FAQ

There are a lot of resources out there to learn what the narrative design is about in detail. This page is a quick summary on how you can integrate narrative design to your production, how and why hiring narrative designers.

What is narrative design?

The term comes from linguistic structuralism and is used in video games to name a specific aspect of game design focused on the subtleties of delivering the story. It is about conciliating the design of systems, that is to say, what can be managed by algorithms, and the human aspect of telling tales. Wields notions like player fantasy, dramaturgy, accessibility, cultural sensibility, ludonarrative harmony, worldbuilding, etc. Everything that helps the game make sense.

Is it writing? Or not?

The word is often used to name video game writers, as most can do both writing and design to some extent. But someone that wouldn’t do design at all would preferably be referred to as a writer. I always go by “writer & narrative designer” myself to stress my specialties.

Are there some specialties?

It is actually used to name different kinds of works. It’s still true today that writers and game designers come from really different backgrounds, and narrative design is a meeting point between different educational backgrounds. Some are pure writers, while some only do design, team management, narrative direction. Some do not write at all, but are focused on narrative tools, and can prototype, test and integrate content on a specific engine.

For example, I am a great writer (truly great!) with an extensive literary education, and my knowledge of video game development originally comes from modding. One can say I’m more on the writer's side, and less “technical”-focused. But we’re always learning, aren’t we?

Most specialties can be completed by other skills among members of the team. When hiring a narrative designer, it’s always important to check on their specialties, but also yours. AAA-scale teams tend to hire more specialized profiles, while indies appreciate more versatile ones.

What are the deliverables of a narrative designer?

It depends on their specific skillset, and your will to take time to onboard them on your tools. 

All of them will be able to deliver design documentation, with different levels of precision depending on their knowledge of your tools, and a narrative bible, telling everything there is to know about the universe, guidelines for writers, and the story of the game. They can also make audits to advise you about your homemade narrative setting. Then, the writing-oriented profile can deliver all the content documentation such as dialogs or item descriptions, including instructions for staging, prepare localization, and sometimes translate themselves. The “technical” profile, based on their knowledge of specific tools, can be “hand-on” engine. 

All of them can also use production tools and methods if they are in the position of managing teams. Sometimes, narrative designers can advise you to hire other professionals, such as sensitivity readers or proofreaders. Nobody can nor should write all by themselves and expect perfection.

When should I think about narrative design?

The earlier, the better. The biggest leverage and ambition a designer can have is during pre-production, as it’s always better to think about what we want to do and how to do it before the means are set in stone.

This being said, it’s never too late. We actually are used to working with other people’s ideas, designs, intentions, and assets. A lot of teams realize they need help pretty late, but some small tweaks can make a huge difference.

How much does a narrative designer cost?

In short, it depends.

It depends mostly on their experience. A standard freelance rate can be between 300€ a day for juniors to 600€ and above for seniors and veterans. Some are open to salary, royalties, degressive rates, or other compensations. The most important is that both sides reach a satisfactory agreement. And if you can’t, you can always ask for another recommendation. 

I don’t have any money, can I still hire a narrative designer?

You can always try to offer royalties, but it does imply writing a contract and maintaining some transparency on your finances. One should never work outside of any frame.

You can also find funding for hiring. Some are a little easier to get for early stage projects, such as public funding in France via the CNC or in some regions.

Last, but not least, it will be easier to convince a narrative designer if you let them work on their homemade world. Plus, the worldbuilding is probably already advanced.

How long does narrative design take?

From a few hours to forever. You can have a quick consulting session, or work in an extensive IP for many years. Robert Kurvitz said a good worldbuilding takes at least 5 years of work to build. He’s right, of course. He also says you can see results within a week.

For a project, the ideal case would be to have a narrative designer available at all times, given you can give them other kinds of tasks (production, system design, localization, etc.) or make them work on multiple projects, when they are less needed. But don’t worry too much about that, documentation and writing does take a long time. Sometimes, studios hire multiple writers and narrative designers, after all.

Still, if you can’t afford one full-time, it’s still better to have them part-time throughout the entire time of the development, than on big periods and nothing in between.

Can I cut out my narrative designer’s work by myself?

Ah, that’s the bad news. You really shouldn't do it alone. The goal of a narrative designer is precisely to weave meaning between every element of your game. That’s a property of language itself that we cherish in stories: to create logical unfolding in a sequence of otherwise random events.

Of course, experienced narrative designers are prepared to cut anywhere, anytime. That’s a very important part of the work: optimizing time and money without sacrificing meaning, and adapting throughout the hazards of production. And so you should really ask them.

My game doesn’t have a story, do I need a narrative designer?

A game almost always tells a story. You can very much handle it by yourself, but an external point of view can do wonders if you’re willing to add a little spice. Sometimes, throwing some barks, adding a mascot character, tweaking a graphic asset, or go crazy and add a cutscene, and your humble indie becomes a great adventure.

In short, how can a narrative designer make my game better?

The narrative designer will advocate for the story of your game. They will hear you and make your ideas be heard by the players. They will collaborate with everyone in the team to make sure every craft is respected, valued, and on the same page. They will make people want to be part of the adventure, and remember what they played.

I have other questions.

I guess that’s when you should write to me!