SAN RAFAEL, Calif. — Behind closed doors and papered-over windows here, a half-dozen storytellers have been scrambling to conjure a fantasy world with compelling characters, fierce dialogue and an intricate plot. But this is no ordinary writers’ room: It’s Telltale Games, an independent video game studio that has developed an intense following by prizing nuance and narrative in an industry more often associated with clattering machine guns and screeching getaway cars.

Considered by some to be the “HBO of gaming,” Telltale has set itself apart by adapting popular books, movies and television shows — “Back to the Future,” “Jurassic Park” and “The Walking Dead” — into adventure games released as short, episodic chapters that can be downloaded for $5 each. This model taps the same slow-burning qualities that have made prestige television dramas so popular and allows Telltale to work on multiple projects for less money than some companies might spend on games that sell for $60 a copy.

The studio has recently turned considerable attention to the next big name on its roster, a video game version of the epic fantasy series “Game of Thrones,” now in Season 4 on HBO. The character development and sense for story that sold HBO on a deal with Telltale are time-tested qualities, no matter the format.

“There’s a reason we’ve seen this strategy emerge in media again and again over the years,” said Katherine Isbister, director of the Game Innovation Lab at the Polytechnic School of Engineering at New York University. “Human beings enjoy being in the thrall of an ongoing saga. It allows us to get to know a world and characters over time and gives us a chance to reflect and discuss.”