Susan O'Connor talked with GDC about her upcoming Masterclass, How to Bring Story and Gameplay Together, taking place on Thursday and Friday, June 16-17, from 2:00pm to 6:00pm BST (9:00am to 1:00pm ET).
Designers want to build a great game; writers want to craft an amazing story. But sometimes these collaborations get tricky. Game narrative instructor Susan O'Connor is here to get your designers and writers on the same page in this virtual GDC Masterclass.
Susan O'Connor talked with GDC about her upcoming Masterclass, How to Bring Story and Gameplay Together, taking place on Thursday and Friday, June 16-17, from 2:00pm to 6:00pm BST (9:00am to 1:00pm ET).
After working on over 25 games, from indie to AAA, Susan has developed a set of best practices that any team can use to get writers and designers moving in the same direction. This two-day, hands-on, interactive workshop will help studios, publishers, and game leaders ship their best work yet.
This Masterclass is perfect for writers, designers, and any developer who plays a role in creating a playable story.
Below is an edited, condensed version of our interview.
GDC: Tell us a bit about your course and what attendees can expect to gain from the Masterclass.
Susan O'Connor, game narrative writer and instructor: This Masterclass is a real labor of love for me. It's the course I wish I could have taken earlier in my career.
The truth is that it's just not easy to create a great, playable story. There are loads of moving parts. For it to work, the designers and writers really have to understand each other's roles. Communication breakdowns are the #1 reason projects get into trouble. This Masterclass is a chance for developers to take a step back from the day-to-day and gain a better understanding of how all this works