View topic - Interactivity, eh?

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Forum index » Meta » General META Discussion

Interactivity, eh?
Moderators: imbri, ndemeter

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Lewis the Second
Decorated

Joined: 23 Jun 2005
Posts: 198

Interactivity, eh?

I see it all the bloody time, and it's frustrating. Games that destroy the sense of reality by making it quite obvious I don't make the slightest bit of difference.

When I'm playing an ARG, I want to care. I want to be able to live for the game and play it knowing that I am in control. So many games don't offer this; instead, they write a story, place some puzzles between the beginning, middle and end, and just drip-feed a predetermined narrative to the player as a reward for solving certain tasks.

This is ridiculous. That's a feeble excuse for an ARG.

Now I have no problem with treasure hunt games, but there's a firm distinction between those and ARGs. A good ARG should creating a huge, immersive alternate reality for the player to explore and affect! The player's actions, and interractions, should be able to shape a narrative, alter a character, make and break bonds. I want to feel as though I make a difference.

When I wrote The Carer last year, this was something right at the forefront of my mind throughout. I spent hours scrutinising email messages, looking at interractions between players and NPCs, and working out exactly how the relationships would develop in real life. My characters openly invited suggestions from players, and often acted upon them. It went far beyond the multiple endings idea; the entire narrative was shaped by the player.

Of course, it was planned out to an extent, but I intentionally left gaping holes that I *knew* the player could fill. This wasn't laziness; it was out of frustration at the set of entirely predetermined narratives I'd spent my time playing.

So come on, people. Let's have a bit of non-linearity. Let's have a bit of experimentation.

Let's have a new wave of bloody good grassroots games.

Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 8:33 am

buff
Veteran

Joined: 23 Sep 2003
Posts: 106

Word.

_________________
"Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water or do you want a chance to change the world?"

"Do you really want to know what hides behind the kurtain?"

Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 10:19 am

Lewis the Second
Decorated

Joined: 23 Jun 2005
Posts: 198

Yes.

Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 6:28 pm

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