Plot, story, plot, story and then coding

I have discovered no amount of technical skill will adequately supplement a video game. The true power behind any video game is the story. If the story is strong, everything else will fall gently and beautifully into place.

I started out learning the technical aspect; I started to learn C++, Poser, UDK, and Android SDK development. Yes, those things will help me and assist me when that part of the project gets underway. But first, the story, the plot.

So, I have been studying different games with strong story lines and amazing back stories. Such as, Dragon Age Origins, Awakening, and Dragon Age 2, Mass Effect Trilogy, Skyrim, Fable I and II, Assassins Creed, Dishonored, and Borderlands. These games have amazing stories. Not just that but they have very different skill levels and level up options.  Several have the ability to change the set character to better fit the personality of the player. When putting those aspects together, character development, ability to change the characters appearance, better level up and skill benefits, along with a strong back story, add to a full immersion into the game.

With those things taken into consideration, I have started to develop the story of a game that will put the player into four possible story lines, or four possible character plots. It will have a strong back story, fully formed story line, and fulfill the much needed desire to be an immortal being. But more on that later... ;)

How do I develop the story? So far I have discovered it's a lot like writing a short story and extending that into a novel. Then taking the novel, breaking it down to just the dialogue and action scenes. Then putting those dialogues and action scenes into set acts and cut-scenes. In that, we mix combat and areas where we can earn points and level up. Easy Peasy! None of these things will work unless the entire story is developed first and then best way to do that is to write the ending first. Write the ending, make it strong (but remember, no matter how you have the ending, it can be edited all the way up to the completion of the story, so don't get bogged down with "the ending has to be perfect and then I can write the perfect story," that is the fastest way to overwhelm the story), and then outline from there. I outline from the ending to the beginning, the plot stays solid and the character development stays strong.

Basically what I am saying is this: through trial and error I have discovered a good game starts and ends with a good story line that stays true to the characters. Let me say that again... stays TRUE to the CHARACTERS. A lot of people hated the Mass Effect 3 ending because it seemed the decisions throughout the first and second one didn't matter. But let's think about how the ending options matched the character Shepard. I chose FemShep, so we will use the female pronouns. Using the Destruction option, Shepard loved, and when she loved, she was truly devoted to those she cared for. This is the option I chose because, and this is just my opinion on how I felt throughout the game, it seemed more suited to the Shepard I saw, plus, I couldn't bear the idea of Shepard being gone forever after everything she and Liara went through to be together. Bioware stayed true to the character. I am sure none of the options were easy for the developers or writers because when you get that involved in a character you want to protect them, they are suddenly real, live, breathing people. The characters trust you to do what's right by them; even if that means killing them. If it best fits the story, the character will understand the decision that needs to be made. Not the easiest decision, but the right decision. Stay true to the character, no matter where the story will lead.

So, what does any of this have to do with game development? Everything! A good game starts with a good story that starts at the end of the story. Start from there and everything else will fall into place.