[MoriartyL]

Originally Posted by Jeysie

Why should we care about a random programmer being chased for some unknown reason by a suit-wearing agent and a leather-clad vixen? (The Matrix)

Because we've seen that he's looking for the answer, and because we can relate to this. Who among us has not asked himself, "I wonder if there's some other reality beyond what I see?"?

Why should we care about some random farm boy finding a message from a random princess in some equally random robot? (Star Wars)

Because we can sympathize with his feelings of being repressed and wanting to do his part. We can also relate to C3P0's cynicism, and admire R2D2's bravery.

How about wondering why we should care about some random British guy about to get his house bulldozed? (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy)

Because we can relate to how the bureaucracy has mistreated them, and because we can sympathize with his inadequacy as an ordinary person to deal with the bigger issues.

So here we find some random city boy raised by wilderness tribes being kidnapped back to the city by bad guys. No worse than the examples noted above, IMHO.

We can't relate to what he's going through, because his situation is so alien. We can't sympathize, because the details of his past are glossed over. We can't even understand him! This is nothing like the earlier examples.

Although I can see some of your point, I'm still not sure what you're looking for, exactly. I mean, do you honestly want a lengthy intro detailing the entire childhood of some character we've never met before? Aside from the fact that such a thing could be a game all on its own, you'd run even more into the "So, why do I care about all this?" problem.

I'm looking for some humanity. I'm looking for something I can relate to or sympathize with. I'm looking for a believable character. A good story is not built upon obscure plot points, it's built on a good character. If we take Grim Fandango, for instance, we can relate to Manny's aspirations; we can sympathize with him for the work he has to do to get there; we can understand his relationships with the other characters. We don't understand the story until later, but it doesn't matter because the character is likable.

And, for what it's worth, this is all more of a science-fiction story matter than an adventure game matter. I don't think about plot details like that because I'm an adventure game veteran (I haven't been playing adventures for all that long, relatively speaking, especially back when I first played BaSS) but because I'm used to the conventions of SF.

I love good sci-fi. Good sci-fi is about people, either literally or as a metaphor.

We know he's intelligent, cynical, sarcastic, and a bit of a smart-aleck from his various comments on objects and dialogue.

No more so than any other generic AG hero. It's no more a measure of his personality than the theft.

We know he's somehow good with electronics despite growing up in the wilderness (another thing to be curious about). We know he's fairly athletic (from dodging lasers, sliding down poles, and hanging off doors). We know he's pissed at Reich killing his tribe (since he says so a few times), and confused and worried about being trapped in the city and being a (apparently) hunted fugitive (from some of his comments to Joey).

How do we know this? I certainly didn't. Maybe I just missed those lines.




I'll keep writing later- I have to go out.