Enter ‘Play with the playWRITErs!’

This is your opportunity to follow along with some of the same exercises that NSI playWRITers will be partaking in at playWRITE boot camp.

Each day (starting Tuesday May 20th), we’ll be posting a new exercise, ask ing you to post your exercise results here on the playWRITE blog. The best exercise response will be chosen every day and its creator will be granted a prize pack containing a game for either PC, PS2, Wii or X360 along with various other game studio goodies!

We’re giving away one of these prize packs everyday from the 20th to the 24th, so get crackin’ and earn yourself some swag!

Keep tuned to the playWRITE blog for more details about the prize pack contents.

Both companies have played a role in the jury selection and will be participating at the boot camp in May.

Next Level Games is a third-party video game developer based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Founded in October 2002, Next Level Games specializes in creating console video games. Getting their start with NHL Hitz Pro, Next Level now works with Nintendo on the Mario Strikers series and is currently working on the upcoming cross-platform title, Spider Man: Friend or Foe.

Big Sandwich Games (“BSG”) is a game development and 3D outsourcing studio based in Vancouver, BC. They are authorized developers of the Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii and PS3.  As an art outsourcing studio, Big Sandwich Games is dedicated to providing the highest quality in-game art assets to the video game industry. BSG is currently working on upcoming next-gen titles with both Bioware Corp. and Slant Six Sames.

Yet more partners we are proud to bring on board with the NSI playWRITE initiative!

We started by asking you folks what list of games successful candidates should be exposed to prior to bootcamp. That list will be sent out to winners as to provide them with their pre-boot camp ‘homework’.

Today we’re showing you the curriculum line-up–a syllabus of sorts–to get your feedback on what we have planned as well as your suggestions for what you would like to see! So let your voice be heard and help us shape the program you and/or your fellow community members will be taking part in.

These topic areas are courtesy the curriculum consultation sessions held with our studio sponsor representatives–a number of whom will be discussing these and other topics themselves at the boot camp.

Introduction to Visual and Non-Linear Storytelling

An introduction to the game medium, it’s limitations, affordances and the salient distinctions between linear media and the non-linearity of games in all of its various facets.

Storychanging: Guidelines and Restrictions

Jumping into the realities of changing your story at the script level whether it be the tone, the character count level etc. Dealing with the challenges of IP restrictions, localization etc. and how it impacts your game writing.

Exposition vs. Integration of Narrative in Design

Knowing when and where to deliver exposition (e.g. cinematics) in your game and when to integrate your narrative into your design via character interactions and exchanges, environment, artifacts etc. Narrative agency vs. passive engagement.

Environmental Narrative Design

Linking directly from the preceding topic, discussing environmental narrative design in some detail (e.g. looking at the philosophy and practice of environmental design approaches ranging from Need for Speed to Bioshock)

Non-Linear Options and Character Development

Applying your non-linear design to influence the development of player characters, NPCs and the overall story arc of your game. This includes work on conversational dialog, ambient dialog etc.

Prototyping Your Narrative Concepts

Taking your narrative game concepts and fleshing/testing them out using basic prototyping methods (pen/paper, hypertext etc.)

Working With the Tools: Using the Aurora Toolset

Taking your narrative/game concepts and re-creating them using tools and scripting (e.g. Aurora Toolset)

Effective Pitching and Communication of Design Outlines

Taking your successfully tested and fleshed out narrative designs, storyboards etc. and pitching them coherently to an audience.

As you can see, the projected arc of NSI playWRITE currently has participants moving from general lessons dealing with narrative and games, to working with very specific ideas and building and pitching those ideas.

So feel free to fire away!

Next post: Exercises and Homework

We’ve had many exciting entries, a slew of avid candidates and outstanding cross-country representation. The process wasn’t easy–it took jury members from studios across the country and many nights of head-scratching deliberations, but it’s finally over. The voices of the jurors have spoken and your voices have been heard!
As you can see below, your contributions have had a crucial influence on the selection process, with a significant majority of successful candidates consisting of ranked community favorites.

The 10 winners are announced below. We offer our congratulations and look forward to NSI playWRITE’s boot camp at Vidfest 2008!
In alphabetical order:

Jeffery Campbell

Amanda Doiron

Ryan Fitzgerald

Caley Gibson

Calvin Leung

Susan Patrick

Rebecca Schneidereit

Kate Tremills

James Wigmore

Jennifer Lynne Young

Congrats again to our winners!

And remember, there is still fun left for all those who did not make it in this time around–you will be able to track the events at NSI playWRITE’s boot camp and there will still be fun ways for you to contribute to and observe the world of the successful candidates!

We are thankful to all candidates who have boldly partaken in this novel program. You have all helped us take steps forward with regard to professional development in the field of narrative design in Canada!

We begin with the question: what playlist should NSI playWRITE participants have under their belts prior to coming to boot camp?

Are there games you feel are absolute ‘must-plays’ for aspiring narrative designers in the game industry? What games should be played solely because they present an example of a terrible game whose mistakes should never be repeated?

This is the first of a series of NSI playWRITE community feedback questions and like your NSI playWRITE votes, your voice on these matters will help shape the final look and feel of the NSI playWRITE boot camp–so pipe up!

We’re happy to introduce you to NSI playWRITE’s latest industry partner: Radical Entertainment.

Founded in 1991 Radical Entertainment has developed games for game publishers such as THQ, Microsoft, and Fox Interactive and is responsible for such titles as Scarface: The World is Yours and Crash of the Titans. Radical is currently working on the recently announced game Prototype. Radical Entertainment will be taking part in NSI playWRITE for purposes of jury participation and the development of training camp curriculum.  Radical will also being considering candidates for internship opportunities.

Radical Entertainment brings yet another accomplished Canadian studio to the NSI playWRITE program alongside the likes of BioWare and EA Black Box.

We’re also pleased to announce the addition of cognitive-fitness game designer Fit Brains to the NSI playWRITE roster. Both studios will be assisting in jurying and curriculum development for NSI playWRITE’s boot camp.

It is an honor for the National Screen Institute, Telefilm and Zeros 2 Heroes  to be teaming up with Radical, and Fit Brains for NSI playWRITE –we’re excited to move forward with these and our other Canadian studio sponsors!

“Well, it’s been a few days since NSI playWRITE’s application date came and went…so we just want to keep you up-to-date on the latest happenings.

The jury process has officially commenced and applications are being scrutinized and evaluated by representatives of some of Canada’s proudest game studios. We will officially be announcing the winners of the training program spots on May 7th, 2008. If your application/pitch was in the mix make sure to check back and see if you’ve earned your golden ticket to the NSI playWRITE training bootcamp in Vancouver!

We will also have some more studio announcements for you on Monday so keep your eyes peeled. Details will continue to trickle through.”

Based in Vancouver, BC, Action Pants is an independent third-party game developer, specializing in video games for the Xbox 360 and PS3 game systems. An incorporated federal company established in April of 2006 by four industry veterans, Action Pants specializes in all-original IP works. Action Pants will be taking part in NSI playWRITE both in terms of jury participation and the development of training camp curriculum.

Action Pants brings yet another unique complement to NSI playWRITE’s curriculum alongside recently announced partners BioWare and EA Black Box.

It is a pleasure for the National Screen Institute, Telefilm and Zeros 2 Heroes  to be partnering with Action Pants for NSI playWRITE and we’re excited to move forward with the support of yet another proud Canadian studio.

We now find ourselves at the jury deliberation portion of the NSI playWRITE process during which studio representatives will spend the next week evaluating and ruminating over your finely tuned applications and personal pitches.

We look forward to announcing the winners by May 7th, 2008!

Speaking of the winners–what’s left to do if you weren’t one of the chosen few?

Although an unsuccessful application may be gut-wrenchingly disappointing, we still need you!

We will be turning to you–the community–to help shape the NSI playWRITE training event in terms of exercise ideas, thoughts on curriculum, mandatory ‘playLISTS’ for NSI playWRITE candidates and more. Even though you might be on the outside looking in, you can have a hand in shaping the experience for all those candidates who make it into the NSI playWRITE program–not to mention future generations of the training program itself.

So win or lose, remember to keep dialed into the Zeros 2 Heroes blogosphere where you can continue to make your voice heard. The game might be over for some, but now is the time to keeping playing.