Writing Game Guides

[Tami]

Reprinted from: [url=\"http://www.thegate.ca\"]The Gate[/url]

Gam3r: Mother FAQers! Guys Behind the Guides
By: Tim Alamenciak

With the hubbub about video game journalism and blogs, the real hard-working Joes who we all turn to in times of difficulty are being forgotten. Those God-like figures that swoop down out of the sky with flaming words of strategy should not be put on the wayside.

After all, they tell us how to survive the trials and tribulations of even the most difficult games. But how do they do it, and who are these mystical creatures? Where did they come from? What is the question that yields 42?

To start off this two-part venture in to the ethereal realm of guide-making, I sat down with Alex Eagleson, an experienced guide-writer for GameFAQs.com. I would go so far as to call him a motherFAQer. Alex is a nineteen year old male living at and attending the University of Guelph.

What inspired you to start writing guides and how did you get started?

"The first project I ever did was a compilation of a number of people's work, and community of people from GameFAQs had been doing some detailed work picking out some of the intricate details in La Pucelle: Tactics (PS2) so I took the liberty of taking a mess of point form notes and actually compiling it into something that everyone could reference. Since it was so well received I decided I'd like to do it again, not just for a specific aspect of a game, but cover every last detail. That game turned out to be Tales of Symphonia (Gamecube), and after that I never stopped."

What kind of process do you use to compose a guide?

"The 'process' has evolved so much from when I first started, originally I opened up a blank text document and pretty much just went from there. Things are much more technical now. I have saved templates of the format I started using in December, I normally work with up to three cascading text editors on screen at once so I can click between them to avoid scrolling, then in the end I simply combine them all. The writing process itself is just a string of constant back-and-forth movements of my hands between the controller and the keyboard. Play this part, explain how to do it. Repeat that process about a hundred thousand times, slap on a table of contents, and you've got a walkthrough."

I know if I get stuck, I turn to a guide. What do you do in those tough, tough puzzles?

"It depends really, to be honest the only games with challenging puzzles I have written for have been games I had played numerous time prior to writing guides (Silent Hill 2 is a good example). I would like to think that all this experience has given me a bit more insight into some of those puzzles, but I still get stumped sometimes of course. Fortunately there's an always an enormous community of people at GameFAQs playing the same game you are, and they perfectly happy to help you out."

Do you make money writing guides? Is it a viable career?

"Short answer, yes, but it's little more than contest prizes, gift certificates, and the like. I would say it's a viable 'job', there are times periodically when a website might be looking to gather a few decent writers and pay them to write exclusive guides, but of course you never know when these opportunities will arise, nor how long they will last. For me personally, I'd have to say no."

Would you recommend this to any gamer that can make a sentence and perhaps form a coherent simile... like a good pot of coffee?

"Absolutely. There are no prerequisites for this kind of thing; you just need to be willing to accept the fact that you're going to be doing a lot of work, for no other reason than personal satisfaction and appreciation from those reading your work. I've known people who have have worked for days and days on a guide, poured their heart and soul into it, and the first email they get after putting it up is a complaint. If you can handle something like that, you're halfway there already. The other half as you mentioned, is simply being able to string a sentence together. The last thing I would add is that if you're looking to write your first guide, choose your favourite game of all time, no matter how weird or obscure it may be."

Do you hope to get in to print guide-writing?

"I would gladly be willing to work on a project for DoubleJump Books, they're relatively new but all of their work has just had a fun and impressive feel to it. As much as I've admired BradyGames guides, just being another face in the big corporation isn't exactly too appealing. Again though, it's just a thought, I have no plans to get into print FAQing. While on this topic however, anyone who has never used a DoubleJump guide should do themselves a favour and pick one up."

As an online GameFAQ'r, how do you feel the market is going in terms of purchasing print guides, versus looking it up online? I mean, I have an account on cheapassgamer.com, let’s be realistic here. All my phat column cash just sits in a room where I swim in it regularly, and occasionally make tiny paper hats for my pet turtles. Anyway, answer the question.

"I couldn't tell you any changing trends in print guide sales, if anything thanks to the pressure sales of your local EB clerk, I imagine they're selling more than ever before. However, I do know that many people who use online FAQs wouldn't even think of slapping down the ridiculous cost for a print guide. Honestly every last tidbit of information you can find in those things is available online, these freelance authors aren't being rushed to finish by a company, they're constantly updating their work, and they are usually there to field questions from the readers. Given facts like these, as far as I can tell the only thing print guides have going for them these days are pretty coloured maps and a glossy front cover."

Do you think there is a future for the print market?

"No matter how popular or well done online FAQs may be, there will always be collectors, people who want something they can flip open on their lap, something more than just plain text, and lastly those who just want something that is 'professionally' done. I'd say the print market will likely remain strong for quite awhile."

How do you feel about GameFAQs as a writer? How is the editorial staff?

"GameFAQs is undoubtedly the best source of guides on the net. For years the entire editorial staff of GameFAQs has consisted of a single man who did an incredible job of keeping up with every last contribution on his site, and it was only recently that a second person joined the team. Given one of my guides on ten different websites, 95% of the feedback I get will come from those who read it on GameFAQs."

What sort of feedback, positive or negative, do you regularly receive from the gaming community?

"Tonnes. Since I started writing in May of last year I have received over 2500 separate emails regarding my guides. The majority of the feedback comes in the form 'Hey, thanks for a great guide! Now I have a question...' usually asking for a tiny detail from a game I haven't played in months, often not even mentioning which game they are referring to, thinking the one they are using is the only one I've written. I also get tons of additions and contributions, usually 'alternate strategies' for something, explaining why my method is inferior and must be updated with full credit given to this person. It does get frustrating sometimes, however, I have received over one hundred emails with no other purpose than just to say thank you for the guide (or guides) that the person used. I've seen some writers who are jumping for joy when they get their first appreciative email after months of contributing. Feedback is almost always positive but you'd be surprised how infrequent it is. As a final note I encourage anyone who finds an online FAQ to be helpful, to email the author and just say thanks, it doesn't take long and it lets them know their work isn't going unnoticed."

If you would like to read any more of Alex’s work, head on over to www.gamefaqs.com/features/recognition/45802.html.

Tune in next week when Gam3r speaks with David Hodgson, creative consultant and author for Prima. He has also written over 50 well-received guides, and the phenomenal Half-Life 2: Raising the Bar.

[b]Part Two[/b]


Last week we sat down with Alex Eagleson of GameFAQs.com. Now we’re moving on to the pros; the real heavies. Gam3r was fortunate enough to chat with David Hodgson, author of nearly 50 guides, and the smashing Half-life 2: Raising the Bar. He is a 32-year-old male working as an author and creative consultant for Prima. You can see his reviews in various game magazines occasionally. Hodgson has been writing guides since 1996, starting with GameFan books and moving up to Prima.

What inspired you to start writing guides and how did you get started?

"I began as a 'video game journalist' (although many see this as a contradiction in terms) in the UK in 1995. I worked at various (now defunct) magazines -- Mean Machines, C&VG, etc. During that time, the magazine I was on (Maximum) got the European exclusive on Tekken 2 and Ridge Racer Revolution. So I wrote a 40 page feature on T2, and a 20 page feature on RRR, and discovered that I enjoyed writing an inordinately long amount of verbiage on a single game. I was then employed at GameFan magazine and moved from the UK to LA in 1996, and I've been involved in launching numerous magazines (including many spectacular failures) ever since. After the death of the embarrassment known as incite Video Gaming (a magazine combining 'lifestyle' and 'video gaming' and merging into what I came to call 'lamestyle'), I decided to work for myself, as I couldn't rely on the magazine business model to secure my future, and I couldn't do any worse than the business types in the companies I fled from."

"So I took a book (Metal Gear Solid Official Mission Handbook) that I was the main author on in 1998, and the letter of thanks Hideo Kojima sent me after the book was complete, and I interviewed at Prima. They gave me a contract soon afterwards, and I began a freelance 'career' from there."

"What inspired me to write guides? I'm a workaholic, and have a meticulous approach to gameplay, and I wanted to ensure the games I write about have as much tactical information written about them as possible. I get a great deal of enjoyment writing guides."

"I set up a home office, and work from there all the time (unless I'm at a developer's). I literally haven't met most of the people I work with in person (except at E3) as everything is completed remotely. Aside from the hermitage aspect of it, this plan is great!"

What kind of process do you use to compose a guide?

"I either journey to a developer or receive a pre-alpha build of the game around six to two months before the game ships. If I'm at a developer, I usually spend a week there, attempt to keep out of their hair as much as possible (as they're working furiously to finish), and collate as much gameplay information as I can. I interview as many of the team as I can."

"I then receive continuous builds of the game up to a Beta version. During that time, I constantly play the game, and note strategies down. I take screens for the game. I help create maps for the game. I then begin writing a game walkthrough. This continues with tweaks as the game is locked down, or until I stop and attempt to flee into the countryside as cabin fever takes hold."

"Once the walkthrough is done, I complete the front of the book (training, characters, etc). I request official information (such as character bios) or write it myself under developer supervision. In the past I've written cast biographies, named enemies and weapons, and whatever the developer didn't give me information on. I've even written bug reports!"

"The guide is then designed, I make tweaks, it is sent to the publisher for approval, then it is printed. If I've taken footage of the game, I sometimes send it to G4TV for them to use (and they sometimes ask me for strategies through Prima)."

I know if I get stuck, I turn to a guide. What do you do in those tough, tough puzzles?

"Heh! I tend to rock back and forth in the fetal position: No, seriously."

"It all depends on the publisher, and the time frame. For something like Half-Life 2, I was able to spend a significant time interviewing each of the teams responsible for a set of levels in the game, and noted all their shortcuts, techniques, exploits, etc. I also came up with a lot of strategies myself. As you complete more and more games, you learn what to expect in a game."

"I have a rule that until I play a level until I know what the AI is about to do, then react to it. It's usually all about memorization."

"To solve a problem, you continue to play it until you solve it. Or you phone a co-author and both work on a problem. Sometimes, the QA (test) department can be reached and the problem solved. The worst times are when what you thought was the toughest puzzle imaginable is actually an unfinished gameplay bug that doesn't allow you to finish a level! That tends to drive you into a fit of conniptions."

Do you work solo, or in a team?

"Both. We usually have more than one author on a project when the guide needs to be turned around quickly, or if the game's gigantic (such as an RPG like Jade Empire)."

How does game selection work? Are you assigned a particular genre or is it a grab bag?

"I write for every genre except sports, and I give a list to Prima of the types of games I like to write (FPS, for example, as I'm currently writing Medal of Honor European Assault), and then allot me that type of guide. But I'm lucky enough to have written enough guides that Prima knows what I like to write, and what to assign to me."

Is it a viable career for anybody, or does it take a special kind of gamer?

"Personally, I have a BA in History, which was invaluable in structuring the words I write. I also have a three-year tenure at GameFan magazine, which was invaluable in checking out the craziest hardcore gaming loonies I've ever witnessed playing VF, Street Fighter, and Quake. But you need gaming prowess and the ability to write easy-to-understand tactics. You need to be able to take hundreds of screenshots (relevant and set up to show what you're writing about), have excellent spatial awareness (for Driv3r, I recreated all three cities in map form -- that took three weeks, and three years off my life). You need to love pressure, and deliver tens of thousands of (useful) words on time. So, I'd say it's quite a specialized job, but one that can be learned if you're focused enough."

How do you feel the market is going in terms of purchasing print guides, versus looking it up online?

"They are both viable. Strategy guides are always out first, and always have information approved by the developer. They are a tangible product you can read (usually on the toilet), and are for people who are stuck in a game but also want a record of their game-playing experience afterwards. Online guides (which Prima also publishes) are also viable, but usually don't arrive until a week or so after the game. There will always be a place for book-based guides (in the same way as there will always be magazines as well as web sites) as they offer two different ways to digest your strategy. I believe this will continue. Books are more expensive, but you don't usually get as in-depth a strategy (with maps and screens) online."

"I would advise checking out the Half Life 2, God of War, and Jade Empire guides. These have exclusive images and impressively designed pages showing precisely what you need to know. You can 'dip' into a guide, use it as a reference, and return to it time and time again. The 'official' nature of it means it has passed quality control tests, and is approved by the developer. When that developer is (for example) Valve, Sony, or BioWare, you know the book will be a quality product."

"The main advantage? Book authors have more time, more resources, and more quality control to ensure a book is as accurate as possible."

Is there a future for the print market?

"Yes. As long as people want a companion to their video gaming experience, crave information first, want accurate information, don't want to wade through forum posts..."

"Prima's e-guides have the best of both worlds -- an online guide that's officially approved, with pages of art and screens and maps, and more importantly, is accurate (unlike those presented by other web sites)."

"But don't get me wrong. I love both forms of guides, and there is a place for both."

Is it a fun job?

"Oh God, yes. It combines the best parts of playing video games months in advance with the publishing of your own book. You need to pull incredible deadlines (14 hour days for weeks at a time), but the results are worth it. I love taking pictures of video games, and cartography, and writing, so it's pretty much my dream job. I also work at home, so my commute consists of rolling out of bed, into my coffee maker, and then into my study."

What sort of feedback, positive or negative, have you received from the gaming community?

"'Hardcore gamers' don't like guides. Which is fine. They don't need them. Or, they don't need to tell their peers that they've downloaded an online guide or snuck off to GameStop to buy one. Some gamers don't like their guides to contain spoilers. I don't share that philosophy (everything is included in a guide I write, including how to beat the final boss); you must exercise restraint in turning the pages! Some people rant that a guide isn't finished as they can't find an item, giving the impression a guide is incomplete. Which happens occasionally. But usually, they're looking in the wrong place and not reading the guide thoroughly."

"Positive? Gamers write to us thanking us for the guides we've done, and the extra mile we go to try and create the optimum companion to the game. The Amazon.com reviews for the Metal Gear Solid Official Mission Handbook (or the Half-Life 2 strategy guide, or Raising the Bar) make the hard slog worthwhile. Some people buy guides to see locations they aren't able to play to, and thank us for showing later parts of the game!"

[url=\"http://www.thegate.ca/\"]source: Gam3r at The Gate[/url]

[Josh]

Wow, thanks for posting. Loved this article. It actually makes me reconsider career opprotunities. *coughs* I love writing and games... I could possibly do this, but maybe only as a hobby <img src=\'http://www.killanet.net/forum3/public/s ... igwink.gif\' class=\'bbc_emoticon\' alt=\';)\' />

[Tami]

You just read this NOW? Guess I won't tell you that it's been on the gaming forum for months and I just moved it over here today in preparation of the great merge <img src=\'http://www.killanet.net/forum3/public/s ... >/blum.gif\' class=\'bbc_emoticon\' alt=\':P\' />

[Josh]

LOL. Yeah I just read it now. I never saw it on the gaming forum :\ lol

[Jim]

I didn't either lol...but I don't tend to venture to the gaming forum often >.>