Elements and Performance Criteria

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Storylines may originate from:
celebrity activities
comics and graphic novels
cultural traditions
fairytales
film and television
historical events
novels and short stories
performing arts:
ballet
dance
opera
sporting activities
‘what if’ scenarios.
Modify and enhance storyline may involve:
background story concept development
creating new stories featuring existing characters
developing storyline from first, second or third person perspective
introducing new characters and settings
modification of plot outcomes
reducing the number of characters
relating the narrative from another point of view.
Game genre may include:
adventure
alternative reality
ancient
casino
cyberpunk
educational
edutainment
fantasy
first person shooter
flight shooter
flight simulation
futuristic
god simulation
massively multi-player online game
massively multi-player online role-playing game
medieval
modern
multi-player
post-apocalyptic
puzzle
racing shooter
racing simulation
real-time strategy
role-playing game
science fiction
side-scrolling shooter
single player
sports
strategy, including:
action strategy
turn-based strategy
tactical combat.
Character profiles may include:
basic details:
age
appearance
clothing and accessory preferences
colour of eyes
gender
hair
languages spoken
location
motivation
names
nationality and race
occupation
preferences for day or night missions
target demographic the character appeals to
weapon choices
biographies
characteristics of associates and enemies
heroes
main characters
non-player characters
protagonists
secondary characters
villains.
Environment profiles may include:
alien environments
fantasy environments
foreign environments
historical environments
natural environments, for example:
arctic
desert
jungle
mountainous
post-apocalyptic environments
urban environments.
Background story may include:
cinematics (cut scenes)
experiences, events and missions occurring prior to game action that have a bearing on the proposed game narrative.
Plot profile may involve:
action
adventure
combat
crime
fantasy
history and background of the environment
missions
murder mystery
premise
psychological
quests
romance
science fiction.
Plot synopsis and options may consist of:
choices made by the player that influence the direction of the narrative
concise outlines of story narrative, including:
secondary plotlines
character story and motivation
climax or cliffhanger
key interactions along the way
objective of the story
plot profile
resolution - what is gained or lost
drama outline for cinematics (cut scenes)
executive summary
flowcharts
one page synopsis
one paragraph synopsis
one sentence synopsis
pitch version of synopsis.
Sourcing initial concept artwork may involve:
knowledge of copyright and intellectual property protection
using visual research techniques to identify exemplary environments, character types and themes consistent with storyline concept
working collaboratively with artist and designers to develop original concepts for characters and environments in formats, such as:
2-D computer graphics
collages
hand rendered illustrations
pencil and ink sketches
physical models.
Level specifications may include:
level-specific components:
allies
base building and location
cinematics (cut scenes)
colours
enemies
graphics
health
lighting
non-player characters
resources and their harvesting
sounds and music
weapons
location
stages
transportation devices:
buttons
doors
keys
teleporters
tunnels and passageways.
Storyboards may include:
animatics, such as technical previsualisation
computer-generated illustrations
existing comic strips, comic books or graphic novels
hand-drawn illustrations
illustrations or images displayed in sequence for the purpose of previsualising a motion picture, animation, motion graphic or interactive media sequence, including website interactivity
photomatic, e.g. photographic storyboard
thumbnails.
Feedback may involve:
accepting and responding to comment, critique and suggestions from:
clients
colleagues
target audience representatives.

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit
Evidence of the ability to:
develop storylines for games according to current industry standards
develop storylines that are innovative, competitive and apply processes and procedures to facilitate quality script writing
identify the role of narrative development in game development and what this brings to the quality of the final product
seek and respond professionally to feedback on concept and storylines.
Context of and specific resources for assessment
Assessment must ensure access to:
range of current computer games across all platforms and genres
range of the latest consoles and hand-held game devices
internet access for research purposes
computer hardware, software, games engines and file storage
copyright and intellectual property legislation
OHS legislation and enterprise policy
appropriate learning and assessment support when required
modified equipment for people with special needs.
Method of assessment
A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:
work samples or simulated workplace activities
observation of storyline development activities
verbal questioning concerning aspects of narrative development for games, including:
game genres
sources of stories and narrative
sourcing concept graphics
respecting the intellectual property rights of other writers.
Guidance information for assessment
Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, where appropriate.
Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate, and suitable to the communication skill level, language, literacy and numeracy capacity of the candidate and the work being performed.
Indigenous people and other people from a non-English speaking background may need additional support.
In cases where practical assessment is used it should be combined with targeted questioning to assess required knowledge.