Game devs/script writers how do you write your script and how long does it take

bcsjkdfjksh

Newbie
Mar 22, 2019
66
22
Game devs/scriptwriters how do you write your script and how long does it take?

I have been writing my own and GOD it is taking a while. Fleshing out a cast, sticking to the purpose of the VN while not losing interest during scenes is so big. At any moment attention can really dwindle and managing all three is tough!!

How long does it take for you to write the script?
How tough is it?
How many times do you rewrite it?
 

MidnightArrow

Active Member
Aug 22, 2021
500
452
The amount of time it takes to write the script depends on how long the game is (obviously) so the better question is how many lines/pages a day can somebody get done.

This morning I got about 250 Renpy lines done for one project. It came out pretty easy since it was all dialogue about the plot and character backstories. That shit's easy because you just need to know how to parcel out plot points while trying to stick at least a little close to how people talk.

Now I'm working on a different project where I need to describe the main character's inner monologue as she masturbates. That's a lot harder because sex sensations are not verbal so you need to come up with so many different ways to say "She rubbed it and it felt good" to keep from getting boring. And this is all re-writing stuff I already wrote too so I haven't technically written anything yet. The answer to your last question is "I rewrite it until it looks good".
 

Dushniy

Member
Game Developer
Apr 5, 2021
270
661
It really depends.
But, personally, I don't really write scripts. I create characters... and they act according to their personalities. Sometimes it feels like I am not even writing for them, it feels like they are acting on their own.
So that's how I 'write', but I prefer to think of it as - Will into existence.

My point being here is - start with your characters. Flesh them out. Who are they. What do they like. How would they react to a date. How are they when they are alone.
Once you gather all that info about a character or two, you don't even need to write a script. They'll speak for themselves.

At least it's like that for me. Maybe I am just insane. :BootyTime:
 

MidnightArrow

Active Member
Aug 22, 2021
500
452
Another point I want to bring up: whether you're "interested" in writing is totally irrelevant. If you want to make this a career then it is work. You sit down and you do it like an architect or a computer programmer. If you have a scene in your head, find the correct words to describe its components and put them in the proper order to represent your meaning. It may--probably will--come out terrible but that's what rewriting is for.

Don't get hung up waiting for the dreaded "inspiration" or you'll never get anything done. Words are technical things; each one has a specific meaning. Treat it as a science first, an art second. You can make the prose as fancy as you want after you have a solid foundation. Don't start hanging nice drapes while your house is just a wooden frame.

I'm just an ordinary sinner BTW. I could be writing my story but instead I've spent 15-20 minutes writing this post. But at least I don't pretend I'm doing anything other than shirking my job.
 

bcsjkdfjksh

Newbie
Mar 22, 2019
66
22
It really depends.
But, personally, I don't really write scripts. I create characters... and they act according to their personalities. Sometimes it feels like I am not even writing for them, it feels like they are acting on their own.
So that's how I 'write', but I prefer to think of it as - Will into existence.

My point being here is - start with your characters. Flesh them out. Who are they. What do they like. How would they react to a date. How are they when they are alone.
Once you gather all that info about a character or two, you don't even need to write a script. They'll speak for themselves.

At least it's like that for me. Maybe I am just insane. :BootyTime:

That's what I've found too, however, I do like a narrative that can keep my readers finding a solid commonality and course to go on. It also lets me put more interesting scenes in that people want to see. I do agree though, characters fly on their own once you make them.

I guess the one part that I need is solid pacing and a plot that has an end
 

Mimir's Lab

Member
Game Developer
Sep 30, 2019
225
980
"Don't get it right, get it written."

It's significantly easier to write something bad first and then edit it into greatness than it is to write something great the first time around. When you write badly on paper, you at least get to see it and realize why it doesn't work, whereas if you just sit there and think about all the ideas you have until the right words or ideas formulate, you'll be wasting time retreading ideas that should have been discarded long ago. Writing, like any other skill, requires trial and error before you get good at it. Knowing the fundamentals helps but it doesn't make you a flawless writer. Therefore, the faster you can fail, the faster you can improve. I know a lot of people out there wear the word "perfectionist" like a badge of honor, but make no mistake, perfectionism is a bad thing; No one does anything perfectly the first time around, so accept that fact and start failing fast!

That being said, you should get good at editing your writing. This is both a mindset and a skill. When editing you should look at your writing through an objective lens even though it is difficult when there's an emotional attachment to what you wrote. Cut out unnecessary and boring stuff, make exposition more fun or look for ways to integrate it into the images instead, and make sure what is being said makes sense. Grammar, spelling, and punctuations are a given.

I thought about explaining my writing process here, but then I've already procrastinated long enough just writing what I've written above. So I'll leave you with this: You writing slow might be a symptom that either you don't know where the story is going or you're too afraid to put pen to paper because it might not turn out as good as you'd like. If it's the former, make an outline of your story (I know everyone hates it, but do it, it helps), if it's the later, it'll require a mindset shift.
 
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Carrera

Active Member
Jun 25, 2017
501
1,173
Considering the quality of some of the games I've played lately, it takes longer to type out the script than it took the dev to actually come up with it.
 

Crimson Delight Games

Active Member
Game Developer
Nov 20, 2020
940
2,067
Game devs/scriptwriters how do you write your script and how long does it take?
How? By banging my head against the wall from sheer frustration and endless self-critique until my brain finally craps out something I'm half-way satisfied with. As for how long it takes? Well, judging by all the blood on the wall, I'd say a lot longer than it should! :ROFLMAO:
 
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Jun 25, 2018
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When I did a script commission for a game, it took me a couple hours for that one scene, all dialogue. Part figuring out how to mimic the original writer and established quirks, part thinking of lewd stuff, part writing it, and then part doing edits/corrections/changes. If these are your OCs then maybe it'll be quicker since you won't have to try any mimicking, you'd just know how they react/speak.
 

Versta

Newbie
Sep 27, 2021
41
176
"Don't get it right, get it written."
This sentence is perfect. When I was developing something, things like programming I could do without any problems, but i get completely stuck because I couldn't write a script that convinced me. It was very difficult for me. Until I started thinking "fck it, its better to have it done. I will improve it over time" and it was the right way to stop losing time .