Gamasutra is reporting (free registration required) on a speech by BioWare's Greg Zeschuk at GDC on story in games and how they approach the development of their narrative. It's a fascinating read that reveals the discipline with which BioWare develops -- but critics might suggest it also underscores a potentially formulaic result:According to BioWare, their NPCs can be classified in a set of predefined character types, with regards to their role in the story. Among others, this list of archetypical characters includes the Villain, the Henchman, the Love Interest, the One-Liner, the Information-Giver, the Rival, etc. By classifying them, they can streamline their use and easily understand the implications of each one. |