The Future of the Videogames Writer: Rhianna Pratchett at TEDxTransmedia
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- čas přidán 11. 07. 2024
- Scriptwriter, story designer and 'narrative paramedic,' Rhianna Pratchett, is most well-known for being a 14-year veteran of the videogames industry. She went from being a journalist for PC Zone magazine and The Guardian newspaper into games development and has become one of the most respected writers and narrative designers in her field.
She has worked for companies such as Sony, Electronic Arts, SEGA, Codemasters and Square Enix, and her titles include: Heavenly Sword, Mirror's Edge, the entire Overlord series and the new Tomb Raider reboot, due for release in March 2013. Her work in videogames has seen her nominated for a BAFTA and nominated three times for the Writers' Guild of Great Britain's 'Best Videogame Script' award, which she won in 2008 for Overlord.
Pratchett was named one of the top 100 most influential women in the games industry by EDGE magazine and has also worked in comics, short stories, non-fiction books, film and TV.
At TEDx Transmedia 2012, Rhianna talked about the future of the videogames writer.
Rhianna's website: rhiannapratchett.com
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations) - Hry
As an aspiring video game scriptwriter, this was incredibly helpful. My guy friends say I'm not a "real gamer" because of my love for games with a story. I absorb those games like a sponge. Give me Call of Duty or some other multiplayer shoot-em-up game and I'll lose interest immediately. I love games such as Legend of Zelda, Bioshock, Skyrim, etc. I would love to work with Telltale Games one day.
This comment thread makes me sad. :(
Who’s gonna tell her?
Taletelling games r good when the scenario of that game os not written by pratchett
I know that this comment is 6 years old and hopefully by now you've found plenty of stories you enjoy and/or even perhaps some writing projects to work on.
But your guy friends as of 6 years ago sounded like the biggest normies on the planet who wouldn't know what a good video game looked like even if it installed its self on their Xbox.
(I just assume CoD and Madden dudes only play Xbox, because a PC is too complicated/nerdy and a PS4/5 is too Japanese for them)
The Mass Effect series is one of the best examples of how important the story actually is, when ME3 concluded it was not the game play or visuals that disappointed, it was almost solely the ending.
Mass Effect [mostly the first] had terrible writing, full of plot holes and it introduced a stupid, 2 dimensional protagonist. It made you think you have decisions but those were just primitive good-bad stuff. None of which would ever come up in real life. Those were not decisions. Decisions are when you don't know exactly what is going to happen. These should not be good and bad, but the lesser of two evils. And also, in Skyrim, for example you decide by doing something, not just clicking on a dialog. Shepard also has 2 sides, one unbelievable, retarded, brain-dead maniac [renegade] who couldn't save a bird, and the cliche galaxy savior, best guy in the world, honest human. Even Michael Bay can do better.
The third was just stupid, with the biggest and most disgusting deus ex machina ever. Then, it was licking balls for others to help at the ending which was... Well, everybody knows. It didn't even matter which colors we chose. Everybody felt that that was something put together in one night.
The second was better, but the ending revealed a pro-human thinking, which was the opposite why everyone liked the universe. In the end, the super-intelligent life chose the humans. WTF? Why? Because we are assholes, we have no honor, and every human in the game is an ass, but Shepard? They chose humanity and said they are the best when this is obviously not true. One human did something right and thats all. I expected the game to go beyond the awesomeness of humanity but it just couldn't. I don't know why Drew Karpyshyn felt that he has to kiss his own ass, but we really didn't need this self-praising. Doesn't fit in the game, or even in reality.
The end of ME3 was the best conclusion of Shepards story, as it should be Shepard died as a hero and remembered as a hero and savier of lifes in the memories of whole damn galaxy
I love good stories in games!!!
Great talk, very on point. That said, I'm guilty of skipping most cut-scenes and passive dialogue in most games, especially in fast paced ones. When you've been happily blowing people's brains out for the last hour the last thing you need is a 3 minute video of badly lip-synced talking heads. Maybe it's the issue of losing control as a player, maybe it's just the sudden change of pace but I feel that there's lots of room for improvement in marrying the storyline to the gameplay, especially in popular franchises.
so she wrote the plots for overlord tomb raider and mirrors edge, and her father is terry freakin pratchett, she is most awesome indeed
Excellent video, even for someone like me who is simply a gamer and not a game designer. I really appreciate good narrative in games, and it's encouraging to see the industry heading in the right direction on that front.
Seeing story-driven games like The Walking Dead sell well should also help encourage game designers to better integrate story into games.
A great explanation of how writers are involved in creating games.
I think it should be Gameplay>story>art direction>Music
I Like a good story but if the gameplay is boring then it's just gruelling to play just for the story.
This video was made in 2013, would be interested to see how things have changed.
my dream become
video game writer too
I think the point of the video is to have all those facets on a level degree of importance.
Gameplay is usually above all, but the order of the other components depends too much on the individual game.
What she says is something that may so called 'game designers' should listen to.
Not even the most introvert game designer (not named Notch) would dream of a game with no graphics, no music and no story.
'Story design' is as important as graphics or music.
Game designers should definetely not listen to pratchett
I can only write characters and complex storylines and not much for dialogue, though.
thats helps me alot
Fantastic video.
Good job Rhianna!
what, the word "cut-scene?"
I think its a nerves thing, i'm the same.
Nice badges!
Type-o at 2:40 drives me crazy.
it's typo* btw
i want to write video games.
Ay em Game Writer and ay love may job😀
I'd really like to see a discworld game written by Rhianna, not based on any book.
I have talent in video game stories, but I do not speak English very well,
La Russophobe
she moves her hands too much "rap style"
I'd finish watching this if the audio was louder. Sorry, I'm out.