| Client | Spil Games | ||
| Service | Game Writing/Plotting/Character development | ||
| Period | September 2016 – November 2017 | ||
| Platforms | Android (4.6★), iOS (4.5★) | ||
| Website/store page | http://www.mahjongcrimes.com/index-en.html |
I designed the mysteries, created characters and wrote all dialogs for Mahjong Crimes, developed by Spil Games. Both the original IP featuring Kate Blackwood and the Agatha Christie adaptation of Murder On The Orient Express were written by me.
By working closely with the game designer, we ensured that the powerful classic story was respectfully translated to the medium of game.
As an admirer of literature, I tried to be as faithful to the source material as possible. Fans of the book will recognize their favorite lines as they play through the game. At the same time, those who first pick up the book after playing the game should already be accustomed to the writing style.
Tasks and Responsibilities
- Write succinct yet lively dialogue for the puzzle mysteries;
- Work within the limits of no more than 8 lines per interaction, spoken by no more than 2 characters; and a character limit of 120 characters per line;
- Reshape Agatha Christie’s classic tale to suit a thrilling mobile Mahjong game;
- Explain or defend my writing for the licence holders of the Murder on the Orient Express Intellectual Property (Agatha Christie Ltd);
- Report to the Game Director and discuss story options and feedback during 1-on-1 sessions;
- Assist in the editing phase and writing glossaries and tone of voice guides.
Challenges
- Giving all 17 characters their moment to shine in the complex murder mystery;
- Tinkering with the sequence of events for gameplay variety reasons, without spoiling the mystery or hampering the flow of the investigation;
- Fitting in the plethora of clues, interviews and reveals in the book, in no more than 120 interactions (monologues, dialogues, cinematics);
- Keeping these lines and interactions as brief as possible; the story could and should not hamper the game.
Learnings and Takeaways
- How to write concise yet sparkling dialog
- How to ensure that every line of dialogue instructs the player, propels the plot, and/or adds characterization
- How to write for casual puzzle games and their audience
- How to construct mysteries that are thrilling yet fair
