Established in 1999 as the world's first Game Design & Narrative Consultancy, International Hobo (or ihobo, for short) is a team of experts filling the roles of game designer, narrative designer, and scriptwriter. We provide a number of fixed price services on a contract or on-demand basis.
Game Design Audit
Our most popular service with publishers! Do you have a vertical slice or proof-of-concept build that needs external review? Delivered in just two weeks from receipt of the build, a game design audit provides a detailed game design analysis exploring the strengths and weaknesses of the project in the context of both the project's goals and the state of the marketplace for this style of game, as well as providing a selection of 'Modular Options' proposing possible solutions to problems identified or practical enhancements to the project to cut down on production overheads.
Examples include: Timberborn, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden, Atlas Fallen, Aliens: Dark Descent, Plague Tale: Requiem, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl
Complete Game Design with Narrative and Script
For projects that needing a guiding creative vision, we provide an external design and narrative team that is integrated into the entire production process, delivering on a milestone schedule with regular scrum calls. We have extensive experience working on design and narrative for RPGs, strategy games, and educational games, and have also worked on VR, free-to-play games, and license adaptations.
Examples include: Shadows: Awakening, Vikings: Wolves of Midgard, Heretic Kingdoms: The Inquisition (90% review scores), Ghost Master (90% review scores), Discworld Noir (90% review scores)
Narrative Design and Script Writing
One of our most popular services is providing an external narrative design and script writing team, working on a milestone basis with regular scrum calls. We will work closely with your team to craft the narrative design that works for your game, with a story that adds to the player experience without ballooning the asset requirements. We can work to any brief, but have particular experience with license adaptations, science fiction, and sword and sorcery.
Examples include: Park Beyond, Border Bots VR, Tropico 6, The Persistence, MotorStorm: Apocalypse, Bratz: Rock Angelz, Spongebob Squarepants: The Creature from the Krusty Krab, Pac-Man World 3
Script Revision and Polish
When your game's script just isn't up to scratch, get a professional writer to revise the text and polish it in line with any guidelines you provide. We have particular experience in polishing games translated from non-European cultures, and dealing with the restrictions placed on brands by corporate license holders.
Examples include: Archlord, Barbie Horse Adventures: Wild Horse Rescue, Jakers! Let's Explore, Diva Girls: Making the Music
Studio Recording Support
On many of the projects we work on, we also provide studio recording services, although we usually only provide these services on the games we have scripted.
Examples include: Park Beyond, Border Bots VR, Shadows: Awakening, The Persistence, Air Conflicts: Secret Wars, Heretic Kingdoms: The Inquisition, Mashed