How To Bait a VG Bait

Yep, I bet you are all excited about VG baits now because of the post Bryce just put up (By the way, it was excellent). But now I bet you're wondering "What now?" Well, here are the basic rules of baiting a VG bait I follow when I write them.

1. Choose your source material carefully- There are many video games that people say can make good movies, but there are only so many that actually can BE good movies. So when picking the game to adapt, be sure it is one you know you can adapt and one that can be realistically made as a movie.

2. Don't repeat the same old story the same old way- While many people on the site haven't played the games other authors and I write, they can tell if the story feels uninspired. Look carefully at your bait and try to find something to make it standout. Make the story feel fresh and original. Character development often helps here.

3. If the source story won't work, make your own- I've experienced this one several times in writing VG baits. Many games have great potential for movie adaptations, but the story of the game just doesn't fit the criteria. This is where creative liscense comes in. Feel free to experiment and tinker with the original story until you can format it correctly. This was my tactic with both Fallout and Criminal Origins (with Fallout being an entirely re-written story while C.O. is a toned down version of the original story). More often than not this works.

4. Experiment a little- The wonderful thing about originality is that it has almost no bounds. Be unique with how you write the format of the synopsis or the press section. Type actors against cast if possible. Do something that others are too afraid to do.

5. Pick cast and director wisely- This has been a fatal flaw for many real life VG movies. People just assume that if you pick a popular actor or an actor looks tough, he will fit the part. You have to keep a sense of prestige and quality in mind here. Pick actors who are talented but not too popular or you will oversaturate the bait. Many a project has sunk because of too many big names (Bloodrayne, but that's also because it sucked; also my failed VG bait Half-Life). Director is even more important. The director is the essential part of the storytelling because it shows the audience how the story will be handled. Let's look at Criminal Origins for example. If I had put anyone other than David Fincher as the director, the bait would not have had the same atmosphere around it. So because Fincher was assigned as director, the audience could familiarize themselves with his style of filmmaking. This is SO important when doing a VG bait, so choose wisely. Also, never go the safe route with directors on their previous work (Peter Jackson, Steven Speilberg) unless you know it will work.

6. Press section is your friend- I cannot stress enough how important a press section is to any bait, especially VG baits. Everything that can't be said in the plot must be present here or the story will feel incomplete. This is the place you must use to convey the storytelling, mood, technicals, acting, writing and pretty much everything that makes the bait great. I doubt many of my VG baits would have been successful if I didn't put the effort into the press section. Also, remember that since VG baits are considered "unbaity", you never want to overpraise the bait or it will make it unrealistic. So choose your words carefully and give it just enough praise it needs to be considered a hit.

7. Make it fun- This part is important for both the reader and the bait. Because the story is based on a medium almost completely dedicated to fun, this part needs to be considered when writing the story. Enjoy writing it and make the audience want to read it. It is based on a video game after all.

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So yeah, I think this is essentially everything you need to write a good VG bait. If anyone is interested at all, at least now you know how I approach it. I will leave you now with a clip from the original Fallout game. Remember, this is the original version, so the details will be different than the version I wrote, but the essense of the story is still the same. If the narration for the video sounds familiar, it's because it is Ron Perlman. He did the original voiceover for the game, which led me to pick him for the bait. Enjoy!