[Steve Ince]

Originally Posted by Alucard

BS3 is a very good game.

Thank you.

(Sorry for editing your quote.)

[Dea ex Machina]

I love being able to explore an environment, to spend time in a place and take in all the little minute details. Like in Callahan's Crosstime Saloon, where just about every single thing on screen could be looked at or interacted with in some way, and you'd get a description or a joke or a pun. Or Myst... Was it four? The one where you could tap things with your hand cursor, even if it wasn't useful, and the leaves would rustle or the wall would thok or the side of the machine would clang and I spent entirely too much time swirling my "finger" around in pools of water and watching the ripples. I like being able to feel like I have a part in my surroundings, the sense of place.

I love having a hero I can spend time with, build a relationship with. I was exasperatedly fond of Guybrush. I developed a great deal of respect and a working partnership with Manny Calavera. April Ryan was like a dear friend. I loved getting to know them, their quirks, their stories.

I love talking to other characters, finding out everything about them. Huge dialogue trees? Long lists of optional conversation options? LOVE 'em. If there are optional pointless dialogues that fill in backstory or worldbuilding or just amuse but do nothing to advance the plot, I will go through each and every one of them, because I love talking and listening.

What I think I love most of all, when it comes, is that chance to feel SMART. I'm not, terribly, but when it comes, it's the best feeling in the world. A ridiculously hard puzzle makes me feel like an idiot. A ridiculously easy puzzle... makes me feel like the developers think I'm an idiot. No puzzles at all make me feel useless, helpless. But that MOMENT... The moment when I'm figuring out a puzzle, and it's just hard enough, and then I GET it, and it's elegant and clever and right and a huge grin spreads across my face, and I'm SMART. Best feeling in the world.

[Terramax]

Originally Posted by Dea ex Machina

Or Myst... Was it four? The one where you could tap things with your hand cursor, even if it wasn't useful, and the leaves would rustle or the wall would thok or the side of the machine would clang and I spent entirely too much time swirling my "finger" around in pools of water and watching the ripples. I like being able to feel like I have a part in my surroundings, the sense of place.

Yes, that's the one.

If you looked at a certain item in the foreground, it sharply focused on it, whilst other aspects around the item blurred. Turn your attention to another item just a milimetre away, everything refocused.

It was as if it were your own eyes.

I can't believe how much effort went into that game and yet all the reviews were so quick to blow it off. I remember reading a review on a PC magazine that was just half a page long. I couldn't believe it.

The only downside is, a few years later, even playing other 1st person adventures, none come close to the same amount of detail or imagination.
The feeling that Myst IV is as good as it will ever get.

[Lee in Limbo]

What I like about Adventures? Simple. I like being caught up in a virtual world (2D/2.5D/3D whatever) that tells an intriguing story.

I didn't say easy, I said simple. What I find most often happens is, the elements of making a game look sexy, making the story playable as a game, and making the story intriguing enough to keep me interested despite what I often find are arbitrary and unexciting gameplay elements rarely balance out nicely. It's different for me with each game.

Some environments are so captivating that I can forgive a paucity of storytelling ingenuity. Some stories are so captivating, I can forgive clunky mechanics and frustrating abstract challenges that threaten to knock me bodily out of the narrative. And some characters are just so fascinating that, regardless of the simplicity of the art direction, I'm sucked right in. Mostly, I just find that, for whatever reason, games either are not made with my interests in mind, or are trying too hard to appease too many tastes, and predictably fail to surmount the challenge accordingly.

But anyway, I usually try to give games a pretty easy grade if they can just catch my interest with a premise and perhaps an atmosphere that intrigue me. I only start marking hard if they tried too tell a complex story in too simple a fashion, hammering stuff together that doesn't really work, as any good writer could tell you.

So yeah, writing is key, followed shortly by art direction. Graphics are part of that, but even modern shiny graphics fail if the story is stillborn. I also like sound and voicework to be well thought out and integrated with the story.

Just make me believe that what is happening can happen in this world, and that I really can affect things. And try not to fall back on conventions of the genre to get around actually doing what I've asked for. Nothing pisses me off more than lazy game design. Make an effort. I know the budget isn't there to do what the Actioners get to do, but you get points for trying.

[Marrow]

that it's like reading a good book. It has a great story, memorable and likable characters and great dialogue.
The scenery is used to it's fullest and it's something you can just pick up and enjoy a few months later.

[Symphonic]

Personally, I think characters should come first in an adventure game. If you have an interesting character, one players can relate to and care about, you're off to a very good start. Of course, then you need everything else (a interesting story, entertaining puzzles, great looking art...,) but if your character is dull there's nothing that can compensate. (Unfortunately most of the recent adventure games feature completely forgettable characters, IMO.)

[Steve Ince]

Originally Posted by Symphonic

Unfortunately most of the recent adventure games feature completely forgettable characters, IMO.

That's interesting. Is it all of the characters? The supporting characters? The main characters?

[Terramax]

Both I'd say, but leaning more to supporting characters.

After all, it's the supporting characters that make up the universe' atmosphere, right?

I mean Link from the Zelda game, for me, is the most unsympathetic character in the history of videogames. Until The Wind Waker he didn't do anything but just stare coldly and let everyone else do the chatting (like me at work parties) but it's the supporting cast that have made this such a memorable franchise.

Steve, do you ever read Gamecentral on channel4 teletext? They recently had a discussion about favourite NPCs and supporting characters.

[Steve Ince]

Originally Posted by Terramax

Both I'd say, but leaning more to supporting characters.

After all, it's the supporting characters that make up the universe' atmosphere, right?

When characters are regarded as forgettable, is it because they are weak and uninteresting, or that we simply don't get to find out enough about them to make them more memorable?

Steve, do you ever read Gamecentral on channel4 teletext? They recently had a discussion about favourite NPCs and supporting characters.

No, I only use teletext to check my lottery numbers.

[Hammerlock]

I was recommended to try out The Longest Journey by a person who had no idea I had no idea what a typical adventure game was going to be like, so I don't know if I have any surprises waiting for me (To date, The Longest Journey is the only game I have ever completed) in trying out different games, but from what I can tell, things weren't done much different before, and they still seem to be on the same path these days.

But so far it seems that adventure games, the really good ones anyway, have great dialogue, even greater voice acting, and storylines that wouldn't let you stop playing even if you wanted to. That's why I loved that one, and hopefully that's why I will continue to love them.

Next up, Grim Fandango...

[Terramax]

When characters are regarded as forgettable, is it because they are weak and uninteresting, or that we simply don't get to find out enough about them to make them more memorable?

Oh definitely weak and uninteresting IMO. For instance, I for one found The Longest Journey one of the most tiresome gaming experiences in years because of endless dialog that told me too much about the characters in the most mundane of ways.

Had they employed a talented writer, they could have made dialog twice or ten times shorter, a lot less said about ins and outs of character's lifestyles, yet dialog and voice acting more imaginative, original and Implicit.

As it stands, I found the dialog droning and forcefull, characters insultingly stereotypical, irratating and lifeless.

This is mainly due to my views of storytelling in general though. I admire films like Being There, Alien and Robocop, games like Silent Hill 2, Ico and Myst III: Exile where less is said and there's more meaning to what there is

A greater emphasis on other aspects such as visual and sound storytelling.
There's so much more rhythem and fluidity in that I listed above.

As Hammerlock may find out, Grim Fandango doesn't overload with dialog. During each branch of conversation between interaction, a lot less is said compared to TLJ, and yet we get such a better picture of the characteristics through voice acting, the actions of characters (despite the limitations of the rather simplistic character design), cheeky dialog and surroundings.

[Jannik]

Originally Posted by Terramax

This is mainly due to my views of storytelling in general though. I admire films like Being There, Alien and Robocop, games like Silent Hill 2, Ico and Myst III: Exile where less is said and there's more meaning to what there is

A greater emphasis on other aspects such as visual and sound storytelling.
There's so much more rhythem and fluidity in that I listed above.

As Hammerlock may find out, Grim Fandango doesn't overload with dialog. During each branch of conversation between interaction, a lot less is said compared to TLJ, and yet we get such a better picture of the characteristics through voice acting, the actions of characters (despite the limitations of the rather simplistic character design), cheeky dialog and surroundings.

I totally agree - Stories are often best if told by a variety of elements, and not just by an overload of dialog. The sound effects, the game environments, facial expressions, speak from TVs and radios - there's plenty of ways to tell a story in a compelling and interesting way.

Maybe a bit more like the IMO very true (journalistic) mantra: Don't tell it, show it.

[crabapple]

Originally Posted by Terramax

If you looked at a certain item in the foreground, it sharply focused on it, whilst other aspects around the item blurred. Turn your attention to another item just a milimetre away, everything refocused.

It was as if it were your own eyes.

Now see I hate that sort of thing. In real life, I focus with my eyes. I don't have to point to something with my fingers in order to bring it into focus. Fortunately the game allowed you to turn that artificial blurring effect off.

[GhostPirateLechuck]

I like being engulfed in the atmosphere. Your own BS1 did that as good as any.

I like a story to keep me going.

My own personal preference is bubbly, cartoony characters.

[thatha]

I agree with colpet about playing adventure game as an escapism thing..

What I like about adventure game?
In addition to good story, puzzle and exploration.. I love the fact that we can be anyone, characters other than our real life one.
Sometimes real life can be boring, it has a very limited offer, you can rather be a designer, a doctor, a mum, a scientist, etc etc...

But in adventure game you can be anyone living in any time, be in so many different places that are none like our real world.
Something new, some place beyond your imagination.

Playing the character!
That's the plus point of adventure game compare with movies and book. We can control the character, making the experience ours.

So I think an intriguing character combined with good story lines would be the first things I see in an adventure game.

[valypan]

I don't know if this has been mentioned before but one of the things that attract me to a particular adventure game rather than another is elements of the paranormal in the story. I love a mystical and/or paranormal story. An excellent story is number one. Other important elements are superb graphics and characters one can sympathize with. Puzzles come next...they need to be challenging but LOGICAL so you can figure it out without resorting to a walkthrough or hint system! I found many games whose puzzles were ridicolous and senseless, thus ruining the experience. Games which in my opinion succeded on all these points are: The Gabriel Knight Series (despite the ancient graphics), Syberia I and II, The longest Journey and Dreamfall. Some games had wonderful environments, characters and story but were ruined by a sluggish gameplay and obscure/senseless puzzles; some examples of these are Agatha Christe and then there were none and Evil Under The Sun.
I also agree with what has been said before about the immersion factor. The games I remember most fondly are still those I could immerse myself in completely, become part of the world and having all the time and peace to explore everywhere I pleased. I hope this has helped

[misslilo]

Welcome to the Forum valypan.
I see you are a fellow dane... nice to meet you.

[VectrexGamer]

The most important part of an adventure game is, by far, the story. That doesn't mean the puzzles can be ignored though! Puzzles are so fundamental to an adventure game, that a game can't be called an adventure game without them. Take Dreamfall for instance, it has a great story, but has a noticeable lack of puzzles. The end result is a pretty piece of interactive fiction, without much gameplay.

[scrumdiddly]

I have absolutely no idea what makes me love adventure games. I knows what I likes and I knows what I don't likes. How 'bout that?

My favourite adventure of all time is probably Grim Fandango. But it's just everything in the game: the flawless scene design, flawless writing, flawless voice acting, the epic, breathlessly original story. I remember the first time I

Spoiler:

reached the end of "year one". Manny takes over as cleaner at the diner, the camera pans up, you get that wonderful, wonderful, atmospheric, discrete jazz music, pan into the clouds then back down and ohmygod everything is different and it's year two and it's TIME TO HIT THE LOUNGE, BABY! The fog rolling in as you explore the harbour area. The foghorn, constantly wailing. Oh my god. Then it gets better. And better still! The forlorne, yet somehow romantic atmosphere is indescribably good. It's a game that makes you want to CRY because it ends.

...
But I suppose I'll settle for a good story, well told.

But then, I also like Kheops' adventures, which don't have great stories to speak of, but they do have an abundance of glaring flaws. And which also seem to be getting shorter and easier with each release!

[Terramax]

Originally Posted by scrumdiddly

But then, I also like Kheops' adventures, which don't have great stories to speak of, but they do have an abundance of glaring flaws. And which also seem to be getting shorter and easier with each release!

I really like the sound of that. I have a massive habit of picking games up and never completing. I always know whether I've found an adventure I really like because I'll be bothered to play to the end (Myst IV: Revelation the only acception, 'cos it's hard).

But for most of them, they just drag too long. I'll have to check out some of their later games. I've Metaboli now so I'll download Cleopatra: A Queen's Destiny.