Breaking Into Games Writing? 254
An anonymous reader writes "One of the biggest complaints I hear from 'discerning' gamers is how few and far between well-written games are. Titles like Mass Effect and the Black Isle series just appear far too rarely. Writing and storyboarding are aspects of the industry that have always appealed to me — I'm an enthusiastic hobby gamer with a real passion for well-developed games. But there's very little guidance out there on getting exposure as a writer in this world. I'm interested in working in the field, freelance/part time initially as I break in, then with an eye to professional employ after a time. My questions to you are: How can I get involved in writing for the game industry? Are there any game startups out there with good design but weak story that could use writing help from a college graduate? How do the big guys get people to write for them — am I just going to the wrong booths at the job fairs? What kind of degrees or relevant experience in the field are they looking for? Should I just put on my Planescape t-shirt and stand outside in the rain?"
First buy a book of sci fi cliches. (Score:5, Funny)
Then buy a photocopier.
Then buy one of those automatic card shuffling machines.
Next, photocopy the cliche book and use the shuffling machine to introduce "originality" to your creations.
Seriously, WTF? What writing is there for games that isn't complete (literary, not computer-y) hackery? You're not exactly competing with Dickens. You're not even competing with Dick.
Re:Bioware (Score:1, Funny)
They are indeed. [penny-arcade.com]
Re:First buy a book of sci fi cliches. (Score:5, Funny)
You're not exactly competing with Dickens. You're not even competing with Dick.
Unless he wants to work in the field of porn videogames, which also suffers from a lack of quality writing.
Re-write the following dialog in English (Score:5, Funny)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_your_base_are_belong_to_us#Game_transcript [wikipedia.org]
Re:I wish I knew. (Score:4, Funny)
Or, they do realize it, decide right up front that they need to bring in at least one semi-competent writer, and then get stuck in a situation like this:
[Cue the flashback music and effects]
"Whatever happened to that writer guy, anyway? He was here for a few days last month, sat in Paul's office for a few hours and then disappeared. We have a deadline coming up next week and all I have is a handful of notes he left on a napkin and an auto-reply from his email saying that he's out of the office until last Tuesday."
"Yeah, about that... He has been sitting in a hotel room down the street, which Paul was paying for, and writing. On his own, without letting anyone see it until he was done. Thing is, he's really a novelist and I don't think he quite understands what we needed. I showed him the tool set, some of the storyboards we had worked out early on, and all that, but what he sent me looks like a manuscript for a book. Paul still believes in him, but he took off for Brighton this morning and now I'm going to have to find someone who can turn this wreck into something we can use."
"I'm someone, aren't I?"
"Yup. It's either you or that guy in the art department who keeps trying to hide drawings of penises in all the stained glass windows."
"Okay. I'll go get my shovel..."
And the road to schlock is paved with good intentions.
Re:It's a Job (Score:5, Funny)
A year before Bioshock shipped...
This must be some new designation for numbering years that I was not previously aware of.
Re:First buy a book of sci fi cliches. (Score:4, Funny)
Re:First buy a book of sci fi cliches. (Score:4, Funny)
Or worse, EA could crank out an FPS version of The Name of the Rose...