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Where can I find Game Design Story Mentorship?
Hello! I am working on developing a 2D animated horror game with a small volunteer team.
Where can I find a gaming expert/story mentor to help out with the story beats to ensure the game is playable and story-rich?
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Fasi Uddin’s Answer
Hi Roselyn,
Congratulations on forming a small team and starting a 2D horror game. That's a great step in gaining game-development experience. It's smart to seek help in strengthening your story, as narrative must align with gameplay, pacing, player choice, and the overall experience.
You don't need someone to write the entire story for you. Instead, find someone experienced in narrative design, game writing, level design, or game design. They can review your work and ask key questions about the player's experience.
From my experience, a story might look good on paper but need adjustments during gameplay. Consider these questions:
- Does the player know what to do?
- Does each story beat serve a purpose?
- Does gameplay support the story?
- Is the pacing right for a horror game?
- Are key story moments earned through player actions?
- Does the player have enough info to understand without losing mystery?
For mentorship, start with people connected to your project or community. A game-development club, instructor, experienced developer, or narrative-design community might be more helpful than someone with a big industry title.
Make it easier for a mentor by preparing a small mentorship packet. Include a game overview, intended player experience, a short story summary, major story beats, and 2–3 questions where you want feedback.
You don't need a long-term mentor. Even occasional reviews can be very helpful. The goal is to learn how to assess your own decisions.
Don't worry if your story changes a lot. Iteration is part of game development. A mentor's role is to help you see new possibilities and problems.
Thinking about playability and story together is a strong start. Keep developing, document your decisions, and find someone who can provide constructive feedback.
Your project can showcase your growth as a game designer and storyteller.
Write a one-page story brief — Include the premise, characters, player experience, major story beats, and ending.
Identify your 3 biggest story questions — For example: “Is the pacing too slow?” or “Does the player understand why the protagonist makes this choice?”
Create a playable prototype — Even a short section is enough to let a mentor evaluate how the story and gameplay interact.
Look for a narrative-focused mentor — Prioritize someone with experience in narrative design, game writing, level design, or game design rather than focusing only on their job title.
Keep a feedback log — Record the feedback you receive, what your team changes, and why. This will help you develop your own ability to evaluate game narratives over time.
Congratulations on forming a small team and starting a 2D horror game. That's a great step in gaining game-development experience. It's smart to seek help in strengthening your story, as narrative must align with gameplay, pacing, player choice, and the overall experience.
You don't need someone to write the entire story for you. Instead, find someone experienced in narrative design, game writing, level design, or game design. They can review your work and ask key questions about the player's experience.
From my experience, a story might look good on paper but need adjustments during gameplay. Consider these questions:
- Does the player know what to do?
- Does each story beat serve a purpose?
- Does gameplay support the story?
- Is the pacing right for a horror game?
- Are key story moments earned through player actions?
- Does the player have enough info to understand without losing mystery?
For mentorship, start with people connected to your project or community. A game-development club, instructor, experienced developer, or narrative-design community might be more helpful than someone with a big industry title.
Make it easier for a mentor by preparing a small mentorship packet. Include a game overview, intended player experience, a short story summary, major story beats, and 2–3 questions where you want feedback.
You don't need a long-term mentor. Even occasional reviews can be very helpful. The goal is to learn how to assess your own decisions.
Don't worry if your story changes a lot. Iteration is part of game development. A mentor's role is to help you see new possibilities and problems.
Thinking about playability and story together is a strong start. Keep developing, document your decisions, and find someone who can provide constructive feedback.
Your project can showcase your growth as a game designer and storyteller.
Fasi Uddin recommends the following next steps:
Updated
Joy’s Answer
Look for gaming groups to join on Facebook or LinkedIn and go to the library and see if they have gaming groups in your area and if not they can look some up and some may meet online. Try GameStop they are very knowledgeable. Best of luck!