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Author Topic: How to write a script for a adventure game?  (Read 23631 times)

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Jyujinkai

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How to write a script for a adventure game?
« on: September 11, 2008, 06:43:03 AM »

I was wondering if anyone had any tips on how to put together a script document for a adventure game. I have been trying to write one but the multi-path responses from the user, the multi-path replies from the game npc, the variations of each "use an object' type thing etc etc.. means the script is very hard to format in a way that is easy to read.

I was wounding if anyone has any advise or maybe an example on how to format one of these documents.
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Nihil

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Re: How to write a script for a adventure game?
« Reply #1 on: September 11, 2008, 11:32:16 AM »

Maybe you already know them, but Al Lowe has put the design docs for some of his old Sierra-games online: http://www.allowe.com/gamedesign/index.htm

metamorphium

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Re: How to write a script for a adventure game?
« Reply #2 on: September 11, 2008, 12:50:49 PM »

for branching dialogues I use MS Excel and shape it as a tree view. Works well for me.
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Nihil

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Re: How to write a script for a adventure game?
« Reply #3 on: September 11, 2008, 08:29:15 PM »

Wow, I completely overread the part with the responses ... you can safely ignore my answer :-)

Jyujinkai

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Re: How to write a script for a adventure game?
« Reply #4 on: September 12, 2008, 07:54:30 AM »

for branching dialogues I use MS Excel and shape it as a tree view. Works well for me.

think you coould post a screenshot or a decument i could use as a template?
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J. Man

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Re: How to write a script for a adventure game?
« Reply #5 on: April 25, 2009, 02:26:25 AM »

I find after writing the whole story, writing the game as a walkthrough is always good.
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Akusa

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Re: How to write a script for a adventure game?
« Reply #6 on: April 26, 2009, 10:57:34 PM »

Well i think everyone has a different approach. For example im more a "do what you want" or more anarchic development-person so i try to let the game develop itself naturaly.
The most time i have is just a beginning and an ending point i want to reach and all i do is try to find cool ideas and "interpolate" them into the story. My biggest problem the most time i have is the beginning. Most times i acummulate ideas for later story parts and do not find a nice beginning idea.

i just write the story like a novel from start to finish.
But at the moment i plan something not so linear, so all i do is just use a notebook with all my ideas.
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Kaz

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Re: How to write a script for a adventure game?
« Reply #7 on: August 10, 2009, 07:11:18 PM »

I've used all these one way or another
"Writing for Video Games" by (the) Steve Ince
"The Ultimate Guide to Video Game Writing and Design" Flint Dille & John Zuur Platten
"Story" by Robert McKee
"The Complete Guide to Standard Script Formats Part 1 - Screenplay" by Cole/Haag

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Noel
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CockAndBalls

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Re: How to write a script for a adventure game?
« Reply #8 on: August 07, 2010, 02:36:56 PM »

I think the question was about what format to write non-linearly,
my recommendation is any flow-chart editor, I use Microsoft Visio.
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