Tryhard dev log - Cutscene and Game Scripting with Yarn Spinner v3.0 beta

In our upcoming game Tryhard, we have cutscenes and dialogue and level scripting like many other RPGs. This dev log is about how we’re implementing some of that stuff in the game. 

(Note that I'm writing this post mostly for fellow Unity game devs, but even if you don't happen to be a dev, maybe you'll appreciate this technical behind-the-scenes look anyway? Just let all the game dev words and lingo wash over you like a summer rain.)

We’re using the free open-source dialogue system plugin Yarn Spinner v3.0 beta 2 as our main scripting and story plugin. I’ve written about Yarn in the past and I'm finding this fresh new version 3 to be a great upgrade with useful features, even while in beta. For more info on these features, see the Yarn Spinner docs "Coming in v3" page.

Here’s how we’re using some new YS3 features for some cutscene and scripting stuff in Tryhard:

Yep I'm at GDC 2025 (links / presskit / dance card)

Yep I'm attending GDC 2025. (For better or worse, I've made too many commitments to cancel.)

The best way to contact me is to @ me on BlueSky or email me ( yang.robert.w [AT] gmail ). You can also probably just find me lounging in the Yerba Buena Gardens on most non-rainy noon-afternoons.

If you're press / journalist / podcaster / creator / TikToker / YouTuber / writer etc. and you need content to feed the Machine -- contact me (see above) and I'm happy to talk about whatever to help you:

• General video game opinions / GDC gossip.
• For 2-3 years I've been contributing level design to Big Hops (check us out at Day of the Devs) and I've learned a lot about making 3D platformer levels
• But for a demo / better sense of the game, contact the director Chris Wade ( chris [AT] luckshotgames.com ). A lot of the dev team will be hanging around GDC too.
• I'm also speaking at GDC about the difficulty of teaching level design and writing The Level Design Book, now a top search result and community resource used in multiple schools and studios.
• I'm also here as part of a New Zealand government trade group, with generous support from NZ CODE. It's funny to be part of a "foreign" delegation "visiting" my home country. I can talk about what NZ is doing at GDC, the local NZ game industry, or explain NZ in general (is it really like Lord of the Rings?)
• I'm here pitching our upcoming game Tryhard, a tactics RPG about managing an underdog rugby club.
• If you fund / publish games and Tryhard seems interesting / you just want to connect in general, email me ( yang.robert.w [AT] gmail ) and we can probably figure out a last minute meeting or demo too.

Below, my event schedule / dance card for the week: