Notes on Narrative Moments on a Budget by Vanessa Erico

Introduction

• Speaker: Vanessa Erico, Senior Story Producer at The Coalition
• Focus: How to construct storytelling effectively on a budget in game development.
• Importance of narrative in game development and the challenges of balancing creativity with time/budget constraints.

Key Concepts in Storytelling

• Storytelling is a broad umbrella that encompasses many elements in game development.
• The challenge is building immersive worlds that are engaging while staying on budget and meeting deadlines.
• Stories must have satisfying beginnings, middles, and ends, which requires prioritization.

The Core Problem

• Identifying how to tell impactful stories within budget constraints.
• The importance of developing a framework to prioritize storytelling elements.

Framework for Narrative Budgeting

1. Core Narrative Beats

• Definition: Foundational elements of the story that guide the narrative.
• Importance: These beats must be agreed upon in pre-production and should inform all narrative decisions.

2. Story Critical Path

• Definition: Essential missions or narrative devices necessary for the story flow.
• Importance: Removing these elements can lead to disconnects in the overall narrative.

3. The Three-Two-One Approach

• Three Tiers of Investment:
  • Gold (High Value/High Cost)
  • Silver (Medium Value/Medium Cost)
  • Bronze (Low Value/Low Cost)
• Two Methods for Investment Decisions: Simplifying choices based on tiers.
• One North Star: A single guiding principle or goal that informs all storytelling decisions.

Example: The Lion King

• Core Narrative Beats: Key moments like the Circle of Life, Mufasa's death, and Simba's growth.
• Story Critical Path: Narrative devices that tie the plot together, ensuring all pivotal moments connect logically.

Importance of Prioritization

• Proper prioritization leads to a cohesive narrative that fits within budgetary constraints.
• Discussions about narrative importance are essential for team alignment.

Tiers of Investment Breakdown

Gold Tier

• High-cost, high-visibility assets critical to the narrative.
• Example: High-end cinematics, crucial missions.

Silver Tier

• Medium to high visibility experiences that enhance the story but are not central narratives.
• Example: Polished assets that are not core beats but still necessary for narrative flow.

Bronze Tier

• Low visibility, less impactful elements that can be reused or omitted without significant loss to the story.

Ensuring Effective Decision-Making

• Use a decision matrix to categorize narrative devices based on cost and importance.
• Ensure consistent communication among stakeholders to avoid conflicts.

Managing Complex Decisions

• When facing conflicting opinions, facilitate discussions to explore the reasoning behind narrative choices.
• Use recorded meetings as references to maintain clarity on agreed-upon decisions.

Conclusion

• The goal is to stay true to the story's purpose while efficiently managing resources.
• By using a structured approach, teams can focus on what truly matters in storytelling within game development.

Q&A Highlights

• Emphasis on collaboration across teams and obtaining stakeholder buy-in.
• Discussion of escalation paths when budget decisions become complex.
• Methodology for prioritizing narrative moments when faced with competing interests.