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Storylines are normally the last thing a developer thinks about but are they more important than we make out?
Shadowman is one of Acclaims greatest games, On the 64 it was designed well played like a dream and was huge. On the Playstation though this Horror game didn't work too well with a bad control system, Dodgy graphics, lack of sound in certain areas compared with the 64 version and jercky movements made this game a complete horror to play.
Despite these game ruining problems it still pulled out an average 70% score by most Playstation magazines. The reason in my mind is the amazing storyline which the game boasts with its twist i believe it is this storyline which persuaded people to carry on playing this game.
Turok 3 is the same I loved the game but the main reason why I couldn't stop playing because I was dying to know what happens next and i'll get Turok 4 as i'm dying to know if Adon can bring Joshua back to life.
But good storylines are not the only thing that makes good games Timespitters has a dodgy stroyline but it is absolutley excellent. If developers could employ authors so the game might play a dream as well as having a stunning storyline. This would make the games out there a much more enjoyable experience and this will increase the standards of games so developers will think twice before releasing a load of rubbish on to the market.
Heres to the future
Dringo
Shadowman is one of Acclaims greatest games, On the 64 it was designed well played like a dream and was huge. On the Playstation though this Horror game didn't work too well with a bad control system, Dodgy graphics, lack of sound in certain areas compared with the 64 version and jercky movements made this game a complete horror to play.
Despite these game ruining problems it still pulled out an average 70% score by most Playstation magazines. The reason in my mind is the amazing storyline which the game boasts with its twist i believe it is this storyline which persuaded people to carry on playing this game.
Turok 3 is the same I loved the game but the main reason why I couldn't stop playing because I was dying to know what happens next and i'll get Turok 4 as i'm dying to know if Adon can bring Joshua back to life.
But good storylines are not the only thing that makes good games Timespitters has a dodgy stroyline but it is absolutley excellent. If developers could employ authors so the game might play a dream as well as having a stunning storyline. This would make the games out there a much more enjoyable experience and this will increase the standards of games so developers will think twice before releasing a load of rubbish on to the market.
Heres to the future
Dringo
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Storylines are normally the last thing a developer thinks about but are they more important than we make out?
Shadowman is one of Acclaims greatest games, On the 64 it was designed well played like a dream and was huge. On the Playstation though this Horror game didn't work too well with a bad control system, Dodgy graphics, lack of sound in certain areas compared with the 64 version and jercky movements made this game a complete horror to play.
Despite these game ruining problems it still pulled out an average 70% score by most Playstation magazines. The reason in my mind is the amazing storyline which the game boasts with its twist i believe it is this storyline which persuaded people to carry on playing this game.
Turok 3 is the same I loved the game but the main reason why I couldn't stop playing because I was dying to know what happens next and i'll get Turok 4 as i'm dying to know if Adon can bring Joshua back to life.
But good storylines are not the only thing that makes good games Timespitters has a dodgy stroyline but it is absolutley excellent. If developers could employ authors so the game might play a dream as well as having a stunning storyline. This would make the games out there a much more enjoyable experience and this will increase the standards of games so developers will think twice before releasing a load of rubbish on to the market.
Heres to the future
Dringo
Shadowman is one of Acclaims greatest games, On the 64 it was designed well played like a dream and was huge. On the Playstation though this Horror game didn't work too well with a bad control system, Dodgy graphics, lack of sound in certain areas compared with the 64 version and jercky movements made this game a complete horror to play.
Despite these game ruining problems it still pulled out an average 70% score by most Playstation magazines. The reason in my mind is the amazing storyline which the game boasts with its twist i believe it is this storyline which persuaded people to carry on playing this game.
Turok 3 is the same I loved the game but the main reason why I couldn't stop playing because I was dying to know what happens next and i'll get Turok 4 as i'm dying to know if Adon can bring Joshua back to life.
But good storylines are not the only thing that makes good games Timespitters has a dodgy stroyline but it is absolutley excellent. If developers could employ authors so the game might play a dream as well as having a stunning storyline. This would make the games out there a much more enjoyable experience and this will increase the standards of games so developers will think twice before releasing a load of rubbish on to the market.
Heres to the future
Dringo
You have a very good point dringo, but storylines are at different levels of importance in different games...if the last thing the developers in the Final Fantasy series thought about was the storyline, they would be shot! The storylines are what make the FF games...Graphics come third behind Gameplay which is second!
Other games such as Conker, don't HAVE to have a perfect storyline...just something that fits although it is still an important part of the success of the game! Most adventure games that hit the 90% mark seem to have quite a storyline to them, the Banjo and Conker games are very well thought out and although Conker might not be QUITE as imaginative as Banjo both are very good, and because we can rely on Rare in both the other areas the storyline was important, and by the sound of thing neither dissapoints!
So storylines are important, they play a vital role in some games and they aren't so important in others but with the Next-Gen machines haveing VERY similar graphical capabilities and the increasing knowledge of developers occuring day by day, storylines may play an even more vital role in the success of the futures game...oh and...
...Here's to the Future too!
The Game
Other games such as Conker, don't HAVE to have a perfect storyline...just something that fits although it is still an important part of the success of the game! Most adventure games that hit the 90% mark seem to have quite a storyline to them, the Banjo and Conker games are very well thought out and although Conker might not be QUITE as imaginative as Banjo both are very good, and because we can rely on Rare in both the other areas the storyline was important, and by the sound of thing neither dissapoints!
So storylines are important, they play a vital role in some games and they aren't so important in others but with the Next-Gen machines haveing VERY similar graphical capabilities and the increasing knowledge of developers occuring day by day, storylines may play an even more vital role in the success of the futures game...oh and...
...Here's to the Future too!
The Game
It does depend on the game....if you are playing a fighting game, is there supposed to be a story? Do you want one? With an RPG or Adventure game, however, it's vital for the success of the game!
I am glad you agree with what I agree with...:D
I agree with PinkPig. It depends on the genre. SimCity doesn't have a storyline pre-written for it. You make your city and off you go. The addition of a storyline wouldn't benefit it.
In action/adventure games (and especially with RPGs), the storyline needs to be at least decent. The more parts of your game that are top-notch, the more players will remember you for it. Conker's BFD, despite how much I actually like the game, really doesn't have a storyline. It has dialogue and such, but it otherwise just has numerous excuses to force Conker into doing some truly disgusting things for the sake of a laugh. Of course, there's nothing wrong with this; after all, it's a comedy. Comedies tend to require less of a storyline. If it makes you laugh, it's a good one. The gags are more significant than plot twists or dramaturgy.
A friend and I once commented back and forth on what we felt would be interesting to see in a game concept: One we both felt quite a bit of interest in was a Rare RPG, where your party could consist of Donkey Kong, Conker, Berri, etc. Trying to devise a worthwhile storyline around such wildly different characters would just be hilarious, not to mention likely impossible considering Banjo-Tooie doesn't bear a Mature rating as Conker does. We just loved the idea of Donkey Kong being the Main Hero of the game, with Conker constantly mocking his stupidity and making smart@ss comments about, well, everyone.
In action/adventure games (and especially with RPGs), the storyline needs to be at least decent. The more parts of your game that are top-notch, the more players will remember you for it. Conker's BFD, despite how much I actually like the game, really doesn't have a storyline. It has dialogue and such, but it otherwise just has numerous excuses to force Conker into doing some truly disgusting things for the sake of a laugh. Of course, there's nothing wrong with this; after all, it's a comedy. Comedies tend to require less of a storyline. If it makes you laugh, it's a good one. The gags are more significant than plot twists or dramaturgy.
A friend and I once commented back and forth on what we felt would be interesting to see in a game concept: One we both felt quite a bit of interest in was a Rare RPG, where your party could consist of Donkey Kong, Conker, Berri, etc. Trying to devise a worthwhile storyline around such wildly different characters would just be hilarious, not to mention likely impossible considering Banjo-Tooie doesn't bear a Mature rating as Conker does. We just loved the idea of Donkey Kong being the Main Hero of the game, with Conker constantly mocking his stupidity and making smart@ss comments about, well, everyone.
Storylines? I agree that it depends on the genre. In Mario Kart I don't need to know why they are racing each other, they just are, and it's fun.
Mario Party 2 doesn't need a story, but one is made up, and is quite entertaining to watch the first time you play it, but it's really unnecessary.
Though think about the word storyline. There's one part of that work that worries me slightly, and that's line. To say that a line is linear would be a bit of an abvious statement, no?
In a game such as an RPG or adventure I like to see an intro that gives the basic story up to where you start from, and maybe some distant goal. If companies work too hard on storylines, then the game will surely be a little linear, as the developers would want you to stivk to their tale.
So rather than a constrictive storyline, it should be more like a winding road, with many routes to take. Taking a left at an earlier junction will lead you to a completely different final destination than taking a right would have done.
I want gaming to move away from telling a tale in the same way a movie does, and instead use the potential size of the next generation games to lead to multiple different variations on the one story, that can lead to numerous endings.
Mario Party 2 doesn't need a story, but one is made up, and is quite entertaining to watch the first time you play it, but it's really unnecessary.
Though think about the word storyline. There's one part of that work that worries me slightly, and that's line. To say that a line is linear would be a bit of an abvious statement, no?
In a game such as an RPG or adventure I like to see an intro that gives the basic story up to where you start from, and maybe some distant goal. If companies work too hard on storylines, then the game will surely be a little linear, as the developers would want you to stivk to their tale.
So rather than a constrictive storyline, it should be more like a winding road, with many routes to take. Taking a left at an earlier junction will lead you to a completely different final destination than taking a right would have done.
I want gaming to move away from telling a tale in the same way a movie does, and instead use the potential size of the next generation games to lead to multiple different variations on the one story, that can lead to numerous endings.
meka_dragon wrote:
> I want gaming to move away from telling a tale in the same way a movie does, and instead use the potential size of the next generation games to lead to multiple different
variations on the one story, that can lead to numerous endings. <
Agreed. Though the debate still rages on as to whether gaming is a viable means for storytelling at all.
> I want gaming to move away from telling a tale in the same way a movie does, and instead use the potential size of the next generation games to lead to multiple different
variations on the one story, that can lead to numerous endings. <
Agreed. Though the debate still rages on as to whether gaming is a viable means for storytelling at all.
The word story, preceeded by the words "lack of" and "writing in the" and then followed by the words "that took off so well" worries me...
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