What is more important in an adventure game?

[Diogo Ribeiro]

So you want to play something that really evokes the feeling of adventure. What do you think is required to achieve this? What kind of feature from the ones presented above is more prominent in the games you play, and in the games you enjoyed the most?

 

Also, what would ideally be your dream setting for an adventure game? Do you prefer any particular setting, or do you just accept what is given to you as long as it is well devised, consistent, or even charming?

[Surreptishus]

Forgive my density but what is defined as an adventure game? Some example would be appreciated, thanks.

[Llyranor]

Definitely story and character interaction, of course.

 

..... Are you making an adventure game?

[Diogo Ribeiro]

Well, I'm using 'adventure games' to describe games such as Gabriel Knight, Grim Fandango, Broken Sword, Beneat a Steel Sky and The Longest Journey.

[karka]

I really can't choose one of them. They are all very important for me. But, without a good story, an adventure game become meaningless. So my choice is good story.

[Hurlshort]

An adventure game typically defines a game where progress is measured solely on the ability to solve puzzles, rather than defeating any opponents. There are rarely any reflexes needed in an adventure game. Some are dialogue heavy, although I've seen a few good adventure games without that.

 

Personally, my favorite part of an adventure game is exploring an environment without the threat of a fight breaking out. That's why I chose "level of detail" although I think all aspects are important.

[Surreptishus]

Well, I'm using 'adventure games' to describe games such as Gabriel Knight, Grim Fandango, Broken Sword, Beneat a Steel Sky and The Longest Journey.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Oh right, in that case. Story and character interaction. Of course the other options are still very important.

[Jumjalum]

Discworld had a good story, but the puzzles were so bloody difficult and nonsensical that it spoiled the game. I'd say story, puzzles and setting are all equally important.

[Llyranor]

An adventure game typically defines a game where progress is measured solely on the ability to solve puzzles, rather than defeating any opponents.  There are rarely any reflexes needed in an adventure game.  Some are dialogue heavy, although I've seen a few good adventure games without that.

 

Personally, my favorite part of an adventure game is exploring an environment without the threat of a fight breaking out.  That's why I chose "level of detail" although I think all aspects are important.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What about something like Fahrenheit? Fights can break out, but there isn't really a battle system per say, just DDR with your hands. Why would adventure games systematically only include 'stories without combat'?

[Diogo Ribeiro]

..... Are you making an adventure game?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

No.

 

And by "no" I mean maybe.

[Surreptishus]

Even though i hated Discworld for its horrible and insane puzzles, i still enjoyed it due to the story.

[Hurlshort]

An adventure game typically defines a game where progress is measured solely on the ability to solve puzzles, rather than defeating any opponents.  There are rarely any reflexes needed in an adventure game.  Some are dialogue heavy, although I've seen a few good adventure games without that.

 

Personally, my favorite part of an adventure game is exploring an environment without the threat of a fight breaking out.  That's why I chose "level of detail" although I think all aspects are important.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What about something like Fahrenheit? Fights can break out, but there isn't really a battle system per say, just DDR with your hands. Why would adventure games systematically only include 'stories without combat'?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I said "typically"

 

That doesn't mean there aren't alternative ways to tackle the genre. Fahrenheit was a very unique game, and I hope to see more of these types. It might re-define the adventure genre.

[Jorian Drake]

Story AND game world the story developes in

 

+to get knowing the main chars thoughts

[213374U]

Depends on the game, I think. For the Larry series dialogues and character design were really important. For a horror adventure, I guess it would be atmosphere, which is accomplished by art, level design and sound (including music).

 

A good story and writing to go with it are paramount, though. After all, the first adventure games were just text, and ultimately it's that what keeps you hooked or not.

[Llyranor]

Hmm, thinking back on adventure games, I've never really been a prominent addict. The Lucasarts games of old were fun and all, but I don't really feel like I miss them.

 

Take the recent Fahrenheit. Aside from the worst ending of all time (except the necrophilia part, that was hot), there was something about its cinematic storytelling that was really neat. The fitting music obviously helped, but it wasn't just the cutscene direction. It was the fact that you had (limited) choice within those settings.

 

Fahrenheit spoilers:

 

 

My most memorable part in the game was probably when Lucas gets a premonition about the child falling into the frozen water in the park. Just then, he notices a cop passing by. Giving that he was, like, the prime suspect in a murder, he had to decide whether to run away or save the child. That was an awesome "jolly crap what do I do?" It didn't matter what stats my character had, it didn't matter that I was playing a game. It didn't matter that the game had an awful interface. All that mattered was that I was faced with a choice. Do I save the kid and risk arrest, or run off? THAT was ultimate 'immersion'. It's not that I was psychotic and forgot I was playing a game, it's that it didn't MATTER that I was just playing a game. Ultimately, I decided to save the kid. In awesome cinematic fashion, the following showed Lucas and the cop standing there just looking at each other. Then, Lucas just walked away, with the cop not moving on him. Beautiful gaming moment. That was more meaningful than any puzzle I've solved in other adventure game.

 

 

 

I've been thinking about the nature of the adventure genre, or even the RPG genre. So what, both can be storydriven, but the former has implausible puzzles and the latter has combat, crates and stats? All these gaming conventions are just there to remind the player that s/he's just playing a game, and a game needs 'gameplay', right? But what is gameplay?

 

Is the concept of a storytelling game (story being driven ABOVE ALL ELSE) possible in this current age? Let's look at PST. Cool story, and its interactivity is certainly an argument that the gaming medium helped make the story stronger. But did the 'gameplay' help? Would the game not have been better if not for pointless battles that had nothing to do with the story? What about sidequests that had no relevance, either? Did these add to the story?

 

What about Fahrenheit, what if there wasn't some stupid DDR minigame? What if choosing in conversation wasn't some race against the clock with awkward interface controls? What if the 'gameplay' was based PURELY on storydriven choice? What if adventure games were focused entirely on story, instead of adding complicated puzzles into the mix? Would the stories benefit?

 

Let's look at JRPGs. People say they're not RPGs, just interactive storybooks. Only, they're not. The story isn't even interactive, all you do is handle irrelevant gameplay mechanics, fight pointless random encounters. You're not interacting with the stories. This makes the term 'interactive storybook' sound bad.

 

Could a REAL 'interactive storybook' game be done, though? Not just simply 'choose-your-own-adventure books', but a step above. No puzzles, no stats, no out-of-story combat system, no town/dungeon/boss/overworld/town/dungeon/etc' segmentation. No more freaking gaming conventions that detract from storytelling.

 

What if a game was formed around the concept of STORYDRIVEN CHOICES? Where only story mattered, and gameplay would consist of making sensical choices within that story (choosing the best option based on what the best option is, rather than on a statistical analyzis of which one is more appropriate for your RPG character, for example).

[Gabrielle]

The story and character interaction. If a game doesn't have that, than it will be boring and not get played by me.

[Haitoku]

When I think of Adventure games, I think Zelda... So, Puzzles and such.

[kirottu]

I really can't choose one of them. They are all very important for me. But, without a good story, an adventure game become meaningless. So my choice is good story.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I think adventure games are all about the story. Or they should be.

[LadyCrimson]

Personally, my favorite part of an adventure game is exploring an environment without the threat of a fight breaking out. 

 

That's the main appeal to them for me too...some minor scuffles or sense of danger is sometimes in the offering and that's cool, but overall I like the feeling that my brain & observational skills are being used to solve the 'mystery' rather than whether or not I find the BFG9000 or have increased my strength via some item. I like feeling like Sherlock Holmes, I guess.

 

Unfortunately, most of the adventure games I've played ended up with puzzles that stumped me too much...or were simple 'trial and error' puzzles, which I can't stand...reminding me of the fact that I am not Sherlock Holmes. :D

[mkreku]

Actually, when it comes to adventure games I think I'd say puzzles. That's almost always what kills an adventure game for me; when I have to solve a nuclear disaster using two bits of chewing gum and a rubber band. Of course, I wouldn't even be playing the game if the story sucked, and great characters are what makes you remember the game once you're finished..

 

Oh, why isn't there a "Too many options!! My head is about to explode!!1" among the vote alternatives?!

[Hurlshort]

I've played a couple adventure games that had more open ended puzzles. The story took different routes based on how you solved a puzzle. This eliminates the trial and error concept somewhat. I heard Farenheit was like that, and there was a great Bladerunner game that allowed that as well.

[Nartwak]

Hmm... this is a tough question. I guess I pick The quests and well devised puzzles. If the gameplay is tedious I won't play long enough for the other elements to hook me.

[Jumjalum]

I really can't choose one of them. They are all very important for me. But, without a good story, an adventure game become meaningless. So my choice is good story.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I think adventure games are all about the story. Or they should be.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Puzzles are what make an adventure game, without them what you have is an interactive cartoon. It all depends on your definition of 'adventure game' though I guess.

[Diogo Ribeiro]

I share some of the opinions and preferences you've all shown. I think Llyranor was pretty much spot on about a desire to see his model of storydriven choices applied more often, although I'm inclined to believe this is perhaps a more genuine concern regarding roleplaying games... For the most part, I think adventure games do follow that. Of course, I may be wrong.

 

As for puzzles and such, they can often become too much and I also agree that they are sometimes out-of-story and only there to artificially inflate the game's lenght or to present some sort of challenge in otherwise easy games. This doesn't mean they should be entirely removed, but I think the idea of a puzzle often relies on an archaic notion. Obstacles don't have to be about flipping switches or making a nuclear missile out of radioactive bubblegum, a hairpin and a tape recorder. They can be, but they don't have to be. But this isn't to say puzzles wouldn't have a place of their own... In a game where, say, a group of humans are kidnapped and placed in an alien labyrinth to be tested, I'm sure there's a lot of puzzles that could be credibly worked into that (admitedly campy) scenario. Maybe we'd all get bored at all the puzzles eventually, and it would considerably lessen replayability, but in that scenario it could be credible nonetheless.

 

Much as I like Zelda games, at times the puzzle solving becomes boring. The puzzles are nice and sometimes fiendish but nearly always logical, and mostly fun... But their placement in dungeons is usually taxing. Especially when they've been solved but are reset when you leave the room and enter it at a future time.

 

I think puzzles should be great mind twisters but they should also feel more natural to the gameworld rather than just dumped there. I also think they should try to draw more on player perception and ingenuity.

Edited January 15, 2006 by Role-Player

[Llyranor]

..... Are you making an adventure game?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

No.

 

And by "no" I mean maybe.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

.... Wait, what's that in your sig?