Agenda

This dynamic presentation on the essentials of story development is designed for anyone and everyone interested in improving the narrative quality of their games. Get to know folks from your own and other disciplines while learning about storytelling fundamentals and taking part in activities that promote networking in a relaxed but engaging environment.

Hosted by Marvel and Telltale writing veteran Evan Skolnick, this comprehensive full-day tutorial covers core narrative principles, vibrant character development, storytelling best practices, and more. Nearly every member of a development team ultimately contributes to the implementation of the game’s narrative, and so becomes, to one degree or another, a storyteller. But without a shared language of story spoken by all team members, an unfocused narrative result is almost inevitable. This session is designed to provide that common frame of reference, so that everyone on the team is driving the game story in the same direction.

Previous attendees of this perennial workshop (a broad mix of designers, artists, engineers, producers, and writers) have called it "engaging", "informative", and "absolutely amazing". The topic may be basic, but the experience will be anything but!

Takeaway

Attendees will gain understanding of narrative’s place in games and some of the main principles of storytelling. They will also learn vital rules and tools related to characterization, exposition delivery, believability, and impact on the audience. Concepts are reinforced via insightful lectures, entertaining examples, and skill-building exercises.

Intended Audience

The intended audience includes game developers from every discipline, at all levels of experience. As it says in the session title, "everyone"!