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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
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.
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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
I have the Witcher waiting at home for me to install next week - 13/01/2011 08:59:45 PM 1833 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 1976 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 1926 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 1954 Views
The thing is, what works in a book doesn't necessarily work in a game. - 18/01/2011 06:15:10 PM 1997 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 1969 Views
Did you read his post? - 18/01/2011 09:59:21 PM 1940 Views
Yeah, that was one of the things I didn't have time to respond to. - 18/01/2011 10:31:46 PM 1920 Views
Re: Yeah, that was one of the things I didn't have time to respond to. - 18/01/2011 10:43:20 PM 2003 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 1880 Views
Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn? - 13/01/2011 08:00:21 PM 1873 Views
Try Divinity 2: Dragonknight Saga. - 13/01/2011 10:38:45 PM 2139 Views
Do yourself a favor... - 13/01/2011 10:39:41 PM 1885 Views
Everything is the opposite of Morrowind, though. - 14/01/2011 05:37:42 AM 2051 Views
Just go ahead and shoot yourself now - 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 1935 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 1942 Views
awwww...I loved Fallout 3 - 14/01/2011 03:37:51 PM 1882 Views
No... - 14/01/2011 03:47:22 PM 2109 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 1864 Views
Yet... - 15/01/2011 01:27:28 AM 1860 Views
I enjoyed its gameplay more than Fallout. - 15/01/2011 01:40:06 AM 1950 Views
The best story I've ever seen... - 15/01/2011 05:01:47 AM 1942 Views
I never got to finish Xenogears... - 15/01/2011 09:37:36 AM 1997 Views
I never got to finish Xenogears... - 15/01/2011 09:37:36 AM 1814 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 1928 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
Fallout 3. Haven't played New Vegas. *NM* - 19/01/2011 07:41:24 PM 1068 Views
- 19/01/2011 09:01:18 PM 1926 Views
Wait. You haven't played it yet? - 20/01/2011 03:46:17 AM 1941 Views
Well said - 20/01/2011 08:43:25 AM 1849 Views
Fallout 3 is more about the little stories than the big one... - 20/01/2011 01:55:24 PM 1996 Views
Precisely. *NM* - 20/01/2011 07:48:21 PM 1076 Views
Both games are great. - 20/01/2011 01:56:14 PM 1896 Views
Played Fallout 3, but not NV. - 20/01/2011 06:22:33 PM 1826 Views
I'm sure I'll be trying that new - 21/01/2011 02:04:47 PM 1993 Views
Fallout 3 was a post apocalyptic Oblivion. - 14/01/2011 08:02:28 AM 1978 Views
If you want a GREAT story, I would go for... - 14/01/2011 08:04:15 AM 2004 Views
Played it. It was good. *NM* - 14/01/2011 08:15:38 PM 1079 Views
the baldur's gate trilogy and the icewind dales *NM* - 14/01/2011 09:32:32 AM 1008 Views
Icewind Dale has no story. - 14/01/2011 07:19:15 PM 1879 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 1811 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
The trailer to that is so awesome - 15/01/2011 04:58:04 AM 1854 Views
It is a good teaser... - 18/01/2011 04:21:15 PM 1901 Views
I do. But after Oblivion, I refuse to buy into hype. - 15/01/2011 06:34:49 AM 1877 Views
Final Fantasy 8. - 18/01/2011 09:10:51 AM 2110 Views
Worth a shot. Thanks. *NM* - 18/01/2011 06:07:23 PM 1045 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 1891 Views
The gameplay or the story? *NM* - 22/01/2011 06:24:06 AM 1047 Views
Gameplay is preventing me from playing this game. - 23/01/2011 03:09:39 PM 1943 Views
Go SNES! FF6, Chrono Trigger, Earthbound... - 19/01/2011 07:42:23 PM 1817 Views
I can agree to that. - 19/01/2011 08:03:59 PM 1970 Views
A suggestion we can all agree on. - 19/01/2011 08:07:54 PM 1981 Views
Holy. - 21/01/2011 08:17:35 PM 1953 Views
What do you think of Strategy RPGs? *NM* - 20/01/2011 03:59:52 PM 1019 Views
wat *NM* - 21/01/2011 04:13:07 AM 922 Views
Strat-RPG?? Are they doing a Jagged Alliance sequel?? - 21/01/2011 02:06:05 PM 1800 Views

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