This story is being developed for a game in which three factions are at war. The three factions are.. Vetis Denomination - Wish to cripple other factions to insure their own survival – Highly Intellectual, philosophical – Einstein, Plato, Socrates like Theocracy of Apollyon – Wish to destroy other faction due to fear of the unknown – Spiritual, believe in feeling the gracefulness for the universe and its creator - Catholic Church like Sorush Empire – Wish to “Liberate” the other factions. – Strong belief in making peace and having acceptance for what is– Buddhist Like War is occurring across the galaxy on different planets. The thing is, I'm not sure where to go from here?! Should I develop characters for each faction or keep it general. I really want the story to have a strong hook, but I'm not even sure where and what to implement...writers cramp...
It's a game. You need characters. Characters should drive the plot, make things happen. What kind of game is it?
I agree characters seem like they need to be there in this story, even if it's only a handful of them. Each faction seems like it can fit a type of person. Vetis Denomination could have military type characters (maybe a powerful king), Theocracy of Apollyon religious characters (not only priests, bishops, etc. but religious followers as well), and Sorush Empire could be a type of rebel people. These are just thoughts for characters that popped into my head as I read your post. You obviously don't have to go by them. I hope it helped some!!
Thanks guys! I've definitely been giving a lot of thought to the characters, I appreciate the responses
If I may reference one of the greatest games that will come in the next decade, look at how Blizzard Entertainment is developing StarCraft 2. Each faction has an entire story to it, and each of those factions has one defining, major, central character around which the story revolves (Jim Raynor for Terrans, Kerrigan Queen of Blades for Zerg, and the Dark Templar Zeratul for the Protoss). I always find it interesting to have the viewpoint of all three factions, unless you want to write powerfully from only one viewpoint, in which case your expositionary portions will have to describe how that faction deals with the other factions via example, metaphor, allegory, etc. Political science fiction is tricky... do you want to take on the job of writing powerfully from three sides, or powerfully from one side? That's the real question.
Whoo! STARCRAFT! Isn't it odd how often a three-team conflict comes up? You've got Human-Covenant-Flood in Halo (tremendous Starcraft ripoff imo) Human-Protoss-Zerg in Starcraft The three factions in 1984 which I can't remember, nor be bothered to look for (sorry =P) Multifactional conflicts can be spun any number of ways - you're not going to find any single answer by posting here. I mean the possibilities are ENDLESS One MC or group of MCs from each faction lead their respective forces but are disillusioned when they encounter other factions at a human level and attempt to establish peaceful relationships, are betrayed and exiled by their respective leaders and band together to form a fourth faction aimed at just being cool. (Very Avatar-ish) One MC is betrayed by their own team, escapes from prison but is arrested by another faction, wins the support of their fellow prisoners and overthrows the regime, gaining control, establishing peace talks with the third and teaming up against the original (Gladiator much?) The main faction (or not)'s true motivation is the prevention of the apocalypse which the other two are completely oblivious to, which happens anyway resulting in the appearance of a fourth forcing everyone to band together against the new threat. (Space Marines vs Eldar vs Tau but wait! Oh teh noes! Necrons!) The list goes on. Starcraft, Warcraft, Warhammer and Warhammer 40K manage to shell out bibles of lore on a regular basis, and they started as a bunch of bespectacled nerds with a funny shaped dice. Don't limit yourself =)
