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View, browse and sort the ever-growing list of sessions by day, time, pass type, topic, and format. With this Session Viewer, you can view session and speaker details for Game Developers Conference 2024.

You will be able to build your schedule with the GDC Mobile App. The GDC 2024 app will be available for download in Apple Apps and Google Play late February 2024.

Sessions do fill up and seating is first come, first serve, so arrive early to sessions that you would like to attend. Adding a session to your schedule does not guarantee you a seat.

Game Narrative Summit: Cooking with Chemistry: Recipes for Attraction in Narrative Design

Michelle Clough  (Game Writer / Narrative Designer, Talespinners)

Location: Room 2016, West Hall

Date: Monday, March 18

Time: 3:50 pm - 4:20 pm

Pass Type: All Access Pass, Summits Pass - Get your pass now!

Topic: Game Narrative

Format: Session

Vault Recording: Video

Audience Level: All

In real life, true love (or lust) does not only happen during a handful of pre-scripted story beats and conversations, but in a hundred shared moments that build affection and attraction. So it can be with game romance, mechanics, and narrative design! Expanding on 2022's talk on "kindness coins," "chemistry card towers," and "chemistry casinos," this session digs into the building blocks of those dynamics and discusses how to use them in crafting unique and compelling chemistry between characters, not just in terms of writing but in moment-to-moment gameplay. We'll look at how both cutscenes and game mechanics can express or build character-specific attraction and interest, and seek out nuanced alternatives to the "approval = attraction" dynamic. From come-hither character cosmetics to deckbuilding for desire, from eye contact to body contact, let's talk about how narrative design can add a little steam and sweetness to game sex and romance!

Takeaway

Attendees will leave with new ideas about how romantic and sexual attraction and tension can be incorporated into multiple levels of gameplay on top of dialogue and cutscenes, as well as how to create and express meaningful and unique chemistry with characters beyond simple "approval."

Intended Audience

This talk is intended for game writers, narrative designers, game designers, and anyone interested in creating or exploring romantic and sexual content in games.



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