DevDiary #3: Reformatting

One of the most important elements of writing is that before approaching a story, one should always consider what format that best fits the overall narrative. This should seem obvious, yet I see this mistake made so many times in final products - from comic books that would have made better short stories, novels that would make a better television series, and even video games that would make better movies. I am not above making this mistake. Not in the slightest.

Last night at about three A.M., I laid in my bed half awake. The chief concern on my mind were problems with Express Line Number 7; specifically the puzzles that would feature prominently. During the middle acts, I had resolved to set up a series of murders that the central character (Ian) would investigate, which would lead into the closing acts with puzzles that would flow naturally from the conflict of characters and situations. The problem that was on my mind, however, were the puzzles in the first act - more specifically that there were none.

While sometimes this might be okay, I found that the chief game mechanic in the first act was simply walking around and talking to people until something happened. This is not good game design. I tried to come up with conflicts and stops that would serve as puzzles, but I found that they would just feel arbitrary and artificial.

I began to think about the method by which people interact with the narrative of Express Line Number 7. It’s shifted media a few times, before settling on the current adventure game format. Looking at the problems in the first act, it makes me realize how important pacing and exposition are for the story to function. In the adventure game format, I think that Express Line Number 7 really has to spend time introducing players to certain concepts, rules, and characters before it can start throwing them in to puzzles. In a game format, this will be very frustrating to players. As a fairly avid gamer myself, I’ve experienced this, and the story could have the best second, third, fourth act, but if the first act is too slow, too fast, or doesn’t bring me into the game then I may not want to tough it out.

The narrative for Express Line Number 7 is very important to me on a personal level. As such, I want it to have the best chance possible. I think that it would make a really solid graphic novel, or novella, but I think if I try to pigeon hole it into a game - regardless of format - it will fail. I don’t want that.

What does this mean? Not much in the grand scheme of things. Writers shelve stories all the time. The good news is that I already knew what was after Express Line Number 7, so I can begin work on that as soon as The Dublin Man is finished. It is another game; I want to continue by challenging myself to produce a video game. 

Once The Dublin Man (the title of which is most certainly going to change) is done, I’ll have more information on the project. The new project does not even have a working title at this point, but I do know what themes and game mechanics that I’m going to be working with, so I’m not completely going to be at square one. The current thought is that it will be a platformer, but as we’ve seen in the previous paragraphs, that could change. I look forward to diving in and getting to work on it.