How to write a video game script

The textual content of video games and the narrative situations they produce, no matter how abstract or minimal, take a multitude of forms. Depending on the type of narrative or game genre encountered, writing approaches will vary significantly from project to project, from the more casual platform game (casual gaming) to the massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) written to be virtually endless and played for hundreds of hours spread over several years. Here are some tips on how to write a video game script.

1)     When you write a video game script: be honest

The first question to ask yourself before you start describing a complicated world for your game is: does your game really need a storyline? This is a decision that should not be taken lightly: taking the time to develop a story and characters or not can be a lot of work for a studio.

2)     Start with the obvious

Define the events that will take place during the story. How it starts, who the protagonists are, what their main quest is going to be, what the main obstacles they will have to face are, in what universe they evolve, how the story can end, and what theme all these adventures allow us to express.

3)     When you write a video game script: think of the player

In a game, the player is an actor, they have a decisive impact on the course of action—mainly gameplay situations, but sometimes also on the narrative. Ideally, the greater the player’s impact on the game’s narrative, the better the game is! What really matters in a video game is not the storyline but the player’s story, i.e. everything that directly relates to what they do, what they decide and what they experience.

4)     Write interactive dialogue

In some parts, playable characters have the opportunity to interact with NPCs (Non-Playable Characters) and have dialogue with them. To make these passages more exciting and save the player from clicking “Next” 20 times, make these dialogues interactive, like in a story where you are the hero.

When you write a video game script, chances of success are slim. There are many writers out there. So keep updated:  take a course, write complete stories in a short, easily readable format, and try to gain experience. You’ll eventually get your shot.