Dramatic Storytelling in Games

I attended the “Dramatic Storytelling in Games” lecture at 12pm in the JC Cinema.  In this talk by Seamus Sullivan, he describes two different tests that can be used when writing to help with character development. The first test is called the Plinkett Test and is performed by describing a character without referencing their appearance, profession, or what they do in the story. The goal of the test is to see if the character developed is more than just basic descriptions. A successful character is one that the players of the game can relate to if that is the intention of the author. Some games take a different approach depending on how the story is portrayed. The second test is called the Bechdel Test and is used as a test of female characterization. The three requirements to pass the Bachdel Test are: it has two or more women in it, they talk to each other, and about something other than a man. The point of this test is to avoid the stereotypical female roles in dramatic storytelling, and to make those females strong well-rounded characters.