Probably not. For example, the story for Bioshock would be written differently to the story for Dragon Age, which would be written differently to the story to Doom.

Different games tell their stories in very different ways. Some are like scattered bits of diaries, some are like stage plays, some are like first-person narrative...

What I'm getting at is that a book is written differently to a play right? Just as an FPS story is also written differently to an RPG story...

Doom and Dragon Age would not follow the same development process whatsoever. Their processes would be as similar as a book to a film.
Something like Bioshock would use a blend of different processes as it's got different kinds of storytelling within the one game. It would use both traditional prose to describe the parts of the story which are directly recounted to the player, and also a more script-like style to describe what happens in the interactive story.
There's no standard because there's no such thing as a standard game.

Quote: Original post by Hodgman
Just as an FPS story is also written differently to an RPG story...

Is a script to a thriller written differently than a script for a comedy? Probably, but maybe there's still a standard both can follow.

Quote: There's no standard because there's no such thing as a standard game.

Is there such a thing as a standard movie?

Quote: Original post by neveza
Also, note that RPG and FPS are genres. Like a Fantasy novel is not a sci fi novel. Movie scripts and Novels are different mediums to convey a story.

I used FPS/RPG as an example because they way they (traditionally) deal with story is as different as a movie and a book (the fantasy genre exists within FPS, as it does within RPG, as in books, as in film, etc).
An FPS game (traditionally) deals with story by putting the player into a series of interactive experiences and telling the story through events that happen to the player (think: action-movie sequence).
An RPG on the other hand, tells a story through a series of dialogue options (think: choose-your-own-adventure novel). It might also include the FPS-style storytelling, but it also has a different medium for storytelling on top of that. As with book/film, each of these different mediums has it's own ways of being written down.

Quote: That is where I am getting at. Understanding the complexity of game design... I wasn't sure if a short story or a damn novel would be all there is. I suppose a story board. A very large one is more necessary. Script for dialogue, perhaps.

It really depends on the game, and the part of the story that is being told -- as above, some games may use multiple story telling techniques, each of which would be written using a different process.
Story-boards are great for describing action-sequences (they're used for this in film too ;)).
For a complex game, you may have to write story-boards, prose and scripts! Use all the tools at your disposal.
Quickly cover the flow with story beats, draw up story-boards to show how things happen, use scripts to say when and where things happen, use illustrations to show what things look like, etc... There's no magic bullet or formula, and remember, it's a very young field compared to film or the written word, so the way people do things varies a great deal from company to company.

Quote: Original post by Gage64
Is a script to a thriller written differently than a script for a comedy? Probably, but maybe there's still a standard both can follow.
Is there such a thing as a standard movie?

In comparison to the difference between Oblivion and Monopoly, yes!

Quote: Original post by neveza
I figured as much, but it's not so much of the story telling.

I wasn't sure if there is an development process that should be took into consideration.

Understanding the complexity of game design... I wasn't sure if a short story or a damn novel would be all there is. I suppose a story board. A very large one is more necessary. Script for dialogue, perhaps.

We're having difficulty understanding exactly what you're asking. Which of the two following things is it that you're looking for (assuming such a thing exists):
A. Guidelines and/or template for writing the overall design for a story-based game;
B. Guidelines and/or template for writing the story dialogue and the on-screen story text for a videogame (these story aspects being separate from the overall design for that game).

Quote: Previous reply by me
We're having difficulty understanding exactly what you're asking. Which of the two following things is it that you're looking for (assuming such a thing exists):
A. Guidelines and/or template for writing the overall design for a story-based game;
B. Guidelines and/or template for writing the story dialogue and the on-screen story text for a videogame (these story aspects being separate from the overall design for that game).

Quote: Original post by neveza
I'm not too sure, Tom. I'd say both. I don't know what goes on in Game Development as far as the story is concerned

NOW you know (since I described a distinction) that the writing of the story is a separate thing from the writing of the game design. Because you know this now, you know that you want to look into both things. Stop going around telling everybody (and yourself) that you're confused -- that does not help you to get unconfused. Just read up on GDDs (game design documents) and on writing for games -- this forum probably has an FAQ. Read it. And also read:
http://sloperama.com/advice/lesson32.htm
http://www.igda.org/writing

Quote: (not the actually story itself, but the writing template and process)

If you want to learn about the process, game design, and writing game designs, just read ...
http://www.sloperama.com/advice/specs.htm
http://www.sloperama.com/advice/lesson10.htm
http://www.sloperama.com/advice/lesson7.htm
http://www.sloperama.com/advice/lesson14.htm
http://www.sloperama.com/advice/lesson13.htm
http://www.igda.org/game-design

Quote: People know about programming and the building, but the story is never touched on.

What now? I think you are stating an untruth there... See all those links above?

[Edited by - Tom Sloper on March 25, 2010 2:42:22 PM]