“Writing for Horror Video Games” Panel in New York

Angie Fiedler Sutton article

Note: this article was also published on SciFi4Me.com.

You walk into the room, and your first instinct is to check all the exits. Then, it’s to examine any closets or cabinets for supplies. You need to refill your ammunition, and – oh, look – a load of Molotov cocktails. That will come in handy to defeat the zombie hordes. But when you go to check out the bathroom, an arm thrusts through, grabbing at you. What do you do?

The horror genre is more than just books and movies – video games have long held a special place in the genre’s heart, from the Silent Hill series to Resident Evil to Bioshock.

If you’re passionate about horror games and you’re anywhere near New York City on June 17, you might want to check out the panel that the Writers Guild of America East is presenting on “Writing for Horror Video Games”. Four gaming writers will discuss what makes horror games work in an interactive world, and how story elements fit into gaming. What transfers well, and what makes a good scary moment?

Panelists include:

  • Justin Pappas, the founder of the indie game studio Ape Law, has worked on Bioshock: Infinite and similar games. Ape Law’s first game is a horror adventure.
  • Chuck Beaver, the narrative director for EA’s DICE LA studio, has been in the gaming industry for 13 years. He was the story producer for the Dead Space franchise.
  • Alex Toplansky, the senior writer for Deep Silver Volition, has been building interactive products sine 2005, working on a number of MMO games.
  • The moderator will be Matthew Weise, a game designer most recently working as a freelance co-producer/designer on Transcendence: Origins for the Alchemists. His experimental art game, The Snowfield, received a nomination for the 2012 Independent Games Festival.

The panel will be held at Writers Guild of America, East on Hudson Street. For more information, including to RSVP, visit here.