Venture Beat offers an interview with Thwacke co-founder Sebastian Alvarado, talking about their method of game consultancy as they're going to play this role for Wasteland 2. Among the items stressed is that the company does not set the goal of "realism" in games, but rather of verisimilitude, an internal logic that titles like Fallout 3 lacked.<blockquote>GamesBeat: How does Thwacke’s consulting process work?
Alvarado: We offer ideas that add depth to narrative and design. For narrative, it can be anything from speculating the science behind a flight to Mars to the epidemiology behind a zombie apocalypse — we back this up with established facts and scientific literature. For design, we bring in specialists in psychology and neuroscience to present research that may be applicable to the vision and focus of a project.
For example, since moral choices are particularly important for Wasteland 2, we have been introducing the writers to studies that explore how morality is programmed and manipulated in humans. It is ultimately up to the writers and designers to incorporate these ideas into their game.
(...)
GamesBeat: How do you strike that balance between realism and fantasy and being scientifically accurate or plausible without inundating the player with minute details?
Alvarado: While some may think we are out to achieve “realism” in gaming fiction, we are actually out to help shape plausibility and logic of a fictional world.
Also, I believe that in order to communicate good science, you don’t need to bother a player with details. Our consultants are expected to be able to communicate their theses to an eight-year-old within five minutes — should an eight-year-old be interested. In that capacity, they offer insight that helps render a game more logical through science. We talk about the details if asked to elaborate on a concept or if we are specifically being asked to throw in technical jargon for creative effect.</blockquote>
Alvarado: We offer ideas that add depth to narrative and design. For narrative, it can be anything from speculating the science behind a flight to Mars to the epidemiology behind a zombie apocalypse — we back this up with established facts and scientific literature. For design, we bring in specialists in psychology and neuroscience to present research that may be applicable to the vision and focus of a project.
For example, since moral choices are particularly important for Wasteland 2, we have been introducing the writers to studies that explore how morality is programmed and manipulated in humans. It is ultimately up to the writers and designers to incorporate these ideas into their game.
(...)
GamesBeat: How do you strike that balance between realism and fantasy and being scientifically accurate or plausible without inundating the player with minute details?
Alvarado: While some may think we are out to achieve “realism” in gaming fiction, we are actually out to help shape plausibility and logic of a fictional world.
Also, I believe that in order to communicate good science, you don’t need to bother a player with details. Our consultants are expected to be able to communicate their theses to an eight-year-old within five minutes — should an eight-year-old be interested. In that capacity, they offer insight that helps render a game more logical through science. We talk about the details if asked to elaborate on a concept or if we are specifically being asked to throw in technical jargon for creative effect.</blockquote>
, is it ... 'teh reeding'?