enteRETAINment

Richard Garriott Part 4: Developing Characters

Here is part 4 (4 1/2 minute clip) of my conversation with legendary video game programmer and designer, Richard Garriott during which he discusses development of the characters and the challenges of doing so in a game environment.

Check out Richard's new online game Tabula Rasa or keep up on his training to become Earth's sixth private citizen to conduct a space mission aboard the International Space Station (visit his space mission website).

The Story Process part 1

Over the past couple of years I have digested a great deal of content on the topic of storytelling and learning. Some of the authors I have mentioned in previous posts include Will Eisner, Scott McCloud, Robert McKee, Dan Pink, Seth Godin and Roger Schank to name a few (recommended storytelling books). I have taken the notes and crunched, tweaked, added to them, tested and tweaked them again to come up with a storytelling steps process they I am still refining daily.

Below are the basic elements. I'll go into more detail on each over the next few months.

• There is a need
• Define the Audience
• Define the Story Concept
• Define the Characters
• Introduction/Setting
• Inciting Incident
• Progressive Complications
• Crisis
• Climax
• Resolution
• Triggers