Game Narrative Kaleidoscope Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Welcome to the Kaleidoscope!

The Game Narrative Kaleiodscope podcast is a weekly show hosted by Jon Ingold (inkle) and Sagar Beroshi (The Chinese Room). Our aim to is interview every author in the Game Narrative Kaleidoscope Book about their chosen topic, and the wider craft of writing for games.

This quick episode introduces the show and lays out why we're excited to be doing it!

For more info the GNK book, and to buy, visit the website: https://www.inklestudios.com/kaleidoscope/

Music by Laurence Chapman (https://www.laurencechapman.com/)

The Keyboard Is Not an Omnitool

We’re writers. We can solve every problem with a stroke of a pen - can’t we? In this episode, the Chinese Room's Sagar Beroshi talks about how to know when less is more.

For more info the GNK book, and to buy, visit the website: https://www.inklestudios.com/kaleidoscope/

Music by Laurence Chapman (https://www.laurencechapman.com/)

Flawless Victory (and how to avoid it)

Black Flag’s lead writer, Darby McDevitt, joins us to discuss character arcs in linear action adventure games, and how the gameplay isn’t always the best driver of the drama.

For more info the GNK book, and to buy, visit the website: https://www.inklestudios.com/kaleidoscope/

Music by Laurence Chapman (https://www.laurencechapman.com/)

How to Love the Player Who Hates You - Creating after (or during) Gamergate

We're joined by Mary Kenney, narrative director and senior writer (Marvel: Wolverine, Spiderman: Miles Morales), to talk about recovering from online harrasment, and how in a divided world stories - and the compassion required to tell them - are more important than ever.

For more info the GNK book, and to buy, visit the website: https://www.inklestudios.com/kaleidoscope/

Music by Laurence Chapman (https://www.laurencechapman.com/)

Call Me by Your Name

Ex-Naughty Dog narrative designer Josh Scherr joins us to discuss the best ways to employ reactive dialogue: in action sequences, puzzle sequences, and the quieter moments in between, with first-hand examples drawn from The Last of Us: Part II and Uncharted: The Lost Legacy.

For more info the GNK book, and to buy, visit the website: https://www.inklestudios.com/kaleidoscope/

Music by Laurence Chapman (https://www.laurencechapman.com/)

Swiss Cheese and Soda Cans: Writing for Proc-Gen Systems

Novelist and narrative designer Stark Holborn joins us to talk about the procedural generation systems of Shadows of Doubt. How do you ensure a generated world has character and style? How systematic do you need to be about writing it? And can we apply those learnings back to more linear fiction?

For more info the GNK book, and to buy, visit the website: https://www.inklestudios.com/kaleidoscope/

Music by Laurence Chapman (https://www.laurencechapman.com/)

Microbranching: Big Reactivity with Small Effort

We're joined by Kate Gray (Moonstone Island, Hello Kitty Island Adventure) who tells us about microbranching in dialogue. Small decisions without long-term impacts can free up the player to funnier in a comedy and more sympathetic in a dating sim. But what do we do with the players who don't engage without a visible pay-off?

For more info the GNK book, and to buy, visit the website: https://www.inklestudios.com/kaleidoscope/

Music by Laurence Chapman (https://www.laurencechapman.com/)

A Smorgasbord

Join us as narrative expert Ian Thomas from The Chinese Room expands the boundaries of story design. What can computer RPGs learn from a live-action roleplaying game set in the world of The Three Musketeers? And how do we encourage players to trust the story, and act the part?

For more info the GNK book, and to buy, visit the website: https://www.inklestudios.com/kaleidoscope/

Music by Laurence Chapman (https://www.laurencechapman.com/)

Cite Your Sources!

Historian and game writer Holly Nielsen (Amberspire, Neurocracy) joins us to discuss ambiguous worldbuilding and the use of biased and unreliable narrators in historical sources. Should your world have a solid foundation? Or is everything up for debate?

For more info the GNK book, and to buy, visit the website: https://www.inklestudios.com/kaleidoscope/

Music by Laurence Chapman (https://www.laurencechapman.com/)

Perfectionists Hate This One Simple Trick

We talk with Jill Murray (Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Subnautica: Below Zero, Assassin’s Creed: Liberation) about how she gets things finished. If you write for your ideal audience member, can you manifest them? And how do you know when a project is nearing completion anyway?

For more info the GNK book, and to buy, visit the website: https://www.inklestudios.com/kaleidoscope/

Music by Laurence Chapman (https://www.laurencechapman.com/)