Game Trailer Outline Based on Genre

I've talked a lot about trailer act structure, but today I'm discussing needs specific to a few unique game genres so you can get an idea for how to adapt it. All game trailers need to convey very similar information, but there are subtle differences depending on the genres such as: metroidvania, action rogue-like, visual novel, narrative adventure game, platformer, strategy game, etc. 

Every one of my trailers starts with a basic outline which I modify and cater to the game and the goals set for that specific trailer. As discussed in this article/video, the most simple outline is:

1. Cold Open

2. Introduction

3. Escalation

4. Climax

5. Button (optional)

This structure is an easy place to start for movies, but for games it's a little different because oftentimes games have little to no story, in which case the trailer has to focus on the game mechanics. And even if a game is heavily driven by narrative, the basic player interactions need to be understood.

Adapting the trailer outline for games gives us something like this:

1. A sample of gameplay, or an interesting self contained game moment. (This is optional, but recommended to hook impatient audiences)

2. Introduction to the basic game mechanics

3. Building on the basic mechanics, or showing how they get twisted and test the player's abilities

4. Even more twists, an indication of the game's size and scope by showing variety, content and maybe features and game modes.

5. A final epic moment, joke, or one last surprising twist. (Optional)

If the game also has a strong narrative focus, refer back to this article but here's what it might be good to integrate into each section:

1. Self contained story moment which shows a character or plot moment which is easy to understand without context, and is entertaining or engaging.

2. Introduction to the plot and character wants/needs

3. The problems and obstacles the character will face

4. Setting the stakes of failure, and building suspense

5. A final epic moment, joke, or one last surprising twist

Now let's take a look at how these can adapt to different game genres.

One game's introduction shot might be another game's escalation shot. Different game genres have different audiences with unique questions and needs.

Metroidvania

A metroidvania is a game where you often fight enemies, explore a lot, and gain abilities that unlock more areas to explore. There are also typically boss battles and large map screens. This includes games like Metroid, Castlevania (hence the genre name), Hollow Knight, Ori and the Blind Forest, Axiom Verge, Guacamelee and many more.

1. A cold open might just take a very straightforward way of starting by showing unique player verbs, a variety of environments, a quick shot of a map screen and a shot or two indicating environmental storytelling and a boss battle.

2. An introduction might show player verbs with a focus on unique ones, easy to understand environments, doors/areas unlocking, a game map filling out, and some environmental storytelling.

3. An escalating act will probably show more dangerous situations, boss battles, and some more lore. Maybe establish some sort of goal, want or need of the protagonist.

4. The climax should probably give a sense of how big the game is via the map, variety of environments, showing a number of bosses, and exciting obstacles to surmount. The audience might still be wondering how big the game is, so a straightforward way of doing it would be to use title cards to call out the number of enemies, boss battles, etc.

5. A button could be an incredibly epic looking story environment, or boss, or maybe a very chill moment to contrast with all the fighting. It should ideallly contrast in some way to the body of the trailer.

A cool bespoke scene like this in a Metroidvania implies scope by saying:
"There's a bigger story to this world other than unlocking doors."

Puzzle Game

Puzzle games take many forms; some are simple a list of puzzles to solve like many mobile games. Others integrate the puzzle into a bigger story context like in Myst, and there are many in between. Depending on where the puzzle game falls on that spectrum, people will first need to understand they're looking at a puzzle game, some basic mechanics and/or to know that solving puzzles will make other things happen or progress.

1. A cold open is likely unnecessary for a puzzle game where there is no story or greater context (like an island where solving puzzles reveals the story). But if there is some story context, a cold open could be like a puzzle being completed and unlocking/revealing something. This is what I did in the trailer I made for The Almost Gone and Manifold Garden.

2. The introduction should show the basics for how a player interacts with a puzzle, and maybe even showing an early puzzle get completely solved. If there's a story, seeing something get activated or unlocked as a result of a solved puzzle could be good even if as innocuous as a door unlocking.

3. After the basic mechanics are understood, the escalation section should show how those basics get tested with the introduction of new complications in the puzzles, and maybe bigger and more interesting things get unlocked.

4. Showing scope in a climax of a puzzle game trailer might look like even more complicated puzzles or things in the story being unlocked. Having a story where things escalate can definitely help the climax of a puzzle game, but it can even be something as simple as showing some still cutscenes like in this trailer for Inbento. If the puzzle game has alternate modes to extend the game's replayability, this is a good time to show it.

5. A button for a puzzle game could be a story twist, or yet another puzzle mechanic twist so game changing it blows the audience's mind.

Alone, this shot from The Witness might show basic puzzle mechanics, but paired with a shot of something unlocking it will imply scope and a bigger picture.

Building/Village Games

Games where you're building things and interacting with NPCs like Ooblets, Animal Crossing or Stardew Valley might not be the most action packed, but they still can follow the basic trailer story structure. Fans of these games need to know what they're building, the means for building them, who they're interacting with, and an idea of how they can express themselves by customizing things.

1. A cold open for a building game could simply be a very quick montage of starting from nothing and then ending up with and impressive house or village. 

2. To intro this sort of game you just start at the beginning with a blank slate of sorts and show the player either collecting or harvesting resources to then build something however it's done in that particular game. 

3. Things in a building game escalate when you show more complex structures, variety of things you interact with, maybe some sort of obstacles to making the things you want.

4. A climax will likely include many examples of unique things made by the player, as well as calling out some features and modes which indicate the game has longevity and replayability. Mostly though, variety and player expression through customizing and building things are what fans of these games want. 

5. A button could include again, some big twist which puts everything previous into a new context or maybe simple show some incredibly epic thing you could build in the game far beyond the scope of what the rest of the trailer showed.

What implies scope and a "climax" is entirely different if it's something like a building game rather than a game about trying to defeat a big enemy.

There are so so many game genres each with their unique needs, but here are some questions you can ask yourself when planning the outline of your game's trailer:

Cold Open - What one moment sums up this game? Or what series of shots cut together quickly sum up this game?

Introduction - What does this game look like when you're first learning to interact with it?

Escalation - What does the game look like when things start to get more complicated? What parts of the game look like you've reached a new turning point? 

Climax - What in this game implies there will be many twists and turns? What makes this game look big? What makes the journey of the game look big? What implies there's a lot to do in this game? What story element indicates things will not be simple for the player to resolve?

Button - What is something which will put everything previous into a new context? What will make people go "WHOA!"? What will make people think a curious: "Huh?" What will make people laugh and leave feeling delighted?

Depending on your game, these "acts" might be much longer or shorter. For example, a simple and small vertical scrolling shooter game might have an act which is only few seconds long. Whereas a more complicated game might have acts which are 10-15 seconds or more.

Saving one big twist for the end might imply it's a unique and rare scenario.

If you're already pretty experienced making trailers then you're likely to get less out of this post, but if you have no idea where to start, this is a good place. These are only basic guidelines, and where you modify and improvise around them are where things can get very interesting. (Think about Captain Picard playing Frère Jacques on his flute with Lieutenant Commander Daren.)

You might balk at the idea of following some sort of template, but this basic structure is there to serve the needs of an audience who is watching something with the goal of learning about what it is, whether it's for them, and the basic promises the game can make in a short period of time. Some games can do this with less structure because they communicate very well to audiences, others will need more help. To bring in another Jacques, here is Jacques Pépin's essay on what recipes are, and how best to follow them.