I made a post to the mailing list of the Game Writers' SIG last month about a lipstick-on-a-pig project that I am involved with.
Basically, due to errors of timing and personality and development, I will be the third writer on this particular game which has been in development for two years. I will be the last one, however, and though I would love to call this a testament to my talents it is in reality because the beta has to be finished in the next few weeks...
Though I should say this sotto voce, and not admit in public that it is really the case, I actually think that this particular story will work out quite well in spite of the apparent last minute rush. There are several reasons for this rare exception to The Freelance Game Writer's Rule*:
* The Rule: Involve the game writer early, involve the game writer often.
Basically, due to errors of timing and personality and development, I will be the third writer on this particular game which has been in development for two years. I will be the last one, however, and though I would love to call this a testament to my talents it is in reality because the beta has to be finished in the next few weeks...
Though I should say this sotto voce, and not admit in public that it is really the case, I actually think that this particular story will work out quite well in spite of the apparent last minute rush. There are several reasons for this rare exception to The Freelance Game Writer's Rule*:
- Because two writers have trod this lonely road before me, the developers have been working with a few well-defined main characters in mind (though some of the secondary characters will have to change). Therefore, the protagonists and antagonists are not afterthoughts to the level creation.
- Because the level design is 95% complete, I know that what I write is not going to undergo numerous changes and require numerous re-writes. In other words the story will not be a mutant; something disfigured and contorted to adhere to the shape of the final level design.
- I am sitting two or three days a week with the developers in the studio, with access to everyone from the level designers to the creative director.
- I have won the acceptance of the Creative Director, who has grudgingly admitted that though my baby is not gorgeous, he has seen many others that are far uglier.
- The gameplay just absolutely rocks, and I look forward to playing the final product. This helps in those times of temporary lapses of motivation.
* The Rule: Involve the game writer early, involve the game writer often.
