Script length versus game length

Hi. I've asked several questions here on the message board here before and everyone has been very helpful. I was wondering if any has figured out how long (in pages) the script has to be in pages for a game to last 45 hours? I know on average in movies one page of script equals about one minute of screen time.

So far my script is nine pages and counting.... I know that there is the whole gameplay element (building levels, completing quests) that adds to the length of the game. I'm just looking for a ball park number to help pleasethe number crunchers i'm working with.

Thanks.

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It's a bit relative, I think. You could technically make a nine page script run for about 45 hours, but the game would have to involve a huge amount of walking, killing, etc. to make up the time.

Basically, sit down and think out what you want the character/s to do. Then, write down a list of objectives. For a 45 hour game, you'll need quite a few. I'd suggest at least 20 primaries and as many sub quests. Now, figure out which will be dungeons, etc. Figure that you're dungeons will last for a maximum of half an hour, otherwise most people will get bored with them. Then figure out how long it'll take to walk from so-and-so to you-know-where to get the magic book and then to walk to -somewhere-or-other to deliver it. And then, for each of your objectives, make sure you have both beginning and finishing dialogues. Also, some flavour text might be nice in between.

I'd guess at maybe a minimum of half a page per quest, possibly up to a page if the task is long and complicated. So you'd be looking at between 15 to 30 pages roughly (side quests need less dialogue) all together. Keep in mind this is only a guess, as the script for the game we're working on is quite flexible, and also a fair bit larger than most games will be.

Anyway, good luck with it, and let us know how you're going.

-Andiyar

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"Any good that I may do here, let me do now, for I may not pass this way again"

Quote

Originally posted by Tarnćlion Andiyarus:
**It's a bit relative, I think. You could technically make a nine page script run for about 45 hours, but the game would have to involve a huge amount of walking, killing, etc. to make up the time.
**

which essentially, makes up the brunt of most games, think about it until u reach a town you walk grand distances and battle like 30 monsters, and gain about 2 levels...this is apart of the experience as well, Even when i take my time and do everything and have the character run the whole time it takes no more than 55 hours(in a robust game) .

random general hint: write your games like a play, not a short story, this will allow you to visualize the sccripting process(lp ook at Othello, great example.)

Assuming you really only wrote dialog, everything else would be reminders of how you want the characters to behave, like an actors queue. plus factor in the tiny window which is full of 18pt font. What i'm saying is there is usually a trade off between the two elements action and dialogue...so if ur doing a melee-centric,exploration game 9 pages(single spaced,double sided,12pt font) should do.

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Okay, for my first post after break, I'd like to tell everyone to measure length in word count, please. It makes comparing length a lot easier. FYI, a page in an average novel is rougly 250 words long.

Now for game-time vs. info. ATMOS has claimed that there is enough writing in Nova to equal Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, which is about 250,000 words (or 1,000 pages long). Now, we all know how quickly someone can beat Nova if they try, don't we? So the key here is how much text wil be seen during a run-through of the game.

The main factor is options, as in, how many different choices can the character make? For instance, in the game Andiyar and I are creating, a player may only see 1/12 of the game text, if at that, no matter how carefully they explore. So a 60 page script wouldn't suit us nearly as well as it would, say, someone who's making a completly linear adventure. Other things already gone over are action, busy work, etc.

-Celchu, the friendly neighborhood ogre

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