Plot Concept Development

Plot Concept Development The plot is one of the most important aspects of any RPG. Here we'll discuss the various aspects of any good plot and give you some ideas about what you should be thinking about when writing your RPG's plot. Share this Tutorial →

So you've laid down the basic mechanics for your game, it works and now you need to add some flesh to those bones and create the story that your game will follow.  We'll assume, for the sake of this tutorial that you are developing a plot-centric game and that features will be a secondary priority. You may already have an idea for a plot that you want to turn into a game, but as the name of this tutorial suggests, we're not going to discuss coming up with a plot but developing that plot into a dynamic story that can captivate your audience and make your game more enjoyable.  In general, there are 3 things that are essential to creating a great story. Characters Setting Themes You're probably wondering...why isn't the plot important? Surely the plot is the story? In actual fact, the plot for your game is not something that should be clear to you before developing other aspects and if it is...it probably won't be the same when you're finished.  

Characters:

This is because the plot of your game is not its driving force, even if it is a plot-centric game. This may sound confusing but the concept is actually very simple and can be compared with real life. In hind-sight, when we look back on our lives, it will appear that their was a distinct plot that played out throughout life in the form of various events but think for a second...were the events important...or the actions that caused these events to take place. Nothing just happens, it requires some form of action and reaction for these events to take place, and then to add up throughout life to form a plot. The same concept should be applied to video game story design, throughout the story, the characters will react to events that take place around them, other characters will then react to these first actions, causing new environments and events to take place. This may seem a little complex but it leads to a very simple realisation - characters are key to the development of your plot. This is because the plot will evolve based on the actions of the characters and these actions are determined by the kind of person they are. This means that character development is far more important than plot development (tutorial coming soon) because the character, their ideology, personality and outlook will influence their actions which influences the evolution of the plot. 

A well developed character carries other key benefits like legitimacy. Role Playing Games revolve around the relationship the player has with their characters and this relationship is only developed if the player can relate to the characters they control. This is known as suspension of dis-belief and essentially means when an individual is willing to reject the obvious fact that what they seeing is not real and instead become immersed in the game. This is true for all forms of fictional entertainment and is one of the most important aspects in developing media that people can become engaged in.  This tutorial will not go into detail regarding character design but instead hopes to establish the importance of strong characters in carrying your plot. 

You're probably thinking now...well even if I have great characters...how does my plot start, surely I have to create an event as the initial catalyst to begin to overall reaction? This correct, and combining an understanding of your characters with a well developed setting a themes, that initial event will also come naturally. You may consider working the other way around, and turning the characters' actions into a means to an end. In other words, making them do things to satisfy the needs of the plot and not authentic actions that a player would expect of the character. THIS IS A BAD IDEA! We are all able to predict the actions of a character based on our impressions of them because it is one of the most basic aspects of human social interaction. We learn about people in an effort to make friends and form relationships, this relates to almost everyone and it is this ability that allows players to feel for the characters of your game. Assuming that you have well written characters (you already know that if you don't then your game is in serious trouble) then the impression that they create on the player will make un-natural actions stand out like a sore-thumb and take legitimacy away from your game. Nobody likes a character that is not believable. 

Setting:

The setting of your game may seem relatively passive, just something that stays in the background and does not effect the dynamic of the plot but this not the case. The setting of your game will define the kinds of issues that you characters will have to deal with as well as make your game more believable.  A well crafted setting (tutorial coming soon) can be invaluable to a writer when trying to come up with events that shift the balance of your game. For example, if your game is based in a medieval setting...what issues would effect individuals living in such a place, no electricity, limited resources, little to no scientific understanding of the world around them. These facts can help you craft the main story which could revolve around famine, war, political or royal family struggles. Side quests that deal with social issues such as disease, crime and food/drink shortages. The look of both your settings and characters...would sneakers have existed 400 years ago? An understanding of the world in which your characters live will give you an understanding of the kind of mind-set they would have to grow up in. This will also aid in better development of characters, as the types of characters you design will have to be a part of this world and fit seamlessly into the social fabric, not an easy task but massively effective if done properly.  Additionally, setting is important because we all have a certain level of knowledge about history, not just the past and present but also what to expect in the future. Stick to the conventions that people are used to and you won't have to explain every single choice you have made in the design of your game because people will understand the logic behind it due to the fact that they have interacted with this knowledge countless times before watching filmes, playing other games and reading books. Not only does it make your life easier, but it makes your game better to play. 

Themes:

The term themes is used very broadly here and does not just refer to the subject of the game. It refers to the issues and ideas that you are passionate about and wish to infer during the evolution of your game's story. The theme of your game will have an impact on almost every aspect of its development. If you wanted love to be a key theme for example, it would be unlikely that you would feature a cast of all males, unless of course, it was gay love that you wanted to present. You would not have personalities that contrasted heavily in the game with no room for reconciliation if you wanted two of them to end up in love at the end as love between two incompatible people is somewhat unbelievable. Of course, you could establish a sort of 'odd-couple' who rarely get along but have a special talent that works best when combined, the choice is yours and the choices literally are endless. Establishing and developing the themes of your game should be one of the first decisions you make as it will affect the styling, branding and marketing behind the game.  These themes will go on to influence the way your story evolves and it is incredibly important that you are happy with them before you begin other sides of development as it is not advisable to change them later on as you will be running the risk of an inconsistant plot, something that has killed otherwise great RPG's in the past.  This tutorial is by no means exhaustive and all comments are welcomed, is there something I've missed or do you not agree with something I've said? Let me know and and get your ideas out there.