As far as video games narratives go,
Portal 2 serves us with a delicate, deceptively complex story. And Valve's willingness to put an emphasis on narration shows that the proof is in the pudding. Very few devs can boast the strength in story that they do. So, being able to watch one of those developers talk about the process of game development and the decisions they made in creating the game is absolutely fascinating.
Erik Wolpaw is one of the remarkable folks that wrote Portal 2. He has gone to NYC's Game Center to lecture about the game, and shows some cool behind-the-scenes bits that really flesh out the developing of a video game. And for someone who loves the process and craft of writing, or game creation, this is a definite must-see.
He goes into why Chell is silent, and in the character nuances that make them so memorable. Well beyond that, actually. It is pretty fascinating, so sit though the whole thing. It isn't often that we get to see such erudition incarnate. Particularly in the ever-emerging, ever transient video game medium where good writing only barely exists.
Game Center Lecture Series- Erik Wolpaw from NYU Game Center on Vimeo.
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