GDC 2025 Session Viewer
Storytelling Fundamentals Workshop
Evan Skolnick (Game Writer / Narrative Designer, Independent)
Pass Type: All Access Pass, Summits Pass - Get your pass now!
Track: Game Narrative
Format: Workshop
Vault Recording: TBD
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 long-running workshop (a broad mix of designers, artists, engineers, producers and writers) have called it “engaging”, “informative”, and “absolutely amazing”.
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
This workshop is mainly intended for game developers (across all disciplines) who have limited fiction writing 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.