How do you create a good story that would be remembered

[tushime1976]

Ok, so I am trying to create a game, but the story seems weak and uninspiring. I want to create a game that has an amazing story, a story that gamers will remember even after they finish it. I played a lot of rpgmaker games, and only two really stick to my mind are the games "To The Moon" by freebirdgames and "Womb" by iToken. To the moon, for making me cry, a very emotional memorable one, and Womb for making the hair on my neck stand, because of its sci-fi original plot, unique game progression/cutscenes, plus the jaw dropping ending that stuck with me.

So how did they come up with these mind blogging stories? I tried very hard but nothing really comes up. Advice please!

 

[Shades]

Create good characters, and the story must follow.

So what's a good character? One whose motivations we can identify with, whose idiosyncrasies we will remember with fondness, and whose decisions are motivated by a heart and soul.

Sure, that's maybe oversimplifying things a bit, but it's usually where I start, and I come up with some doozies.

 

[Samsonite]

Try starting at the end and working backwards. Think of a great ending to your game and then work backwards to how you got to that place. Might help build creativity for an engaging storyline. Try writing backgrounds to each character you want to create and then think of how each characters background story will proceed into the future with other characters. Create generic stereotypes for characters and cliched storylines and then throw in some twists and turns and things that are not expected.

That's all I can think of for now.

 

[Makio-Kuta]

Take a good look at the stories in games that you have enjoyed and take notes about what it was you enjoyed most about them and what made them memorable to you. From there you can draw similarities between themes and storytelling methods and figure out just what it is that makes something memorable to you.


Look at other popular stories, outside of your own personal collection of favourites, and try to think about what makes them memorable to other people. Look at some classics that have had impacts on history. Again, draw similarities within your brainstorming. Common elements that run between more than one story are obviously more likely to have the impact you are hoping for. Keep these things in your mind and try to adapt them to your own story.


Everyone has different things that they find memorable, so obviously this is one of those things where there just isn't one clear cut answer. That why it is best to try to derive the answers for yourself based on your own experiences and also to try to think like someone else.


Obviously having a good understanding of the mechanics of storytelling and the general shape a story should have will be very beneficial.

 

[Lunarea]

Here's a really big tip: They did not come up with those stories in one sitting.

It's very rare that a person can come up with a fantastic story all at once. Stories are built and shaped as the game develops. Stories change and evolve - sometimes as the characters do, other times as the developer tackled challenges and deadlines.

I had a chance to play a very early (in the first months of development) build of To The Moon, and it wasn't what the finished game ended up being - the finished game being much, much better. Reives spent a lot of time perfecting the game and the story. He did a lot of research and he got feedback from friends throughout the process. He had a fantastic concept, and he put a lot of hard work in making it shine. But it took time, for sure.

So, don't sit down and "come up with a good story". Sit down and come up with a good concept. Or a good character. Give yourself a few weeks (or months) to think about your story and don't be afraid to change things as you go.

 

[tushime1976]

Thanks for the advice. I guess my problem lies, is that when I create a story, I don't know how to make it more interesting. Sure I can make a plot, but after I lay it out on rpg maker making the game, its flat, the dialogue, story progression, everything. Writing it on paper is easy, but once you apply it on rpgmaker with the characters and graphics, it just different. I guess making "scenes" in rpgmaker to amplify the plot is the difficult part.

 

[aozgolo]

Basically I come up with stories through a process of creative deconstruction and "mental roleplay". The creative deconstruction is where you are experiencing some story, and you come across an event in the story that you hope turns out one way or that you think should be done differently, you deconstruct that event in your head and rewrite it, basically a form of fan fiction brainstorming, but you're just focused on the event. You can then use that event as the basis for a "mental roleplay". Basically imagine you're a kid with a bunch of toys, a couple power ranger dolls, a barbie, one of those grotesque looking Todd McFarlane monsters, a helicopter, and the upper torso of a broken GI Joe... obviously these things have nothing in common, but with random disconnected ideas, events, plots, characters, and settings you can do what the little kid in you would do, play pretend. Imagine a scenario and use everything in your creative arsenal to just throw things in and develop an event that happens, don't worry about the beginning, the end, or where this event fits, if it fits at all. The event will help give you ideas for what kind of a story you want to tell, a basic outline.

As you keep doing this, over time you get lots of disconnected events and characters... well then comes the fun part of smashing them together. Think of it like you've got a bunch of unfinished scripts for some stories, and you decide to make one super-script based off everything, You then have to decide what stays, what goes, what characters can be merged together, and amazingly a story evolves out of that. As the story evolves you can get more critical about the process.

This isn't the only or even a common method of writing stories, but it works for me so I figured I'd share it.

Another bit of advice I've taken to heart as a writer: If it feels boring to write, it'll probably be boring to read. Also don't get too attached to anything in your story. I did a lot of worldbuilding for one story before I began to flesh out the plot, and had a section where I needed my character to get from one location to another, but according to the worldbuilding I'd done they would cross a desert, I couldn't come up with anything at all interesting to occur during the desert trip, so I scrapped it entirely... the entire world reshaped and a whole desert lost because it served no real point in the story.

Don't be afraid to bounce ideas off others either, if you have the barebones of a plot, throw it out there somewhere and get some feedback, you can actually stir the creative juices by having other people give their input on a fledgling story idea.

Last of all, don't be afraid to loan out storywriting. Not everyone is a storyteller and if you can't come up with a good plot but still want to make a good game, there's plenty of writers out there willing to work with you to help develop an interesting plot for your game based off whatever basic premise you desire. Most published commercial games aren't made by one person, and their quality shows because they work as a team to bring the best elements out. I understand wanting to have complete creative control over a project is enticing but if you are truly going for quality, you will almost always need to rely on help from others. Very few of us are gifted prodigies at art, music, story, coding, mapping, etc., we all have our strengths.

 

[Shades]

Story telling for a game isn't quite the same as telling a short story on paper. When you apply your story to a game, you fragment it and get a chance to explore a lot of different story facets in detail. It isn't just the main character's story, in a game. Every character, every place, and every object in a game can have a story. Show that to the player in the little details that you reveal about your characters and your world. Characters get a chance to show their individual personalities through their dialogue and the way they interact with other characters (or even objects) throughout the game. Use this to make those personalities shine.

If you have trouble thinking of anything interesting about your characters and places, try this: realize that every person, place, and thing has a secret. Now focus on one of these in your story and ask yourself: "what is this person/place/thing's best/funniest/darkest/most treasured/whatever secret?"

If THAT doesn't plant the seeds for one of those little story facets I mentioned earlier, just give it time (like Lunarea said). There's usually a story worth telling in there somewhere. When that story begins to surface, think of all the ways you can show it to the player.

A lot of this (for me at least) is basically about two things:

1. Creating characters you can just about fall in love with

2. Being willing to explore your own world, and showing the player the stuff you've found during those explorations

Ya gotta use your imagination to make it come alive. Otherwise, it's going to look flat, like the paper/screen it's printed on.

 

[tushime1976]

Wow, Thanks for the advice guys. Those helped a lot. Almost all mentioned about character, but what about memorable scenes? Like the two game examples "To The Moon" has this scene when the two doctors enter a room full of origami. Or in "Womb", where your wake up alone in a space station for days, when suddenly a voice starts talking (real audio not text) which scared the hell out of me.

So how can I get idea's on how to make unique scenes or cutscenes?

 

[Shades]

Simple. Imagine the scene opening as though you were seeing it in a movie or on TV, maybe done by whatever director you like for that style of story. What's the first thing that would appear on the screen? What's the first thing that you would hear? Keep watching and pay attention to how the scene unfolds. Is the camera panning, zooming, or something else entirely? Is it showing a wide angle of some picturesque location, or has it focused on one of your characters? What's going on?

Just pretend it's somebody else's movie or TV show and keep watching. Describe what you're seeing and hearing, and you've got your very own scene that you just completely made up in grand cinematic style. If you don't like the result, try imagining it again as envisioned by a different director or with different actors involved.

That's how I've started a number of my stories and scenes.

 

[PixelLuchi]

It doesn't matter how many amazing ideas you ( or any aspiring writers ) have, if the execution fails, then so does the story.

 

[JakezuGD]

As somewhat of a history buff, I tend to look at important historical events and make parallels to them. Those events were important in history for a reason; if you can make your versions as important for the characters in your game, it doesn't take much more to make those plot-defining scenes impactful.

 

[RyanA]

Here's a really big tip: They did not come up with those stories in one sitting.

Very very true! Rieves is an awesome guy, I remember him telling me (and even showing me) about the early developments of Quintessence! So so different, but because he put so much effort into it, it was awesome. And dat music :3

Just take your time with it, myself, other resource makers and makers of good games take time to think about things, plan them carefully, do research and make yourself more understanding of what you're trying to create!

You need to make an idea, then develop the idea, then change the idea a million times. Make another idea, add it to the first idea, change both of them together. It sound complicated but it's all natural when you get into the flow of things! Just remember to keep a guideline of what you're going for and don't needlessly scrap things!

Also quote - Rome wasn't built in a day!

:3

 

[Samsonite]

Search on youtube 'Ricky Gervais Tells A story About How He Learned To Write'. I'd post the link here but he swears in it, and I think that violates the forum rules for posting a link. It's a 3.5 minute clip about him when he was 14 having to do writing assignments. It's a nice little story and worth watching.

 

[Kaelan]

Read more. Pay attention to how good authors write. Notice different writing styles. Hear what other writers have to say.

 

[Oni]

Think about movie characters you really like and the plots of the movies they are in.  Not the actors or actresses but the characters they play.  Keep that in mind when you go to write your own story.  What is it you like about the characters they play?  Do you feel you have a connection in some way?  

Typically the best stories that are remembered come from people who fall in the love with their tale, because you have found a way to connect with the characters, and that is very important.  What are some of your values?  How does certain incidents and issues make you feel?  These are the things you should ask yourself.  As a fresh writer, you need to first make a story you can enjoy before you try to please others.

Also it doesn't hurt to stretch your knowledge outside your comfort zone.  Reading more books and articles on different genres and watching videos about writers and even directors can help out a lot.  The more you soak up the better your going to be, and finding specific people's work your fond of helps.  Quentin Tarantino is a favorite writer, director, and actor of mine, so naturally his style would probably show up in my writing and story telling.  Its not copying his work but using his methods to learn off of, so that I could find a way to make it my own and something different.  If you are successful, people will comment on how much they enjoyed your work and how it reminded them of the person you possibly learned from.  If someone ever told me they seen a bit of Quentin Tarantino in my writing and that they enjoyed it, I would be on one hell of a personal high.

 

[Dalph]

I'll be direct and clear.

I just create good characters, then try to shape the story around them, if they're good and interesting then the story will certainly be good and interesting too (as long as you put some effort in it).

So:

Good Characters = Good Story

Following this scheme helps a lot when you write something.

Speaking about clichès and plot twists, they aren't that bad, as long as the writer knows how to use them.

 

[tushime1976]

Simple. Imagine the scene opening as though you were seeing it in a movie or on TV, maybe done by whatever director you like for that style of story. What's the first thing that would appear on the screen? What's the first thing that you would hear? Keep watching and pay attention to how the scene unfolds. Is the camera panning, zooming, or something else entirely? Is it showing a wide angle of some picturesque location, or has it focused on one of your characters? What's going on?

Just pretend it's somebody else's movie or TV show and keep watching. Describe what you're seeing and hearing, and you've got your very own scene that you just completely made up in grand cinematic style. If you don't like the result, try imagining it again as envisioned by a different director or with different actors involved.

That's how I've started a number of my stories and scenes.

ok i will try this one, will send you the results...gulp!

 

[Oni]

good luck bud!  I look forward to the read.

 

[tushime1976]

I don't when I could finish this though...its really hard, but as one of the people said, rome was not built on a day.