[AndreaDraco83]

Hi, imisssunwell. Welcome to our forum!

Your post is very dense, and full of interesting annotations, with which I usually disagree but which are nonetheless interesting.

Originally Posted by imisssunwell

First of all my perception of an adventure game is an interactive game world, some interesting main character(s?)/NPCs to interact with, puzzle solving and possibly some action sequences.

I'm glad that you started with your definition of adventure game, because this way is certainly easier to understand your many points. As many users on this forum already know, my perception of adventure is extremely similar to yours, except for the fact that I usually put a lot on emphasis both on story and (especially) writing. I'm a fan of interactive movies, and in my opinion puzzles and - generally speaking - gameplay should never stifle the natural flow of said story. I'll try to consider your points with this emphasis in mind.

Originally Posted by imisssunwell

first of all a good game needs good graphics, while not an eye-candy anymore KotOR graphics are not bad even with todays standards. Dreamfall excelled in this but I feel most adventure games are using yesterdays graphics

Agree and disagree. A good game needs a stylish graphic. I don't want real-time 3D rendering, cel-shading and volumetric fumes if the environment the graphic depicts is lifeless and dull. Dreamfall had awesome graphics, probably the best I've ever experienced in an adventure, but take a look at these two screenshots: So Blonde had stunning, colorful, brilliant graphics that were a real pleasure for the eye without requiring all the gimmick one usually sees in FPS and The Lost Crown, while a little blocky when it comes to characters' models and animations, had a very eerie, atmospheric graphic design.

Originally Posted by imisssunwell

second thing is replay value, non-linear games are the way to go because of the opportunity to replay without doing the same old stuff and seeing the same old ending.

I agree on the replay value, not on much on the non-linearity. I prefer a Gabriel Knight 3 kind of approach, where the game is divided in chapter which require some actions to complete but which also leaves the player with the freedom to explore optional (rather than non-linear) segments, tasks, etc.

Originally Posted by imisssunwell

third, playing multiple characters and sometimes having them play cooperatively in a party[...]

Many games, both new and old, present this kind of cooperation between two or more playable characters. The old Amazon: Guardians of Eden pops immediately in my mind, for example. As far as this approach enriches the story, I'll be glad to see more dynamic duo (or more ) implemented in the adventure genre.

Originally Posted by imisssunwell

Professions: professions in WoW are mostly centered around min/maxing and getting raid consumables, how can this be adjusted to adventure games? First of all they could provide alternative means for obtaining some game items.[...]

While your point about factions leaves me pretty cold (I really don't see the usefulness), this point is interesting: of course, I don't want to choose any profession for the character - primarily because I like my characters fully fleshed out and provided with a deep, rich background -, but it would be nice to see more ways to obtaining items/surpassing obstacles/etc.

Originally Posted by imisssunwell

I want side quests in adventure games, I want a big world that offers opportunity for exploration and has things to keep me busy while I'm trying to progress in the main quest line.

That's exactly the approach I love in Gabriel Knight 3, so I'm all for optional, lateral tasks to keep me busy if I'm stuck in the main plot-line.

Originally Posted by imisssunwell

Day/night cycles, each with their own unique feel. A quest should be doable during both cycles but with different ways. Eg in the night one could break into a house and get that wanted book, in the day he could distract the house owner.

This is interesting, and the only game that really took advantage of a night/day cycle is the old King's Quest IV: The Perils of Rosella. I can live without a dynamic cycle, but at least I want to experience a life-life, realistic time flow, with days passing and so on, like the Tex Murphy games or, once again, the Gabriel Knight ones.

Originally Posted by imisssunwell

I hope things change and adventure games become interesting again. [...]

What the genre really lacks nowadays, and this is what is necessary, at least in my opinion, for adventures to become interesting again, is writers. I mean: anyone can come up with an interesting story, all right, but it takes skill to dress this story, to enrich the characters and the setting, to deepen the immersion of the players. Unfortunately, authors - real authors - are rare, and we are stuck with dull plots worsened by uninspired writing: average games that can be a nice filler for a couple of afternoon, but nothing really substantial. We have still some of these talented writers - like Steve Ince, for example, or Ragnar Tornquist (I won't mention Jane Jensen to give a less biased impression ) - but they are few.

I'm all for a work division: bring in talented designers to take care of the graphic, enlightened game designers to build the game but, please, don't forget to bring in the writers. Who wants a book written by an editorial proof-reader (generally speaking of course, since there are many proof-readers that are also talented writers) without a spark of creativity, when he can have a brilliant writers? I can't believe they are so rare to find.