7. The Write Stuff
Paul Kidby/EBURY PRESSOnce we've established which development team would take on the daunting task of bringing a delightful digital Discworld to the people, we need to consider who would be steering the pen which crafts the story behind it. Naturally, as Discworld is Sir Terry's pride and joy, the assumption would be that he would be behind the narrative, but it's not as simple as that. Fans will be aware that by now Mr Pratchett is a few years into his battle with early-onset Alzheimer's, and while he still continues to work with the aid of speech recognition software and his assistant Rob Wilkins, it's hard to imagine he would take the time to dream up the wealth of dialogue, backstory and more that such a project would require. So, with the hopes that the father of Discworld might at least have a hand in the process - possibly an overseer role of sorts, ensuring that the direction meets his approval - we have to consider alternatives for the brunt of the writing duties. The chosen developer would have their own staff on the job, of course, but a game based on an intellectual property with such direct literary roots might need special attention when it comes to storyline and so on. It's handy then that Sir Terry's own daughter is a successful writer in the industry already - she's proven herself time and time again, so it's not a case of using her for her surname. Raven-haired Rhianna has made it clear that she won't be taking over from her father when it comes to the novels, but that's not to say she wouldn't be prepared to step in for a worthy gaming project. But she's a busy woman, with her talented fingers in many intriguing pies, so perhaps we need a contingency plan. And if there's one man with the credentials for the job, it's British writer Stephen Briggs. An instantly recognisable name for any Discworld follower, Briggs has had a hand in related projects for decades. Almost all of the various maps, diaries, companion guides and other items which make up the expanded Discworld universe have been either written by Briggs himself or have an "assisted by Stephen Briggs" added to the title. The man has become synonymous with the Discworld brand, woven into the fabric of this written lore we hold so close to our hearts. He knows the cobbled streets of Ankh Morpork better than anyone. And even if he isn't called up as lead writer, he would still be an incredibly valuable asset to add to the team.