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Fluidity is paramount. A game must flow from scene-to-scene and level-to-level like a well-crafted stanza, ever captivating the reader to want more- to delve into the depths of the meaning of every line and phrase. There should be a seamless rhythm in the game that never pulls the gamer away from the action- doing the opposite by drawing them in ever closer. There should never be one moment when the gamer nips off for a coffee break having feeling he has successful completed a section of the story- there are no sections in a good story.
There should be no short sharp breaks. None. Erratic pauses and stops in. mid. game. All undesirable. It makes the game incoherent. Impossible to follow. No immersion. The player is never gripped- never drawn in. They lose interest- they’re pulled to coffee breaks.
The story should weave in and out of intrinsic layers, never being linear or just centred on one theme- it must be rich. The characters, like the plot, should be full of interest for the gamer- being unpredictable yet believable at the same time. Although the gamer should feel special, they should never become the centre of action- the pinnacle about which all game-world events are focussed. That just reduces believability, which reduces immersion, which reduces fun.
Monotonous stories are boring. Very dull and lifeless- just ranting about the same point again, and again, and again. They are predictable, dull, boring. You know what’s going to happen next- it’s the same as what happens before. And then, just to make thing worse, the writer decides to put the most predictable unpredictable twist into his storyless story mode.
Finally, a story must keep the player engaged to a level greater and greater until a dramatic end. The underlying variable stories of the games should come together in one short period. The story must flow from section to section whilst still keeping the player guessing by building in many unknowns into the mix of the story, and finally unleashing them all at once.
The ending must not be obvious. It should never end with a “the end” or a “thanks for playing”. It should never end predictably. It should never end repetitiously- hammering the same point home. It should never be predictable.
The end
Thanks for reading
There should be no short sharp breaks. None. Erratic pauses and stops in. mid. game. All undesirable. It makes the game incoherent. Impossible to follow. No immersion. The player is never gripped- never drawn in. They lose interest- they’re pulled to coffee breaks.
The story should weave in and out of intrinsic layers, never being linear or just centred on one theme- it must be rich. The characters, like the plot, should be full of interest for the gamer- being unpredictable yet believable at the same time. Although the gamer should feel special, they should never become the centre of action- the pinnacle about which all game-world events are focussed. That just reduces believability, which reduces immersion, which reduces fun.
Monotonous stories are boring. Very dull and lifeless- just ranting about the same point again, and again, and again. They are predictable, dull, boring. You know what’s going to happen next- it’s the same as what happens before. And then, just to make thing worse, the writer decides to put the most predictable unpredictable twist into his storyless story mode.
Finally, a story must keep the player engaged to a level greater and greater until a dramatic end. The underlying variable stories of the games should come together in one short period. The story must flow from section to section whilst still keeping the player guessing by building in many unknowns into the mix of the story, and finally unleashing them all at once.
The ending must not be obvious. It should never end with a “the end” or a “thanks for playing”. It should never end predictably. It should never end repetitiously- hammering the same point home. It should never be predictable.
The end
Thanks for reading
Page:
I agree with most of what you're saying, Sonic, but you don't mention the cliches that are used in computer-game-plots nowadays.
Take Half-life. A scientific experiment that goes wrong, causing all hell to break loose. Hmm - that was original. It hadn't been seen since the likes of (oh, I don't know,)Doom?
The most refreshing aspect of a computer game now is an original storyline - I agree with you when you say breaks in the middle ruin continuity. But the key word there is 'original'. Players are getting fed up with the same old rehashed plots. Something should be done about it.
Take Half-life. A scientific experiment that goes wrong, causing all hell to break loose. Hmm - that was original. It hadn't been seen since the likes of (oh, I don't know,)Doom?
The most refreshing aspect of a computer game now is an original storyline - I agree with you when you say breaks in the middle ruin continuity. But the key word there is 'original'. Players are getting fed up with the same old rehashed plots. Something should be done about it.
Fluidity is paramount. A game must flow from scene-to-scene and level-to-level like a well-crafted stanza, ever captivating the reader to want more- to delve into the depths of the meaning of every line and phrase. There should be a seamless rhythm in the game that never pulls the gamer away from the action- doing the opposite by drawing them in ever closer. There should never be one moment when the gamer nips off for a coffee break having feeling he has successful completed a section of the story- there are no sections in a good story.
There should be no short sharp breaks. None. Erratic pauses and stops in. mid. game. All undesirable. It makes the game incoherent. Impossible to follow. No immersion. The player is never gripped- never drawn in. They lose interest- they’re pulled to coffee breaks.
The story should weave in and out of intrinsic layers, never being linear or just centred on one theme- it must be rich. The characters, like the plot, should be full of interest for the gamer- being unpredictable yet believable at the same time. Although the gamer should feel special, they should never become the centre of action- the pinnacle about which all game-world events are focussed. That just reduces believability, which reduces immersion, which reduces fun.
Monotonous stories are boring. Very dull and lifeless- just ranting about the same point again, and again, and again. They are predictable, dull, boring. You know what’s going to happen next- it’s the same as what happens before. And then, just to make thing worse, the writer decides to put the most predictable unpredictable twist into his storyless story mode.
Finally, a story must keep the player engaged to a level greater and greater until a dramatic end. The underlying variable stories of the games should come together in one short period. The story must flow from section to section whilst still keeping the player guessing by building in many unknowns into the mix of the story, and finally unleashing them all at once.
The ending must not be obvious. It should never end with a “the end” or a “thanks for playing”. It should never end predictably. It should never end repetitiously- hammering the same point home. It should never be predictable.
The end
Thanks for reading
There should be no short sharp breaks. None. Erratic pauses and stops in. mid. game. All undesirable. It makes the game incoherent. Impossible to follow. No immersion. The player is never gripped- never drawn in. They lose interest- they’re pulled to coffee breaks.
The story should weave in and out of intrinsic layers, never being linear or just centred on one theme- it must be rich. The characters, like the plot, should be full of interest for the gamer- being unpredictable yet believable at the same time. Although the gamer should feel special, they should never become the centre of action- the pinnacle about which all game-world events are focussed. That just reduces believability, which reduces immersion, which reduces fun.
Monotonous stories are boring. Very dull and lifeless- just ranting about the same point again, and again, and again. They are predictable, dull, boring. You know what’s going to happen next- it’s the same as what happens before. And then, just to make thing worse, the writer decides to put the most predictable unpredictable twist into his storyless story mode.
Finally, a story must keep the player engaged to a level greater and greater until a dramatic end. The underlying variable stories of the games should come together in one short period. The story must flow from section to section whilst still keeping the player guessing by building in many unknowns into the mix of the story, and finally unleashing them all at once.
The ending must not be obvious. It should never end with a “the end” or a “thanks for playing”. It should never end predictably. It should never end repetitiously- hammering the same point home. It should never be predictable.
The end
Thanks for reading
Page: