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Are classic adventure games genre dead?

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Abnaxus - 14 October 2017 05:51 PM

I don`t know why but every time I see a sentence that has “adventure games” and “dead” in it my eyes start rolling back so hard my head hurts.

Adventure games leave all other type of games for DEAD!!!

Wink

     
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Deadventuregamers.com

But seriously, great to see new adventure games cropping up constantly.

Adventure games are undead.

     
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SG59 - 14 October 2017 11:49 AM

That screenshot does look interesting.

What does sort of bother me about the new pickings in the bread and butter adventure games, is the lack of good writers now. This genre is just sitting there for a writer to really have fun with the story and not resort to “they fight” like in many other game genre’s, but a lot of them seem to be very bland now.

Also, I don’t understand the desire to bring back bad puzzle design in these “classic” Adventure games. It’s what pushed the genre into the shadows in the first place I feel.

Writing can be somewhat subjective I know, but I did take about 2 1/2 years to make a game called “Neofeud” which at least some folks think has some interesting story going on.

I did try to avoid the ‘bad puzzle design’ aspect of the oldies as well, and I have recently gone through the trouble of fixing up the one part that was causing the most irritation. Grin

I’d also recommend taking a look at K’nossos which has a quite incredible art style and an intriguing plot, although it is of course still in development.

I think that SG59 was correct in saying that the lack of profitability, or simply players, has caused some to change direction, or simply not make adventure games as perhaps many of us remember them, mixing in new genres etc.. I can say that personally I am hoping to make another point-and-click adventure using AGS, and am currently working on one (Dysmaton) but the interest in adventure games generally is definitely a concern of myself and others.

Another dev recently mentioned to me that Neofeud is (as far as I gather) the only large commercial game made in the AGS engine releasing this year.  Wadjet Eye’s last was Shardlight, Unavowed isn’t for a while, Whispers of a Machine looks like it’s also going to be a while, Lamplight City also a question mark… So at least on the AGS front, there is something of a dearth.

     
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We started developing in November last year, we’ve been working on the game design since then (script, dialogues, puzzles, concepts) and finally we started with all the illustration, animation and programming. The game will have 200 puzzles (we’ve been really careful with them making sure they are fun, make sense and have correct hints or signposting) around 34 characters, 340 pages of script (and we’ve made sure there’s no “empty” dialogues, all of them are “cut to the chase” and fun). Will be voiced in English and translated to 8 more languages. Luckily will be officially presented in next year E3, kickstarter in September 2018 to add some features (like more languages or voices)and finally released on February 2019. Cant’ share much more now, but our website will be online in December with more screenshots and a teaser trailer… and you can follow us in twitter @scaringcrows to know more. Thanks for the comments Laughing

chrissie - 14 October 2017 11:22 AM

I love the screenshot - please tell us more about your game! (That would be far more interesting than adding to the old worn-out discussion about whether adventure games are dead or not)  Smile

     
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Here’s a neat looking adventure that needs your help on Kickstarter so it can exist.

There’s a demo, too.

I still strongly believe in the power of crowdfunding to make these games happen. A lot of the time it’s the only way a project can happen. I can tell you for sure that Gibbous would have not existed had adventure game fans not been generous enough to support us, so I guess rather than complain that a genre’s dead what we can do is all pitch in and make these crazy dreams come true.

Smile

     

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@SilverSpooks

It is indeed objective and I’m sure the effort is there from all developers, but I can’t help but feel a lot of the latest adventures have had some really rough writing in some places. Off the top of my head…


Syberia 3 - Really felt like a pointless sequel. No vaild reason to continue the story as its main goal was reached…this felt more like light fluffy DLC. Harmless fun, but not needed.

Broken Age - Part one was great and joint together really well, but the second part just fizzled out into nothing really. The big moment in the first was hurt badly by the second I feel.

King’s Quest - Great game, but the ending puzzles just killed it. The pace goes and the emotional draw is hurt. Would love another game however.

Firewatch (walking sim I know) - It sets everything up…then ends. 

Silence, Whispered World 2 - like Syberia really. Short, and pointless.

As for puzzles…

I think devs just sort of fall into their worlds and forget that to the players, it makes no sense. For example, in monkey island you use grogg to melt bars. This makes no sense when you have tools capable of getting Otis out and makes even less sense when the characters in the game all drink the stuff! Yes, one character does say you can melt metal (or something) with it, but seeing as this is a comedy game, you could easily mistake that for just a joke.

     
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diego - 04 August 2017 11:56 AM

Just pick something and imagine it’s a brand new game. :)

The way they make a lot of adventure games these days to look retro, they all could totally be brand new! It’s the magic of adventure games.  :)

     

Just dreaming out loud: TWITTERA NEAR DAWNPUT A SOCK IN IT!GHOSTS ARE GOOD HOSTS

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Abnaxus - 14 October 2017 05:51 PM

I don`t know why but every time I see a sentence that has “adventure games” and “dead” in it my eyes start rolling back so hard my head hurts.

But that’s truth. There were no good classic/old-school point’n'click adventure games in 2017. By classic I mean games with somewhat realistic world and art style like Broken Sword, Monkey Island, Simon the Sorcerer or even more recent like Runaway, Book of Unwritten Tales, Deponia. I really miss those kind of games where you just sink into the world, the story and solve really interesting puzzles. These days there is a trend to be “different” for the sake of difference. Its really annoying. Games have weird art style. Weird worlds and convoluted stories just to be different. I really hope that 2018 will be better. Unfortunatelly there are no interesting games on the horizon. Adventure games seems to be really DEAD to me :’(

     
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SG59 - 15 October 2017 12:37 PM


Syberia 3 - Really felt like a pointless sequel. No vaild reason to continue the story as its main goal was reached…this felt more like light fluffy DLC. Harmless fun, but not needed.

Broken Age - Part one was great and joint together really well, but the second part just fizzled out into nothing really. The big moment in the first was hurt badly by the second I feel.

King’s Quest - Great game, but the ending puzzles just killed it. The pace goes and the emotional draw is hurt. Would love another game however.

Firewatch (walking sim I know) - It sets everything up…then ends. 

Silence, Whispered World 2 - like Syberia really. Short, and pointless.

I agree with everything. I think the biggest problem is that authors are trying to reinvent the wheel (apart from going “commercial” but let us not go into that now). All these games you mentioned have tried a different approach in terms of graphics/execution and also gameplay-wise, and I feel only King’s Quest succeeded to an extent in bringing something new to the table. There’s really no need for developers to try to make something “completely different”. Experiments and new ideas are always welcomed, but first create the basic structure of the genre - story, interaction, puzzles… In other words, give players a lot of options, fair and logical, but inspired challenges etc. Only after that is achieved, you can create the “free roaming world”, “no inventory” and “3D” experiments. This may sound like I’m favoring the traditional games compared to “walking simulators” - and I DO, but that’ s not the point, rather the fact that plenty of new adventures totally forget and neglect the puzzles/interaction when it should be the first thing they should think about, along with a good story.

Also, when it comes to graphics, I’m sure Syberia 3 would have been much bigger success if it looked and played EXACTLY like Syberia 1! Change the story only, don’t fix what ain’t broken. I always like to mention an analogy from the history of the FPS games - Wolfenstein, Doom… and other early 3D FPS games are completely COPIED in today’s hits like Call of Duty and Battlefield - everything is completely the same, apart from the resolution, number of weapons etc! And everyone loves these new games! They’re not trying to reinvent to wheel, but updating accordingly to technology. I’m not saying 3D can’t work for adventure genre, but like I said, only after the story/puzzles combination has been achieved.

SG59 - 15 October 2017 12:37 PM

I think devs just sort of fall into their worlds and forget that to the players, it makes no sense. For example, in monkey island you use grog to melt bars. This makes no sense when you have tools capable of getting Otis out and makes even less sense when the characters in the game all drink the stuff! Yes, one character does say you can melt metal (or something) with it, but seeing as this is a comedy game, you could easily mistake that for just a joke.

Not really a good example, IMO - not only that Guybrush mentions that:

the game even makes sure that the player notices an inventory item called “melting mug”:


With its green, acid-like color, it’s quite a logical, even quite a smart puzzle. Wink

     

Recently finished: Four Last Things 4/5, Edna & Harvey: The Breakout 5/5, Chains of Satinav 3,95/5, A Vampyre Story 88, Sam Peters 3/5, Broken Sword 1 4,5/5, Broken Sword 2 4,3/5, Broken Sword 3 85, Broken Sword 5 81, Gray Matter 4/5\nCurrently playing: Broken Sword 4, Keepsake (Let\‘s Play), Callahan\‘s Crosstime Saloon (post-Community Playthrough)\nLooking forward to: A Playwright’s Tale

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tom - 16 October 2017 05:00 PM
Abnaxus - 14 October 2017 05:51 PM

I don`t know why but every time I see a sentence that has “adventure games” and “dead” in it my eyes start rolling back so hard my head hurts.

But that’s truth. There were no good classic/old-school point’n'click adventure games in 2017. By classic I mean games with somewhat realistic world and art style like Broken Sword, Monkey Island, Simon the Sorcerer or even more recent like Runaway, Book of Unwritten Tales, Deponia. I really miss those kind of games where you just sink into the world, the story and solve really interesting puzzles. These days there is a trend to be “different” for the sake of difference. Its really annoying. Games have weird art style. Weird worlds and convoluted stories just to be different. I really hope that 2018 will be better. Unfortunatelly there are no interesting games on the horizon. Adventure games seems to be really DEAD to me :’(

Then you must have missed these:
The Dream Machine
The Journey Down
Bear With Me
Darkestville Castle
Paradigm

     
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diego - 16 October 2017 06:48 PM
SG59 - 15 October 2017 12:37 PM


Syberia 3 - Really felt like a pointless sequel. No vaild reason to continue the story as its main goal was reached…this felt more like light fluffy DLC. Harmless fun, but not needed.

Broken Age - Part one was great and joint together really well, but the second part just fizzled out into nothing really. The big moment in the first was hurt badly by the second I feel.

King’s Quest - Great game, but the ending puzzles just killed it. The pace goes and the emotional draw is hurt. Would love another game however.

Firewatch (walking sim I know) - It sets everything up…then ends. 

Silence, Whispered World 2 - like Syberia really. Short, and pointless.

I agree with everything. I think the biggest problem is that authors are trying to reinvent the wheel (apart from going “commercial” but let us not go into that now). All these games you mentioned have tried a different approach in terms of graphics/execution and also gameplay-wise, and I feel only King’s Quest succeeded to an extent in bringing something new to the table. There’s really no need for developers to try to make something “completely different”. Experiments and new ideas are always welcomed, but first create the basic structure of the genre - story, interaction, puzzles… In other words, give players a lot of options, fair and logical, but inspired challenges etc. Only after that is achieved, you can create the “free roaming world”, “no inventory” and “3D” experiments. This may sound like I’m favoring the traditional games compared to “walking simulators” - and I DO, but that’ s not the point, rather the fact that plenty of new adventures totally forget and neglect the puzzles/interaction when it should be the first thing they should think about, along with a good story.

Also, when it comes to graphics, I’m sure Syberia 3 would have been much bigger success if it looked and played EXACTLY like Syberia 1! Change the story only, don’t fix what ain’t broken. I always like to mention an analogy from the history of the FPS games - Wolfenstein, Doom… and other early 3D FPS games are completely COPIED in today’s hits like Call of Duty and Battlefield - everything is completely the same, apart from the resolution, number of weapons etc! And everyone loves these new games! They’re not trying to reinvent to wheel, but updating accordingly to technology. I’m not saying 3D can’t work for adventure genre, but like I said, only after the story/puzzles combination has been achieved.

Let’s be honest here diego, how many of these “walking simulators” have you played? Any? Content

I’m with you on the grog puzzle, by the way. That was a great puzzle.

     
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Oscar - 16 October 2017 07:20 PM

Let’s be honest here diego, how many of these “walking simulators” have you played? Any? Content

Are you asking about any new game, or you’re hinting that I called those games mentioned in SG59’s post “walking simulators? Smile Anyways, I don’t think those games mentioned in the post are walking simulators (it’s more how they neglect the traditional interaction), as I talked generally about new games that incorporate many (more than it’s necessary) elements of a “walking simulator”. And I had my shares of walking simulators, I played Dreamfall, the mother of all walking simulators. Crazy Wink

     

Recently finished: Four Last Things 4/5, Edna & Harvey: The Breakout 5/5, Chains of Satinav 3,95/5, A Vampyre Story 88, Sam Peters 3/5, Broken Sword 1 4,5/5, Broken Sword 2 4,3/5, Broken Sword 3 85, Broken Sword 5 81, Gray Matter 4/5\nCurrently playing: Broken Sword 4, Keepsake (Let\‘s Play), Callahan\‘s Crosstime Saloon (post-Community Playthrough)\nLooking forward to: A Playwright’s Tale

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Ok then, I just wanted to make sure you knew what you were criticizing. I remember Advie attacking walking sims before he played one (Firewatch, I think) and discovered he liked it.

     

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@Diego

I agree with your story post, however I still disagree with the Monkey Island Puzzle being good I’m afraid. You have no vaild reason to think a product everyone drinks with mugs on display in the other room would melt bars unless you simply decide to fill the mug up on a random whim. Don’t know about you, but I don’t tend to drink stuff that melts metal.

I’m okay with having tough puzzles, but they need to be constructed in a way that doesn’t break logical sense or make you feel cheated because the developers forgot to explain something that only works in their game world.

     
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SG59 - 17 October 2017 01:11 AM

@Diego

I agree with your story post, however I still disagree with the Monkey Island Puzzle being good I’m afraid. You have no vaild reason to think a product everyone drinks with mugs on display in the other room would melt bars unless you simply decide to fill the mug up on a random whim. Don’t know about you, but I don’t tend to drink stuff that melts metal.

I’m okay with having tough puzzles, but they need to be constructed in a way that doesn’t break logical sense or make you feel cheated because the developers forgot to explain something that only works in their game world.

I’d partly agree - if you get the grog you can see the mug melting, so it’s quite obvious that that would be the stuff to use (and then you can solve the puzzle of how to get it across town). But you’re less likely to pick up on a remark that might just have been a joke. The person who thinks “Hey, I can get a grog! That might be fun, I’ll try it!” will solve the puzzle a lot more easily than the one who waits until they hit a problem and then looks for a solution.

That said, I loved the puzzle and thought it fit perfectly into the world of the game - if you’re offended by solutions that break real-world logic and you ignore clues that might be jokes then perhaps a comedy game just isn’t for you.

     

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