Create narrative scripts for games or interactive media products
Overview
This standard is about creating an engaging experience for users by creating narrative scripts for interactive media projects. This is not about copy but instead is about the underpinning narrative that users experience through instructions, hints, prompts and messages and through narrative design of character, audio, and environmental objects.
This standard can apply to games or interactive media. Interactive media can involve any type of interactive media content, products or services including, but not restricted to, websites, applications, or online marketing campaigns.
Games and interactive media projects can be for multi-platform or multi-channel use and can also involve the use of immersive technology which can include, but is not restricted to, Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR) and Mixed Reality (MR).
This standard is appropriate for anyone who designs games or interactive media projects.
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
- obtain and analyse project information **to determine creative and technical parameters that affect narratives
- define story worlds and characters to the required level of detail for narrative creation
- create narratives that are engaging for target audiences, avoid stereotypes and are appropriate for the emotional intelligence of target audiences
- create narratives that are appropriate for target platforms and technologies being used
- create narratives that take account of the effect of the interactive and non-linear aspects of projects on user experience
- create narratives that are consistent and congruent with the story world and the characters' backgrounds, agendas, personalities and abilities
- organise the narrative flow so that it is congruent with the story
- provide clear instructions for programmers and designers regarding how and when user interactions or other events should affect narratives
- liaise with designers and developers to ensure that narratives are appropriate and fit for purpose
- respond in a positive and constructive way to requests for changes to narratives
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
project purpose, mood, target audience, parameters and constraints including target platforms and their capabilities for delivering assets
different types of interactive narrative structure including instructions, hints, prompts and messages and how to create appropriate and engaging experiences for target audiences
- techniques to advance narrative through narrative design including level/character design, audio, environmental objects
- the characteristics and appeal of different genres of story including relevant theories relating to wider cultural impact
- principles of interaction design and real-time animation and the broad technical constraints applicable to combining narrative with interactivity
- the types of interaction that will be available to users and which might influence the structure or style of your narrative
- any requirement for the storyline, events, perspectives or other aspects of the narrative to change in response to events or user interactions
- the impact of diversity, inclusivity, accessibility, ethics, emotional intelligence and behavioural psychology on projects and how to create text that is appropriate for and easily accessible by its target audience
- the resource and time implications of using different types of interactive narrative structure
- who you need to liaise with from other specialisms to ensure narratives will work in interactive projects
- the inevitability of changes to scripts and products over time