Storytelling is not as simple as “A long time ago…”. There are all kinds of storytelling techniques in life and work. It all depends on how you use them! When it comes to storytelling, Gamanians in different fields all have their own unique insights. This exclusive in-depth interview by G!VOICE will show you Gamanians’ ways of telling stories!
Pay attention to little things in life – Connie Ma, Director of CSO Global Business Development Office
With her confident attitude and frank laugh, Connie Ma (Director of Global Market Development Office) speaks in an easy-going “big sister next door” kind of way that sees her make friends very easily. With a job that spans the globe and involves constant communication/negotiation, does Connie have any tricks to storytelling?
“Depending on who I am talking to, I use different ways to leave a strong impression. This kind of judgment takes years of experience.” Connie once attended 51 meetings in 4 days during an overseas exhibition. In order to build a good relationship with the customer in just 30 minutes and leave them with a strong impression of Gamania, she would tailor her story to the customer’s requirements and use it as her opening. For example, if the other side cares about loyalty then Connie will tell them she has been working at Gamania for 12 years; if the other side is interested in products then she would use Lineage as an example and discuss long-term product management. Connie chooses to tell stories to break the ice because stories are better than data or formulaic product intros at building warmth towards a brand.
Connie says: “Storytelling is just a way of building a link with other people. What really matters is sincerity.” She remembers business partners’ preferences and birthdays, and sends birthday well-wishes on the day. No matter how big or small the company may be, she always maintains a sincere and hands-on approach. This is why Connie always manages to build a strong friendship with other companies. The shared stories with these companies and the intangible value these created are how she builds trust for Gamania.
Connie’s many stories have the origins in her life experience. These moving moments in life are something that you can’t fake and that’s what makes them so touching. She always mentioned that everyone knows how to tell stories. We just don’t bother remembering all the little things in life. Yet it’s these inconsequential things that make good stories. For example, what friends share on Facebook provides a lot of good material. “If you make the effort, storytelling is not hard at all.”
Stories Build Up Rapport – Jacky Chu, Chief Operation Officer of RED
Storytelling is not limited to just speech of course. Film, music and games are all exciting mediums in their own way! From playing games to developing games, RED CEO Jacky Chu has extensive experience with the game industry. So what’s his view on storytelling in games?
“A lot of people in the industry were moved by games at some point in time.” Even today, Jacky still finds the Nintendo classic Legend of Zelda to be very memorable. In his opinion, stories in a game are not limited to the main plotline. The atmosphere created by the whole game including the sound, special effects and gameplay are all part of the storytelling. The game developer should just prepare the environment then wait for players to approach it in their own way and discover the game’s possibilities and value.
So how does storytelling show up in a game’s details? Jacky said that it can be found even in a small, ordinary rock. “Take for example a rock by the river. How long has it been there? Is it mossy? Did someone sit on it? If you don’t have a story, then it’s just a rock, but not a rock by the river.” He noted that a story gives depth and becomes easier for people to accept. “Creating a sense of rapport is very important. I can say the rock has been there for thousands of years. It might then have to look worn or be overgrown for other people to accept this setting.”
Through long-term observation of the game industry, Jacky has also discovered differences in each country’s game narrative. Japan is good at developing passionate and inspiring stories while the West is good at using light, sound and imagery to create the atmosphere so players can feel the ambience even with their eyes closed. Taiwan follows the Japanese approach but the industry is still developing, and many of the leading industry talents received no formal training. “They must find things out for themselves but they also have less baggage.” Despite the deficiencies, Jacky is still filled with hope for the development of the game industry in Taiwan.
Telling stories from the heart – Sin-yang Wu, Legal Assistant Manager of CSO
New Gamanians no doubt remember the law lecturer from their first law class. He was the only person on stage in nearly 3 hours of classroom time but it was like law cases being acted out one after another. Sometimes, he spoke in a squeaky girls’ voice, and during the climax of the story he’d even skip between multiple roles, sending the audience into gales of laughter.
This person is Sin-yang Wu, Gamania’s attorney. He is in charge of everything legal including contracts, complaints, announcement of business directives, and dispute resolution. The legal profession has a reputation for being serious but Wu always uses a humorous approach to helping big and small Gamanians solve their legal problems. Wu believes that passion is the key to storytelling. “You must be passionate to care about the reaction and to act out the role.” He described himself as being a missionary on stage using his magnetism and energy to influence everyone.
Apart from recruit training and corporate legal affairs, Wu must also attend over 200 consumer dispute negotiations a year involving consumers, police, consumer protection officers and judges. He used the recent case of “Maple Story” hack as an example. In the early years, infringement of computer usage required actual intrusion for prosecution. He re-interpreted hacking as the tampering with the consumer-side data packet and then sending it back to the server to deceive the decision-making mechanism so should considered intrusion. Though the judge did not understand games at all, this link between existing laws and illegal activity persuaded him to put a stop to cheating in games.
“Skill as a storyteller will affect a person’s future outcome.” Wu also mentioned that storytelling is just a way of communication. This is an ability that is needed in teaching, persuasion and explanation. What is more important to legal professionals is a sense of empathy. He treats everyone he meets during the cases as a friend and tells stories from the heart while staying to true to the ideals and values of the law.