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I am always dreaming of freedom in games. Whether its being able to enter buildings in cities, not just drive around, or explore the fields beyond the level you're on. I've always wanted free-roaming areas, and up until now this has never been an option. Never, ever.
Like the millions of people who also own a copy, I absolutely adore GTA3. The reason its so amazing, is because to a very strictly controlled degree, you do have freedom. While there are restrictions such as with with the building-entering front, you can still roam the city in a huge variety of vehicles, doing as you please with the inhabitants. To a certain degree.
I don't like to think of this as freedom, because it isn't. You can't go beyond the city limits, you can't really do whatever you want to the people, and the number of different cars available is nowhere near the number in reality.
You see, to have a videogame to give you absolute freedom would be impossible. Since every single event in every single game has to be thought of, designed by and animated by developers, to create an infinite world would be an impossible task. But what got at me today, is do we really want a never ending world?
If *IF* there was a game, where you could do whatever you wanted, what would happen??? Very, very few people would see a single digit percentage of the game. In fact, there would probably be parts of the game which nobody ever plays at. Even so, it would be great to be able to adventure, shoot and jump across tonnes of different worlds. Think of the possibilities for side quests. And for missions, it could be that only one person can ever do the mission, if it was online. Once its finished, its finished.
What got me thinking about all this freedom malarkey was that my parents have gone away this weekend, giving me the supposed freedom that comes with it. But instead of trashing the house, holding a huge party and boozing 'til the cows come home, I'm just doing what I'd do normally. I'm on the internet for a bit, writing this. I've been playing Final Fantasy 10. I'm having some mates over in a bit for a spot of, frankly brilliant, multiplayer Super Smash Brothers Melee.
If our gaming desires were anything like real life, if we were given a fully interactive, fully free world to play in, would we deviate from anything we've done before. I mean, in gaming genres there have been very few innovative ideas, yet gaming is more popular today than ever before. Would people just pop on down to a nuclear bunker and start shooting people?
It is in our nature to not be adventurous. Given the choice, I'd rather settle down in a gaming universe and play farmers like in Harvest Moon rather than travel around space fighting space scum. I don't know why, but that is just the way I think. Many other people would be the same as this. Given the freedom to do what you want, would you still play as if it was another Half Life, Metal Gear, Gran Turismo or Final Fantasy? Most probably. Would anybody buy a space ship and travel to distant planets as ambassadors of Earth. Probably not...
So what I'm getting at, is that do we really need freedom? It would take away from me, at least, what I love most about games - the plot. And even if it did have a vague plot, the gameplay would be just too open ended for me. I wouldn't know where to start. And then again, if it was entirely freefrom constraints, it would probably just mirror real life. Freedom in gaming might be something of a dream, but in my opinion I'm happy with the plot-driven games like Final Fantasy, Metal Gear Solid and - vaguely - Grand Theft Auto 3. Freedom in gaming may give us our dream, but it won't make us deviate from the tried and tested gaming paths that we play today.
Like the millions of people who also own a copy, I absolutely adore GTA3. The reason its so amazing, is because to a very strictly controlled degree, you do have freedom. While there are restrictions such as with with the building-entering front, you can still roam the city in a huge variety of vehicles, doing as you please with the inhabitants. To a certain degree.
I don't like to think of this as freedom, because it isn't. You can't go beyond the city limits, you can't really do whatever you want to the people, and the number of different cars available is nowhere near the number in reality.
You see, to have a videogame to give you absolute freedom would be impossible. Since every single event in every single game has to be thought of, designed by and animated by developers, to create an infinite world would be an impossible task. But what got at me today, is do we really want a never ending world?
If *IF* there was a game, where you could do whatever you wanted, what would happen??? Very, very few people would see a single digit percentage of the game. In fact, there would probably be parts of the game which nobody ever plays at. Even so, it would be great to be able to adventure, shoot and jump across tonnes of different worlds. Think of the possibilities for side quests. And for missions, it could be that only one person can ever do the mission, if it was online. Once its finished, its finished.
What got me thinking about all this freedom malarkey was that my parents have gone away this weekend, giving me the supposed freedom that comes with it. But instead of trashing the house, holding a huge party and boozing 'til the cows come home, I'm just doing what I'd do normally. I'm on the internet for a bit, writing this. I've been playing Final Fantasy 10. I'm having some mates over in a bit for a spot of, frankly brilliant, multiplayer Super Smash Brothers Melee.
If our gaming desires were anything like real life, if we were given a fully interactive, fully free world to play in, would we deviate from anything we've done before. I mean, in gaming genres there have been very few innovative ideas, yet gaming is more popular today than ever before. Would people just pop on down to a nuclear bunker and start shooting people?
It is in our nature to not be adventurous. Given the choice, I'd rather settle down in a gaming universe and play farmers like in Harvest Moon rather than travel around space fighting space scum. I don't know why, but that is just the way I think. Many other people would be the same as this. Given the freedom to do what you want, would you still play as if it was another Half Life, Metal Gear, Gran Turismo or Final Fantasy? Most probably. Would anybody buy a space ship and travel to distant planets as ambassadors of Earth. Probably not...
So what I'm getting at, is that do we really need freedom? It would take away from me, at least, what I love most about games - the plot. And even if it did have a vague plot, the gameplay would be just too open ended for me. I wouldn't know where to start. And then again, if it was entirely freefrom constraints, it would probably just mirror real life. Freedom in gaming might be something of a dream, but in my opinion I'm happy with the plot-driven games like Final Fantasy, Metal Gear Solid and - vaguely - Grand Theft Auto 3. Freedom in gaming may give us our dream, but it won't make us deviate from the tried and tested gaming paths that we play today.
Thats exactly right - developers need to make the right balance between linearity and freedom. In my opinion, GTA3 was a bit too free and consequently did become a bit 'ten minute play' - ish. Is wasn't really story or quest driven so wasn't as hooking.
That said, the extra freedom given over other games was welcome.
That said, the extra freedom given over other games was welcome.
Freedom is a tricky thing in computer games. In one sense you want as much freedom as possible to allow the player to experience something new. In another sense you need to confine the action to make sure the player is never at a loss.
A game like Zelda OOT judges this perfectly. On the one hand you have very well defined areas within the land of Hyrule, and you always know where to go to get to the next task. However, you are free to go anywhere else in the gaming world to compete is sub games, speak to people, or just for fun.
However, this is a hard thing to judge. For example, Shenmue has the great idea of setting the game in a town in which you can go to the arcade, play billiards or practice fighting. However, the quest is such that you have no freedom in what you do- you have to speak to A, then B, and then A again, who'll suddenly "remember" something new. The only freedom is the illusion of having a real town.
Sonic
A game like Zelda OOT judges this perfectly. On the one hand you have very well defined areas within the land of Hyrule, and you always know where to go to get to the next task. However, you are free to go anywhere else in the gaming world to compete is sub games, speak to people, or just for fun.
However, this is a hard thing to judge. For example, Shenmue has the great idea of setting the game in a town in which you can go to the arcade, play billiards or practice fighting. However, the quest is such that you have no freedom in what you do- you have to speak to A, then B, and then A again, who'll suddenly "remember" something new. The only freedom is the illusion of having a real town.
Sonic
Thing is, if you were given an RPG with the ability to do anything, what would you do? For starters, you'd have to earn money and stuff doing mundane jobs for a while in order to buy swords, buy an intergalactic starship ticket and more. Even then, it would be too open ended to know what to do - you'd have to pretty much go to an in-game library and learn everything there is to know. After all, this is a free world yet you don't go out with a massive broadsword killing ravenous bunny rabbits...
...what's more, there would be no scope for any actual gaming. If you were to get a gun and shoot somebody, it would end up with you in jail for 6 gaming years. And the same goes for monsters, evil empires and everything else. You'd pretty much end up playing 'The Sims' in an infinite universe. God, where's the humanity?!!
...what's more, there would be no scope for any actual gaming. If you were to get a gun and shoot somebody, it would end up with you in jail for 6 gaming years. And the same goes for monsters, evil empires and everything else. You'd pretty much end up playing 'The Sims' in an infinite universe. God, where's the humanity?!!
You canna have an ever-lasting game, as this planet will end one day too!
A masssive MASSIVE MMORPG where you can do anything in the Universe would be cool!
A masssive MASSIVE MMORPG where you can do anything in the Universe would be cool!
I think that Freedom is a key element in an adventure game and so on, but I think that there has to be a limit on how much freedom you give someone in a game, because they might lose interest in the game, and just wants to walk around.
But, freedom is needed to give a game that extra something. If a game is very big it's needs freedom so that you can explore but otherwise it is not needed.
But, freedom is needed to give a game that extra something. If a game is very big it's needs freedom so that you can explore but otherwise it is not needed.
Of course we need freedom, both in life and in games!
GTA3 came out and everybody loved it because it had been a long time since such a game offered as much freedom as it does.
In the East, not many people have freedom to do anything or else they get persecuted. Here in the west, we have the freedom to drink, swear and talk about how crap our government is, which can't said about the east.
Freedom is an element of life we all love, especially when you're been held down all the time by something or someone.
It's not only GTA3 that offers freedom, loads of other games do, but not as much as GTA3 does. I think the fact that it's based on sort of a real world with people, not monsters gives it that extra free spirit.
GTA3 came out and everybody loved it because it had been a long time since such a game offered as much freedom as it does.
In the East, not many people have freedom to do anything or else they get persecuted. Here in the west, we have the freedom to drink, swear and talk about how crap our government is, which can't said about the east.
Freedom is an element of life we all love, especially when you're been held down all the time by something or someone.
It's not only GTA3 that offers freedom, loads of other games do, but not as much as GTA3 does. I think the fact that it's based on sort of a real world with people, not monsters gives it that extra free spirit.
I am always dreaming of freedom in games. Whether its being able to enter buildings in cities, not just drive around, or explore the fields beyond the level you're on. I've always wanted free-roaming areas, and up until now this has never been an option. Never, ever.
Like the millions of people who also own a copy, I absolutely adore GTA3. The reason its so amazing, is because to a very strictly controlled degree, you do have freedom. While there are restrictions such as with with the building-entering front, you can still roam the city in a huge variety of vehicles, doing as you please with the inhabitants. To a certain degree.
I don't like to think of this as freedom, because it isn't. You can't go beyond the city limits, you can't really do whatever you want to the people, and the number of different cars available is nowhere near the number in reality.
You see, to have a videogame to give you absolute freedom would be impossible. Since every single event in every single game has to be thought of, designed by and animated by developers, to create an infinite world would be an impossible task. But what got at me today, is do we really want a never ending world?
If *IF* there was a game, where you could do whatever you wanted, what would happen??? Very, very few people would see a single digit percentage of the game. In fact, there would probably be parts of the game which nobody ever plays at. Even so, it would be great to be able to adventure, shoot and jump across tonnes of different worlds. Think of the possibilities for side quests. And for missions, it could be that only one person can ever do the mission, if it was online. Once its finished, its finished.
What got me thinking about all this freedom malarkey was that my parents have gone away this weekend, giving me the supposed freedom that comes with it. But instead of trashing the house, holding a huge party and boozing 'til the cows come home, I'm just doing what I'd do normally. I'm on the internet for a bit, writing this. I've been playing Final Fantasy 10. I'm having some mates over in a bit for a spot of, frankly brilliant, multiplayer Super Smash Brothers Melee.
If our gaming desires were anything like real life, if we were given a fully interactive, fully free world to play in, would we deviate from anything we've done before. I mean, in gaming genres there have been very few innovative ideas, yet gaming is more popular today than ever before. Would people just pop on down to a nuclear bunker and start shooting people?
It is in our nature to not be adventurous. Given the choice, I'd rather settle down in a gaming universe and play farmers like in Harvest Moon rather than travel around space fighting space scum. I don't know why, but that is just the way I think. Many other people would be the same as this. Given the freedom to do what you want, would you still play as if it was another Half Life, Metal Gear, Gran Turismo or Final Fantasy? Most probably. Would anybody buy a space ship and travel to distant planets as ambassadors of Earth. Probably not...
So what I'm getting at, is that do we really need freedom? It would take away from me, at least, what I love most about games - the plot. And even if it did have a vague plot, the gameplay would be just too open ended for me. I wouldn't know where to start. And then again, if it was entirely freefrom constraints, it would probably just mirror real life. Freedom in gaming might be something of a dream, but in my opinion I'm happy with the plot-driven games like Final Fantasy, Metal Gear Solid and - vaguely - Grand Theft Auto 3. Freedom in gaming may give us our dream, but it won't make us deviate from the tried and tested gaming paths that we play today.
Like the millions of people who also own a copy, I absolutely adore GTA3. The reason its so amazing, is because to a very strictly controlled degree, you do have freedom. While there are restrictions such as with with the building-entering front, you can still roam the city in a huge variety of vehicles, doing as you please with the inhabitants. To a certain degree.
I don't like to think of this as freedom, because it isn't. You can't go beyond the city limits, you can't really do whatever you want to the people, and the number of different cars available is nowhere near the number in reality.
You see, to have a videogame to give you absolute freedom would be impossible. Since every single event in every single game has to be thought of, designed by and animated by developers, to create an infinite world would be an impossible task. But what got at me today, is do we really want a never ending world?
If *IF* there was a game, where you could do whatever you wanted, what would happen??? Very, very few people would see a single digit percentage of the game. In fact, there would probably be parts of the game which nobody ever plays at. Even so, it would be great to be able to adventure, shoot and jump across tonnes of different worlds. Think of the possibilities for side quests. And for missions, it could be that only one person can ever do the mission, if it was online. Once its finished, its finished.
What got me thinking about all this freedom malarkey was that my parents have gone away this weekend, giving me the supposed freedom that comes with it. But instead of trashing the house, holding a huge party and boozing 'til the cows come home, I'm just doing what I'd do normally. I'm on the internet for a bit, writing this. I've been playing Final Fantasy 10. I'm having some mates over in a bit for a spot of, frankly brilliant, multiplayer Super Smash Brothers Melee.
If our gaming desires were anything like real life, if we were given a fully interactive, fully free world to play in, would we deviate from anything we've done before. I mean, in gaming genres there have been very few innovative ideas, yet gaming is more popular today than ever before. Would people just pop on down to a nuclear bunker and start shooting people?
It is in our nature to not be adventurous. Given the choice, I'd rather settle down in a gaming universe and play farmers like in Harvest Moon rather than travel around space fighting space scum. I don't know why, but that is just the way I think. Many other people would be the same as this. Given the freedom to do what you want, would you still play as if it was another Half Life, Metal Gear, Gran Turismo or Final Fantasy? Most probably. Would anybody buy a space ship and travel to distant planets as ambassadors of Earth. Probably not...
So what I'm getting at, is that do we really need freedom? It would take away from me, at least, what I love most about games - the plot. And even if it did have a vague plot, the gameplay would be just too open ended for me. I wouldn't know where to start. And then again, if it was entirely freefrom constraints, it would probably just mirror real life. Freedom in gaming might be something of a dream, but in my opinion I'm happy with the plot-driven games like Final Fantasy, Metal Gear Solid and - vaguely - Grand Theft Auto 3. Freedom in gaming may give us our dream, but it won't make us deviate from the tried and tested gaming paths that we play today.