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From Game Mechanics to Literary Narrative: Challenges of "Showing vs. Telling" in Dark Fantasy

A topic by GRICHGAME COMPANY created 74 days ago Views: 163 Replies: 5
Viewing posts 1 to 5

Hello everyone! I'm usually an indie developer focusing on game mechanics and world-building, but I recently published my first literary project: DARK TALES OF THE DARK AGES: PART I.

I wanted to shift my focus from  "show, don't tell" (which is essential for game design) to the more intricate literary "showing" required for a book.

The Challenge: Fatal Consequences

In games, players feel the consequences of a fatal choice instantly- they die, or the world state changes. In literature, that consequence must be built slowly, using atmosphere and dread.

For example, in one of my stories, a character faces a horde of rats in a dark cellar. In a game, this would be a quick fight. In the book, the horror is built over pages using sound, claustrophobia, and psychological breakdown.

My main question for this community (especially for writer-devs):

When you transition a story idea from a game concept to a book, what is the hardest element to translate effectively?

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this cross-medium challenge! If you want to see my first attempt at this literary translation, you can check out the book here. I also have a **FREE DEMO** available.

**➡️ Check out DARK TALES OF THE DARK AGES: PART I: https://grichgame-company.itch.io/dark-tales-of-the-dark-ages-part-1

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I’d experiment with pacing — let the suspense linger a bit longer than you’d expect, because in literature, the “slow burn” hits harder than instant consequences.

I completely agree.

There are differences between being a writer and an interactive game designer. However, given my primary profession, it was difficult for me to write even 20 pages for three stories, as I was still chasing the ending.

Nevertheless, I think you're right, and in the future I'll write a little more to make the atmosphere and consequences feel more natural.

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(moved to the right category)

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Sometimes to make a death feel really sudden and / or shocking, I've seen it happen in a single sentence or just a few words. You've been with this character for the whole book, and then gone. Way too fast to register, it always makes me do a double take. The abruptness really makes it feel real, although of course this isn't best for all stories, and I'm not really a writer, just a reader :)


good luck on your book!

That is a very interesting observation.

I think readers can sometimes notice even more than the writers themselves. Writers are mainly concentrated on their own creation, while readers, or to put it crudely - content consumers, can see the entire picture as a whole. I agree that a different approach may be suitable for every literary work. 

Thank you for taking the time to share your perspective!