Chapter 2.32. Emotioneering Techniques Category 32: Opening Cinematic Techniques

Chapter 2.32. Emotioneering Techniques Category #32: Opening Cinematic Techniques

Beginning to master beginnings.

This chapter shows

ways of using an opening, pre-rendered, or in-game cinematic to suck the player into the game.

As was discussed in the previous chapter, because both pre-rendered and in-game cinematics are like movies, many of the techniques that apply to writing films also apply to cinematics.

note

All the guidelines and techniques explained and demonstrated in Chapter 2.31, "Writing Powerful Pre-Rendered and In-Game Cinematics," also apply to a game's opening cinematic.

In films, there's usually a desire to "hook" the audience within the first few minutes. There are many techniques that quickly engage a viewer. They'd work just as well in games.

Let's say your game is about a villain, Hobson, who has learned to control the natural elements. He can imbue them with life and command them to do his bidding.

We'll use this game as a case study and apply some of the different ways to grab a player's attention with opening cinematics.