Do RPGs actually benefit from having a writer?

[Kalin]

Posting in a JEW thread.

 

[Martyr]

RPGs having story and writing is not a bad thing per se. the bad thing is that the focus has shifted to: story first (preferably cinematic) and gameplay last.
seriously, take a look at Witcher 3. remove all the dialogue, cutscenes and dialogue cutscenes and what is left? rolling around in the dirt, hammering the left mouse button and following a red line while the rest of the screen is all blurry.
now remove all the dialogue from the Gold Box games or Wizardry 7 and you've still got a proper RPG with beefy gameplay. never heard anyone complaining about the writing in GB or Wiz7, though, which proves my point.

 

[aeroaeko]

There has literally never been an rpg with good gameplay, story is the backbone of the genre

 

[Drowed]

I think the best use of writers would be like revisers of dialogues. Good writers may not have the experience to create branching dialogues, or quests with various solutions, but no doubt they could take the text already written by other people and "adjust" it to an acceptable level.

I think the best way to enjoy a writer is precisely in the role of proofreader/consultant because that way you would be able to bring together the best of both worlds: instead of finding in a single person two distinct skills (visualizing and creating the story, and being able to write well), you divide the work into specific parts that would be created collaboratively.

 

[Zed Duke of Banville]

There has literally never been an rpg with good gameplay, story is the backbone of the genre

Story is an emergent property of RPGs; something that arises over the course of gameplay from the actions of the player(s) rather than through predetermined writing.

 

[anvi]

please have sex

Seriously, please, tell me how to find a woman

You could try not being scum.

 

[Divine Blessing]

Seriously, please, tell me how to find a woman

u might as well ask for work-out schedules and diet tips.

or start a survey-thread on codex female preferences (as indicator for average sexual contact, as a survey on sexual contact is likely to be compromised)...

/edit: almost forgot:

its show, not tell. environmental storytelling (as in Dark Souls) as reference in audio-visual media implies writing as another layer (of interaction, aka gameplay), but not the integral. still writing as a layer is not simple decoration, but an element of character progression, as character progression is also story progression.
quality writing in video games is primarily finetuning the environmental transported story (also tru quest givers, mobs, bosses etc.) via highlighting and elaborating the narrative elements (like lore, quests, compagnions etc.) - serving the character (and world) progression the right words.

 

[Thal]

Seriously, please, tell me how to find a woman

/edit: almost forgot:

its show, not tell. environmental storytelling (as in Dark Souls) as reference in audio-visual media implies writing as another layer (of interaction, aka gameplay), but not the integral. still writing as a layer is not simple decoration, but an element of character progression, as character progression is also story progression.
quality writing in video games is primarily finetuning the environmental transported story (also tru quest givers, mobs, bosses etc.) via highlighting and elaborating the narrative elements (like lore, quests, compagnions etc.) - serving the character (and world) progression the right words.

This right there. This is how you find a woman.

 

[MpuMngwana]

/edit: almost forgot:

its show, not tell. environmental storytelling (as in Dark Souls) as reference in audio-visual media implies writing as another layer (of interaction, aka gameplay), but not the integral. still writing as a layer is not simple decoration, but an element of character progression, as character progression is also story progression.
quality writing in video games is primarily finetuning the environmental transported story (also tru quest givers, mobs, bosses etc.) via highlighting and elaborating the narrative elements (like lore, quests, compagnions etc.) - serving the character (and world) progression the right words.

This right there. This is how you find a woman.

Does that mean all I have to do is pull my dick out in front of unsuspecting females, and I can forget about all that flirting bullshit?

 

[a Goat]

STORYFAGGOTS should kill urself or I'll get to them and do it.

Fuckiong STONIGS are what's keeping the genre stagnated. Have fun watching 14218945189 hours of CUNTscenes in between shitty filler combat designed for simple STONIG brains, but don't you ever dare suggesting they are good. I wish you long, painful death, and will fulfil this wish.

 

[JarlFrank]

Yes cutscenes are shit and if you're a writer on a game and insist on presenting the story by cutscenes, you are in the wrong job.

 

[vdweller]

The way things are, rpgs are probably better off by having as little writing as possible.

 

[Chaotic_Heretic]

fuck writing. Just give a damn excuse for murderhoboing and looting treasures. Like save the princess from the dragon or something. and focus on the gameplay. More specifically the murderhoboing/exploration/character progression.

 

[Sigourn]

What a weird question. Some RPGs don't need writers. Others do. It's up to the player whether they prefer something like Wizardry or something like Planescape: Torment.

 

[Metro]

Lot of storyfags on the Codex.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

Yes but it depends on what you understand as a "writer".

Someone who only writes text he's told to write by the actual designers? No, that's a shit position and a waste of a good game-writer's talents.

An RPG writer should be able to:
- design quests with multiple approaches, solutions and endings
- design a non-linear narrative with choice and consequence
- write interesting backgrounds for the dungeons and items the player will encounter
- if he's not able to do scripting, at least know what's possible with scripting and what isn't, so he can consider these things in his writing of dialogues etc
- work together with level designers and system designers to create content that is internally consistent and provides a great playing experience

If you don't know how to design interesting quests, you shouldn't write for RPGs.

writer for videogames makes post defending his reason to be paid money

 

[Machocruz]

If you can't write a good rape plot, don't even bother I say.

 

[hpstg]

You still need good writers for giving context. The first Grimrock was given as an example of not needing a writer, but I would say it's an example of having a good writer.

Unless someone thinks that writers are only people who create dialogue, in which case, die.

 

[Bibbimbop]

Seriously, please, tell me how to find a woman

be attractive, pleasant to be around and have a social circle/dating site accounts

literally not hard at all

Or failing that endeavor, you can be like hivemind and find the woman inside yourself.

 

[Zed Duke of Banville]

You still need good writers for giving context. The first Grimrock was given as an example of not needing a writer, but I would say it's an example of having a good writer.

Unless someone thinks that writers are only people who create dialogue, in which case, die.

Completely agree with you that writing is more than dialogue, but the credits of Legend of Grimrock list only "scenario" rather than "writing", and the two credited for "scenario" are the same as credited for "game design" as well as being separately credited for "programming", "item modeling and design", "game engine design and programming", and "sound effects". The game did not require someone to act just as writer.

Of course, this being the Codex, the poll's most popular non-KC option is for JRPGs.

 

[hpstg]

Consolidating a role, doesn't mean that the role is not needed.


It's like saying that programming is not essential because the same people who did it, did 3D modeling too.

 

[Atomboy]

A half-naked Blades agent called Caius Cosades taught me my favorite story to gameplay proportion when he said I had certain things to do for the Emperor, but not just yet, first I should go exploring, talking to people, running errands, etc. Morrowind sure had an awesome story, but it never made you follow it until you were okay with doing that. Games with almost no writing can get pretty boring for me (excluding around 10 titles I love despite that), games with a story that guides me through the world by holding my hand because other styles of play ruin the narrative experience piss me off so much, I drop them once I find out they're like that. Writing so that clicking on NPCs becomes fun and interesting is one thing, writing to make everything revolve around a certain story which is usually asinine is another thing completely. The game I write for with my pal even has this thing where if you go do the main story quest straight after starting the game, you'll get your ass handed to you unless you're a really combat-prone build. Exploring, finding places to visit, finding your own play style, it's the best!

 

[The Great ThunThun*]

Jeezus men.

The tardation is reaching epic levels.

Additive features good.
Incompetence bad.

It's that simple. Good storytelling never hurt nobody.

 

[Zed Duke of Banville]

Consolidating a role, doesn't mean that the role is not needed.


It's like saying that programming is not essential because the same people who did it, did 3D modeling too.

If the developers responsible for design, programming, modeling, and sound effects were sufficient for writing the scenario, then Legend of Grimrock did not require a writer on the staff. And would have been a worse game with the addition of a writer.

It's that simple. Good storytelling never hurt nobody.

You would define "good storytelling" as storytelling that makes the game a better experience without detracting from other aspects of the game. Of course, many RPGs do in fact sacrifice gameplay to storytelling, and it seems that a majority of Codexers consider writing to be more important to RPGs than gameplay (especially preferring the JRPG subgenre, which was created by reducing game mechanics in favor of narrative).

 

[Metro]

I think most of us recognize the difference between creating a world/dungeon ecology versus tell-me-a-story. The tell-me-a-story shit has gotten too pervasive in recent games to the extent that setting and gameplay often take a distant back seat.