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Old 01-14-2010, 07:56 AM   #13
Enter the Story
I turn novels into games
 
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Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Scotland
Posts: 307
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hol View Post
Question 1:
What are the key elements in adventure games and why?
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There are three things I want:
1. Story
2. Exploration
3. Inspiration

1. Story
I guess we're all here for that. We don't want to just shoot monsters, we want to find out why they're monsters, what their lives are like, their hopes and dreams etc. At first I thought "that's characterization, not story" but for me, good characterization is defined by good story. I want to care about these people, and what they want. I want to know their history, their ambitions, how they fit into a bigger picture. I want them to still be around if I come back in a few years.

2. Exploration
I want a world that's full of amazing stuff, where every time I turn a corner there's something wonderful or exciting or intriguing or important or at least fun.

3. Inspiration.
I want to feel there's some wider purpose beyond simply a made up problem. (I have enough real problems without making up new ones!) I want to feel some greater connection with the real world, or to see things in a new way, I want to see amazing possibilities.

As a result, I'm not so interested in stereotyped characters (it weakens the story), or games that end (I want them to go on forever!), or games based on everyday events or where you have to steal stuff (I want to be inspired!)

Which means I'm very hard to please. My all time favorite game is Zak McKracken. It's so upbeat, so huge, so positive and packed with amazing real world ideas. Mind expanding stuff! I later learned that it's because it was made by David Fox, and he's that kind of guy.

Anyway, I want games that have huge, powerful stories, that never end, and that are full of amazing ideas that connect with the real world. (And I want them to be fairly easy too!) So I finally decided to stop complaining and make my own.
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