8 Rookie Mistakes Every Video Game Modder Always Makes
4. Trying To Be Tolkien
Some games are rich in mythology and lore, with vast histories and musty libraries stuffed with backstory. As a modder, and someone whos invested in that games world and characters, it can be tempting to add to this lore. Unless youre incredibly confident in your writing, however, and your next-door neighbour Nolan North has offered to do some voicework for you, its time to think very carefully about much of this the player will have to sit through. Experienced storytellers know the truth of show, dont tell. Even in games with a lot of existing history, like Skyrim, its not safe to assume youve got a captive audience. Some players just want to kill Orcs, not study them. As a rookie, its likely you dont have a reputation as a master of gaming narrative. As such, its not enough just to have a story in mind; youve got to earn the players attention and that means proving that you can tell stories well. If you start by blindsiding the player with reams of backstory, or drop them into a soap opera before theyve even left the house, you wont be wowing the player with your literary might youll be annoying them with fan-fiction. Instead, save your killer dialogue and strongest characters for the crucial text; stuff like mission objectives that absolutely have to be stated. Entice, dont bully, the player into finding out more about your world and their part in it. Let them be intrigued by everything you didnt say.
