Industry Insights: From The Industry Side

Condensation of All Game Fiction

by lizard
April 18, 2002

lizard's backstory I should probably stay out of this, for the simple reason that I tend to hate in-game fiction of more than a paragraph or two in length. A pithy quote or a single paragraph at the start of a chapter adds mood; more than that, and I feel like it's padding. I especially hate it when vital game-world information is contained in the fiction, since I tend to skip the fiction entirely until the third or fourth reading.[1]

Thus, I can only give you advice on what NOT to do, via the following "Condensation of All Game Fiction".

[1]Yes, I know many people on this list write it, and are good at it. I know the customers expect it, and like it. I know a lot of people who write it are proud of it. None of this changes my opinion. It doesn't matter how well-played a football game is, how skilled and dedicated the players are, how much time and effort they put into training and practic, how complex and intricate the strategies are -- if you don't like football, you don't like football, and that is that.

Purple prose rained down like a bad metaphor. Cool Dude strode into the setting, genre-specific weapon by his side.

The young kid approached. "Leading question", he said.

"Gratuitious profanity to show this is a game for adults, not some kiddy D&D thing." replied Cool Dude. "In-game slang used without explanation."

"In game slang?" queried the kid.

"Explanation of slang. Insult of the kid." Cool Dude sighed, then used one of his powers.

"Incredulity!"

"Explanation of power. More slang. Oh no -- it's the Bad Guys!" Drawing his genre specific weapon and summoning his powers, Cool Dude leapt to the attack. Blood and guts and intestines flew, once again showing the maturity and depth of the game.

The kid leaped into the fray, using the knowledge he'd just gained to summon an in-game power. The tide of battle turned. Despite heavy adjectives, the Bad Guys were forced to retreat.

"Cryptic threatening comment!" screamed the leader as he vanished.

"Grudging admiration", says Cool Dude. "Now you can begin to walk the path of a thousand steps."

(Actual GAME STUFF begins here.)