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Mad Manny · 04-15-2012, 10:38 AM

Present-tense: "I can't pick that up".
Past-tense: "I couldn't pick that up".

What are your views on this past tense in adventure games?

Apparently Dave Gilbert wanted to write Emerald City Confidential in past tense but the publisher wouldn't let him as they thought it would be confusing to the player,

Personally the only game I've played that uses it is Discworld Noir and TBH it is confusing me a little bit there, for example I just loaded it up and tho most of the lines are past tense I then tried using the crowbar on a crate and he said:
"Perhaps the single crate would be a better choice."
Why isn't that line past tense?
Did the developer feel that "didn't" got annoying to write for every single sentence? was it a mistake? Or is the character in the present saying that thought out loud? Whatever it is it's confusing to me.

Also it makes the game seem more pre-defined as the story has already happened,
I mean logically I realize that most adventure-games ARE pre-defined (as opposed to RPG's where your personal choices reflects the ending) but there can still be a illusion of player-options that past tense might supress.

Reason I'm making this thread is because I love past tense (Tracer Bullet is my favorite comic), but I'm unsure if it belongs in adventure-games, what do you think? and can you think of more games that uses it?

04-15-2012, 10:38 AM	#1
Mad Manny Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 30	Past tense in adventure games? Present-tense: "I can't pick that up". Past-tense: "I couldn't pick that up". What are your views on this past tense in adventure games? Apparently Dave Gilbert wanted to write Emerald City Confidential in past tense but the publisher wouldn't let him as they thought it would be confusing to the player, Personally the only game I've played that uses it is Discworld Noir and TBH it is confusing me a little bit there, for example I just loaded it up and tho most of the lines are past tense I then tried using the crowbar on a crate and he said: "Perhaps the single crate would be a better choice." Why isn't that line past tense? Did the developer feel that "didn't" got annoying to write for every single sentence? was it a mistake? Or is the character in the present saying that thought out loud? Whatever it is it's confusing to me. Also it makes the game seem more pre-defined as the story has already happened, I mean logically I realize that most adventure-games ARE pre-defined (as opposed to RPG's where your personal choices reflects the ending) but there can still be a illusion of player-options that past tense might supress. Reason I'm making this thread is because I love past tense (Tracer Bullet is my favorite comic), but I'm unsure if it belongs in adventure-games, what do you think? and can you think of more games that uses it?