A New Chapter

I’d like to think there comes a point in every writer’s life where he or she decides how much time to commit to the craft. Writing, and its partner-in-crime reading, demand time. As Stephen King advocates, a writer must do two things: read a lot and write a lot. But there’s also formal learning. A budding writer can take courses, attend seminars and read the essential books, such as Robert McKee’s seminal ‘Story’, or Stephen King’s candid ‘On Writing’. All of this is irrelevant, however, if the writer cannot endure the exhausting dance with doubt: the shadow that always lurks over any writer’s shoulder.

A few months ago, I was standing at a crossroads. Down one path, I could see a career in the engineering industry stretching far into the distance. That road looked well-trodden and flat, predictable and slow. The other path was shrouded in uncertainty. It still is now.

Over the past couple of years, I’d shot a few furtive looks down that hidden path. I was fortunate enough to start writing a couple of video games, I began reading books on the craft of writing, and I discovered a keen interest in screenwriting. I did my best to pack all this around my day job, but, truth be told, it took a toll. Something had to give.

Now, I’m heading down the obscured path. I’m armed with my little desk at home, a legion of notebooks, a burgeoning desire to write and, all-importantly, the support of my wife. I’ve got no idea what lies around the corner, but I’m going to find out.

I handed in my notice a month ago to the day. Many of my colleagues were bemused by my decision. They questioned why I would give up a relatively stable job, with a decent salary, for uncertainty. My answer was simple: to explore my passion for writing. In truth, I want to spend a large chunk of my life doing something that engages and challenges me, and that has the potential to give me satisfaction.

Recently I’ve started a few new chapters in my personal life, the most significant being my marriage to Kirsty. My professional career, however, had stagnated. The days traipsed by, all-too-often devoid of challenge and intrigue. The hollow comfort of familiarity bred boredom, which gradually mutated into disillusionment. I found myself in a limbo, trapped in a wall-less prison by an internal conflict between self-doubt and perceived worth. Taking a risk and following my passion was the only way to break out.

In short, I’m going to be writing a lot more from now on. My aim is to write a new blog post a week on a range of topics: many will be about video games; some will talk about storytelling in all its forms; others will touch on movies; and there may be a few brief book reviews in there, too. In addition, I’ll be making a concerted effort to turn some of the many ideas swilling around my head and scattered across my many notebooks into coherent short stories. As soon as I can share the video game content that I’ve been writing, I shall.

I want to be able to call myself a writer with pride and confidence, and I want to create entrancing stories to prove it. I want to throw myself into constantly developing my skills, to shake off the crust of stagnation.

Now that I’m heading down this road, I’m determined not to turn back. I know I’ll need all the encouragement and criticism I can get. My wife alone cannot bear that burden, so please join me on my adventure whenever you can, and don’t hesitate to encourage and criticise. I’ll need plenty of both.

Why Naughty Dog have set themselves a mighty big challenge with The Last of Us Part 2

The Last of Us is a video game that blew me away. Whilst playing it, my jaw alternated between being set in tense concentration, and dropped so low it brushed my controller. Naughty Dog’s seminal third-person survival game stunned critics and consumers alike. It was hardly a surprise, therefore, when The Last of Us Part 2 was announced at the 2016 PlayStation Experience. As I watched the reveal trailer, my excitement levels cruised at stratospheric levels. Then, at the last moment, a bolt of concern ripped through my anticipation. Allow me to explain why.

The Last of Us told one of the best stories I’ve enjoyed in any form of media, let alone in video games. Great stories need believable, flawed characters, and in protagonists Joel and Ellie, we had that.

I could (and maybe I will, some day) write a whole article on why The Last of Us’s narrative was exemplary. For now, suffice to say that it hummed with a tension that got its claws in us and refused to let go. The action was exhausting, but the experience was cleverly peppered with downtime scenes to accentuate the combat. The dialogue was sharp, with ne’er a word wasted, and delivered perfectly by Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson. What’s more, Naughty Dog’s narrative designers wisely focused the story purely on the lead characters Joel and Ellie. The fate of the wider world was only hinted at through conservative dollops of exposition, and not allowed to detract from the pair’s personal journeys.

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These aspects, and more, I fully expect to be replicated in The Last of Us Part 2. By choosing to continue Joel and Ellie’s adventures, however, there is one crucial narrative feature that will no longer be available to Naughty Dog’s narrative designers and writers.

One of the key reasons why The Last of Us was so impactful, and why it lingers in the memory still, is the superb character development. I should say at this point there are spoilers ahead, but if you haven’t yet played The Last of Us, rectify that oversight at once! The aforementioned storytelling techniques combine to make us attached to Joel and Ellie, so that we experience their emotional rollercoasters with them.

Under our stewardship, Joel turns from a gruff man with a questionable past, kept afloat by the love for his daughter, to a shell bereft of hope and purpose. Of course, in Ellie he discovers someone who embodies both aspects. But, coloured by his previous loss, it becomes a deranged love and a twisted purpose.

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In terms of character development, it is Ellie, however, who undergoes the greatest transformation. She is not an innocent girl when Joel first encounters her, but she does emanate a childish optimism that is brutally stripped away as her journey progresses. At first she skips by Joel’s side; by the end, it’s a world-weary trudge that mimics her older companion’s.

The evolving relationship between Joel and Ellie is undoubtedly The Last of Us’s most laudable triumph. That doesn’t mean, however, that a second instalment in this dark world needs these iconic characters. Indeed, I believe that Naughty Dog have taken a huge risk in continuing their story.

It wasn’t these protagonists themselves that created such a superb story, but their development, and the impacts that they had on each other. Further, “the lie” (as I have seen it called) at the end, does not mean that their stories were necessarily unfinished. Emotionally, they had been through the crucible and emerged with a bond forged of love and fragile trust. By not spelling out how or if Ellie discovers that Joel lied to her, we could continue the story in our heads and in discussions with our friends. The Last of Us Part 2 must answer these questions, and how Ellie reacts to the news, and that’s almost a shame.

The aspect that causes me greatest concern, however, stems from Ellie’s last line in the trailer: “I’m gonna find, and I’m gonna kill, every last one of them.” Before Neil Druckmann confirmed it, it was evident that hate will be a key theme in The Last of Us Part 2. Ellie sings with a soft callousness that borders on the psychotic, surrounded by dead bodies, and then proclaims her thirst for revenge. Be under no illusion, folks – if you were new to the franchise, this would be interpreted as a villain’s scene.

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My guess is that there will be a role reversal of sorts: Ellie will be the one consumed by hate, and Joel will try to kindle a flicker of light in the darkness. Naughty Dog are relying on us having formed unbreakable attachments to Ellie, however, since it will be extremely difficult to empathise with such unrelatable, grim motivations. The primal drivers of love and survival are much stronger than the hateful desire for revenge.

In short, the question is where can Naughty Dog go from here? If they had chosen to focus on a new set of characters, they would have lost the gilded head start that continuing an existing story seemingly gives them. But it would, however, have given them the opportunity to forge new relationships and tell the stories from another corner of their broken world. The most appealing aspect of “origin” stories, is that we discover what makes characters tick; their habits; their inner conflicts; and their pasts. If we already know a lot of those things, holding our attention and earning our affection is a much greater challenge. Joel and Ellie’s narrative arcs were pitched perfectly, so much so that the renowned developer will need to pull something extra special out of the bag to recapture that shape.

Let me be clear: I am confident that The Last of Us Part 2 will be a superb game. Naughty Dog’s pedigree wouldn’t allow it to be anything else. But the developer has set themselves a mighty big challenge by deciding to continue Joel and Ellie’s story, and make hate a key theme. The problem facing sequels to great stories is that they must somehow trump the seminal tales that came before. The better the first story, the greater the challenge…and the greater the risk of disappointment.

Book review: On Writing, by Stephen King

Having just finished Stephen King’s part-memoir, part-writers’ bible – On Writing – I wanted to offer a brief review of the book. In short, if you are an aspiring writer, or simply feel the need to share in a fellow writer’s journey, I would highly recommend picking up a copy of On Writing. 

The book is a wonderful companion for the aspiring writer. I found it equally inspiring and depressing, both facets resulting from his no-bullshit approach to gifting us a practical guide to the fiction writing process.

The depressing part? If the great Stephen King had to fight through a crucible to get where he is, what hope is there for us lesser-talented writers? Fortunately, inspiration is abound, since it is apparent that King is determined to give earnest beginning writers the best possible advice for succeeding in the craft.

The book is separated into three parts. The first is a memoir of sorts, which allows us to get to know the man behind the writing. As King himself says, it establishes the author’s credentials. There are little nuggets of invaluable advice dotted throughout this first part, like chocolate chips in a muffin.

When the reader is comfortable, the hard lessons roll in. The second part, the titular section, consists of honest advice, details the tools of the trade, and covers the various aspects of what makes a good story. All is delivered with unflinching honesty and backed up with clear literary examples. The second part is the meat of On Writing, and full of invaluable guidelines that any writer should keep coming back to. It’s far more than airy commentary on theoretical principles: it’s a grounded, practical guide to success, offered by a writer in a position to give such advice.

The final part tells the story of Stephen King’s near-fatal accident in 1999. For me, the message of this moving final section was clear. Being a writer is tough. It can be all-engrossing at times, and takes real dedication. But whatever you do, try not to lose perspective of the bigger picture. Try not to forget to live life. Find at least one person who you can confide in absolutely, and who you can trust to be both an honest supporter and unflinching critic of your work.

The reality is that, at any moment, a light blue Dodge van may come over the hill and threaten to take it all away.

Each to their own

In Blakeney, in North Norfolk, England, there is a duck pond. Bear with me here. The Blakeney Conservation Duck Pond sits nestled in the Freshwater Marshes, just adjacent to the flood defense embankment constructed to protect the village from tidal surges. The duck pond is a hive of quacking, squawking and splashing, featuring a veritable smorgasbord of avian wildlife.

Just yesterday, I sat on a bench with my wife overlooking this pond. We watched the dozens of feathered creatures of all colours and sizes mingling with one another, amidst the smattering of curious duck houses perched in the water. One duck in particular caught my attention. It repeatedly plunged its head into the water, kicking out wildly in a vain attempt to dive down deeper. It was amusing, but I had to admire its tenacity.

As my wife and I wondered what the purpose of the self-proclaimed electric fence was surrounding the pond, a voice from the footpath behind us punctured the calm.

“Look at that! Isn’t it amazing?” a man gushed.

Well, I thought, it’s a pleasant spot to stop for ten minutes to eat an ice cream, but I wouldn’t go as far as to call it amazing. But each to their own, I shrugged in my head.

“Come on then,” another man said. “What are all these? You’re an expert, you should know.”

I imagined the second man gesticulating extravagantly towards the duck pond, not least because it suited my humorous mental image. I resisted the urge to turn around to see, though.

“I’m not an expert,” the first man drawled. “But look!” he piped up, his voice suddenly alive with excitement. “The pair with the white bibs. See them?”

The other man gave assurances that he could, indeed, see them. I couldn’t have honestly said the same thing. To be honest, I wasn’t entirely sure what a white bib was.

The amateur enthusiast proceeded to describe the objects of his zeal in even greater detail, using terminology that for the life of me I couldn’t understand.

After a minute or so, the men’s chatter faded as they trooped away.

After they’d gone, I still found myself thinking about the first man’s unabashed, unquenchable display of enthusiasm. He was clearly knowledgeable about, and interested in, avian wildlife. To be honest, I found that amusing. If I had been in a more cynical mood, I must confess I may have been given to silent mocking.

But then I started to question why.

I am a huge fan of The Legend of Zelda series. I also have what most would consider a…healthy Zelda collection, shall we say? Sealed games, figures, strategy guides, statues – you name it, I have it. It’s entirely plausible, of course, that this amateur lover of avian wildlife would be completely baffled by my enthusiasm for The Legend of Zelda series.

This is, of course, pure speculation, but perhaps he would argue that his love for nature is more worthwhile than adoration of a video game series. After two weeks strolling through Nature’s magnificence in The Canadian Rockies earlier this year, I’m not sure I could disagree. I do hope, however, that I never have to choose between the two!

As I sat on that bench by Blakeney’s duck pond, these jumbled thoughts crystallised into a clearer sentiment. Forgive me if I come across as sanctimonious; that isn’t my intention at all.

It’s easy to think ‘each to their own’ dismissively, disregarding what one may perceive as odd with an air of condescension. Everyone has their own hobbies and passions, however, so who is to say which ones are more “valid” than others?

The man at the duck pond probably has a wealth of interests, of which avian wildlife is just one. Who knows if he would have been so dismissive if he had heard one of my inane rants to my long-suffering wife about the video game industry, or the new direction of The Legend of Zelda series with Breath of the Wild.

So next time I shrug ‘each to their own’, I’ll try to remember the guy at the duck pond. Dismissive condescension comes only too easily when witnessing people’s unrestrained effervescing about subjects that they love. But I have my own weird and wonderful interests, too. Just because I don’t understand someone’s passion, it should preclude a mutual respect.

5 things that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild must get right

Whilst this year’s E3 saw a range of titles showcased by Sony, Microsoft and other major publishers, Nintendo’s offering very much focused on a single upcoming game:The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Unprecedented swathes of live gameplay were shown during Nintendo’s Treehouse presentations, and the show floor also had a playable demo, which many claim was the best of E3.

As a long-time follower of The Legend of Zelda series, I’ve enjoyed experiencing and analyzing the franchise’s progression from top-down, 2D open world exploration game to 3D sandbox adventure games. I am, therefore, keen to see how Nintendo handles the shift back to open world gameplay, 30 years after the original Legend of Zelda released in Japan.

Will it be an evolution, or a misstep?

The Treehouse presentation treated us to glimpses of exploration, combat, challenge rooms, crafting and much more. From what we’ve seen thus far, there is a lot to be excited about with Breath of the Wild. This bold return to the open world approach does, however, herald some potential pitfalls.

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