Story in games?

[Calax]

actually yes women are more interested AS A GENDER in story's than men. Men are fine with kicking the crap out of sombody for no good reason other than the main female char kicks high. Women are more interested in story driven plots, they also like "believeability" in a game, thus the more adult style of animation in Twilight Princess than we saw before in "Cellda"

[Mordrian]

before voice acting they could allow you to make names for everybody, In FF7 for example I've had an entire group named Aeris (got very confusing)

 

Anyway, I think that in the future we'll see a much larger emphasis on story telling (they are doing this for twilight princess) because more women/girls are playing games. Girls often do not like MMO's because they are static so company's are starting to loose money from this (not to say there arn't girls who play these, it's just not the trend). Thus to get these ladies back into games the dev's are starting to have to focus more on story.

 

This I picked up in Intro to Game Design at college before I quit. I'm at a JC going for a history deg so don't expect much more from me about Game Design then I've already said.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I really hope what you're saying is true. But many japanese games at least, are already very story based.

 

Is that a fact that women in general are more interested in stories in game, than men? It sure doesn't sound unbelievable, but I always thought of it as prejudice.

[EnderAndrew]

I don't think that is a fact. I think that is his perception.

[Musopticon?]

It's just a predujice.

[alanschu]

Well, it certainly would explain why me, a man, values a good storyline above almost everything else.

[SteveThaiBinh]

Is that a fact that women in general are more interested in stories in game, than men? It sure doesn't sound unbelievable, but I always thought of it as prejudice.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It's not really a prejudice, but it's probably an oversimplification. It's not too controversial to say that men and women tend to look for different things in games, just as they tend to look for different things in movies. I know women who like martial arts films and men who like soppy romances, but the tendency is probably the other way.

 

It's better to look at it as a general issue of diversity. At the moment, the majority of gamers are young and male. As the gaming community becomes steadily more diverse, including older men as well as more women, the games should also become more diverse and well-rounded, because of the need to satisfy a variety of tastes. That's all to the good.

[Musopticon?]

Argghh...

 

This is one of those days when I hope my english skills would exceed their present potential.

[EnderAndrew]

It is not like us native speakers know how to speak English either.

[Gromnir]

The problem is that a great game doesn't require a great story and some great stories don't make for very good games.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

that ain't a problem. tennis and football is sports, and they is also games. tetris? is a game. is not a problem that some games lack story.

 

also, it ain't really a problem that some stories make for bad games. anybody here feels particularly sad that a "death of a salesman" game has/will never be made.

 

so what?

 

even so, we thinks that good story ain't the white hart that some is suggesting... and while Gromnir seems to expect more from game stories than does josh, we not think that we is being the least bit unreasonable.

 

the real problem is that the mythical average gamer that josh were describing earlier, the one that wants short games, also not really care too much 'bout meaningful story. sure, that average gamer wants some story, but they not need something particularly memorable. there is a relatively low standard that is good enough as far as the average gamer is concerned... and the developers has come to realize this.

 

so, the average game for the average gamer has an average story with a few intriguing characters, that explains why the gamer must kill swarms o' mutants or terrorists or poodles... and that is what is the meaning of good story nowadays.

 

ultimately, it is up to fans to tell developers what we want

[EnderAndrew]

Sawyer is the same developer who apparently was trying to shove a good story in Gauntlet. If the game can support a narrative format, I don't think the average gamer will mind a good story, and may even enjoy it.

[metadigital]

Certainly not the ones in that big brown land over the Atlantic, that's for sure.

 

Even if we concede Calax's poorly made point (which I don't), the fact that the largest growth in any market involves the XX Chromosome-endowed ones.

 

In any case, I cannot accept that a poor story tacked onto a good graphics engine makes for a great game. Thar's just rubbish. (Sorry, US citizens, TRASH.)

 

Even Half-Life, which was an apocalypic shooter, had a compelling story, with just enough bumps and prods from cut-scenes and named characters to keep the excitement and immersion fresh.

[EnderAndrew]

Some stories do not depend on the narrative format, which some may have been trying to make as their point. But I agree that a good story can make a good game great.

[Walsingham]

Couple of points to make, spared more arduous duty by Gromnir's good work.

 

1) I hate the 'average gamer' notion driving game development. Just like I hate the average filmgoer driving film development. No-one ever made a classic film that continues to sell, or generates a franchise by pandering. They did it by setting out to do something extra-ordinary. Viz the diff between the first Matrix film, and the later ones.

 

2) Gaming is fair bit about escapism. A good story helps you to escape. A lousy one actively hinders it.

 

3) My female friends who game love problem solving more than story telling. But story telling is still important. They really won't put up with truly lousy stories.

 

4) I feel the need to re-iterate that a good story isn't rocket science. BY which I mean something more complicated than 'go here and kill these guys' and involving charactesr with unexpected dimensions.

 

 

BIG FINALE

 

It may not count for much in the grand scheme of things, but I 'm not sure any of us would contribute as passionately to this board if Black Isle games hadn't possessed better than average stories/characters. And I know many many gamers who aren't here, but feel just as passionately. We're the poor frontswines who ensure no game you chaps release will totally bomb.

 

~

 

Thanks for listening.

[Musopticon?]

Well, that sure was straight to the point.

[Walsingham]

Well, that sure was straight to the point.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

*bows*

 

I'd like to thank this bottle of beer.

[EnderAndrew]

I'm all for good stories. At the same time, Tetris doesn't need a story. It is possible to have a great game with no story.

[Walsingham]

True, but I would argue that if you want THAT kind of great game, what the hell are are you buying an RPG for?

[Gabrielle]

Computer games have a story????????????

[EnderAndrew]

Then we should clarify that we're discussing stories in RPGs. JE Sawyer was discussing stories in games, period, citing titles like Splinter Cell.

[Musopticon?]

Gabrielle does, once again, a worthy participation.

[Drakron]

Sawyer is the same developer who apparently was trying to shove a good story in Gauntlet.  If the game can support a narrative format, I don't think the average gamer will mind a good story, and may even enjoy it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

That make us wonder ... about Gauntlet and NwN2.

[Gabrielle]

Gabrielle does, once again, a worthy participation.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And once again you state the f*cking obvious.

[Musopticon?]

Has anyone told you that you're just plain annoying sometimes? I mean; you could just try and write something relevant once in a while.

[Gabrielle]

Sounds like the pot calling the kettle black.

[Musopticon?]

Nice try.