The Soldier, the Girl, and
the Potato
Objective: to explore how three existing characters may interact with each other in a cut scene environment, tying together two moments of gameplay through a single short story moment that provides context for the next gameplay moment.
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Approach: to understand each of the characters, what might motivate them, and what might be the conflict that will create a dramatic moment. And then to use that moment to link through to the next moment of gameplay.
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Design Process: Each character's voice must sound unique and be distinguishable without the name tags. We should be able to tell who is speaking from the way they talk, the tone of voice and the actions they are attempting. The main dramatic conflict (one character wants to escape the lift, the other does not) should lead us through into the next gameplay moment.
Gameplay moment – Before: the player takes on the role of Captain Price, and having fought their way through the building finds themselves in an old lift with the Little Sister and Potato GLadOS.
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Gameplay moment – After: the player must now battle a Big Daddy before continuing their journey through the building.
INT. AN OLD LIFT - DAY
A dimly lit, grimey lift, the type found in a mostly vacant apartment building, rises slowly. An old red LED display ticks up as the lift climbs floors. The lights illuminate three people. CAPTAIN PRICE is watching the numbers change. A LITTLE SISTER stands next to him, turning over GLADOS, a potato, in her hands, examining and poking different parts of her.
GLADOS
Put me down, you’re going to
break me.
LOUD BANG
The characters shake as the lift stops suddenly. The internal lighting turns red as warning signs light up.
CAPTAIN PRICE
What the shiting heck is this?
He punches buttons on the lift controls, seeing if anything works. They’re dead. He reaches for his radio.
CAPTAIN PRICE
Bravo squad this is Price. The
lifts buggered.
RADIO STATIC
The radio is dead.
CAPTAIN PRICE
Bravo squad? Come in?
Price reaches to his boot sheath and pulls out the mother of all combat knives. He starts to pry around the edges of the lift control panel to try to get at the wiring behind. Little sister reaches out towards his knife.
LITTLE SISTER
Ooooh, big shiny. Can I have it?
Price bats her hand away.
CAPTAIN PRICE
Knives like this aren’t for little
girls.
LITTLE SISTER
Why not mister?
CAPTAIN PRICE
Well it’s too heavy. And I don’t
want you cutting yourself and
bleeding all over my boots.
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CONTINUED
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