DialogueSpeech is shaped by place, history, assumptions, philosophical views and motivations. What is said, and what isn’t, have equal importance.
Dialogue Script Excerpts
Mission Script Excerpt - Heat Rises
SCENE 4 BRANCH B — CONSEQUENCE: KESH LOCKS HIM OUT
DEVI
(relieved)
Heat is rising steadily. Engineers are evacuating. No security alert has been tripped. Good work, Kesh.
KESH
(fear, hearing something)
SHHH!
A quiet pause over comms and silent tension as the sound of a group of footsteps running and shouting orders passes by the door and fades into the distance.
KESH
(exhale; relief)
Yes! Now we can leave. Quietly.
An audible bang - Roller punches the panel in annoyance.
ROLLER
(frustrated)
We should have made them bleed while we had the chance. Sneaking out like damn dogs is not victory.
DEVI
(sarcastic)
This is victory enough for today. Come back to base for debrief like good dogs.
Roller growls quietly.
DEVI
Teams, converge at exit point Echo. You’ve got sixty seconds. I’m closing comms in five minutes.
KESH
(soft, diplomatic)
Copy that. Moving out.
ROLLER
(angry, under his breath)
Next time, we’ll do it my way. I’ll make damn sure…
KESH
(dry humour slipping out)
Your way nearly cooked the room, and nearly got us caught!
ROLLER
(barking laugh)
And? They’d remember it for years!
DEVI
Enough. I can see you’ve found the exit, so closing Comms.
Good work… mostly.
STATIC AS COMMS CLOSE.
FADE TO BLACK.
Kesh, an alien and member of The Rebellion, a human-run faction existing 600 years in the future on Mercury, infiltrates the Allied Government Humanity’s engineering room to turn up the temperature and make the environment unworkable without detection. Roller, another such alien, heading another team of humans and Saeuns, does the same for the other office building, but his reckless choices repeatedly put the mission at risk and expose his disregard for the team.
SCENE 3 — TEMPERATURE OVERRIDE
DEVI
The override requires a manual input. Passcode is 67341. Set the temperature to one hundred and seven. That’ll be enough to disrupt their work for a few hours.
KESH
One hundred and seven. Confirmed. Inputting-
ROLLER
(scoffing, incredulous)
-One hundred and seven?! That won’t even make them sweat!
KESH
(frustrated, imploring)
Roller just… just follow the instructions for once. Please.
ROLLER
(voice tight; anger coiling)
Impact, Kesh. Not a sauna. One hundred and forty! Let’s watch them all scramble-
DEVI
(sharp)
-Roller. No. It’ll trigger the security-
-KLAXON BLARES. Lights turn the room red. The room starts to visually wobble as the temperature rises quickly.
KESH
(panicked hiss)
Roller, stop it! You’ll hurt them!
ROLLER
(fear masked as aggression)
They had it coming!
DEVI
(stress now evident)
Kesh! Lock him out of the panel. Right now.
KESH
(voice shaking, through gritted teeth)
I’m sorry- I’m… I’m trying! It’s lagging in the heat! Sorry! Stupid machine! Come on, come on, come on!
SCENE 4 BRANCH A — CONSEQUENCE: ROLLER OVERRIDES
DEVI
(through gritted teeth)
Crap. Too late. The heat spike’s been detected. Full alert triggered. They’re coming to you, fast. Extract. Now.
ROLLER
(muttering)
They would have found us anyway. It’s no big deal.
KESH
(quiet but exasperated)
They wouldn’t if you’d JUST followed the plan.
DEVI
(strict, almost barked)
Shut up, both of you, and extract now. Roller, do NOT engage. I repeat, do NOT engage.
ROLLER
(low, dangerous)
Ha! I shall make no such promises, “Captain”.
DEVI
Converge at exit point Echo. You’ve got twenty seconds! I’m closing comms - I can’t risk our location. You idiots will have to get yourselves out.
KESH
(stressed, breathing hard)
Copy. Moving out-
Static as comms are cut off.
ROLLER
(half laughing, breathing hard)
See? It’s more fun doing it my way!
KESH
(dry humour slipping out)
Your way just turned this place into a furnace, and now we’re toast.
Audible alert and slam, as the exit door is locked down.
KESH
(panicking)
Nope, we’re fully cooked.
ROLLER
(disguising his fear with confidence)
For Narah’s sake, just hack the door, you wimp. And mine whilst you’re there.
A beep sounds and a whoosh as Kesh gets the automatic doors unlocked and back open via the panel.
ROLLER
(laughing)
Ha! Freedom! They’ll remember this for years!
Don’t get caught, Listener. See you at base.
STATIC AS COMMS CLOSE.
FADE TO BLACK.
©Image designed by Katy Wrench
The Witchdoctor and Her Mentor
Game Name: Mind the Gap - A graphic novel click-through dialogue puzzle game.
Scene 3 of 4: Player character approaches a wizened old man and a tall woman on a train to the afterlife.
Brief: Scene must contain a fun fact, and x2 numerical clues to the code at the front of the train.
Game play Trigger: Player clicks [Talk to the old man and the tall woman.]
SCENE
As you approach the short old man's shoulders visibly relaxes and he leans forward in excitement.
BABA
There you are! Wandering off into the woods as usual,
but she always comes back, doesn't she, Emiola?
Baba cheekily elbows Emiola in the ribs and she rolls her eyes.
EMIOLA
Baba... don't overwhelm them.
They've only just got back.
→ Do... I know you?
Baba cackles loudly.
BABA
Always the joker! Come, sit.
Emiola's been worried about you since the storm.
Emiola's hands lift to fidget in front of her.
EMIOLA
We were worried after what happened...
maybe you thought...
She breaks off, visibly wincing. Wraps her arms around her and flicks her head towards Baba for help, before her eyes land firmly at the floor of the train by her feet.
→ What do you mean?
Baba wafts his hand dismissively, clearly still very amused by the conversation.
BABA
No sense in all this weaselling around.
They deserve to know!
Emiola jumps forward, trying to stop the inevitable but it's too late. Baba leans in and lowers his voice, giving a kindly smile.
BABA
You were helping us gather some Shaggy Cap mushrooms
for my stomach remedy, remember?
EMIOLA
It was dark, the storm was coming in. We were rushing!
There were a few baskets with different species, four I think.
Baba gently places his cool wrinkled hand on your arm and pats it firmly.
BABA
And someone grabbed the wrong basket to take back to us.
Emiola’s voice wobbles slightly, her voice growing quiet.
EMIOLA
We didn't realise they were Inky Caps until after we'd all
warmed up with the soup and a cup of Baba's homebrew.
→ What's wrong with inky caps?
Baba tuts gently and shakes his head, his posture curving a little more forwards.
BABA
Inky caps and alcohol don't mix, my dear.
They're poisonous when consumed together.
Especially potent within one hour of each other.
EMIOLA
If you hadn't left so suddenly when we realised,
maybe I could have done something, but my vision was fading...
I couldn't...
Her shoulders tense upwards. Baba leans over to pat her on the arm, comfortingly.
→ "I'm sorry I wasn't there when you needed me."
Emiola exhales a long breath and relaxes. She closes her eyes briefly and looks up at the carriage ceiling.
EMIOLA
Thank you.
I think I needed to hear that.
Baba stares up at you through his mask, his pupils contract. He suddenly seems serious and more lucid.
BABA
If you want to talk to the train conductor,
you’d best find yourself the rest of the code.
Something snaps internally as his pupils dilate again. He returns to cackling at Emiola, reminiscing about a time she was struggling to make gauze from tree bark. You figured you'd best move on and make an excuse to leave the conversation.