An article on player choice in games...please read

[mrprice33]

http://www.vgrevolution.com/2012/05/al-dente-determinism-and-player-choice-in-games/

What do you guys think of this?

[Heroesandvillains]

Re: An article on player choice in games...please read

Ahh...spoilers!!!!

I'll respond six months from now after I buy and beat ME 3.

[mrprice33]

There's a large gap in the middle of the piece before the story spoilers, and ME3 is probably the least spoiled of any of the games mentioned, lol.

[mrprice33]

But the basic idea is that offering choices in a scripted narrative is harmful to game stories. A complete open world ala skyrim or a pure script like uncharted are better.

[Heroesandvillains]

Re: An article on player choice in games...please read

So, need I proceed with caution? Or will I get the gist of the article up to the text gap?

[mrprice33]

Yeah, up until the gap you'll get the idea.

[Heroesandvillains]

Re: An article on player choice in games...please read

Certainly an interesting read, but I didn't walk away from it with anything of substance (and by the way, I read the spoilers, minus the ME3 section).

Clearly the issue lies within the imagination of the writers and developers. Nothing more, nothing less.

The examples given for ME2 in particular seem to contradict the spirit of the free forming plot narrative concept. The illusion of free will. Though ME2 is a great example of how a plot line seemingly adapts to the gamer's decisions, it still identically mirrors the confines listed out it the editorial's first two paragraphs.

It's just that the writers and developers implemented it in a seemingly more efficient way. But it's built from the same materials.

Maybe as these genre's continue to be popular, and the software continues to be refined, these great minds developing games will be able to further refine these choice based narratives. But until someone truly breaks the mold, and creates a truly adaptive system - one that's crafted around your choices and your thoughts alone - I don't believe what the writer seeks for is even a remote possibilty currently.

Games have to be animated. These animations need to be implemented into the game. Even if the choices were 10,000,000 long, the mold is still the same: Predetermined outcomes.

[mrprice33]

There's a clear distinction between mass effect 2 and 3, however. ME2 did it right. ME 3 didn't.

If games are going to offer players a choice, those choices should be written in such a way as to offer a consistent theme. But the best narratives this gen IMO are not games with choice systems.

[Heroesandvillains]

Re: An article on player choice in games...please read

There's a clear distinction between mass effect 2 and 3, however. ME2 did it right. ME 3 didn't.

If games are going to offer players a choice, those choices should be written in such a way as to offer a consistent theme. But the best narratives this gen IMO are not games with choice systems.

Agreed on both points.

Though Heavy Rain and ME 2 were marvelous. Otherwise, I'm with you 100%.

[mrprice33]

Yes, heavy rain is definitely a good choice-based system, but the story itself was not that good.

I hope games continue to expand their narrative horizons.