Narrative Game Design

Narrative department of Inlingo studio, launched by a team of experienced linguists.

We created a narrative design studio based on our 10 years of experience working with texts for game localization. So, we know what we’re doing 🙂

said by: Inlingo Narrative team

What can we do?

Game Plot

We write a synopsis and logline of a story based on any idea you have, give the player a plot chain, and develop an outline of episodes and chain of events that keep them constantly waiting to see what comes next.

Characters and Dialogues

We develop vivid characters and interesting dialogues. We can help you create everything from scratch, write or perfect dialogues for characters you’ve already created, or help improve already existing descriptions.

In-game Texts

We handle all in-game text: notes, maps, hints, messages on walls, descriptions of items, quest logs and so on, and we ensure consistency of style.

Lore and Worldbuilding

We can help you develop something from scratch or put the finishing touches on an existing game universe. We’ll tie game mechanics into your narrative and fill your world with unique locations, inhabitants, and features that make your game feel alive and memorable.

Scripts for cut-scenes and trailers

We create dramatic cutscenes and gripping trailers. When writing scripts, we take into consideration the technical capabilities of game animation, the personalities of your characters, your target audience, and the desired mood.

Rewriting of existing texts

If you feel that something is missing from your text, we can provide a comprehensive literary edit and help you improve the style, while also fixing any accidental typos or grammatical errors.

How it works

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clear!

step

Preparation

We determine the timeline for the project, the cost, and the milestones.

We assemble a team and, of course, set up a communication channel between you and us.

step

Performing

We write.

We send the first milestone: the plot. Then the second, third, and so on. We make adjustments if necessary, of course.

step

Delivery

After work on the text is finished, we send the finished lore, styleguide and glossary.

Write to us to get a writing!

FAQ

Narrative Design: What Is It and How Does It Work?

Narrative is the creation of an engaging story and atmosphere for a game thanks to its plot, dialogs, game mechanics, and visuals.
The goal of narrative design is to evoke emotions in gamers: surprise, joy, nostalgia, rage, empathy, etc. The player should feel like their actions influence what is happening.
The narrative motivates the player, giving them a goal that drives them to play through the game until the very end.
Let us tell you more about how we work on narratives for video games:

We develop the synopsis, plot lines, and stories.

During this stage, we create a general description of the plot and define the key events, characters, and locations. We write each character’s separate plot lines and link them all into one overarching story.

We create the characters and their dialogs.

We mull over and describe the characters and their personalities and backstories. We write their dialogs and monologues to flesh out their personas.

We write the quest texts, hints, and item descriptions.

We create texts for each element of gameplay: quests, tutorials, diary notes, location descriptions, items, etc.

We flesh out the in-game universe (lore).

We come up with the story and rules of the fictional world, its geography, races, and culture, define its historical eras and events, and much more.

We test the narrative in terms of gameplay and game design.

During the different stages of development, we check how the story, dialogs, texts, and design interact with the game mechanics and what effect they have on players. If anything seems jarring or inconsistent between the narrative and gameplay, we make the necessary corrections.

We deliver the project to the client.

After our work is done, we send off the completed lore, style guide, and glossary.

Why Team Up with INLINGO

We’ve been localizing video games for 10+ years. We adapt games to varying countries and audiences.

We understand human psychology and the principles of story creation. Our specialists know how to hold a person’s attention, evoke the desired feelings, and spark motivation.

We select professionals to suit each project.

This depends on the scale and budget of the game. Sometimes, all the roles are taken on by one individual, working as both the scriptwriter and game designer. But the scriptwriter, game designer, and narrative designer are usually different people. For big projects, we assemble entire teams of such professionals.