Another Case For Writers in Game Development

Gamasutra does not consider the book on the original case against writers in game development to be closed. Speaking now is Kelly Wand, the actual writer of Dirty Harry that was the subject of Adam Maxwell’s earlier piece. Awkward.

For the record, I like Adam Maxwell. As the writer in question to whom he refers in his piece ((The Case Against etc.)), I found our work relationship on Dirty Harry consistently constructive, courteous and professional.

We got along. Ironically (perhaps mistakenly), I gathered that he liked my actual contributions, so while his solitary focus on our collaboration as the (most compelling fact behind avoiding writers [sic]) came as a bit of a surprise, I’m reasonably, maybe naively, sure that he’s speaking from the heart and not just nursing bitter memories of a grandiosely ill-starred production. He was an oasis of sanity.

Usually in this biz, it’s egos that sink projects. I never got that vibe from Adam, and I think he’d agree that I too was always about the material. So even though he’s chosen to reference the experience as proof that writing in games is irrelevant to their success or quality, I genuinely believe he’s speaking from the heart.

I’ve heard this attitude before, from designers, producers, journalists, even other writer types. And every time I find it a remarkably revealing insight as to just how derisively they view the creative process in general and the legacy of electronic entertainment in particular. It’s indifference to mediocrity, usually posed as a loaded (either-or) analogy.