Adam Dolin is a narrative designer and instructor with a rich background at top studios like Sony Santa Monica, while Jolie Menzel brings her diverse expertise from notable companies like Ubisoft. They dive into the essence of narrative design in gaming, exploring the roles of creative directors and the importance of game openings. The duo discusses the challenges of player choice, effective dialogue writing, and the evolving landscape of game development. Expect insights on innovation, inspiration, and the value of collaboration in storytelling!

Join Jaclyn Seto, a writer at Respawn Entertainment and mentor at Vancouver Film School, alongside Christal Rose Hazelton, former writer for Respawn and associate on Hogwarts Legacy. They dive into the nuances of game writing, discussing how to create compelling characters and maintain humor on demand. The pair shares insights on writing fanfiction, the impact of self-imposed rules, and their evolving styles. They even touch on worldbuilding pet peeves and the art of crafting engaging narratives, all while balancing creativity with the constraints of game development!

In a lively discussion, Ben Starr, known for Final Fantasy XVI, Alexa Ray Corriea, a writer on Black Panther, Kait Tremblay, narrative director at Soft Rains, and Kelsey Beachum, a narrative design expert, share their unique gaming journeys. They explore nostalgic first video game crushes, favorite villains, and the emotional depth of choices in titles like 'Mass Effect.' The group reflects on hobbies outside gaming, the importance of community in storytelling, and memorable gaming memories that inspire their creative processes.

Coming to you NOT LIVE from GDC, we've got a special episode of the podcast covering SAG-AFTRA's negotiations with game studios! Duncan Crabtree-Ireland (National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator for SAG-AFTRA) and Sarah Elmaleh (Chair of the SAG-AFTRA Interactive Media (IMA) Negotiating Committee, as well as actor in titles like Helldivers 2, Hi-Fi Rush, Halo Infinite, Gears 5, Afterparty, and Gone Home, and VO Director for titles like Goodbye Volcano High, The Wreck, and Fortnite) join us to discuss the overall situation as regards to the potential strike, the issue of Artificial Intelligence, studios trying to exempt certain types of performances from AI protections, dealing with the convenience bargaining group (aka the studios), their experiences at GDC, the ways devs can support SAG's members, if there's been anything they learned at the conference this week that surprised them, how people can get more involved in organizing, whether the negotiations for this year are different than the ones for last year, next steps, how they keep themselves relaxed during these stressful times, and much more!Our Guests on the InternetDuncan on TwitterSarah on Twitter, and you should listen to Eggplant: The Secret Lives of Games PodcastStuff We Talked AboutSAG-AFTRA 2024 Tiered Budget Independent Interactive Media AgreementOur theme music was composed by Isabella Ness, and our logo was created by Lily Nishita.

First ep of 2024! We've got Stephen (scriptwriter and narrative designer, currently Narrative Director on Motive's untitled Iron Man project in collaboration with Marvel Games. Previously a Senior Writer on Vampyr and Greedfall, Associate Narrative Director/Lead Narrative Designer on Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3, Lead Narrative Designer/Senior Story Designer on Call of Duty: Vanguard, Lead Scriptwriter on Immortals Fenyx Rising, Senior Scriptwriter on Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, and more) and Danny (lead writer at Respawn Entertainment where he’s worked on Star Wars: Jedi Survivor. Previously a lead writer on Borderlands 3, its dlc, and Borderlands 2, as well as Battleborn and one of its story operation DLCs. He was also a narrative design consultant for Eko, a story consultant for Unbound Creations, lead writer for Ansimuz Games’ Elliot Quest, and writer for My Evil Twin Gaming Corp, Trendy Entertainment, and TRU Darknet) in to talk about the UT Denius-Sams Gaming Academy, accountability in writing, having the spine of the story figured out in pre-production, communicating changes that affect other departments, being custodians of story, soft skills, unlearning bad habits, getting better at pitching, building teams, their most used words, staying open to new ideas without losing sight of the vision, taking and prioritizing feedback, and letting go of your projects after they’re released.Our Guests on the InternetStephen's Twitter.Danny's Website and Substack.Our theme music was done by Isabella Ness, and our logo was created by Lily Nishita.This episode was brought to you by Backlight Gem. If you're a narrative designer or writer in the world of video games, Gem is a powerful tool that empowers you to bring your stories to life by streamlining the narrative design process from ideation to release. Learn more at https://bit.ly/Gem-Script-Lock

Happy Holidays! We're closing out this year with the absolutely amazing Alexa Ray Corriea (Writer and narrative designer currently working on Black Panther in partnership with Marvel Games and EA, serving as both a writer and systems designer. Previously she worked on Aztech: Forgotten Cods, Call of Duty: Vanguard and the Call of Duty: Warzone Pafcific live service game, Bugsnax, and Middle-Earth: Shadow of War. She’s also currently writing a book about the Kingdom Hearts series under Limited Run Games’ Press Run publishing division) and Ben Starr (Actor who has appeared in such games as Final Fantasy XVI as Clive Rosfield, Arknights as Sharp, Warframe: 1999 as Arthur, and has acted in shows like You, Trying, Jamestown, Dickensian and more), and they join us to discuss their favorite game performances growing up, working in games being like the wild west, being kind in this industry, looking at the jobs you don’t get/obstacles you face in another light, skills that are unique to games, banned words in scripts, being given the opportunity to add your ingredients to projects, the themes and kinds of stories that Alexa keeps returning to in her writing, the way games portray intimacy, IP white whales, stuff they do for their storytelling to help develop it, how they stay open-minded to unexpected ideas without losing shape of their visions, and a tonnnnnnnnnn more!Our Guests on the InternetAlexa's Twitter, and check out Black PantherBen's Twitter, and check out Warframe: 1999Stuff We Talked AboutFinal Fantasy XVIDie-Hardman's Confession from Death StrandingBen's official audition to play MarioA Thorough Look at Mass Effect by Noah Caldwell-GervaisChained EchoesKingdom HeartsThe Worst Person in the WorldMass Effect 2Legacy of KainThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the KingdomPeople, Places and ThingsLuthen Rael's Monologue from AndorSeveranceOur theme music was done by Isabella Ness, and our logo was created by Lily Nishita.This episode was brought to you by Backlight Gem. If you're a narrative designer or writer in the world of video games, Gem is a powerful tool that empowers you to bring your stories to life by streamlining the narrative design process from ideation to release. Learn more at https://bit.ly/Gem-Script-Lock

We've got Ally (producer at The Voxel Agents, game director at Lemonade Games on Mystiques, Production Director at League of Geeks on Solium Infernum and the recent Jumplight Odyssey. Previously was a senior producer and development manager at Mighty Kingdom, expert product manager at Wargaming, and gamerunner on Rumu at Robot House) and Natalie (producer at Half Mermaid, most recently on Immortality. Previously a producer, host, and writer at Vice's Waypoint, a Content and Experience Manager at Play By We, and currently can be heard on the Star Wars podcast "A More Civilized Age") in to talk all things PRODUCTION, including how the definition of a producer is different at every studio, the Triple Diamond technique, transcendental meditation, productivity software, best practices for outlining/facilitating interactive narratives, producing Immortality, the organizing monster, documentation and getting people to read it, the most useful soft skills, setting expectations with teams on a producer’s role, what they would tell their starting-out-self based on what they know now, how much of what they produce includes a part of themselves, and skittles.Our Guests on the InternetFor Ally: Mystiques, and Solium InfernumFor Natalie: Her Twitter, and A More Civilized Age's PatreonStuff We Talked AboutThe Triple Diamond techniqueTranscendental MeditationGanttPRONotionImmortalitySolium InfernumOne of Ally's surveys for setting expectations on how a producer can help their teamOur theme music was done by Isabella Ness, and our logo was done by Lily Nishita.This episode was brought to you by Backlight Gem. If you're a narrative designer or writer in the world of video games, Gem is a powerful tool that empowers you to bring your stories to life by streamlining the narrative design process from ideation to release. Learn more here. 

Everyone said it’d be impossible, but we managed to find another pair of twins to come onto this podcast. That’s right. The incredible Jennifer Hale (Has acted in the original Mass Effect trilogy, the Metal Gear Solid series, Overwatch, Star Wars: The Knights of the Old Republic, Bioshock Infinite, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, and many many many more) and Debra Wilson (Acted in the Wolfenstein series, The Outer Worlds, Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order and its sequel Jedi Survivor, Destiny 2, God of War: Ragnarok, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, and many many many more) have joined us to talk about improv, how they manage to stay positive and not become cynical in this industry, the kinds of direction they enjoy most, favorite/least favorite piece of direction they’ve ever gotten, what acting jobs they learned the most from, are there any roles they’ve never done or want to do more of, and oh man you should just listen to this.Our Guests on the InternetFor Jennifer: Acting.skillshub.lifeFor Debra: Her Cameo (If you just wanna talk with her, you don’t have to buy a cameo. Just send her a message!)Stuff We Talked AboutThe Apollo Comedy HourThe GameKris Zimmerman-SalterCaptains of Consciousness: Advertising and the Social Roots of the Consumer Culture by Stuart EwenMy Stroke of Insight - Jill Bolte Taylor TED TalkMickey Mouse FunhouseBaby Shark's Big Show!Zodiac WazeOur theme music was done by Isabella Ness, and our logo was done by Lily Nishita.This episode was brought to you by Backlight Gem. If you're a narrative designer or writer in the world of video games, Gem is a powerful tool that empowers you to bring your stories to life by streamlining the narrative design process from ideation to release. Learn more at https://bit.ly/Gem-Script-Lock

Apologies for the wait, but we're back! We don't often do episodes focused around one specific thing, but we're making an exception to talk about Netflix's newest interactive special: We Lost Our Human, and we're joined by its two co-creators, Chris and Rikke! (They also co-created the Nickelodeon series Pinky Malinky, and both have worked on many, many other animated projects, with Chris working as showrunner, producer, writer, art director, storyboarder, character designer and more. As for Rikke, she’s also been a showrunner, producer, voice director, animator, animation director, storyboard artist, and more.)Together they talk about how they broke into animation and got into interactive narrative, what they thought the hardest part of making We Lost Our Human would be, getting advice from the Bandersnatch folks, making media for kids vs adults, whether it was difficult for the actors to keep the branching story in their heads, unexpected learnings, the new production pipeline they had to build, Netflix’s branch manager tool, James Baxter, whether they had to adjust WLOH based on Netflix data, and what advice they’d give to someone making an interactive special now.Our Guests on the InternetChris' Instagram, and Twitter.Rikke's Instagram.Stuff We Talked AboutWe Lost Our HumanPinky MalinkyBandersnatchHeroes of Might and MagicTHE NEWZEALAND STORYOur theme music was done by Isabella Ness, and our logo was done by Lily Nishita.

It's the end of the year, which means it's time for us to put out a new episode and feel guilty for not releasing more this year! (We were busy, but we got lots more planned for next year!) Our guests this month are George Lockett (Senior Writer at Failbetter Games and a Narrative Consultant, Writer, and Designer at Bear Wolf Narrative. Previously the Narrative Lead on The Last Clockwinder, the Scriptwriter and Interactive Designer for BBC Earth - Micro Kingdoms: Senses, and a Contributing Writer to Where the Water Tastes Like Wine) and Mary Goodden (Senior Narrative Designer at Maze Theory currently working on Peaky Blinders: The King’s Ransom. Previously a Writer and Editor on Zombies, Run!, a Writer and Narrative Designer at Failbetter Games on Sunless Skies and Fallen London, a Writer on Inkle’s Pendragon, and co-created Funicular Simulator 2021), and they join us to discuss how their marketing backgrounds have helped with their writing, how to make a writer’s room work, advice for thinking in terms of design, what's helped maintain their writing output, what they’ve learned from the other writers they’ve worked with, giving feedback, tips for writing themselves out of problems, the best ways we can diversify the voices in the industry, how they approach working with other departments to get their needs taken care of, what their favorite narrative tools are, favorite thesauruses, what their ghosts are, and more, more, MORE!Our Guests on the InternetGeorge's Twitter, Website, and you should wishlist/check out Mask of the Rose when it comes out next yearMary's Twitter, Website, and you should wishlist/check out Peaky Blinders: The King's Ransom when it comes out next yearStuff We Talked AboutZombies, Run!TwineInkjamWriting for Games by Hannah NicklinThe “Reverse of the Spielberg Gaze”: Jordan Peele, Rian Johnson, Tony Kushner and More Talk Shop on THR’s Writers RoundtableMiroMicorosft OneNoteObsidian (the notes app)Webster's 1913 Power ThesaurusWordHippoOur theme music was done by Isabella Ness, and our logo was done by Lily Nishita.