Narrative Designer is a role in contemporary video game development first seen in 2006 when the video game publisher THQ began hiring for the position I wrote based on talks with THQ Canada.  While the strict definition may vary from team to team, and production to production, the core of this role is to champion story, craft compelling narrative elements, and define the systems through which they will be delivered to the player.  Interactive Narrative Design is a new craft waiting to be further defined and explored.

While writers to some extent have been engaging in narrative design for traditional storytelling arguably since Aristotle, it is wholly new to the field of interactive entertainment.  Since working with the team at THQ to create the narrative design position in 2006, the industry has watched the development of this new role with a skeptical eye.  Many writers have falsely taken on the self appointed title of ‘narrative designer’ without a complete understanding of the role, appropriate skill-set and experience.  As a result there has been a watering down of the term and a general sense that the role is for nothing more than an relabeled game writer.

To clarify, below is the original Narrative Designer job description I wrote for THQ dba Relic Entertainment in 2006, followed by the most recent job description posted by Monolith.  One can see clearly that, even in these first attempts to define the role, it is wholly different from other roles in interactive entertainment.

Title: Narrative Designer (THQ JD)
Employment Status: Full Time – Benefits
Division/Studio: Relic Entertainment (Vancouver, B.C.)
Department: Design

Job Description:
Relic Entertainment is looking for a Narrative Designer. The Narrative Designer will focus on ensuring that the key elements of the player experience associated with story and story telling devices, script and speech are dynamic, exciting and  compelling. Working collaboratively with other design oriented team members, the Narrative Designer will be the primary contact with external writing resources for the duration of a production, and will be responsible in ensuring we get the most  out of those external resources.

Responsibilities:

• Act as the champion of the story, script and speech for the product
• Act as the central resource for all things narrative related, as well as write content and edit copy
• Apply and adapt externally written materials, as a representative of that writer’s story vision, as it applies to the game
• Understand story requirements and deliver on ultimate story/script goals
• Manage own schedule to accommodate the deliverables of each project and propose solutions for conflicts that arise
• Edit, compile and develop outlines, narrative synopses, treatments and script content and be responsible for revision and approval submission
• Assembles and edits prototype story components such as storyboard animatics, ripomatics, sound and music
• Conduct research to obtain factual background information relevant to story/design goals
• Work with external writing resources to help translate their material to become game relevant, as well as translate game
• concepts to external writers
• Work with the sound department on emotional tone of the sound design, including music selection
• Articulate industry trends, innovative solutions and cutting edge styles that meet the goals of each project
• Support/assist Producer and Design team in other duties, as required

Requirements:

• Proven ability to provide content across a full array of interactive media platforms including PC and mobile
• Understanding of the balance between narratological and ludological theory in computer games and proven ability in the integration of story and game play into finished software product
• Exceptional writing ability and ability to develop visual theory into production-ready concepts as well as logical and physical specifications for interactive media software products
• Understanding of the theory of, and experience in, game design including the use of sound, animation, graphics and special effects software to maximize game play experience
• Comprehensive production experience in the development of interactive media software products and web sites
• Good knowledge of standard software and hardware used to create, edit, animate, display game sequences, including, but not limited to Flash, Photoshop, Studio Max and Finalcut Pro
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written
• Proven ability at successful multi-tasking under great pressure
• At least 3-6 years of previous experience as a game industry
• Art Director, Story Designer, Narrative Designer or otherwise similarly tasked position
• A terminal degree in interactive media, either a MFA or PhD
• Previous cinematics and script writing for film on a formalized basis an asset
• An avid game player with a deep interest in creatively advancing the story medium

Narrative Designer (Monolith JD)

Summary