Introduction to Narrative Design for Video Games
A course by Víctor OjuelNarrative Designer and Video Game Writer
A course by Víctor Ojuel, Narrative Designer and Video Game Writer
Learn to tell interactive stories and get started in the world of video games
Are you passionate about the world of gaming? Video games have evolved into epic productions that are practically cinematic, reeling the player in with a story and character development that's equal to or even more complex than that of a movie. If you love video games and want to know how the story is constructed, you've come to the right place.
In this course, master the fundamental concepts of writing a video game and learn to use two basic tools: the movie script and the interactive narrative, alongside Víctor Ojuel, narrative designer and video game writer with a huge catalog of projects of different genres under his belt. By the end of the course, you'll have written your first script and your first interactive fiction, and you'll be ready to create your very own narrative games.
What will you learn in this online course?
17 lessons & 9 downloads
Narrative in video games
9 minutes, 11 seconds
Video Game Narrative: Deliverables
12 minutes, 15 seconds
Writing your script
20 minutes, 41 seconds
Introduction to Twine
6 minutes, 29 seconds
Branching and decisions
15 minutes, 21 seconds
Writing your interactive fiction
21 minutes, 0 seconds
What's included in this course?
Start by meeting Victor, he introduces himself and briefly explains the different works and authors that inspired him to become a professional narrative designer.
Next, learn what narrative design is, exactly what a narrative designer does, and how the work differs from that of a video game writer. Move on to look at some basic aspects of video game narrative.
Before moving on to the action phase, Victor teaches you how to write a film script, much like those used to shoot a movie, but adapted for use in video games.
Discover Twine, a program designed to create interactive stories and check out how to create your own ones. Familiarize yourself with the concept of branching—the narrative that arises from having different options the player can choose from.
Go back over everything you've learned up to now and expand on the content by learning about other systems and narrative theories. Then take a look at some of the other software that can be used, learn to create a portfolio, and get some great tips to help you take your first steps as a video game writer.
What is this course's project?
Write a movie script and an interactive fiction in Twine, these serve as the two basic resources to have when designing and writing video games.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Video game fans who want to know more about how their favorite games are created, as well as people who want to start professionally in the video game sector from the story writing side of things.
Requirements and materials
No previous knowledge is required, just curiosity, enthusiasm, and a passion for telling stories.
Reviews
- 3 days ago
Me gustó el curso, el profesor transmite mucho conocimiento, cercanía y carisma, se nota que es un apasionado por la literatura y se esfuerza en contagiar a sus alumnos.
- 18 days ago
Es un buen curso y me hizo librarme de algunas dudas que tenia al crear historias de videojuegos y me aclaro sobre como estructurar una historia.
Muy recomendado.
- 2 months ago
Great course
- 8 months ago
Although nowadays we can learn a lot from AI and learn more about the work area on Reddit, I believe it is a solid first step for someone who has never had contact with the field. I am simply fascinated by SugarCube and am already considering whether to continue working with my mind maps in Obsidian or move directly to Twine.
Simply inspiring!
- 9 months ago
Solid introduction, finally pushed me to get back to Twine again
With a huge list of projects divided between Steam and other distribution platforms, Victor is one of the most prolific video game writers in the world. Temtem, Mighty Poligon, Wildermyth, and DimensionDrive are some of the standout games on which he has collaborated.
Content
- U1
Presentation
- Presentation
- Influences
- What will we do in the course
- U2
The narrative design
- What is narrative design?
- Basic Narrative: The Journey of the Hero
- Basic Narrative: The Journey of the Hero 2
- Narrative in video games
- Video Game Narrative: Deliverables
- U3
Lineal narrative: your first film script
- Introduction to the film script
- Writing your script
- Last touches
- U4
Interactive narrative: your first interactive fiction
- Introduction to Twine
- Branching and decisions
- Writing your interactive fiction
- Last tweaks at Twine
- U5
One step further
- Building a Portfolio as Interactive Narrator
- The world of the profession
- FP
Final project
- Design the narrative of your own videogame
What to expect from a Domestika course
Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
Certificates
PLUSIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
Narrative design in video games involves creating and organizing stories, characters, and dialogues that seamlessly blend with gameplay, enhancing the player’s experience and adding depth to the game.
Previous experience isn’t required, but having a basic understanding of storytelling or video games is recommended to get the most out of the intermediate course content.
You’ll learn how to write cinematic scripts, design interactive narratives, create scenes and dialogues for games, structure branching stories, and use tools like Twine to prototype interactive fiction.
All you need is a computer with a web browser and access to Google Docs and Twine. Both are free and widely used for writing and prototyping interactive narratives.
The course is designed for both scriptwriters interested in video games and those aiming to become narrative designers, covering the roles and differences between them.
Linear narrative follows a fixed sequence of events, while interactive narrative lets players make choices that influence the story’s progression and outcome.
Twine is a free digital tool that lets you create branching interactive stories through linked text passages, perfect for prototyping and simulating player decisions.