Saving the Game

Two major announcements: This is the first episode in our new "Science of Storytelling" series; and Save Against Fear, a remarkable gaming convention and fundraiser for sexually traumatized kids, is the weekend of October 11th-13th. You're going to be hearing much more about Save Against Fear in the future!

In this episode, Grant, Peter, and Branden (but mostly Branden) explain the continuous plot structure used in almost all movie scripts. (See our full show notes for a copy of that outline!) Then, Branden walks us through creating an actual plot for a game using the outline he laid out in the first half of the episode.

Scripture for this episode: Psalms 19:14, Philippians 4:8

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The full outline we used in this episode:

• Opening Image
• The Set-up/Theme Stated
• The Catalyst
• Changes the world irrevocably; no going back
• The Debate
• Sometimes the refusal of the call; provide choices and alternative actions
• Break into 2
• B Story
• In movies, usually romantic; in a game, perhaps one per PC
• Fun and Games
• The promise of the premise
• Mid point
• Either a “false defeat” or a “false victory”
• Bad guys close in
• All is lost
• Either “false victory” or “false defeat” (The opposite of what ever the midpoint was, but it should be related to the midpoint twist)
• The ‘whiff of death’
• Dark Night of the Soul
• Break into 3
• B-story should pay off here to provide hope
• Finale
• Final Image