Rhianna Pratchett
Encyclopedia
Rhianna Pratchett is a freelance computer games scriptwriter, narrative designer and former journalist. She is a member of the Writers' Guild of Great Britain
.
, is the best-selling fantasy
and children's fiction
author, famous for the Discworld
series of novels.
After finishing a journalism degree, Pratchett got her first big break at the magazine Minx
, which she describes as a "funky" magazine for young women, adding "shame more women's magazines aren't like that these days".
and The Guardian
newspaper.
In September 2006, Edge
placed her among the 'Game Industry's 100 Most Influential Women'.
. She has written scripts and storyline for several games, including Heavenly Sword
and Overlord
. She was nominated twice for the Writer's Guild of Great Britain's 2008 Awards for Best Video Game Script, for Heavenly Sword (together with co-writers Tameem Antoniades and Andy Serkis) and Overlord. She also wrote a six-issue comic book
miniseries (published by DC Comics
) based on Mirror's Edge.
On Monday 6 September 2010 it was announced that she had signed to write her first feature film with Producer Paul Atherton
. Vigilia (a working title) is due to shoot in 2011
Writers' Guild of Great Britain
The Writers' Guild of Great Britain, established in 1959, is a trade union for professional writers. It is affiliated with both the Trades Union Congress and the International Affiliation of Writers Guilds .-Activities:...
.
Biography
Her father, Terry PratchettTerry Pratchett
Sir Terence David John "Terry" Pratchett, OBE is an English novelist, known for his frequently comical work in the fantasy genre. He is best known for his popular and long-running Discworld series of comic fantasy novels...
, is the best-selling fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
and children's fiction
Children's literature
Children's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...
author, famous for the Discworld
Discworld
Discworld is a comic fantasy book series by English author Sir Terry Pratchett, set on the Discworld, a flat world balanced on the backs of four elephants which, in turn, stand on the back of a giant turtle, Great A'Tuin. The books frequently parody, or at least take inspiration from, J. R. R....
series of novels.
After finishing a journalism degree, Pratchett got her first big break at the magazine Minx
Minx (magazine)
Minx was a UK magazine aimed at "young, assertive, rather scary young women". It was published by EMAP between October 1996 and July 2000 before being shut down. At the time of its closure, its circulation was 120,000 copies a month....
, which she describes as a "funky" magazine for young women, adding "shame more women's magazines aren't like that these days".
Computer games
Pratchett specialises in developing the story, humour and characterisation in games. She wrote regularly for the (now defunct) PC games magazine PC ZonePC Zone
PC Zone was the first magazine dedicated to games for IBM-compatible personal computers to be published in the United Kingdom. Earlier PC magazines such as PC Leisure, PC Format and PC Plus had covered games but only as part of a wider remit. PC Zone was founded in 1993.The magazine was published...
and The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
newspaper.
- Games narrative is getting better, but we still have a long way to go. As the industry looks towards attracting a greater share of the mainstream audience, improving the way our games are told, as well as how they are played, will be more important than ever.
In September 2006, Edge
Edge (magazine)
Edge is a multi-format computer and video game magazine published by Future Publishing in the United Kingdom. It is known for its industry contacts, editorial stance, distinctive anonymous third-person writing style, yearly awards and longevity....
placed her among the 'Game Industry's 100 Most Influential Women'.
Projects
- Mirror's EdgeMirror's EdgeMirror's Edge is a single-player first person action-adventure video game developed by EA Digital Illusions CE and published by Electronic Arts. The game was announced on July 10, 2007, and was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in November 2008. A Microsoft Windows version was released...
by EA DICE - Dungeon HeroDungeon HeroDungeon Hero was to have been a hack-and-slash role-playing video game developed by Firefly Studios and published by Gamecock Media Group. It had been in development for several years and had been scheduled to be released in 2009 for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360...
by Firefly Studios - OverlordOverlord (2007 video game)Overlord is a third-person action-adventure game developed by Triumph Studios and published by Codemasters for the Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows and PlayStation 3...
by Triumph Studios - Overlord: Dark LegendOverlord: Dark LegendOverlord: Dark Legend is a 2009 third-person action-adventure game developed by Climax Studios and published by Codemasters for the Nintendo Wii. The game was released on 23 June in North America, 26 June in Europe, and 2 July in Australia....
by Climax Group - Overlord: MinionsOverlord: MinionsOverlord: Minions is a 2009 puzzle video game developed by Climax Studios and published by Codemasters for the Nintendo DS. It features the minions from the 2007 Overlord video game as the primary protagonists, tasked with the mission to solve puzzles and fight enemies. They are controlled by the...
by Climax Group - Overlord IIOverlord IIOverlord II is a 2009 third-person action-adventure game and sequel to the 2007 video game Overlord, developed by Triumph Studios and published by Codemasters for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3...
by Triumph Studios - Prince of Persia by UbisoftUbisoftUbisoft Entertainment S.A. is a major French video game publisher and developer, with headquarters in Montreuil, France. The company has a worldwide presence with 25 studios in 17 countries and subsidiaries in 26 countries....
(additional dialogue, main writer Andrew S. Walsh) - Risen by Piranha BytesPiranha BytesPiranha Bytes is a German computer game developer known for their Gothic computer role-playing game series.-History:On 12 October 1997, as part of the development of the computer game Gothic, the Piranha Bytes Software GmbH founded the company in Greenwood out by Alex Brueggemann, Mike Hoge, Stefan...
(English localization)
Other works
Pratchett has written a fantasy novella titled Child of Chaos, distributed with the computer role-playing game Beyond DivinityBeyond Divinity
Beyond Divinity is a computer role-playing game which followed up on Divine Divinity created by Larian Studios and published in 2004. The game was met with mixed reviews by critics....
. She has written scripts and storyline for several games, including Heavenly Sword
Heavenly Sword
Heavenly Sword is a video game developed by Ninja Theory exclusively for the PlayStation 3 console and published by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe...
and Overlord
Overlord (2007 video game)
Overlord is a third-person action-adventure game developed by Triumph Studios and published by Codemasters for the Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows and PlayStation 3...
. She was nominated twice for the Writer's Guild of Great Britain's 2008 Awards for Best Video Game Script, for Heavenly Sword (together with co-writers Tameem Antoniades and Andy Serkis) and Overlord. She also wrote a six-issue comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
miniseries (published by DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
) based on Mirror's Edge.
On Monday 6 September 2010 it was announced that she had signed to write her first feature film with Producer Paul Atherton
Paul Atherton
Paul Atherton is managing director of and its sister not-for-profit company, . He is the first producer/ director to have his work broadcast on the Coca-Cola billboard in Piccadilly Circus, London with his film The Ballet of Change....
. Vigilia (a working title) is due to shoot in 2011
External links
- Rhianna Pratchett's web site
- Talking with Rhianna Pratchett, writer and co-story designer of Overlord
- Long Joystiq interview
- Interview regarding the new Overlord expansion pack and future projects
- Rhianna Pratchett interview about Overlord PS3 game at www.sci-fi-online.com
- The Overlord: Rhianna Pratchett
- Interview with Narrative Designer, Tom Jubert