Q&A: November 11th, 2020

Sandraincloud90 Asks
What are some notable instances of older games that "out-do" their modern incarnations in a significant way? (Whether it's in the same series or largely unrelated yet sets out to achieve a similar goal).

Funny enough, in my latest script here, I actually discuss how the original Tomb Raider, despite its tank controls and delayed inputs, actually have far more rewarding exploration and platforming than its latest titles, which take inspiration from Uncharted where the platforming is almost automatic.

Things like Resident Evil or DOOM, I wouldn't call definitive improvements, but different takes that are going to be far more approachable and immediately engaging, which whether is better or not, depends on your preferences.

Billy Punton Asks
Apologies if this is an FAQ but I'm curious about your writing process. Do you write multiple drafts? Do you have an outline?

No worries, I forgot to add my final line showing newcomers where to leave questions, and you did it!

My writing process? Sometimes I'll start with an opening paragraph before starting a new playthrough of a game I played, something to serve as a baseline or reference, but generally speaking, I don't write scripts in significant detail before playing most of the game. Even issues I run into in hour one for instance? I don't write about those until beating the game, because you don't know how they're going to look in retrospect. Maybe I just wasn't good enough at that time, maybe it doesn't last, maybe it's a deliberate choice by the developer, etc.

For Years Later, I typically save scripts until I've fully done my research for the same reasons. Sometimes an inexplicable flaw with the game has a reasonable explanation when you find a certain interview or document. Though this can add issues. My biggest fear when starting these things is that I'm not going to find any interesting information, and the pre-production segment will be both boring and short. Then, I fall down a rabbit hole with so much information, I don't know how I'm going to cram it all succinctly and with a decent narrative structure.

Alpha Protocol really was a nightmare.

What I've really learned in this last year though is to not overthink things during a first draft. There were entire paragraphs of the Alpha Protocol script I wrote while in a bitter mood, and I deleted them, but that state of mind also produced the thousands of words that did end up in a final script, with only a few tweaks.

You're as good as you can edit yourself to be.

The Great Leveler Asks
What is an under explored location/aesthetic in games you'd like to see more of

 Nightclubs.

Which is funny to say, because I don't go to any. It's immediately understandable why games generally avoid them, it's really taxing to put so many NPC's in an environment with so many effects required before any action's started.

I also really want to use Iceland in something like a Tomb Raider game. The landscape looks otherworldly at times, and the whole thing is ripe with potential in an exploration game.

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