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CloseAre you a fan of multiple endings, in an rpg?
I personally am not a fan of them. In fact, with the exception of Chrono Trigger,I would go as far as to say I hate them. I personally think it's a cop-out, and it tells me the developer does not know how to create an excellent story. So instead he's gonna fog the vision of the player by giving him ton's of choices and endings, in hopes that they will not realize what a plain, boring story it really is. Of course it's fun to have choices in a game, but there's also a time and a place for them, and don't make those choices effect the outcome of the game either. That to me is not only stupid, but can also be frustrating when I feel like I didn't make the right choice, or I should have done that, or you don't want something to happen and you could have prevented it. And in terms of what it does to the story, well let's just say I want to read the book, I don't want to have to write it to. Most of my "Real life Friends" disagree with me, so it got me thinking... Is there anybody out there that is picking up what I'm thrown down? Even if you disagree with me I still want your opinion as to why. Just be cool brothers,My topics are all supposed to be intelligent conversations, meant to broaden your horizons, as well as my own.
I personally am not a fan of them. In fact, with the exception of Chrono Trigger,I would go as far as to say I hate them. I personally think it's a cop-out, and it tells me the developer does not know how to create an excellent story. So instead he's gonna fog the vision of the player by giving him ton's of choices and endings, in hopes that they will not realize what a plain, boring story it really is. Of course it's fun to have choices in a game, but there's also a time and a place for them, and don't make those choices effect the outcome of the game either. That to me is not only stupid, but can also be frustrating when I feel like I didn't make the right choice, or I should have done that, or you don't want something to happen and you could have prevented it. And in terms of what it does to the story, well let's just say I want to read the book, I don't want to have to write it to. Most of my "Real life Friends" disagree with me, so it got me thinking... Is there anybody out there that is picking up what I'm thrown down? Even if you disagree with me I still want your opinion as to why. Just be cool brothers,My topics are all supposed to be intelligent conversations, meant to broaden your horizons, as well as my own.
Darken
3952
Please change the topic title to something like: "Are you a fan of multiple endings?" Seriously.
As for your question I agree that sometimes multiple endings can be rather pointless because you just end up going on youtube and watching the endings you didn't get. Not to mention I completely understand about what you mean about feeling really cautious on what choices to make throughout the game and being frustrated with the ending.
HOWEVER, multiple endings can be good if done right. The Way had interesting multiple endings, it didn't have any 'bad' endings rather, it just had endings that were reflected on your opinion which were decided by choices. The other nice thing about these endings is that each one revealed abit more to the story, so there was replay value (heck relearning The Way's story again is replay value itself).
I hate multiple endings where theres just a bad, okay, and OMG-GOOD ending, but if it's something like The Way did, I see nothing wrong with it.
As for your question I agree that sometimes multiple endings can be rather pointless because you just end up going on youtube and watching the endings you didn't get. Not to mention I completely understand about what you mean about feeling really cautious on what choices to make throughout the game and being frustrated with the ending.
HOWEVER, multiple endings can be good if done right. The Way had interesting multiple endings, it didn't have any 'bad' endings rather, it just had endings that were reflected on your opinion which were decided by choices. The other nice thing about these endings is that each one revealed abit more to the story, so there was replay value (heck relearning The Way's story again is replay value itself).
I hate multiple endings where theres just a bad, okay, and OMG-GOOD ending, but if it's something like The Way did, I see nothing wrong with it.
Jabbo
140
author=Andrew Glassner ( http://www.glassner.com/andrew/writing/gamedesign.htm )
The first appeal is largely illusion. Why would you want to play the game a second time? Much of the fun of interactive games is learning about the world and the characters and how things work. Once you've played all the way through, you know these things. In the best case, you've seen a satisfying story and had a good time. Why play through it again with just a slightly different twist on things? Most of what you'll encounter you'll have seen before, though there will be some differences. But you've already seen the game and reached a satisfying resolution. In my experience, most players investigate some of the alternative endings simply to see what they're like, not because they want to play the game again.
I hate all irrevocable decisions. Regardless of the choices I make, I want to be able to go back and try them again. So I don't want to have to be on my toes trying to make the right choices at all times in order to get the good ending. Plus, more endings = less time devoted to each = less fulfilling game ending.
I think it's okay to have a "Bad," "Okay," and "Good" ending if the game is relatively short and the ending you get is based on your accomplishments (and not arbitrary, vague preconditions). For example, I've got multiple endings planned for a game, but if you get the "good" ending, which is based entirely on percentage of things found, you unlock the "bad and "okay" endings to watch from the main menu. I think this is a reasonable way of doing it.
Another option is when you actually get to choose your ending directly. This is also fine, since you can save beforehand.
And then there are reward endings, which are okay in any game. Like the "Meet the developers" thing in Chrono Trigger for beating Lavos with just Crono and Marle. As long as you don't put vital information into them, they're all right to have just to acknowledge peoples' achievements.
It solely depends on the game itself. I like games with multiple endings, but if there isn't anything like New Game+, I most likely won't play again just to get the other endings. And it really doesn't bother if the endings are evil, neutral, or good.
This really depends on what you're going for. As mentioned, however, games with multiple endings rarely have fulfilling endings. Sometimes because the ending is the 'bad ending', sometimes because games like Star Ocean think a bunch of clips showing characters sputtering off random dialogue during the ending sequence through a totally obscure and abstract method of relationship values that build up throughout the game is a REALLY GOOD IDEA.
Basically: If your idea sounds good with multiple endings, go ahead and try. If it's obvious it won't, don't do it for the love of god. (see: Iron Gaia)
Basically: If your idea sounds good with multiple endings, go ahead and try. If it's obvious it won't, don't do it for the love of god. (see: Iron Gaia)
I like multiple endings, but I also agree with a lot of what's been said here. I don't like it when the endings are affected by irreversable decisions that you can't foresee without a strategy guide, and I especially hate playing a game again just for the sake of getting a different ending.
That's why, for my games, I base multiple endings off of two things: plot-relevant sidetrips and end-game performance. I disable saving when the game reaches its final phases, so if the player messes up and doesn't get the best ending, they can go back and try again from before the point of no return. And, if their failure was due to a missed sidetrip, they can back up to investigate it as well.
The only game I didn't really mind this in was Chrono Trigger. After you beat the game the first time and unlocked New Game +, it was neat to go back through owning everything and seeing how it would've been different if you'd beaten Lavos at earlier points in the plot.
That's why, for my games, I base multiple endings off of two things: plot-relevant sidetrips and end-game performance. I disable saving when the game reaches its final phases, so if the player messes up and doesn't get the best ending, they can go back and try again from before the point of no return. And, if their failure was due to a missed sidetrip, they can back up to investigate it as well.
The only game I didn't really mind this in was Chrono Trigger. After you beat the game the first time and unlocked New Game +, it was neat to go back through owning everything and seeing how it would've been different if you'd beaten Lavos at earlier points in the plot.
demondestiny
889
I have never liked multiple endings in games. I think i remember FF X had a multiple ending to it. Oh and Chrono Trigger of course.
I don't hate multiple endings, In fact I do like the idea of an adventure changing but it's just like, so did I get the right ending or what? In Tales of Symphonia my party Killed Zelos for being a traitor and Kratos re-joined my party later on. In the upcoming sequel Zelos is still alive, so it feels like I got the wrong ending. Star Ocean 3 had like 8 endings or something stupid, that's just so over the top.
FFX-2 had shit pointless ending or "for the fans" ending, both stupid.
FFX-2 had shit pointless ending or "for the fans" ending, both stupid.
I like multiple endings that depend on Relationships with your characters. I also like the ideas that Multiple Endings do not really effect the total outcome, one good example was Tales of Symphonia. you could have a relationship with a characters that would slightly change the cut scenes. The ending would be the same though, the bad guy would die and the world saved. So you don't really feel like you've wasted your game due to one thing you didn't even know about.
I also like the Multiple Endings from different points of view like if you have multiple stories to play as giving the same ending but in different points of view. This requires the player to beat all the endings to piece together everything that has happened, and the whole story. The reasons and motives and it offers replay value. I also like something similar to this the good or evil where you choose a side and you see what-if endings that aren't connected.
-Hero Ending
World is Saved
Evil Ending
-World is Destroyed
The only problem with that is the canon issue that you have to pick a specific ending if you make a sequel. You basically just say that one of the endings never happened or one of the stories never happened and was a waste of times. What about the endings like Sonic Adventure 2: Battle. You got two different endings but all an all the good guys won.
I also like the Multiple Endings from different points of view like if you have multiple stories to play as giving the same ending but in different points of view. This requires the player to beat all the endings to piece together everything that has happened, and the whole story. The reasons and motives and it offers replay value. I also like something similar to this the good or evil where you choose a side and you see what-if endings that aren't connected.
-Hero Ending
World is Saved
Evil Ending
-World is Destroyed
The only problem with that is the canon issue that you have to pick a specific ending if you make a sequel. You basically just say that one of the endings never happened or one of the stories never happened and was a waste of times. What about the endings like Sonic Adventure 2: Battle. You got two different endings but all an all the good guys won.
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