: Re: How important is writing for games? I am trying to create a game that has a small plot (maybe more of a theme). The plot just describes why the characters are fighting each other. Other than

@Bryan361

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Many games have extensive backstories, but do not actually use words to tell the player about them. They rather represent the story in form of game mechanics, the design of the environment and game entities and in form of scripted events.
For example, imagine this player-experience:

The player walks through a city. There are piles of rubble on the streets. Many buildings are damaged by scorch marks and bullet holes. Some are just ruins. People in ragged clothes walk through the streets. Their gait is slow and ducked. There are flags with an emblem everywhere, but in contrast to the rundown city the flags look clean and undamaged. There are armed men in dark uniforms standing at every corner. Their poses are dominant and intimidating. They have the same emblem on their chest as the player sees on the flag.
The player passes a group of civilians standing with their hands at a wall, surrounded by a group of uniformed men. One of the uniformed men frisks the civilians. When the player approaches, one of the uniformed men pushes the player away. When the player approaches again, they attack the player.

How much backstory is in that game segment? A lot. There was a war going on, and it was ugly. This city was recently occupied, and now the citizens are facing an oppressing regime. They are suffering.
How many words are used to tell the backstory? Zero. It's all told through visuals and mechanics. The development team might have an extensive backstory section in their design document which explains what happened in great detail, but the players never reads a word from it. The purpose of that document is to help the developers to keep the narrative of the game consistent.

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