Narrative Design for Video Games
Faculty: Games
Duration: 14 Weeks – Tues & Thurs 6:30pm – 9pm
Delivery: Online
Level: Diploma
Start Date: March 18th 2025
Course Director: Michael Joyce
Fees: €1,000
Certification: Pulse College Cert
COURSE CONTENT
This online Narrative Design course is intended for beginners and veteran game designers interested in creating compelling stories for video games. This course will cover the theory and software tools used to develop your narrative ideas into entertaining and meaningful stories.
While writing for games certainly involves putting words to paper, it also requires Narrative Designers to be aware of the interactive nature of storytelling in games, something which is both a unique characteristic and a rewarding challenge of the medium.
Whether you’re interested in exploring narratives for single-player or multiplayer games, or dramatic or lighthearted experiences, if you desire to bring stories to life in games, knowledge of specific skills, practices, and theories will aid you in this journey. Regardless of the development team you find yourself contributing to (indie, AAA, or a personal project), this course lays the foundations necessary for transforming a story idea into a video game narrative.
By the end of the course, you will have created a range of material ready to put directly into your writing portfolio with the knowledge of the following steps you will need to break into the industry.
Titles such as The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Halo: The Master Chief Collection, and Super Mario Odyssey enjoy critical acclaim and financial success, thanks largely to the way these games combine innovative gameplay with engaging stories. Likewise, developers of massively popular live-service games like Fortnite, Apex Legends, and Clash Royale invest heavily in fleshing out their respective game worlds with rich lore. Indie darlings like Braid, Shovel Knight, and The Binding of Issac also demonstrate the importance of marrying unique game mechanics with memorable characters and themes.
Week 1
Week 1
Introductions, Course Overview, and Defining Narrative Design & Mythic Story Structure Part 01
– Introducing the Character Archetypes and the Hero’s Journey
Week 2
Week 2
Mythic Story Structure Part 02
– Finishing of topics covered in Part 01
Week 3
Week 3
Essential Dev-facing Documentation: Setting Descriptions and Character Bios
– Showcasing the key features for a setting description and a character bio
Week 4
Week 4
Multifaceted Narrative Design: Flavour Text, Quests and Cutscenes (Theories & Skills)
– Examining some of the small and big elements Narrative Designers produce for players
Week 5
Week 5
The Importance of Formatting
– An overview of formatting everything from flavour text to cutscenes. Please note: formatting for setting descriptions and character bios will have already been covered in WEEK 4’s lecture
Week 6
Week 6
Narrative Software Tools & Branching Narratives Part 01 (Theories & Skills)
– Exploring various software used by Narrative Designers, such as Attlassian: Confluence & Jira, Final Draft/Celtx, Google Suite, Digital Whiteboards (Miro/Figjam), and Unreal Engine. Looking at what makes branching narrative games so popular and challenging for game developers to create
Week 7
Week 7
Branching Narratives Part 02 & The Writer’s Room and Making the Most of Feedback
– Continuing to analyze branching narrativesAdditionally, we will go over creating a branching narrative scenario (Google Doc template, Twine, etc.). Explaining how Writers’ Rooms typically work along with tips for having positive and effective relationships with the game development team as a whole.
Week 8
Week 8
Tutorials & Script Doctoring and Script Analysis
– Breaking down the essential components of tutorials and what role narrative design plays in realizing opening levels. Exploring what script doctoring and script analysis entails.
Week 9
Week 9
Writing for Existing & New IPs Getting the Work Done & Remote Narrative Design Work
– Going over the similarities and differences when it comes to new IPs and existing series. How to optimize one’s efficiency as a Narrative Designer/Game Writer and what to expect when working remotely versus working on-site.
Week 10
Week 10
Writing for Different Genres Part 01
– Discussing the approaches, tropes, etc. when writing for various genres ranging from sci-fi, horror, fantasy, mystery, etc.
Week 11
Week 11
Writing for Different Genres Part 02 & Sound and Music
– Continuing to discuss the approaches, tropes, etc. when writing for various genres ranging from westerns, cyberpunk, post-apocalyptic, etc. How to utilize music and sound in narrative design
Week 12
Week 12
Pitching Ideas & A.I. Tools
– Learning how to pitch ideas in the form of loglines, plot summaries, etc. Examining how A.I. is continuing to evolve in the world of narrative design
Week 13
Week 13
Narrative Project Briefs & Story Outlines
– Going over what should be included in narrative project briefs and how to write effective story outlines.
Week 14
Week 14
Recap & Breaking into the Industry and Staying in the Industry
– Revisiting elements covered in previous classes. Tips for how to break into the industry and stay in the industry.
Tutor
Jesse Baule is a Lead Narrative Designer & Game Writer with over ten years of experience in the entertainment industry. After completing his studies at Vancouver Film School, he went on a quest to create compelling stories for PC, console, and mobile games, as well as films. He feels blessed to work in an industry he loves, where he continues working as a Game Writer, Narrative Designer, & Screenwriter for AAA and indie game developers, along with filmmakers.
Got a question?
HOW TO APPLY
Admissions
This course is suitable for anyone with an interest in narrative storytelling for video games. No previous experience is required.
Upon receiving your application form our Admissions Team will be in contact to discuss securing your course place.
Educational Requirements
No industry experience is required and applicants may be accepted without formal academic qualifications.
Interview
There is no interview application for this course.
FEES
Irish / EU (Residing in Ireland)
Price: €1,000*
*€200 deposit required to secure place.
Please note: Fees are non-refundable
International / EU (living outside of Ireland)
Price: €1,000
**Please note: Fees are non-refundable