of course, this includes the way they are written.
Dialogues, establishing shots, panning shots, and more techniques can be used to add to the game's storyline. Through a cutscene, you can introduce new characters, use flashbacks, determine a threat, or do anything to further enrich the story.
1. Start with a great hook
This technique has been used more and more in series, movies, and video games. Using a great hook at the beginning of the game will immediately grab the attention of the player. You will be able to set the tone from the get-go, and the player will be immediately drawn into the world you have created.
Beware of tutorials or long cutscenes
Tutorials are a common way to start a game, however, I do not recommend adding too much dialogue or limiting the player's movement because it will make it too cumbersome.
One example of this is Metro: 2033, Halo: Infinite, or Meet Your Maker. These games inconveniently show you their mechanics through a slow a slow level tutorial, and add too much dialogue in between. They also limit your movement, so after a long establishing cut-scene, you still have to complete the tutorial in order to finally start the game.
Tutorials must be short, and one great way to do it is to put the player right in the action and use hints to familiarize them with the game's mechanics. 'Press B to crouch', 'Use LS to move', and other basic movements like that must not get dragged through a slow tutorial full of unnecessary dialogue.
Have the player navigate through the level by exploring and trying things. It is sort of like your dad throwing you on the pond to see if you could swim on your own, with him, of course, supervising closely.
Another mistake, very similar to adding cumbersome tutorials, is to add establishing real-time scenes that are too long. One good example of this is FarCry 5. You spend a good couple of minutes hearing the character's chit-chat. Even though they use a great hook to establish the story, they still use a long real-time scene to do so.
The more time the player has to wait to use the controller, the less engaged with the game they will be.
Let us put ourselves in the player's situation. After booting up their brand-new game, and perhaps waiting for the day-one patch to download, they still have to be dragged through 5 minutes of pre-rendered and real-time scenes to establish the game's storyline.
The more time the player has to wait to use the controller, the less engaged with the game they will be. First impressions are crucial, and many players actually miss great experiences because the first minutes of the game were too cumbersome.
Put the player right in the action
Putting the player right into the action will immediately hook them with the game. One good example is The Callisto Protocol. During the first minute of the game, you immediately get into trouble and have to do everything to survive.
This sort of sudden disturbance feels authentic because of its unexpected nature. You also put the player in a state of alert from the get-go, enhancing their senses and engaging them into survival mode.
The Callisto Protocol sets the scene from the start. There is a package you must deliver, but an unfortunate event force you to land-crash on Callisto. After engaging the player with a strong hook, the writers use the rest of the game to unravel the story or reveal plot twists.
This message is delivered without overloading the player with dialogues or cutscenes. It is a simple, yet great hook.
2. Tell the story through the game's world
A great way to write compelling stories for your games is to focus on the actual game world. You can actively or passively convey your story to the player through the world you put them in. Attention to detail is crucial in this step because it has to be done right.
Passive storytelling must be discrete, and avoid being too obvious. On the other hand, active storytelling must be used wisely to avoid overloading the player with unnecessary information.
Passive storytelling
A fantastic example of passive storytelling is The Last of Us, when Joel and Ellie embark on their journey, you can see the remains of Boston, a city that once thrived and was full of life.
The city shows signs that its people tried to survive the outbreak. You can see cars blocking tunnels, makeshift bunkers made of concrete slabs or metal sheets, and other kinds of available materials that could help anyone survive dire conditions.
Another game in a similar vein that does this brilliantly is Days Gone. You can see how humans have adapted in order to survive. They use anything they find to craft weapons, repair vehicles, and make defenses.
In a game like Cyberpunk: 2077 you can immediately grasp that you are in a decadent world by the kind of technology used, and the different social statures in Night City, and its outskirts. The business part of the city is modern and prosper, while the forgotten alleyways are filled with bums and drug addicts.
The world is passively telling you a compelling story. You can see how much time has happened since things were 'normal' without the need for a cutscene, prerendered or in real-time.
Active storytelling
A great way to actively enrich your game world is to make the player pick up magazines, letters, posters, pictures or other kinds of memorabilia when exploring the world.
For example, the player could get into a derelict house and find a family portrait with dates and names, a love letter that shows a stranger's feelings, or emails that complement the game's lore.
Be succinct when adding written lore, and try to make it relevant to the story.
Intel and collectibles are a great way to actively tell the story when the player is exploring on its own. RPG games tend to overdo this, and the player gets tired of reading too much lore. One good example of this is Skyrim, Dragon Age, or The Witcher 3.
The majority of players will not take the time to read through all the collected books, letters, or intel gathered, especially if they are a few paragraphs long. Be succinct when adding written lore, and try to make it relevant to the story.
3. Use meaningful cutscenes
Cutscenes are the best way to convey a compelling story. The game's plot can progress significantly thorugh cutscenes, and characters can shine the brightest. It is important to know when and how to use cutscenes so that the game's pace feels consistent, and the player keeps engaged.
Cutscenes provide the player respite
As mentioned, a few paragraphs above, cutscenes provide the player respite after an action-packed moment, or after completing a tedious boss battle. Players can have a sip of water, or grab a bite while a cutscene is happening.
Remember that games became movie-like experiences, so it is common for players to eat and drink while gaming. They also use this time to check their phones and social media.
Cutscenes are crucial because you can add significant plot points to the game's story. You can also reveal plot twists or provide more context for a specific situation. One game that does this quite well is Ghost of Tsushima. Cutscenes are placed at the right moments and they are the right length.
Another game that does this tremendously well is Nioh and Nioh 2. The games have few cutscenes places usually after a boss battle and they do not drag for too long.
Know when to use long cutscenes
On the other hand, games like Death Stranding can have cutscenes that feel like watching an episode of a TV series; however, this is done intentionally because Hideo Kojima uses actors like Norman Reedus, Léa Seydoux, and Tommie Earl Jenkins for its cutscenes.
The point of these long cutscenes is for players to see 'real life' actors portray video game characters. Besides, what good would it be to have this amazing cast ensemble just for 1- or 2-minute scenes?
Closing cutscenes feel like a prize the player earned after completing an epic journey
Do not use long cutscenes just for the sake of it. They are best used at the end of the game to provide closure or to tie loose ends. Closing cutscenes feel like a prize the player earned after completing an epic journey. Players sit back, relax, and enjoy the work of their hands when watching a long, closing cutscene.
Do not make the closing cutscene too short because the player will feel the end is anticlimactic, or that the whole game was not worth the while. First and last impressions are fundamental for the player's overall gaming experience.
4. Use persuasion techniques
Persuasion techniques can help you create a connection between the player and the story. Evoking feelings and emotions are crucial in order to create such a connection. We can achieve this through audio-visual stimulation.
Music and sounds
Music can be one of the most powerful ways to convey a message; it can instantly set the tone for virtually anything. For instance, descending into a sewer level can get even more ominous through the right music score; the player can feel dreadful or terrified in a dark, mysterious sewer if eerie music is played.
One technique used nowadays is 'reactive music'. This technique consists of the music increasing its pace and feeling whenever there is an imminent threat or enemies are attacking. The music then slows down as the player is defeating its enemies and ends up sorting out the danger.
Sounds are another crucial part of great storytelling. You might not feel it is directly related to writing, but sound effects can make a huge difference in conveying a message. Take the Resident Evil 2 and 3 remakes for example; hearing the distant footsteps of Mr. X can give the player a sense of urge and immediate danger.
The loud and dry thumps each time Mr. X strolls provide a significant context for him as a character. The player immediately feels that the enemy is invincible, or that they are in serious danger, and need to run away.
Great dialogues and coherent voice acting
Dialogues can be used during both cutscenes and gameplay. It is more and more common for characters to talk between them while the player is in the middle of the action. Due to the hectic nature of real-time dialogue, you must not use it to convey a significant piece of information or reveal a major plot line.
Cutscenes are the best way to implement great dialogues through coherent voice acting. Memorable and engaging dialogues should be reserved for cutscenes. You must also reserve major plot twists for them.
A great way to help voice acting is by using descriptions on the script, rather than merely setting up the scene. For example, you can write a compelling cutscene by describing what the characters are going through. Using adjectives really helps convey the message.
Let's make a short, fictitious cutscene for a horror game as an example. Instead of saying something like 'The main character crawled through the floor, trying to reach his gun once he did, he screamed: "I am going to kill you!"' You can instead use description to not only enrich the scene, but help the voice actor know the kind of feeling you want to convey.
It will be something like this: 'The main character, heavily wounded, dragged his bloody self through the floor, he was desperately hyperventilating as he tried to reach his gun; once he got ahold of it, he gathered the remaining strength he had, and violently screamed: "I am going to kill you!"
This more descriptive scene helps deliver the message better, and it helps the voice actor know the kind of situation they are in, and what the director might want from them. By using persuasive, and memorable writing, you are not only helping the scene itself become richer, but you help the actor and director with cues along the way.
Strong, emotionally charged events
As mentioned above, cutscenes are the best way to convey strong, emotionally charged events like a major plot twist, a character's death, or a heartwarming, closing moment. Writing compelling moments require a lot of descriptive and persuasive writing.
Using adjectives really helps to make these scenes even better, especially if they will be put in the hands of directors and voice actors. If the game is text based like Stardew Valley, your technique for writing compelling scenes does not change a lot. You still need to rely on descriptive writing by using adjectives and adverbs.
Do not underestimate the power of a thesaurus when looking for the right word. Synonyms might have a similar overall meaning, but they are not entirely the same. For instance, there is a significant difference between the adjectives 'harrowing' and 'painful'. You must determine which one will deliver that emotionally charged event better.
One game that brings strong, emotionally charged events through their cutscenes is Death Stranding. It helps a lot that the actors in the game are Hollywood stars. They do a fantastic job enacting these emotional scenes, especially during the final chapters of the game. I even shed some tears during Die-Hardman's story arc.
Visual storytelling
This technique helps transmit those emotionally charged events we talked about before. Using proper environmental design elements helps create the atmosphere and mood you are looking for.
Lighting and camera angles will further enrich your cutscene, and can help you emphasize specific lines of dialogue. The best example out there is the scene where Darth Vader reveals himself to Luke Skywalker. Without spoiling it for anyone unbeknownst to Star Wars, you can see Luke's disbelief when his face was put on the scene's foreground.
Other general examples include using an upwards perspective to give antagonists a feeling of power, or being bigger than they are; closeups can help you emphasize certain lines of dialogue, and establishing shots can provide a lot of perspective for the game's world.
All of these techniques are married to complementary elements such as lighting, music, and sounds. A proper combination of all of them will help you evoke the right feelings in the player.
In retrospect
When writing compelling stories for video games you must consider its interactive nature, but that should not deter you from using techniques that are useful in movies or TV scripts. Keep in mind that passively enriching the world can add a significant amount of context to your amazing story.
Balance the use of written lore and cutscenes to avoid dragging the player into cumbersome moments; remember that having the controller in hand, and using it is, what ultimately keeps the player engaged.
Consider the importance of the first and last impression your story will elicit in the player. Do not drag them through long introductory scenes or tutorials, and do not rush to make the endgame cutscene short and anticlimactic.
