Stick or Twist? | Laura Anderson | NZGDC 2025

Value of the Information & Strength of the Argument

The talk provides valuable insights into the practical aspects of narrative design, drawing from the speaker’s extensive industry experience. Anderson offers concrete examples and strategies for identifying when narrative changes are needed, such as analyzing player data and feedback patterns. Her argumentation is coherent and grounded in real-world scenarios, making the advice actionable for other game writers and designers. She effectively communicates the challenges and emotional aspects of making changes, such as dealing with feedback and internal resistance, which adds depth to the practical guidance. However, the talk lacks empirical evidence or references to broader research, relying primarily on anecdotal experience, which limits its generalizability.

Scientific Rigor, Source Quality, Title Accuracy

The talk is based on the speaker’s professional experience and does not cite external sources or research. The title ‘Stick or Twist?’ is a metaphor for decision-making, which is appropriate for the content about narrative changes. The content aligns well with the title, as it explores the dilemma of whether to keep or change a game’s narrative. The speaker mentions specific games she worked on, but no formal references are provided. The lack of citations reduces the scientific rigor, but the practical expertise lends credibility to the advice.

The title 'Stick or Twist?' metaphorically captures the decision-making process in narrative changes, and the content directly addresses when, why, and how to edit game narratives.

7/10

The talk is based on the speaker's extensive professional experience in narrative design for games, with practical examples and case studies. However, it lacks formal citations or references to external research, and the evidence is largely anecdotal.

Markers derived by PSI from the transcript: the creator did not define chapters.

• 02:00Introduction: Laura Anderson introduces herself and her background in games writing.
• 05:00Three things she wishes she knew: too many cooks, narrative will change, and the importance of feedback.
• 10:00Red flags for narrative issues: players skipping, drop-off points, and feedback patterns.
• 15:00The rule of three: looking for patterns in feedback rather than single opinions.
• 20:00Dissonance between gameplay and narrative as a major red flag.
• 25:00The emotional impact of changes: it can hurt, and you need to be resilient.
• 30:00How to handle feedback: don't be defensive, look for patterns, and trust the process.
• 35:00Types of narrative-only changes: plot, tone, characters, and hook.
• 40:00Team-wide changes: setting, time period, and art, requiring collaboration.
• 45:00Final advice: value your players, be brave, and trust that changes will improve the game.