You don't mess with full moon
What a year, Captain
Thousands of people in the gamedev industry laid off. The beloved Chinese market in Belgrade’s Blok 72 burned down. Local witches didn’t warn us about the 25th January Wolf Moon for no reason.
So, I’ll do my best to distract you with some feel-better stuff I’ve encountered recently.
A certain game’s had its alpha test; since the NDA for players has been lifted, I would like to draw your attention to this stream recording featuring gameplay and devs’ answers.
We figured out the “Games” chapter in our interactive storytelling book. The last thing I want is to fall into the groove of genre and other basic things: many great books on game writing delve into that, and I believe tools, systems, and mechanics aren’t so genre-tied anymore. So, it will be based on principal systems or lack thereof.
Narrative-driven or not; emergent story vs fixed; synchronous vs. asynchronous multiplayer; storytelling in GAAS — for me, it’s part research around my current work, part an attempt to peek into the near future.
Speaking of borrowing ideas from unrelated genres: in this article on narrative design in “Slay The Princess” I loved the concept of “Voice of the Hero”: I think this might be a system in itself allowing for a subtle story — or, rather, character — branching in a game where regular branching storylines wouldn’t fit.
The best chocolate chip cookies were discovered at “Pretop” in Zemun neighbourhood. They’re giant and amazing, and the absence of a picture should serve as my testimony of their excellence.
Current read: Marina Abramović’s memoir, as gripping as a work of fiction, well, no surprise, considering the artist’s life as a constant participatory narrative where even the inanimate objects become actors (the story of her Amsterdam house is mind-blowing).
Concept artist Jama Jurabaev was interviewed by Yuri Dud’ — the interview is in Russian, but has EN subtitles, so go for it! I’m lucky to know Jama personally and also to have studied in his “Narrative Concept Art” course. He’s talented and meticulous as hell, works at Lucasfilm and runs his own asset boutique.
And don’t miss the understated brilliance of “Dream Scenario” with Nicholas Cage being genius all across the board and Cousin Gregg in an episode of spectacularly precise casting.
How’s your January been?
Cheers,
N.