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Evan Skolnick (Game Writer & Narrative Designer, Independent)
Location: Room 201, South Hall
Date: Monday, March 20
Time: 10:00 am - 6:30 pm
Pass Type: All Access Pass, Summits Pass
Topic: Game Narrative
Format: Workshop
Vault Recording: Not Recorded
Audience Level: All
This dynamic, engaging presentation on the fundamentals of story development is designed for anyone and everyone interested in improving the narrative quality of their games. Hosted by Marvel and Telltale writing veteran Evan Skolnick, the comprehensive tutorial covers narrative structure, 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."
Attendees will gain an understanding of narrative's place in games and some of the main theories of story. 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, relevant examples, skill-building exercises, and practical case studies.
This tutorial is mainly for game developers with limited story development experience. No prerequisite knowledge is necessary to understand the content of this session. However, familiarity with foundational "nerd culture" movies (Star Wars, LOTR, Aliens, Terminator, etc.) and landmark story-centric games (BioShock, Portal, Half-Life, Uncharted, etc.) will enhance the experience.