So I just realized I sparked a bit of a controversy here...
I should check this board more often.
Legolas Send a noteboard - 25/01/2011 10:28:34 PM
I should check this board more often.
Legolas Send a noteboard - 25/01/2011 10:28:34 PM
Of course you're right that video games should have interactive stories, that are influenced by the decisions you make while playing it, which is an entirely different thing from a plot in a book. But surely it becomes easier to make a good story for a video game if you've got the world-building and three-dimensional characters already fleshed out for you, and they're already good. Okay, it also has its downsides as you may not be as free in the twists you can create as you would be if you'd started from zero, but I would think the advantages outweigh the downsides.
I haven't played the Witcher, nor read the books, but I do have a basic idea of what the game and the books are about, and it is my understanding that the books and the game both are notable for their three-dimensional characters and refusal to buy into simple concepts of good vs. evil. And those, plus of course the general plot lines of the books, and perhaps some descriptions or pieces of dialogue here and there, seem like a lot of useful elements for game writers to work with. They still have to write a good game plot themselves, but seems to me it should be easier, and one should be allowed to have higher expectations, when the game writers are given all of those elements beforehand, allowing them to focus their creativity purely on how to turn those elements into an engaging interactive game plot. In the case of extremely famous books like LotR, I admit that this might actually hamper the game writers' creativity as they don't dare to deviate from the plot too much, but Sapkowski's books are hardly that famous that the game writers need to worry about deviating from the plot when that's necessary to make an engaging game.
I haven't played the Witcher, nor read the books, but I do have a basic idea of what the game and the books are about, and it is my understanding that the books and the game both are notable for their three-dimensional characters and refusal to buy into simple concepts of good vs. evil. And those, plus of course the general plot lines of the books, and perhaps some descriptions or pieces of dialogue here and there, seem like a lot of useful elements for game writers to work with. They still have to write a good game plot themselves, but seems to me it should be easier, and one should be allowed to have higher expectations, when the game writers are given all of those elements beforehand, allowing them to focus their creativity purely on how to turn those elements into an engaging interactive game plot. In the case of extremely famous books like LotR, I admit that this might actually hamper the game writers' creativity as they don't dare to deviate from the plot too much, but Sapkowski's books are hardly that famous that the game writers need to worry about deviating from the plot when that's necessary to make an engaging game.
I need a good RPG.
- 13/01/2011 06:49:32 PM
3309 Views
The Witcher
- 13/01/2011 07:13:50 PM
2002 Views
Hm. I have it as a project to improve my French, but I found the gameplay pretty boring.
- 14/01/2011 05:38:15 AM
1977 Views
If you find The Witcher boring, you'll likely feel the same about Baldur's Gate 2, IWD, etc.
- 14/01/2011 03:07:12 PM
1927 Views
All right. I'll give it a shot, then. Thanks. *NM*
- 14/01/2011 08:17:17 PM
1083 Views
Make sure you get the enhanced edition, or whatever it's called.
- 14/01/2011 09:56:56 PM
1954 Views
It's funny, that, because it's based on a critically acclaimed book series.
- 15/01/2011 01:13:39 PM
1955 Views
I've heard that, yeah. I just don't think enough of it made it into the game. (minor spoilers)
- 15/01/2011 08:12:34 PM
1920 Views
The thing is, what works in a book doesn't necessarily work in a game.
- 18/01/2011 06:15:10 PM
1998 Views
Wow, I guess you touched a nerve, Legolas. New pet peeve discovered! *NM*
- 18/01/2011 06:22:37 PM
1101 Views
I don't have time to do this justice, but I'll make a brief comment.
- 18/01/2011 09:30:20 PM
1970 Views
Did you read his post?
- 18/01/2011 09:59:21 PM
1941 Views
Yeah, that was one of the things I didn't have time to respond to.
- 18/01/2011 10:31:46 PM
1921 Views
- 18/01/2011 10:31:46 PM
1921 Views
Re: Yeah, that was one of the things I didn't have time to respond to.
- 18/01/2011 10:43:20 PM
2004 Views
- 18/01/2011 10:43:20 PM
2004 Views
So I just realized I sparked a bit of a controversy here...
I should check this board more often.
- 25/01/2011 10:28:34 PM
1881 Views
I should check this board more often.
- 25/01/2011 10:28:34 PM
1881 Views
Do yourself a favor...
- 13/01/2011 10:39:41 PM
1886 Views
Everything is the opposite of Morrowind, though.
- 14/01/2011 05:37:42 AM
2052 Views
- 14/01/2011 05:37:42 AM
2052 Views
Just go ahead and shoot yourself now
- 14/01/2011 07:51:06 PM
1911 Views
- 14/01/2011 07:51:06 PM
1911 Views
...you were so right. Fable is an MMORPG without the other people.
- 15/01/2011 06:35:46 AM
1936 Views
- 15/01/2011 06:35:46 AM
1936 Views
...dislikes...Fallout...3....*dies* *NM*
- 13/01/2011 11:34:10 PM
1085 Views
It was boring. Really, really boring.
- 14/01/2011 05:36:41 AM
1957 Views
I'm with you, brother!
- 14/01/2011 05:51:41 AM
1943 Views
awwww...I loved Fallout 3
- 14/01/2011 03:37:51 PM
1883 Views
- 14/01/2011 03:37:51 PM
1883 Views
No...
- 14/01/2011 03:47:22 PM
2110 Views
It's minecraft with guns. *NM*
- 14/01/2011 08:16:23 PM
1090 Views
And without a destructible environment.
- 14/01/2011 08:16:52 PM
1865 Views
"It's minecraft with guns." Ouch. Come on. Fallout3 was better than that. *NM*
- 19/01/2011 04:09:30 AM
1061 Views
Coming from me, actually, that's higher praise than it deserves.
- 19/01/2011 06:54:57 AM
1929 Views
- 19/01/2011 06:54:57 AM
1929 Views
I got it for like $25, I'd say that's about what Fallout 3 is worth
- 19/01/2011 05:09:34 PM
2042 Views
You got Fallout 3 or New Vegas for $25
- 19/01/2011 06:12:26 PM
1848 Views
Wait. You haven't played it yet?
- 20/01/2011 03:46:17 AM
1942 Views
Well said
- 20/01/2011 08:43:25 AM
1850 Views
Played Fallout 3, but not NV.
- 20/01/2011 06:22:33 PM
1827 Views
I'm sure I'll be trying that new
- 21/01/2011 02:04:47 PM
1994 Views
Don't play Mass Effect 2 without playing Mass Effect 1. It's a much worse game.
- 21/01/2011 06:43:16 PM
1940 Views
Yes, play ME1 first... but opinions vary about ME2. It did the most important things better, IMO.
- 21/01/2011 11:57:26 PM
2000 Views
That's true if gameplay is more important to you than story.
- 22/01/2011 06:50:32 AM
1966 Views
ME1 wasn't even going to release on the PC initially, so I think we could be worse off.
- 22/01/2011 03:27:05 PM
1823 Views
If you want a GREAT story, I would go for...
- 14/01/2011 08:04:15 AM
2005 Views
I second the idea of Borderlands if you like loot-generating/diabloesque RPGs w/ others.
- 14/01/2011 03:09:29 PM
1906 Views
I'm surprised you liked Oblivion.
- 15/01/2011 12:47:24 AM
2013 Views
I liked Oblivion because it was the sequel to Morrowind.
- 15/01/2011 01:31:51 AM
1812 Views
Do you know about "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim"? It will be released Nov 2011 *NM*
- 15/01/2011 04:52:13 AM
1022 Views
Final Fantasy 8.
- 18/01/2011 09:10:51 AM
2110 Views
That was the first FF I quit before even finishing, and consequently the last I played in the series
- 18/01/2011 03:23:40 PM
1900 Views
I wouldn't even call JRPGs and Western RPGs the same genre, really. *NM*
- 19/01/2011 02:45:17 PM
984 Views
Like SVU and NCIS are both crime dramas, stylistic differences can remain under one genre umbrella.
- 19/01/2011 03:11:41 PM
1896 Views
If you're going the Final Fantasy route, I'd recommend Final Fantasy Tactics. *NM*
- 20/01/2011 06:36:02 PM
1007 Views
- 21/01/2011 02:14:41 PM
1892 Views
- 21/01/2011 02:14:41 PM
1892 Views
Go SNES! FF6, Chrono Trigger, Earthbound...
- 19/01/2011 07:42:23 PM
1818 Views
I can agree to that.
- 19/01/2011 08:03:59 PM
1971 Views
What do you think of Strategy RPGs? *NM*
- 20/01/2011 03:59:52 PM
1019 Views

