So, this game I’m making…

For those of you who know me as a writer, you may be wondering what I’m jabbering on about when I say I’m making a videogame. Well don’t worry, I am still writing Powerless book #3 (which does have a proper title btw, I’m just not telling yet 😉 ),  but I am planning this game in parallel. FYI the working title is “Butterflies“.

The game is in the genre of “visual novel“, which feature narrative based gameplay through conversation choices, usually accompanied by 2D or static 3D graphics.

Phoenix Wright Screenshot

Cinders Screenshot

To the left are two examples of visual novel style games. If you did a Google image search you would come up with a monitor full of Japanese Anime girls, which is where the genre is a massive hit. While most tend to be romance or “dating” sims (I use the term loosely) there is some variation, with mysteries, horror, SF and other types also popular.

For example the Phoenix Wright games for the Nintendo DS/3DS, follow a young attorney through his career as a defence lawyer, and when you’re not in court shouting “Objection!” you visit crime scenes and talk to witnesses for evidence.

Cinders meanwhile, is a Western game, which is more narrative focused and is based on the classic Cinderella fairytale.

The key aspect of visual novels is the branching storyline. At various points during the story, the player has the chance to choose which way the story will go. This will be either through a dialogue option (being nice/rude, helping someone or not, etc.), finding a certain item, being in a certain place at a certain time, performing a specific action, and so on. So in terms of the narrative, the creators have to write not just one story, but several, all set in the same scenario. Each must makes sense both when taken on their own, and when combined with the other story “branches” the player will discover on their subsequent playthroughs.

As an example: in the Cinders game you can of course follow the traditional story, by trying to be nice to your horrible family, go to the ball and eventually fall in love and marry the prince. Alternatively, you can alienate your family, ruin their name and fortune, then run off with the Captain of the Royal Guard instead!

A kind of flowchart

My game will have Phoenix Wright style interrogation and crime scene examination sequences in amongst the traditional dialogue choices. I’m currently juggling characters, evidence and events in flowcharts to try and create interesting story branches and to test the logic of it all. There’s a lot of information to keep track of (of the “who knows and doesn’t know what at what point” variety) and I need to make sure each branch is a good story, with proper character progression and a satisfying conclusion. So I’m spending my time right now working out the best places to split the story, and choosing where to introduce the “new evidence” bits to make sure the pacing is kept up throughout.

It’s tough, but fun!

And this is all pre-production, I haven’t even started on the actual development yet!

Tony.