Why is this important for the success of the project?

Author of the article: Daria Rimarovich

In GameDev since 2018. Specializes in narrative in mobile games.

Narrative design is not only about creating compelling stories and compelling characters, but also about carefully coordinating and documenting all the elements that form the game’s narrative. The importance of technical documentation, localization, and teamwork cannot be underestimated. These are aspects that often remain behind the scenes, but without them, creating a successful game project becomes almost impossible.

In this article, we'll look at what types of documentation a narrative designer needs, why meticulousness and precision in their management are so important, and the consequences of poor documentation with specific examples.

Types of Documentation for a Narrative Designer

1. Screenplay Bible

   • Description: A script bible is a master document that contains all the necessary information about the game's world, plot, characters, and key events.

   • Content:

     • Logline: A short, concise description of the game's plot in one sentence that should convey the essence and main conflict of the story. For example: “In a post-apocalyptic world, a lone wanderer struggles to survive, facing internal demons and external threats.”

     • Synopsis: A more detailed summary of the plot, including major story arcs and key events. The synopsis helps the entire team understand the main direction of the story and its key twists.

     • Main plot: A detailed description of the main storyline, including beginning, development, climax, and conclusion.

     • Subplots and side quests: Description of all side stories and quests that support the main plot.

     • Game world: A detailed description of the world, including its history, culture, geography, etc.

     • Tone and style: Indications of the style of storytelling and atmosphere that should be conveyed through the game.

   • Why is it needed?: A story bible ensures that everyone on the team has a common understanding of the game's story and world, which helps avoid inconsistencies and mistakes.

2. Character Biographies

   • Description: Character biographies contain detailed information about all major and minor characters in the game.

   • Content:

     • Name, age, gender and appearance: Basic information about the character, including their physical characteristics and features.

     • Background: Biographical information, including important events in the character's life that shaped his or her personality and motivations.

     • Character and motivation: Description of the character's personal qualities, strengths and weaknesses, and main motivations.

     • Role in the plot: An explanation of what role the character plays in the main and secondary storylines.

     • Relationships with other characters: Description of interactions and relationships with other key characters in the game.

     • Quotes and Replicas: Examples of characteristic statements that help to better understand the character's personality and communication style.

   • Why is it needed?: Biographies help writers and artists create consistent and believable characters, and provide a common understanding of their roles and motivations.

3. Tables and diagrams

   • Description: Tables and diagrams are used to visualize and organize information about the plot, characters, quests, etc.

   • Content:

     • Event timelines: A graphical representation of key events in a game, showing their sequence and interrelationships.

     • Quest tables: Description of all quests, their goals, rewards and conditions of completion, as well as the relationships between them.

     • Character Interaction Schemes: A graphical representation of the connections and interactions between characters, helping to better understand their relationships and dynamics.

   • Why are they needed?: Tables and diagrams help organize information, make it more visual and accessible to all team members, which makes it easier to coordinate and understand the development process.

4. Dialogue scripts

   • Description: Dialogue scripts contain all the lines spoken by characters in the game, including main story dialogues and side conversations.

   • Content:

     • Character lines: Text of all dialogues, divided by characters.

     • Dialogue context: A description of the situation in which the dialogue takes place, including setting the scene and character motivations.

     • Answer options: Possible player lines and character reactions to them, which helps create non-linear dialogues and plot development options.

   • Why are they needed?: Dialogue scripts are necessary for recording voice acting, as well as for integrating dialogue into the game. They ensure the consistency and logic of conversations.

5. Technical documents

   • Description: Technical documents describe the features and requirements for the implementation of narrative elements in the game.

   • Content:

     • Quest and Event Specifications: Detailed descriptions of the requirements for the implementation of quests and game events, including their technical aspects.

     • Integration requirements: Description of technical requirements for integrating narrative elements into the game (e.g. animations, dialogue triggers, etc.).

     • Instructions for using tools: Guides on using various tools for creating and editing narrative elements.

   • Why are they needed?: Technical documents help developers and other team members integrate narrative elements into the game correctly and effectively, avoiding technical problems and errors.

6. Localization Documents

   • Description: Localization documents contain information needed to translate and adapt the game for different regions.

   • Content:

     • Translation of texts: All texts that need to be translated (dialogues, menus, tips, etc.).

     • Annotations and Glossary: Explanations of specific terms and concepts that may be unclear to translators.

     • Cultural features: Information on cultural aspects to consider when localizing.

   • Why are they needed?: Localization documents ensure the accuracy and quality of translation, helping to avoid misunderstandings and errors due to cultural differences.

The Importance of Scrupulousness and Accuracy in Narrative Documentation

Thorough and accurate documentation is the foundation of successful narrative design. Inconsistencies or errors in documentation can lead to confusion, wasted time and resources, and a poor quality final product. That’s why it’s so important to pay attention to detail and keep all documentation up to date throughout the development process.

• Common understanding: Documentation ensures that all team members have a common understanding of the game's story, characters, and world, which helps avoid misunderstandings and mistakes.

• Coordination of work: Thorough documentation facilitates coordination between different departments (e.g. writers, artists, programmers, etc.), ensuring consistency and logic across all narrative elements.

• Translation quality: Localization documents help ensure the accuracy and quality of the translation, which is especially important for games intended for the international market.

• Development efficiency: Technical documents help developers to correctly and effectively integrate narrative elements into the game, avoiding technical problems and errors.

Consequences of poor record keeping

Poor or incomplete documentation can have serious consequences for a game project. Here are some examples:

• Inconsistency between the plot and the gameplay: Not having a clear script bible can lead to inconsistencies between the plot and game mechanics. For example, if a character acts as a hero in one quest and a villain in another, this can cause confusion and frustration among players.

• Localization errors: Incomplete or incorrect information in localization documents can lead to translation errors that distort the meaning of dialogue and storylines. In one project, for example, a mistranslation of a key line resulted in players being unable to understand the main character's motives.

• Technical problems: The lack of detailed technical documentation can cause problems when integrating narrative elements into a game. In one project, for example, due to insufficient information about dialogue triggers, the developers were unable to properly implement the dialogue system, which led to numerous bugs.

• Waste of time and resources: Incorrect documentation can lead to the need to redo work already done. In one project, due to the lack of a clear plan for the characters, the artists had to re-draw dozens of characters, which delayed the deadlines and increased the development budget.

Thus, meticulousness and accuracy in working with narrative documentation are key factors influencing the success of a game project.

So, documentation and organization are not just routine tasks, but important tools that help maintain the quality and consistency of your project. Take care of them, and you will see how your project becomes more organized, efficient and successful.

Thank you for reading this article. We hope that our recommendations will help you in your project and make the development process smoother and more productive. Do not forget that thorough documentation is not just an obligation, but a guarantee of the success of your narrative.

What does a game writer's workday look like?

We will consider this at the open lesson on September 19. Using GTA 5 as an example, we will try to go through the key steps to create a narrative for a large AAA project. We will figure out where to start working on the plot, learn key terms and approaches. We will try to connect the plot with game mechanics and analyze classic narrative techniques.

You can sign up for a lesson on the Game Writer and Narrative Designer course page.