Writing Video Game Scenes and Dialogue

Increasingly, game designers are realizing that cutscenes, cinematics and character interactions through dialogue are not just breaks from gameplay, or ways of providing exposition. They are integral to the player’s experience of a game. Talking is action. Dialogue is gameplay.

In this course we will explore how to create compelling, vital scenes, and how to use dialogue to support gameplay, deepen character, and advance the game’s story.

Early career game writers will often get their first experience writing dialogue for NPCs, especially the infamous barks and taunts. We’ll show you how to make this dialogue work, when it should sing and when it should be invisible.

Verified learners will access additional game industry interviews, assignments and discussion topics, connecting with a community of other writers and game enthusiasts.

Module 1: Voice

• Finding voice
• Developing voice
• Supporting gameplay

Module 2: Scenes

• Scene structure
• Building scenes
• Deepening scenes

Module 3: Cinematics and Cutscenes

• Cutscenes
• Cinematic storytelling
• Formatting

Module 4: In-Game Dialogue

• Supporting level design
• Triggers

Module 5: Ambient Conversations, Barks and Taunts

• Ambient conversations
• Barks and taunts