Game Narrative Kaleidoscope Podcast

Translucent Lies and other "Dirty Narrative" Techniques

Narrative designer and screenwriter Alex Epstein (We Happy Few, South of Midnight) about gaps, lies and narrative tricks that make our worlds feel bigger than they are - especially other characters who lie. How do make players feel safe, if no one in the world can be trusted. How do we teach players to read between the lines when characters are lying?

For more info the GNK book, and to buy, visit the website: https://www.inklestudios.com/kaleidoscope/

Music by Laurence Chapman (https://www.laurencechapman.com/)

Biographies: The Quick and Dirty Way

Bertine van Hövell (Old Skies, Stellaris) talks to us about creating characters for LARPs by creating their biographies. How can adding a contradiction to a person's backstory spice up a character and give a steer on roleplaying that character? And how do we bring that idea over into a computer game, where the player has no one to judge or feed off their performance?

For more info the GNK book, and to buy, visit the website: https://www.inklestudios.com/kaleidoscope/

Music by Laurence Chapman (https://www.laurencechapman.com/)

Why I Love Text Parsers

We talk with Julia Minamata (The Crimson Diamond) about the joys of implementing a text parser-based game in the 2020s - but also about creativity as a process and craft as hard-work with no shortcuts. How do we find our way through a project when we don't know where we're headed? And how do we welcome players into a game that's unlike anything they've played before?

For more info the GNK book, and to buy, visit the website: https://www.inklestudios.com/kaleidoscope/

Music by Laurence Chapman (https://www.laurencechapman.com/)

Set-ups, Attempts, Complications and Pay-Offs

We're joined by Josh Labelle (Disney Dreamlight Valley, Kim Kardashian's Hollywood) to talk about the bare bones of what makes a story - and how that plays out over episodes and seasons of a live-service game with a hugely invested fanbase. How much do we play to expectations, and how much do we play against them? And how do we tell when a story is hooky enough to feel satisfying at the end?

For more info the GNK book, and to buy, visit the website: https://www.inklestudios.com/kaleidoscope/

Music by Laurence Chapman (https://www.laurencechapman.com/)

Blending In by Standing Out

Pedro Giglio (Town of Zoz, Cobra Kai 2) joins us to talk about bringing local detail to a global market. How do we adjust our material to make sure it connects with people from different cultures? And how do we broaden the audience's understanding of the world without being seen as being worthy? We chew over the balance of humour and specificity that lets us go big, broad and scrappy, while treating sources with respect.

For more info the GNK book, and to buy, visit the website: https://www.inklestudios.com/kaleidoscope/

Music by Laurence Chapman (https://www.laurencechapman.com/)