Sinburn's Dev Blog - Should I start numbering these?

Hi everyone!

Writing, writing and Rewriting

Today, I guess my mind is on the topic of self editing.

So, I have a scene, a dinner date (not the one shown). I know what I want to show: Character A making a connection with Character B. I want to show them connecting, having a fun time, maybe throw in some sexual tension. So far so simple. They sit down, they chat, get on and flirt. You the player sees a deepening relationship, job done.

Oh no it isn’t.

If that was the whole point of  the scene, I could just show them walking into wherever they end up after the date and imply that they had a good time. They walk in laughing about something that happened. Job done, but also, job done quicker and cheaper.

I want to show more.

I want there to be something on that date that changes how one character sees another. I want to add this as a motivation or justification for later behaviour. So I write the scene with a topic of conversation that adds that change.

But what?

I write a scene, read it back and… It’s too much, it’s too soon. I’m going to take away from a later moment if I put all this here. It’s gone. 500 - 100 words wasted. Except  they aren’t wasted. If I hadn’t written that, I wouldn’t know how much better it would be to do it later. Still, deleting is always painful.

I try again.

Better… kind of… I like it, but it’s still not right. Only one thing for it. Call Jim.

It’s so important to have another set of eyes on the stuff you make. You get locked into thinking that things are right or, in this case, knowing they aren’t but not being able to see why.

One call later and I now have the idea much clearer in my head. I’ll have to edit some earlier stuff to make it fit but I’m now much happier that the character motivation is stronger. 

Writing can be a very solo act, even when developing for a game like this. In most cases, the artists will just produce what I write and not question it. That’s why it is good to have Jim there to make sure that what I make is good, but also that it’s hitting the right tone.

Anyway…

That’s been my day.

Jim reminded me of something while we were talking.

I wrote 6 spin off comics for MBD. I hadn't realised it had been so many and only 3 of them released with the game on Steam. We will have to fish those out and dust them off some time.

Right, I better get to writing while the idea is still strong in my mind.

Keep Bimboing

Sinburn.