What Is The Process Of Creating a Narrative In Games?

Here is the pipeline I created and used when I was a Narrative Producer:

0) Logline
— High-concept premise
— Two or three sentences
— Includes the protagonist, goal, and main conflict

1) Synopsis
— Brief story overview (1-2 pages)
— Follows a three-act structure
— Outlines main plot points, key characters, and the overall story arc

2) Story Outline
— Breakdown narrative into acts and major chapters
— Highlight key events, character development, and plot twists
— Roadmap for the entire story

2A) Worldbuilding
— Create the game’s setting
— Focus on aspects that influence the story and characters

2B) Characters Passports
— Backstory and motivation
— Key character traits
— Role in the plot
— Description of appearance
— References

2C) Speech Characteristics
— Unique speech patterns for each character
— Examples: old-fashioned or slang speech, stuttering, etc.
— Sample of dialogue

3) Chapter Flowchart
— Visual representation of story progression
— Detail branching paths, scenes, player decisions, and possible outcomes
— Indicates game mechanics used in scenes

3A) Art Description
— Descriptions and references for the art team
— Includes character designs, environments, items, and key scenes

3B) Narrative Features Description
— Tools/features for narrative
— Dialogue system, branching path mechanics
— Interactive storytelling elements, etc.

4) Writing Dialogue
— Create engaging dialogues fitting characters and advancing the story
— Describe cut scenes and character actions

4A) Secondary Narrative
— Environmental storytelling
— Lore texts
— Item descriptions
— Barks & optional dialogues

5) Voice Acting & Motion Capture
— Casting and recording voice actors
— Motion capture to enhance character animations (if required)

6) Integration
— Implement and configure created narrative content into the game build
— Creating cutscenes

7) Testing and Iteration
— Playtest, gather feedback, and iterate
— Improve pacing, engagement, and coherence with gameplay

8) Localization
— Translate and adapt the narrative for different languages and cultures
— Ensure the main narrative is tested and approved