Thanks for taking the time to post such an interesting description of the BD writing process Leather Raven. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
The logistics of the whole business sound like something of a nightmare from a creative point of view. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/disagree.gif" alt="" />
I realise that game writers are bound by very different production constraints than those faced by a writer of books or plays, and it must make life extremely difficult at times. Unfortunately we often don't get Collectors Editions or pre-order specials by the time games reach Australia, So, as afar as I know, we didn't get the chance to get your novella. It would have been great to see you working in an environment with more direct control.
In general though, I think that games now really do need a reasonably cinematic or theatrical style of opening that both sets the scene and grabs the players attention. BD did seem to stumble in that department. Of course not all developers can afford the sort of intros that Blizzard come out with but the opening effect can still be done in game.
DD had a rather nice "as morning breaks over the village of...." gentle style of opening which allowed us to wander around and have the scene set by a small cast of characters. We could ease our way into the game via some local quests before we got stuck into the dungeon slogs. In that respect the opening was almost identical in style to another all time favourite, the original Baldur's Gate. Right down to being set in a walled compound with a variety of buildings and open areas populated by NPCs who let you get familiar with the controls whilst also introducing you to the plot. It worked well.
Oddly enough BG2 began with the characters stuck in a dungeon (is there a pattern here? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devil.gif" alt="" /> ). I didn't think it worked quite as well, but they did spice it up with some dramatic business that had the player feeling the tension of needing to get out fast before some really heavy retribution arrived on the scene.
Whatever the style, game makers should be able to afford to lavish a bit of dialogue on the opening as the majority of characters can be left behind as the story moves on.
Even games like Rise of Nations (another of my favourites) which is a strategy game with no storyline at all in the RPG sense has a superb opening logo cut-scene with some really punchy flying and then some intriguing back-scenes (using the game engine) playing behind the opening menus. It really helps set the mood.
Yet another of my favourites, Planescape Torment, had superb writing and an excellent in-game opening. I don't think that the Nameless One has many voiced lines at all in the game but when he groans and wakes up on the mortuary slab at the start it was so well done that I swear I could SMELL the preserving fluid and the rotting bandages and decaying flesh. To then hear "Hey chief..." from a wisecracking talking skull (and have that work too) was a memorable moment. To combine the creepy horror of the mortuary and the weirdly morbid predicament of the hero with a humorous sidekick and have both elements work was an amazing achievement.
But to get back onto the thread topic, PT also had some good female characters. Sheena Easton's voice overs for Annah were superb. I'd like to hear her doing a version of a DK style character.
And one more question please. What do you think about uni-sex non-speaking lead characters?
Over the years I've been women such Lara Croft, the dragon riding woman from Drakan, and various other female characters, plus numerous men such as Garrett the Thief, Denton in Deus Ex, etc. When you can choose either a preset male or female lead, or make your own, I'm equally happy with either. If I play a game twice I usually do one of each.
For me it's the story and atmosphere that rules. I'd rather give the writer the freedom to develop a strong story with decent characters than be forced to leave a hole for some sort of generic goblin basher who could be filled by anyone from a grey haired old man to a ten year old schoolgirl (although I am perhaps lucky in this regard as I am actually a grey haired old man who behaves like a ten year old schoolgirl. Gives me quite a flexible range... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" /> )
In some games that issue doesn't matter, and the player doesn't really miss not having a defined character, but with the plot of BD revolving around the soul forging of two seriously different people it seems a crippling handicap to the writing.
What do other players prefer?
