Writing Sample

This is a sample of dialogue and direction from a personal project made in Unity. Currently moving the project to Unreal 5.

This is a scene from a turn based RPG I'm making in my spare time. In it, I want to deeply tie gameplay and story, but without creating a branching narrative. For example: the main character, Ada, is the party's healer, she's very weak physically and emotionally at the start but grows as the game progresses. This progress is shown through gameplay with a job system. As the player gets closer to each of the party members through hanging out with them or having them in the party, they can learn to use that character's job in battle. However, Ada is the only character who can learn healing spells, because of her extreme empathy. The game's main themes are Kindness, Self Discovery, and Recovering from abuse.
The following scene is from about halfway through the game, where the player thinks they are going to confront the final boss. The characters know that they will have to fight Ada's sister Celeste once more to gain entrance to the castle.

In front of the Empire's Castle Gates
Characters: Ada (Player), Three Possible Party Members, and Celeste (Boss)
Summary: Intro cutscene to game's final rival fight before the real big bad. Celeste, who has served as a sort of rival/mentor role to the party so far stands between them and their goal. Their relationship has been friendly previously, but recently became more strained due to story events. The party has barely scraped by or have been defeated in previous encounters with her , but at this point they should be about evenly matched. This scene should set up the boss fight while still making it believable, although unexpected, that Celeste joins the party in the second half of the game as well as set up her character arc for the rest of the story. Celeste has firmly believed in the empire so far, but as events unfold she's beginning to question if what they're doing is really in the best interest of the empire's citizens. She just wants some time to think, but unfortunately doesn't have the luxury.

[Player enters, sees Celeste facing away from the camera, her katana planted in the ground behind her. Glowing white clouds are emanating from the castle, it's snowing. No music.]

Celeste: *Deep sigh* [Quietly] "We're too deep in it now, aren't we?"
[Pause as the player walks towards her]
Celeste: "I'm not gonna tell you to leave, I know you won't listen to me anymore, but could you just… not? If you don't try and go inside, I don't have to… Look, I know what we're doing looks a bit…" She look up at the clouds, "Ok, a lot, uh, untoward, but I really think it's going to change the world. For the better!"

Player Response
1. Can we just get this over with?
2. Just let us past. Please.
3. …

Whatever the response in this case, she ignores it.

Celeste: "I may not understand what that machine [Dad/Mom depending on game state] and the Emperor are making in there. But I believe… I HAVE to believe that it's worth it. That everything we've done, everything we've been through, has been building to something good."

Player Response
[After the player chooses an option, a quiet version of Celeste's boss theme fades in]
1. Whatever's going on in there, I don't think it's anything good. We can go in there, and convince [Dad/Mom] to stop it, and then everything will go back to normal.
a. Celeste: "I'm sorry Ada, this isn't the kind of problem you can just make go away. *Chuckles* Hey, remember when we were kids and [Dad/Mom] started to get sick? Every day, you'd come out here to the front garden, pick flowers, and bring them to [him/her]. You'd say 'I picked some medicinal herbs for you [sir/mam], eat them and you'll get better!' and you'd be wearing a lab coat that was way too big for you. Oh, you were so cute when you were little. We both were, I guess."
2. What we've been through, it doesn't have to mean anything to anyone but us. And hurting innocent people won't make it mean anything to them.
a. "We haven't hurt anyone! Our priorities just… changed. If you had the opportunity to fix all the problems in the world, and I mean all of them, for the whole world, would the small things matter just a bit less to you? Like, right now for instance, are you thinking about what you'll have for breakfast tomorrow morning? Of course not, because you have bigger things to worry about!"
3. …
a. I know, I know, we're just… prolonging the inevitable. I just, I need a minute, OK? This was never supposed to happen. *Deep breath*
[Celeste turns around slowly]
Celeste: "I'm sorry. I have to believe that I'm making the right choice. You do too. *Sigh* Mom and Dad were right, we're both too damn stubborn."
[She grabs her katana from the ground, the music fades into her boss theme, and the fight begins]

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In battle dialogue

Player uses the "Interact" command
Narration: "It's useless right now. Sometimes, siblings fight, but they always make up after… Right?"

Player party is at less than 50% HP
Celeste: "C'mon, you're better than this! Didn't you learn anything from our last fight? You should know all my tricks by now!"

Boss reaches 75% HP
Celeste: "There we go! You and your friends have gotten better since last time. But now's the part you've always been bad at: the follow through."

Boss reaches 50% HP
Player Choice [2 -7 change depending on who is in the party, only 4 options can be displayed]
1. Ada: "I can't do this, please just stop. I don't want to hurt you anymore. I love you." *Ada casts full heal on Celeste*
a. Celeste: "…"
b. Narration: She can't bring herself to look at you.
c. Narration: Celeste's attack and defense are halved.
2. Kai (Black Mage): "I know Ada can't do this, so I'll do it in her place. I'm sorry." *Kai begins casting an Instant Death spell*
3. Gwendolyn (Warrior): "I know it seems impossible, but there's got to be a way out of this where no one dies. Just trust me, we can do this." *Party gains physical attack up*
4. Luna (Sorcerer): I've seen too many families break up over petty squabbles, let's all just put our weapons down, and talk this out." *Celeste gets an extra turn for the duration of the battle.*
5. Maggie (Brawler): "Just… Hit her in non-vital areas, and keep on the defensive. There's gotta be a way out of this." *Party's critical hit chance is now 0*
6. Rosh (Bulwark): "Would both of you just stop this nonsense!" *Rosh attacks both Ada and Celeste, dealing massive damage and probably knocking out Ada.*
7. Jared (Red Mage): "Look, I'm no good at this feelings stuff, but even I can see there's better uses of our time!" *Party's magic attack increases*