[Jakek]

Originally Posted by Intrepid Homoludens

Whatever you say. I'll leave the discussion by saying that I've lost count how many times I played the Hitman 2 'Invitation To A Party' demo.

And I shall end it by saying that's EXACTLY why I bought the game. Funny how these things work out.

[jjacob]

I don't think alot of the things mentioned here are actually non-linear. I was surprised to see my previous post here missing so I guess I must've hit the wrong button - anyway I mentioned The Last Express and I think that is one of maybe 2 or three non-linear adv. games. Shadow of Destiny/Memories could also be considered non-linear. But if a game has multiple ending, does that render it non-linear? And if so, how many endings should there be to make it non-linear? I don't think pre-directed endings should at all be considered non-linear (well maybe there's an exception for TLE). Ok so you don't follow a straight line at the end, but true non-linearity lies in having multiple paths leading to multiple (fixed) points leading to multiple paths to a fixed point and so on till the end. If I'm not making any sense then think about Dreamfall. In order to get from let's say point A to point B you have alot of possibilities, you can follow the true puzzler's path, or use the enviroment/physics, perhaps use the NPCs and so on (I hope). When you've arrived at (fixed) point B you can then use the multiple paths again to advance. On the other hand, there will be pre-directed endings but I don't see any way how to work around that And then there's Fahrenheit. It appears actions in the first chapter will have a radical effect on the next chapter and so on, so I guess that'll be the holy grail of non-linear gaming for the next few years..

Originally Posted by jjacob

I don't think alot of the things mentioned here are actually non-linear. I was surprised to see my previous post here missing so I guess I must've hit the wrong button - anyway I mentioned The Last Express and I think that is one of maybe 2 or three non-linear adv. games. Shadow of Destiny/Memories could also be considered non-linear.

I guess it depends on your definition of linearity. What makes the Last Express non-linear in your opinion? I don't see these multiple paths you mention as truly non-linear. In TLE you have to do certain things in a fixed order between two stops or it's game over. It's true that a few (very few) problems have alternative solutions and you can explore to your heart's content, although compartments will be locked or occupied and certain areas will be off-limits. But gameplay boils down to understanding what has to be done to move the game forward. That's not the same kind of non-linear problemsolving as in Dark Fall, for instance.

Interesting that both your examples are timed games.

[Vel]

I don't consider the ability of solving puzzles in different order non-linearity, but rather, alternate solutions, plot changes, optional puzzles etc. So, if I had to choose the most non-linear adventure game, Id say Kyrandia 3. In the first part, there were like, 4 or 5 ways to get off Kyrandia, and at the end 3 paths also. Another game with immense replay value is Gabriel Knight 3 - the first time I played it I finished it withh 200 points below the maximum. Oh yes, and last but not least, a very overlooked game, Willy Beamish.

[Zanthia]

The only really non-linear ag I played is 3d Kyrandia. Then again, every path you can take is rather linear, but you can take any path at any time(in the beginning) as long as you didn't finish one of them.

[Leonard Shelby]

Originally Posted by Simo Sakari Aaltonen

I'm afraid Blade Runner is completely linear. That some of the story elements are randomly generated doesn't make it non-linear, because you still have to complete the same tasks in each of the Acts before you get to move on to the next. The random elements simply get slotted into that linear structure. What I'm trying to say is that each individual game of Blade Runner has a very rigid structure that you have to follow in order to get anywhere.

It doesn t prevail this masterpiece from Westwood Studios being one of the greatest games of all time and easily my fave game on PC

[Leonard Shelby]

"non linear" games are just pure smoke to me, they don t exist .

There s a scenary to follow in each game , and you will always follow the path the developpers has wrote for u...

It s like wanting a "non linear movie" , each movie is pure linear so that s just a myth from adventure games .

[Simo Sakari Aaltonen]

To claim that there is no non-linearity at all in games indicates a failure to understand the term. Linearity is a continuum, with something like Syberia at one end of the spectrum and something like Leisure Suit Larry 1 at the other, at this point in time; hopefully the spectrum will widen with future games, and preferably in the direction of non-linearity!

If you have to do A before you can do B, and B before you can do C, that's completely linear. If you can do A, B, and C in any order you like, that's non-linear - though if you still must do all three in order to continue, it's linear on the large scale with underlying small-scale non-linearity.

SPOILERS FOR SYBERIA:

Spoiler:

For example, in Syberia you can't leave the inn before you've done a number of things in there, all of them non-optional. You can't go upstairs before you get someone to carry up your suitcase. That someone can be found only by ringing the bell on the desk. The bell on the desk can't be rung before you've picked up the key for the automaton. That's completely linear. In Leisure Suit Larry 1 you can leave the first location right away if you want. You can go to any of the main locations and do many tasks in any order you like: non-linearity.

In short, linearity is a matter of degree.

Linearity is not a bad thing unless it's all there is; if there aren't enough non-linear elements as well. The games I've enjoyed most have been a judicious mixture of strict large-scale linearity with lots of small-scale non-linearity (such as GK1 and GK3).

[Ranma Ranma]

Having just beaten MI2, I would like to add it to the list. While not the most open-ended, the ability to tackle a few puzzles at once and travel amongst 3 islands makes it somewhat open-ended.