Time to break open the scope on this blog a bit and chat a bit about movies — not overtly fanboyish movies like Blade but movies in general. You see, today I was speculating about a new subgenre of popular non-musicals. Outsider movies that feature a “big finish” dance scene. Specifically, Napoleon Dynamite and its […]
Author Archives: Game Writer Guy
Can you geek it old-school?
Game design: Call of Juarez
Game design case study of the Xbox 360’s Call of Juarez I played a decent chunk of this shoot-em-up – “the only Western first-person shooter experience on Xbox 360” – the other evening. I’m curious as to what other Westher shooter experiences there might be in the game universe. I’m offering $25, public accolades, and […]
Game writing: “I want my car back” and other reasons to fight
Game writing is sometimes worse off than I think it is. Really. It’s just gawdawful ridiculous, even in some of the most hallowed franchises. I have to give props to EGM (Electronic Gaming Monthly) for their WTFiction!? series. These two-page spreads at the back of the mag are shining examples of how to pinpoint ridiculous […]
Game developer subtly admits, “Our game writing was swill!”
Game writing in the original Gears of War is one of my pet peeves*, and I haven’t unloaded that gem yet. However, I’d like to quote a little news nugget I found in the February EGM. In a teaser about Gears of War 2 (Xbox 360), page 59, developer Epic Games is emphasizing the writing. The writing? […]
Game design goofup: goodbye, Devil May Cry 3
Game design has changed from the Dark Ages of arcade development. Back when arcades ruled the roost, a game designer could assume a few things about his* audience. They were under 18. They were male. They were playing in a movie theatre lobby or arcade. And they were really freakin’ bored. The classic arcade audience […]
Screenwriting: a ?!?! moment in Blade Trinity
A screenwriting thought: Blade Trinity puzzler Screenwriting isn’t game design (although a lot of game designers wish it were). Still, screenwriters are, like game writers, in the business of visual storytelling. Under that precept, I’d like to relate the following tale of woe. The other night I channelsurfed upon Blade Trinity. I’m as much a […]
Game design case study: why can’t I stop playing Bard’s Tale?
Game writing trumps game design? My current crap-game obsession is inXile’s Bard’s Tale for the PS2. An ill-fated classic-game revival, BT has very little in common with its storied predecessor (which I also loved back in the days when I was too young to buy my own computer – can you say “floppy disk swapfest”?). […]
game writers and gamers welcome
Game writers – specifically videogame writers – it’s here! The video game writer blog. Thoughts about the art and science of writing for games. War stories. Analysis of games, gameplay, and of course, game writing. Case studies of videogame writing and where it succeeds (Planetfall, God of War) — and fails, even in bestselling titles […]