An Inside Look at Game Writing and Narrative Design with Geoffrey Golden

A good storyline is not mandatory to enjoy playing video games but when there is a well-written plot behind the main character's adventures, the enjoyment of playing the game goes to a different level. That is the work of people like Geoffrey Golden; they ensure that we not only play the game but most importantly, we become a part of and lost in the characters and plot.

Geoffrey Golden is a narrative designer and writer. He has worked on a number of games including Murder in the Alps, an award-winning mystery game on mobile platforms. Geoffrey has written for Capcom, Ubisoft, Square Enix, and indie studios around the world. Geoffrey was always passionate about writing, storytelling, and video games, although he never thought he would combine his two passions into his career. He enjoys building interactive stories for different platforms like mobile, console titles, tabletop RPGs, chatbot experiences, robot toys, and even email newsletters.

In this episode, we talked about the differences between a game writer and a narrative designer, Geoffrey's beginnings as a writer, and his experiences during the internet’s prehistoric beginning. Geoffrey kindly shared his experiences in Napster and MP3.com and how he became an influencer creating audio content. We also talked about narrative techniques, what makes a story interesting, and where he believes the gaming industry is heading.

Tune in and join me on this journey into the heart of a good story with Geoffrey Golden.

Some Questions I Ask:

You've done comics, fiction, tabletop games, cartoons. How do you branch into all of them? (4:53)
How did you transfer from being a parody songwriter to being a part of the gaming industry? (9:02)
What type of education do you think you need to become a games writer? (17:38)
How do you start to write a character? (21:54)
Where do you see the gaming industry is headed? What kind of games do you think are coming up? (45:23)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

How George became a famous parody songwriter on MP3.com (11:41)
How George got into the game writing universe (16:01)
The difference between creating linear and branching dialogues and stories (35:06)
Where George sees the gaming industry is heading to (45:23)
Some advice from George about success, quality of life, and work (52:30)

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