Rafael Chandler, writer and designer for a number of Tom Clancy games including Rainbow Six: Lockdown, agrees: "When a great deal of the material has been established prior to my involvement, it streamlines the process for me, and allows me to focus on just writing dialogue. When I'm given the opportunity to create story and characters within a general framework, it gives me more freedom, but it usually entails a very heavy level of involvement in the development process. Instead of spending a few weeks or months writing dialogue, I spend years as a member of the design team."
Imagine playing Tetris without the pre-formed shapes. It would be easier to fill the holes if you could build your own shapes, but for some writers the challenge of filling them with the shapes they've been given is part of the thrill.
"Like most creators, I prefer as much freedom as I can get," says game writer and novelist Matt Forbeck, whose credits include works for Marvel; DC; WildStorm; Image Comics; Conan; Mutant Chronicles; The Lord of the Rings; Dungeons & Dragons; Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law; and "many, many others." "But I also enjoy writing and designing under tight strictures. It's almost a game in itself. The more restrictions piled upon you, the more innovative you have to be to express yourself through them, rather than in spite of them."
"It's more like working on a comic book or writing a novel set in someone else's universe," says Chandler. "The rules, concepts and primary characters have already been developed for you, and your task is to expand on the material while remaining true to the source."
There's also satisfaction to be had in working within an existing structure, as if some of the pressure were taken off the writer's shoulders, allowing him to focus on storytelling, rather than world building. The experience can be likened to working for an existing company, receiving a regular paycheck, versus starting your own business and being the one having to write the checks. Plus, with a franchise title, success is all but a foregone conclusion.
"Most franchise games and novels outsell most original works," says Forbeck. "Those franchises put my labor in front of thousands, if not millions more people than I could probably reach on my own. Because of that, I get to entertain a larger audience, which is never anything to complain about."
Despain agrees: "I don't consider it slumming when I work on a franchise. These properties are successful for a reason, so there's always something to learn from the experience, and usually something I can offer to the project to make it shine a little brighter."
"I'm a professional writer," says Orkin, "and if I'm being paid to write, I'm a very happy camper." Besides, he says, a franchise project eliminates the "paralyzing" effect of having too many choices. "Having some limitations and restrictions can sometimes help the creative process," he says.
