Negotiating Writing in Tactical Military Shooters (Game Writers Quarterly, 2008)
This article was published in Game Writers Quarterly, which is published by the IGDA Game Writing Special Interest Group. It addresses the similarities between the process of writing a video game and the process of playing a tactical shooter like Call of Duty 4.
Pent: The First Gospel of Pandemonium (Neoplastic Press, 2008)
Pent is a sourcebook for Dread, my tabletop horror RPG. This book includes several adventure scenarios, including First Degree Martyr, Lose-Lose Situation, and Fight Fire With Firepower.
The Game Writing Handbook (Charles River Media, 2007)
After publishing a few articles on the subject of game narrative, I decided to write a book that reflected my experiences in the field. Devoid of theory, this technical manual presents the reader with the nuts-and-bolts process of writing a video game from start to finish.
Dread: The First Book of Pandemonium (Neoplastic Press, 2007)
Brutal, profane, and relentlessly gruesome, Dread is a tabletop role-playing game that I originally wrote and published in 2002. I recently released the Unrated Edition, which features heavily revised text and all-new artwork. Dread is set in a world of black magic, demonic possession, and gun-toting exorcists who operate outside the law. Not for the faint of heart.
The Disciples (Nanobison, 2007)
This short story deals with a pair of sanitation engineers who don't just clean up the streets; they enter houses and clean those up, too. One sinner at a time.
Monster Madness: Battle For Suburbia (Dark Horse Comics, 2007)
I wrote the script for this darkly humorous comic book, which was bundled with the Xbox 360 video game of the same name. Claudia Cangini provided the excellent (and hilarious) illustration.
Ophidian (Night to Dawn magazine, 2006)
This poem deals with love gone wrong, flayed skin, the Garden of Eden, and vampirism. Love poem, obviously.
Screen/Play: Technical Narrative Design (Gamasutra.com, 2006)
Writing dialogue requires creativity, but in order to document it properly, you must have a methodical and precise approach. This article discusses the connections between game writing and technical writing.
Breaking In: Video Game Markets (Writers Digest, 2006)
It's not easy finding work as a freelance video game writer, but networking, professionalism, and knowledge of the field will definitely help. This article presents aspiring game writers with some basic information about breaking into the industry.
Screen/Play: Documenting Voice Assets (Gamasutra.com, 2006)
This article explores some additional functionality associated with the Screen/Play format. Topics discussed include additional fields, filenames, and text layout.
Organizing And Formatting Game Dialogue (Gamasutra.com, 2005)
Given the interactive nature of games, the Hollywood script format is of limited utility. In this article, I present the Screen/Play format, which I use to track story content when writing video games.
Character Development Techniques in Games (Gamasutra.com, 2005)
In this article, I present some of the techniques that I've employed to further develop video game characters. Topics include the Tarot deck, the Quandary, and the Conversation.
Rainbow Six: Insurgence (Ubisoft, 2005)
This web comic, which served as a prequel to Rainbow Six: Lockdown, was illustrated by comic book veteran Richard Case. I wrote the dialogue and co-wrote the story with Case.
Active Storytelling in Games (Gamasutra.com, 2005)
In this article, I make a case for interactive narrative in video games. The contention is that lengthy cinematic sequences only postpone the interaction that the player is (presumably) interested in.
Pull Together: Getting Team Buy-In (GameDev.net, 2005)
Getting your team enthusiastic about a game can be a challenge, particularly as you enter crunch mode. In this article, I present numerous strategies for keeping interest in the project high.
Whitewash (Lullaby Hearse, 2004)
In this short story, the narrator compares a mother and her son to a cluster of writhing spiders.
Brood (Blackwater Review, 1995)
This poem deals with junkyards, garbage, and mutilated rats.