[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:05.34,0:00:11.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Hi, this is Mark Brown with Game Maker's Toolkit,\Na series on video game design.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:11.60,0:00:17.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Sony's new PS4 game Until Dawn is billed as\Nan interactive horror film, where
Dialogue: 0,0:00:17.16,0:00:21.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,TRAILER DUDE: Only your choices determine who will survive
Dialogue: 0,0:00:21.16,0:00:23.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I want to talk about that, but not about how
Dialogue: 0,0:00:23.86,0:00:26.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,much you can effect the story with your choices.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:26.46,0:00:31.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because, it's basically identical to the systems\Nwe've seen in games by Telltale and Quantic
Dialogue: 0,0:00:31.25,0:00:36.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Dream. Yes, your decisions will make a dent\Nin the plot, but it's also full of false choices,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:36.73,0:00:41.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,characters who can't die until the very end,\Nbranching paths that snap back to a central
Dialogue: 0,0:00:41.62,0:00:45.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,point, and that cute little indicator to tell\Nyou that this choice will definitely have
Dialogue: 0,0:00:45.70,0:00:48.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,an effect on the plot, somewhere down the\Nline.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:48.48,0:00:52.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,CHRIS: Boom, butterfly effect
Dialogue: 0,0:00:52.13,0:00:56.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It does have some ideas that I haven't seen\Nin one of these types of games before, though.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:56.20,0:01:00.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Sometimes, you'll get a nice sepia-tinged\Nflashback, to give you a better idea of which
Dialogue: 0,0:01:00.83,0:01:03.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,choices led up to the events onscreen.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:03.14,0:01:08.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But don't be fooled by these screens which\Nshow how all your choices play out, and the
Dialogue: 0,0:01:08.02,0:01:12.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,incredibly granular meters that show your\Ncurrent personality traits and relationships
Dialogue: 0,0:01:12.48,0:01:16.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to the other characters. They're all a bit\Nsmoke and mirrors, to be honest.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:16.70,0:01:21.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that's fine. As we talked about in this\Nvideo, these games aren't about offering infinite
Dialogue: 0,0:01:21.09,0:01:26.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,story states. And simply making choices is\Noften more fulfilling than seeing wildly unique
Dialogue: 0,0:01:26.79,0:01:31.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,consequences play out. Plus, games are expensive\Nto make without considering a billion unique
Dialogue: 0,0:01:31.65,0:01:34.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,paths. Especially when they look like this.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:34.29,0:01:42.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,DR HILL: I believe that in our last session, you were\Nnot completely honest with me.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:42.32,0:01:46.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So what I want to talk about, is the question\Nof whether all these choices and their consequences
Dialogue: 0,0:01:46.87,0:01:51.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,- especially the more grisly, blood-soaked\Nof the consequences - can actually lead to
Dialogue: 0,0:01:51.48,0:01:52.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,good drama.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:52.94,0:01:57.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because, while it is true that any story can\Nbecome more meaningful and memorable when
Dialogue: 0,0:01:57.31,0:02:01.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you're having a say on the proceedings. Much\Nlike how almost anything is improved with
Dialogue: 0,0:02:01.44,0:02:03.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the addition of cooperative play.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:03.24,0:02:04.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Or chocolate
Dialogue: 0,0:02:04.56,0:02:08.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Does that actually make the stories dramatically satisfying?
Dialogue: 0,0:02:08.66,0:02:13.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And this question is especially important\Nto Until Dawn as it wants to play out like
Dialogue: 0,0:02:13.67,0:02:18.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a Hollywood horror movie. This isn't a naturalistic\Nstory like The Wire, where characters can
Dialogue: 0,0:02:18.65,0:02:22.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,be snuffed out seemingly at random. This is\Na horror movie, man...
Dialogue: 0,0:02:22.73,0:02:27.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,RANDY: There's a formula to it! A very simple formula!
Dialogue: 0,0:02:30.26,0:02:35.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The game is heavily based on slasher movies.\NIt's got a bunch of horny teenagers, getting
Dialogue: 0,0:02:35.18,0:02:39.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,together in a isolated cabin in the woods,\Non the anniversary of some horrible event.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:39.62,0:02:42.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And there's a psychopath, who wants to pick\Nthem off - one by one.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:42.99,0:02:47.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It also has elements of psychological horror\Nand torture porn and - well, I don't want
Dialogue: 0,0:02:47.38,0:02:49.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to spoil things. So let's stick to slasher\Nflicks.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:49.88,0:02:53.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The thing about these movies is that there\Nis always a very specific reason why some
Dialogue: 0,0:02:53.82,0:02:58.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,characters live, and others die. And sometimes,\Nimportance is placed on the sequence of the
Dialogue: 0,0:02:58.44,0:03:03.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,kills, too. In early slasher flicks, for example,\Nit was all about morals. Sniffy, puritanical,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:03.81,0:03:06.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,thou shalt not morals, maybe, but those were\Nthe rules.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:06.98,0:03:13.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,RANDY: There are certain rules that one must abide\Nby to successfully survive a horror movie.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:13.01,0:03:19.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,RANDY: Number one. You can never have sex. Big no\Nno! Big no no!
Dialogue: 0,0:03:19.67,0:03:21.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,STU: You're dead Meg. RANDY: Sex equals
Dialogue: 0,0:03:21.88,0:03:28.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,death, okay? Number two. You can never drink,\Nor do drugs.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:28.29,0:03:34.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,No, it's the sin factor. It's a sin. It's an extension of number one.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:34.53,0:03:40.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Break those rules and you'll be killed, leaving\None last girl. An innocent, virginal, Final
Dialogue: 0,0:03:40.66,0:03:45.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Girl. Early slashers were often criticised\Nfor being misogynistic. Which should make
Dialogue: 0,0:03:45.44,0:03:47.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,them the perfect source material for video\Ngames.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:48.61,0:03:54.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Anyway, the point is that in drama, people\Ndie for a reason. Whether that's a heroic sacrifice or
Dialogue: 0,0:03:54.77,0:03:59.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in vengeance or to give another character motivation\Nto do something, or - in horror movies - because
Dialogue: 0,0:03:59.65,0:04:02.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they smoked pot, or chugged a beer, or were\Na total bully.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:02.50,0:04:07.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But when interactivity comes into play, the\Nrules can go out of the window. In Until Dawn,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:07.76,0:04:10.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,take Emily, who is a monster bitch.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:10.18,0:04:15.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,MATT: Let me think. EMILY: Don't think you idiot just get me outta here!
Dialogue: 0,0:04:15.30,0:04:19.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,She would be killed in the most gruesome\Nway possible in any horror movie, but can
Dialogue: 0,0:04:19.74,0:04:25.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,survive the entire night in Until Dawn, while\Nher put upon boyfriend Matt is, uh, hung out to dry
Dialogue: 0,0:04:25.92,0:04:31.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Or take Jess and Mike. Horror movie tropes say\Nthese sexpots should die, while innocent characters
Dialogue: 0,0:04:31.79,0:04:36.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,should live. But that's not how things work\Nin Until Dawn. In fact, any combination of characters
Dialogue: 0,0:04:36.55,0:04:38.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,can make it to the finale.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:38.28,0:04:43.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And you'll probably end with multiple survivors.\NIf not all of them making it through the night,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:43.80,0:04:50.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,even though that goes against the horror movie\Nset up where just one person survives.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:50.12,0:04:54.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But even if you don't care about horror movie\Nformulas. Or you revel in the idea of a horror
Dialogue: 0,0:04:54.59,0:05:00.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,flick that ignores them entirely, the interactive\Nstory can sometimes just be... a bit rubbish.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:00.46,0:05:04.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Take Jess, for example, who gets killed in the game, but\Nyou don't see a body so of course she's going
Dialogue: 0,0:05:04.50,0:05:09.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to come back. And she does: hours later into\Nthe story she wakes up, alone, in the mines.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:09.34,0:05:15.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And then, in my game, she walked forward a few paces, and was immediately killed. Oh. I think any script editor
Dialogue: 0,0:05:15.75,0:05:19.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,would put a big red circle around that scene.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:19.11,0:05:22.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that's the thing: while interactivity\Ncan lead to more memorable, more surprising,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:22.48,0:05:26.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and more personal narratives, without the\Nsmart guiding hand of a director or a script
Dialogue: 0,0:05:26.98,0:05:31.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,editor, the story can fall apart. It can be\Ndesperately unsatisfying, or lack important
Dialogue: 0,0:05:31.87,0:05:35.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,elements like character arcs, poetic justice,\Nand good pacing.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:35.99,0:05:39.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that's the way it will always be. Thanks\Nfor watching, please like, comment, and subscribe.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:39.20,0:05:44.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Throw all your money at my Patreon - and,\Nwait. Actually. Maybe we can fix this.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:46.05,0:05:50.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You see, the thing I liked the most about Until Dawn\Nis that you get to control eight different
Dialogue: 0,0:05:50.85,0:05:54.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,characters. That's much more than games like\NLife is Strange, Tales from the Borderlands,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:54.64,0:05:56.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and Beyond: Two Souls.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:56.67,0:06:00.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Which meant that while I normally play these\Nsorts of games as a kind and compassionate
Dialogue: 0,0:06:00.98,0:06:04.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,character, having eight different people to\Nplay with, some of them archetypical arseholes
Dialogue: 0,0:06:04.86,0:06:09.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and narcissists, I felt much more comfortable\Nrole playing them as jerks. And while I tried
Dialogue: 0,0:06:09.46,0:06:14.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,my best to save my favourite characters, like\NSam, Chris, and Ashley, I was happy for the
Dialogue: 0,0:06:14.02,0:06:17.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,others to make dumb decisions and wouldn't\Nreally mind if they ended up as puddles of
Dialogue: 0,0:06:17.80,0:06:19.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,bones and teeth.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:22.00,0:06:26.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I realised that I wasn't really playing as\Nthe characters, but the as the director. Influencing
Dialogue: 0,0:06:26.84,0:06:31.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who lived and who died, based on my own judgmental\Npreferences. Suddenly, those horror rules
Dialogue: 0,0:06:31.89,0:06:35.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,were falling back into place and the story\Nwas way less disconnected.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:35.84,0:06:39.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Perhaps you might want to try and subvert\Nthe most problematic tropes of horror movies.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:39.30,0:06:43.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Have the ditzy, slutty blonde survive\Nthe ordeal, stop the black guy from getting
Dialogue: 0,0:06:43.63,0:06:48.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,killed first, or have the archetypical Final\NGirl bite it at the last moment.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:48.36,0:06:52.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And you do have some ability to influence\Nevents in a specific way, because the deaths
Dialogue: 0,0:06:52.79,0:06:57.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,often follow some internal logic. Characters\Ncan get killed if you screw up quick-time
Dialogue: 0,0:06:57.33,0:07:01.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,events. Messing with those relationship meters\Ncan lead to at least one death. And if you
Dialogue: 0,0:07:01.79,0:07:06.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,ignore the tropes of the genre - like wandering\Noff from the group to investigate a spooky
Dialogue: 0,0:07:06.21,0:07:10.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,noise - then perhaps that character deserves\Nto get killed for not watching enough horror movies.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:10.43,0:07:14.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And then there are these totems, which is\Nanother clever mechanic. Find one of these
Dialogue: 0,0:07:14.27,0:07:17.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and pick it up, and it will show you a clip\Nof one of the characters getting killed or
Dialogue: 0,0:07:17.60,0:07:22.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,surviving an attack. They're vague, but you\Nmight be able to use them to help guide later choices.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:22.55,0:07:27.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But not all deaths are so easy to foresee.\NUnderstandable, of course, as Supermassive
Dialogue: 0,0:07:27.88,0:07:31.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,wanted to surprise you. And the legions of\NYouTubers who have made this game famous.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:31.59,0:07:36.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, your choice of how to deal with this flare\Ngun, for example, is an almost entirely opaque
Dialogue: 0,0:07:36.43,0:07:39.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,decision but will have huge consequences for\NEmily and Matt.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:39.82,0:07:44.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that's only if, like me, you were even\Ntrying to tell a specific story. Until Dawn
Dialogue: 0,0:07:44.67,0:07:48.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,doesn't give players any instructions, and\Nwhile the trophies - which reward you for
Dialogue: 0,0:07:48.83,0:07:53.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,finishing the game with certain combinations\N- could push you to try and get a specific
Dialogue: 0,0:07:53.05,0:07:55.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,outcome, they're all hidden trophies.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:56.62,0:08:00.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So how about this for an idea. And, before I go on, I\Nwant to acknowledge that maybe I am trying
Dialogue: 0,0:08:00.79,0:08:04.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to make the game into something that it's not.\NAnd, for the record, I really enjoyed Until
Dialogue: 0,0:08:04.78,0:08:09.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Dawn and would recommend it. But, what if\Nthe game was actually about being the director.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:09.60,0:08:14.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Similar gameplay, but at the outset of the game you would be told who must live and who must die
Dialogue: 0,0:08:14.70,0:08:19.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and maybe even in what order. And then, you'd have to\Nforce the characters to act in different ways
Dialogue: 0,0:08:19.19,0:08:23.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to ensure their death or survival. For those\Nwho are fated to die, you must act immorally
Dialogue: 0,0:08:23.88,0:08:29.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and say nasty things to force the big baddy\Nto enact poetic justice on their guts, or
Dialogue: 0,0:08:29.15,0:08:33.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,play into obvious horror cliches and get them\Nsplit up from the rest of the group.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:33.67,0:08:38.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The game could be a lot shorter, but designed\Nto be replayed over and over again with different
Dialogue: 0,0:08:38.08,0:08:41.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,instructions each time. It would also need\Nsome random elements, to keep you on your
Dialogue: 0,0:08:41.63,0:08:46.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,toes and also ensure that those jump scares\Nand creepy moments don't become blasé.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:46.96,0:08:52.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because here's the main issue that nags at\NUntil Dawn. On the one hand it, it wants to
Dialogue: 0,0:08:52.91,0:08:58.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,be a horror movie where characters get killed\Nin increasingly gruesome ways. But on the
Dialogue: 0,0:08:58.79,0:09:02.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,other hand, it's a video game, and video games are\Nthere to be won.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:02.54,0:09:07.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Games teach us to make the smart dialogue\Ndecisions that will give us the best outcomes.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:07.14,0:09:10.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When buttons flash up on the screen,\Nwe've been taught to hit them as quickly as
Dialogue: 0,0:09:10.30,0:09:15.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,possible. And systems, like the totems that\Nwarn of potential deaths, are supposed to
Dialogue: 0,0:09:15.13,0:09:17.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,be solved, right?
Dialogue: 0,0:09:17.07,0:09:22.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Until Dawn the movie wants everyone to die.\NBut Until Dawn the game wants everyone to
Dialogue: 0,0:09:22.33,0:09:25.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,survive. Something's gotta give.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:25.72,0:09:31.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That conflict is somewhat solved when you\Nput yourself in the director's chair. And
Dialogue: 0,0:09:31.10,0:09:36.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,try your hand at being Wes Craven or John\NCarpenter. But without that push, and reliable
Dialogue: 0,0:09:36.88,0:09:42.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,mechanics, many players could miss out on\NUntil Dawn's greatest pleasures.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:46.32,0:09:49.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Thanks for watching. I hope you enjoyed the\Nepisode - if you did, please give it a like
Dialogue: 0,0:09:49.79,0:09:54.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,on YouTube. Plus: how would you make an interactive\Nhorror movie, or did Supermassive get it right?
Dialogue: 0,0:09:54.67,0:09:57.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Let me know your thoughts in the comments\Nbelow.