作者：Narrative Designer

从亚里士多德时期开始，几乎所有的作家都是使用线性的叙述方式，所以说交互式娱乐真的是一个全新的领域。自从2006年我开始与THQ游戏开发团队共事，创造一种“叙事设计师”（Narrative Designer）的定位时，整个游戏产业似乎便带着一种怀疑的观点看待这一新角色。很多写手错误地将“叙事设计者”的帽子戴在自己头上，从而导致很多人想当然地认为这一角色无非就是对游戏写手的重新定义。这种看法自然是错误的。叙事设计者是互动式娱乐产业，特别是AAA级游戏领域中一种新型的混合式人才。

我曾经收到了来自Eidos Montreal（蒙特利尔游戏开发商）的首席游戏作家 Mary DeMarle的信件。显然，她是在2004年的Austin游戏开发者大会（GDC）上首次听到这个术语，也是从那时候开始关于这一术语的争论便彻彻底底展开了。

当我在为THQ Global写职位说明（JD）时我还不认识这个术语。以下是我在2006年写的JD，以及Monolith在2009年的版本和Microsoft最近刚出炉的2011年JD。从这些JD中我们可以明确地看出，即使是在第一次定义这个新角色的过程中，我们也发现了它与交互式娱乐产业中的其他角色存在一些差异性。

叙事设计师（THQ JD 2006）

Relic Entertainment（游戏邦注：加拿大电子游戏开发公司）正在招募叙事设计师。这些叙事设计师应该确保玩家的游戏体验能够与游戏故事以及相关设备联系在一起，维持故事脚本和语言的生动性和吸引力。与设计团队中的其他成员共同协作，叙事设计师将在游戏开发的整个时期内与外部创作人员保持密切的联系，并确保能够充分利用这些资源。

职责：

拥护游戏故事，脚本和语言。

充当与叙述相关的所有内容的核心资源，同时也担当内容编写和复本编辑的工作。

使用并改编外部写作资料，将写手的故事角度应用于游戏中。

理解故事的要求，并呈现完整的故事/脚本目标。

安排自己的日程表以更好地适应游戏的编写时间，能够妥善处理任何相关争端。

编辑并制作故事概要，和脚本内容，并负责修改和批准提交等工作。

汇集并编写原型故事内容成份，如动画情节，场景，音效和音乐等等。

与外部协作资源合作，帮助他们翻译资料而为游戏所用，或者帮助他们翻译游戏。

在音效设计的情感基调方面，包括音乐的选择，与音效团队合作。

了解行业趋势，拥有创新的解决方案和犀利的风格，并能够满足不同游戏需求。

如果需要的话，对制作和设计团队提供其他帮助。

要求：

能够通过一系列交互式媒体平台，包括个人电脑和手机提供游戏内容。

平衡电脑游戏中的叙事学和游戏学之间的关系，在游戏软件中将故事与游戏玩法整合在一起。

拥有出色的写作能力，并且能够在完备的概念中创造出一种视觉理论，并根据不同的交互式媒体软件产品创造出不同逻辑和实体说明文件。

掌握游戏设计中，包括音效，动画，图像以及特效软件等相关理论和使用，以此更好地完善玩家的游戏体验。

拥有交互式媒体软件产品和网站开发领域的综合式产品经验。

知道如何通过使用标准化软件和硬件去创造，编辑，模拟或展示游戏顺序，至少会使用Flash，Photoshop，Studio Max和Finalcut Pro Excellent等软件。

出色的口头和书面表达能力。

能够在压力下成功处理各种任务。

至少需要3-6年的游戏产业相关经验。

拥有美术总监，故事设计师，叙事设计师或者其它相关职位的工作经历。

拥有交互式媒体领域的最高学位，包括美术硕士学位（MFA）或者博士学位（PhD）。

曾经为一些较为正式的电影写过剧本。

是一名忠实的游戏玩家，有兴趣创造故事媒体。

叙事设计师（Monolith JD 2009）

总结

对首席设计师负责，叙事设计师必须担当起游戏故事的创作和执行工作。叙事设计师应该与其他设计师协作，以帮助游戏系统和游戏任务的设计和执行，并通过在交互式过程中使用游戏编辑和脚本系统以提高玩家的游戏体验。

工作职责

在首席设计者的监督下，设计并制作叙述系统以更好地向玩家传递游戏故事和情感表述。

与其他设计者合作帮助设计并执行游戏系统和游戏任务，并使用游戏编辑和脚本系统。

与设计组和外部人才协作，创造并维持游戏对话文件，非玩家控制角色（NPC）信息，游戏背景故事以及动画场景等。

在有需要的时候指导声优进行配音。

与美工团队协作创造出真实般的角色和场景。

工作经验

有3年的游戏编写，设计和过场动画经验。

至少参与了2次游戏设计。

教育，职业培训，技术训练或者证书

文学士学位优先，或者拥有游戏编写和设计经验也优先考虑。

知识/技能

优秀的写作能力

知道如何调动玩家的情绪

了解概念艺术以及故事脚本制作

懂得如何使用场景制作工具。

在场景开发过程中擅长与美工团队协作。

知道如何为游戏创建一个强大的社区和坚实的用户基础。

其它要求

对电脑和电子游戏拥有强烈的兴趣。

拥有强大的抗压能力。

擅于交流和组织。

热爱动作类游戏。

交际和协作能力强。

具有游戏编辑和脚本系统的使用经验。

拥有组织能力和自我激励精神。

对于交互式游戏产业的发展趋势十分了解并感兴趣。

叙事设计师（Microsoft JD 2011）

对创意总监负责，叙事设计师必须承担起游戏故事执行的任务，其角色是用于强调最重要的游戏故事是指玩家可以通过低，中，高级行动和选择进行游戏并决定的游戏进程。

叙事设计师将与其他设计者共同协作以帮助并执行游戏系统和任务的设计，以完善玩家的游戏体验。这个角色的核心任务是拥护游戏故事，制作吸引人的叙述性元素，定义系统并以此向玩家传递故事。

职责：

在创意总监的监督下设计并制作交互式叙述系统，以更好地向玩家传达故事和情感体验。

认同开发团队以及游戏故事，脚本和语言。

与其他设计协作，在游戏系统和任务的设计和执行过程中执行叙述任务，包括进行游戏编辑和脚本系统等任务。

与动画团队和故事团队协作，创造并维护游戏对话文件，NPC角色信息，背景故事和场景开发等方案。

担任所有与叙述相关内容的核心资源这一角色。

与故事团队协作以确保叙述概要，处理，脚本内容和故事情节符合动画场景和设计方向，并且负责修正和批准提交工作。

在音效设计的情感基调方面，包括音乐的选择，与音效团队合作，有需要的话帮助指导声优进行配音。

妥善安排自己的时间表以适应游戏叙述工作，并能够妥善处理工作中出现的任何争端时。

要求：

能够在完备的概念中创造出一种视觉理论，并根据不同的交互式媒体软件产品创造出不同逻辑和实体说明文件。

知道如何调动玩家的情绪。

至少拥有3-6年的艺术总监，故事设计师，叙事设计师或者游戏产业的其他相关经验。

深入了解交互式游戏产业，并对创造故事媒体这一工作很有兴趣。

擅长交际，协作，并且有很强的组织能力。

有很强的抗压能力。

具有编辑游戏和使用游戏脚本的经验。（本文为游戏邦/gamerboom.com编译，如需转载请联系：游戏邦）

What is a Narrative Designer?

by Narrative Designer

While writers to some extent have been engaging in narrative design for linear 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 Designer” position in 2006, the industry has seemed to watch the development of this new role with a skeptical eye.  Many writers have falsely taken on the self-appointed title of ‘Narrative Designer’ and 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. This assumption is false. Narrative Designers are a new breed of hybrid talent for interactive entertainment industry, specifically the AAA-games sector.

I recieved a good head check from Mary DeMarle, Lead Game Writer at Eidos Montreal. Apprarently she first heard the term at the Austin GDC in 2004, supposedly the contreversy began then (I look forward to hearing the complete story)!

When I wrote the job description (JD) for THQ Global I hadn’t heard the term. You can see the JD I wrote below prior to taking the role in 2006, followed by a 2009 version by Monolith, and the most recent JD posted by Microsoft (2011). One can see clearly that, even in these first attempts to define the role, it is wholly different from other roles in interactive entertainment.

Narrative Designer (THQ JD 2006)

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 2009)

Summary

Reporting to the Lead Designer, the Narrative Designer is responsible for creation and implementation of the game story. The Narrative Designer will also be relied upon to collaborate with other designers to assist in design and implementation of game world systems and mission/quest design, using game editors and scripting systems as part of the iterative process to maximize player immersion within the game play experience.

Job Responsibilities

Under supervision of Lead Designer, design and document interactive narrative systems to facilitate story and emotional delivery to player.

Collaborate with other designers to assist in design and implementation of game world systems and mission/quest design, using game editors and scripting systems.

Collaborate with design team and external talent to create and maintain game dialogue documentation, NPC character information, world back story, and cinematic direction.

Assist when needed with actor voice direction.

Collaborate with art team to develop fully fleshed-out characters and locales.

Work Experience

Three years game writing, game design, and cinematic experience.

Preferably shipped at least two titles.

Education, Professional Training, Technical Training or Certification

B.A. degree preferred, or equivalent game writing and design experience.

Knowledge/Skills

Superior writing ability

Understand techniques to elicit player emotion.

Familiarity with concept art creation and storyboarding.

Knowledge of cinematic creation tools.

Experience working with art team on cinematic development.

Strong understanding of fostering a community and fan base for our games.

Other Requirements

Strong interest in computer and video games.

Ability to work well under pressure and with deadlines.

Excellent communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills.

Passion for action games.

Excellent Communication and Collaboration skills

Experience with game editors and scripting systems

Excellent Organizational skills; self motivated

In-depth knowledge of industry trends in interactive storytelling

Passion for games and gaming

Narrative Designer (Microsoft JD 2011)

Summary:

Reporting to the Creative Director, the Narrative Designer is responsible for the implementation of the game story; his/her role is to enforce the notion that the most important story in any game is the story that the player can actually play and can determine the course of through low, mid, and high-level actions and choices.

The Narrative Designer will be relied upon to collaborate with other designers to assist in design and implementation of game world systems and mission design to maximize player immersion within the game play experience. 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.

Responsibilites:

Under supervision of Creative Director, design and document interactive narrative systems to facilitate story and emotional delivery to player

Act as a champion of the story, script and speech across the game and game team

Collaborate with other designers to execute on narrative goals within the design and implementation of game world systems and mission design – this may include working in the game editor and script system

Collaborate with the cinematics team and story team to create and maintain game dialogue documentation, NPC character information, world back story, and cinematic development plans

Act as a central resource for all things narrative related

Work with the story team to ensure narrative synopses, treatments and script content and story blend seamlessly with cinematic and design directions and be responsible for revision and approval submission

Work with the sound department on emotional tone of the sound design, including music selection; may assist with actor voice direction as needed

Manage own schedule to accommodate the narrative deliverables of the project and propose solutions for conflicts that arise

Requirments:

Ability to develop visual theory into production-ready concepts as well as written and physical specifications for game narrative implementation

Understand techniques to elicit player emotion

At least 3-6 years of previous experience as an Art Director, Story Designer, Narrative Designer or other similarly tasked position in the game industry

In-depth knowledge of industry trends in interactive storytelling with a deep interest in creatively advancing the story medium

Excellent communication, collaboration, interpersonal, and organizational skills

Proven ability at successful multi-tasking under great pressure

Experience with game editors and scripting systems. （source:gamasutra）