Full Games List
Featured Games
New Games
Reviews
Media
Images
Blogs
Game Updates
Images Feedback Summary
Game Design Highlights
Tutorials
Articles
Scripts
Utilities / Plugins
Resources
Engines
Engine Bulletins
What is Makerscore?
Past Events
Achievements
Misaos
Forums
Post History
Chat
New to RMN?
Full Store List
RMN Music Pack (free)
STORYLINE CHANGES BASED ON SEEMINGLY INNOCUOUS THINGS: GOOD IDEA OR BAD IDEA?
Posts
Pages:
1
Trihan
View playlists
CloseSo one idea I was bandying about for Tundra that I really like as a concept at least is that in several cases there are going to be items obtainable in various places or from various enemies that can cause major shifts in the story. For example, let's say you get an item from an enemy that is clearly an artifact of <insert race here> and you later come across a/an <insert race> who only joins the party if you have said artifact but has a pretty big plot arc associated with them that you will only see if they are recruited (this is nothing like the main thing I'm planning on, just an example).
My question is, do you think it's a good idea to have such important things left to chance? It's not like this would affect the actual main plot of the game; that will happen with no input from the player besides playing the game. What I want to do is present various locations, scenarios and choices that may in fact completely change part of the game's story, or give you a new objective before you can get back to the main one. Not just on the level of a sidequest: what I'm proposing is something that will actually have a discernible effect on the character interactions, events that take place, or even the ending.
(I should also point out that most of the examples I'm thinking of will be gradual changes which will be signposted to the player via cutscenes, so they'll start to see what's going on and before the point of no return they will be able to do something to return from the path they were set on if they don't like where the story seems to be going)
My question is, do you think it's a good idea to have such important things left to chance? It's not like this would affect the actual main plot of the game; that will happen with no input from the player besides playing the game. What I want to do is present various locations, scenarios and choices that may in fact completely change part of the game's story, or give you a new objective before you can get back to the main one. Not just on the level of a sidequest: what I'm proposing is something that will actually have a discernible effect on the character interactions, events that take place, or even the ending.
(I should also point out that most of the examples I'm thinking of will be gradual changes which will be signposted to the player via cutscenes, so they'll start to see what's going on and before the point of no return they will be able to do something to return from the path they were set on if they don't like where the story seems to be going)
I'm not sure. If everyone likes the Insect Race storyline, and I play the game and want to check it out, not getting that item will be pretty disappointing.
It's a cool idea, but it seems like a lot of work to make all the content for an indie developer to make when, based on chance, the player may never even encounter them. I like the idea in general, but it just doesn't seem viable for an indie game, in my opinion ^^;
It's a cool idea, but it seems like a lot of work to make all the content for an indie developer to make when, based on chance, the player may never even encounter them. I like the idea in general, but it just doesn't seem viable for an indie game, in my opinion ^^;
Sooz
They told me I was mad when I said I was going to create a spidertable. Who’s laughing now!!!
5354
If you are cool with possibly upsetting people who miss it and don't know why, and also with doing a buttload of extra work to pull it off, good idea. I think it's neat, and I'm all about experiments in gam mak. Give it a try, all you can do is make a game that doesn't work for everyone. :D
You could do it but I'd recommend lock-outs and only a few of them. For example, 4/5 total, but getting #3 locks you out of getting #1.
As unity said, you have to think about how much work it would take and whether that would burn you out or not. If you think it's something you can do without killing yourself, then go for it, but limiting them would be a good idea.
I could actually see this as a great idea for DLC. Like, finish the game with the main story, then add these things as DLC to change the story a bit and add some replayability. It'd be cool, you'd finish your main game and you'd just have to plug these patches in to get cool new content that allows for a different kind of story~
As unity said, you have to think about how much work it would take and whether that would burn you out or not. If you think it's something you can do without killing yourself, then go for it, but limiting them would be a good idea.
I could actually see this as a great idea for DLC. Like, finish the game with the main story, then add these things as DLC to change the story a bit and add some replayability. It'd be cool, you'd finish your main game and you'd just have to plug these patches in to get cool new content that allows for a different kind of story~
RyaReisender
200
It will work great as long as people don't know what they are missing. But if people start using walkthroughs they might get frustrated if getting that artifact is too hard.
I've seen this system working in some MMORPGs. Several quests were activated by getting rare random drops. The intention there was to not have everybody just follow a linear quest line but rather have a different experience for each player depending on who found which item. It worked okay, but the biggest flaw was that you couldn't switch it to a "party" quest, so when I got an item, my friend was always jealous he couldn't experience that part of the story and vice versa.
Generally though, I like the basic idea. In fact one could make a whole game revolve around that, then it's more of a short RPG with hundreds of different possible paths fairly randomly chosen. Nice replay value.
I've seen this system working in some MMORPGs. Several quests were activated by getting rare random drops. The intention there was to not have everybody just follow a linear quest line but rather have a different experience for each player depending on who found which item. It worked okay, but the biggest flaw was that you couldn't switch it to a "party" quest, so when I got an item, my friend was always jealous he couldn't experience that part of the story and vice versa.
Generally though, I like the basic idea. In fact one could make a whole game revolve around that, then it's more of a short RPG with hundreds of different possible paths fairly randomly chosen. Nice replay value.
Thanks for the feedback guys. I assure you that anything I do with this idea will be easy for anyone to do if they know about it; I'm not in the habit of adding impossible-to-find content unless it's truly optional and not related to the main story.
to tell the truth this is pretty similar to real life and the butterfly effect.
think about it. Think of the friends you have. Think of your life. Now, wouldn't it be different, if you hadn't been at the right (or wrong) place at the right (or wrong) time?
Not all "realistic" stuff is inherently fun, after all if so you'd be actually going out and beating grizzly bears instead of playing RPGs. but this is something that does have the potential to be very interesting xD
think about it. Think of the friends you have. Think of your life. Now, wouldn't it be different, if you hadn't been at the right (or wrong) place at the right (or wrong) time?
Not all "realistic" stuff is inherently fun, after all if so you'd be actually going out and beating grizzly bears instead of playing RPGs. but this is something that does have the potential to be very interesting xD
Joseph: It actually reminds me of my marriage. :P
I was working at a call centre and was catching the bus home one day when I got talking to another girl who worked there, Anja. We got on pretty well and became friends. A while after that I was waiting for my bus to work when I ran into Anja with her friend Kytt; they were both still drunk from the night before and had ordered tickets to go to Glasgow while drunk for no reason, and decided they might as well go since they had tickets.
I invited Anja to my 25th birthday night out; she invited Kytt, who only went with her because she had ran into me at the bus station that day.
A while after that, Anja asked if I remembered Kytt and if I wanted to go on a date with her, to which I said HELL YEAH because I had a good time talking to her on the night out (I had been with someone then but by this time I was single).
So basically my marriage is entirely thanks to alcohol and my old job.
I was working at a call centre and was catching the bus home one day when I got talking to another girl who worked there, Anja. We got on pretty well and became friends. A while after that I was waiting for my bus to work when I ran into Anja with her friend Kytt; they were both still drunk from the night before and had ordered tickets to go to Glasgow while drunk for no reason, and decided they might as well go since they had tickets.
I invited Anja to my 25th birthday night out; she invited Kytt, who only went with her because she had ran into me at the bus station that day.
A while after that, Anja asked if I remembered Kytt and if I wanted to go on a date with her, to which I said HELL YEAH because I had a good time talking to her on the night out (I had been with someone then but by this time I was single).
So basically my marriage is entirely thanks to alcohol and my old job.
see? That's what I mean, heheh
A cool story ;w;
I often find myself wondering who's the person in the house at the corner. Who's the person who lives on the corner of my job. If I had the chance to meet them but did not, and what'd have changed if I did. Sometimes I wonder how would it have been if I had not been in a certain place in a certain time. The people I wouldn't have met... For instance, I myself am only an English teacher due to coincidence. xD
I went to an English/Spanish/Webdesign/Management/Game Design/hell I bet they even taught cooking school in order to get a discount in the game design course. I "succeeded" in their test (they all graded all students the same: 60%, which translated directly into """""discount"""""") but I wasn't able to pay it. They asked me to leave my curriculum there, for they'd try to find me a job as a telemarketing operator... Then they saw I speak english and hired me as a teacher XDDDDD (you can see it's a wonderful school)
Nowdays I'm actually certified by Cambridge, with 2+ years of experience, and actually working in a serious school thanks to this utter, utter coincidence of fate xD
This can be very interesting if applied to the game world, especially when coupled with random chances. But it can be very hard to implement, especially if you don't plan it out.
A cool story ;w;
I often find myself wondering who's the person in the house at the corner. Who's the person who lives on the corner of my job. If I had the chance to meet them but did not, and what'd have changed if I did. Sometimes I wonder how would it have been if I had not been in a certain place in a certain time. The people I wouldn't have met... For instance, I myself am only an English teacher due to coincidence. xD
I went to an English/Spanish/Webdesign/Management/Game Design/hell I bet they even taught cooking school in order to get a discount in the game design course. I "succeeded" in their test (they all graded all students the same: 60%, which translated directly into """""discount"""""") but I wasn't able to pay it. They asked me to leave my curriculum there, for they'd try to find me a job as a telemarketing operator... Then they saw I speak english and hired me as a teacher XDDDDD (you can see it's a wonderful school)
Nowdays I'm actually certified by Cambridge, with 2+ years of experience, and actually working in a serious school thanks to this utter, utter coincidence of fate xD
This can be very interesting if applied to the game world, especially when coupled with random chances. But it can be very hard to implement, especially if you don't plan it out.
I had a sort of similar thing I guess: I went to college about 10 years ago to do HNC/HND (Higher National Certificate/Diploma, basically the levels below a degree) Computing, but due to the ease of the course and my own complacency I didn't quite manage the HNC. Randomly decided last year to go back and redo them, and while I was on the HNC an email went around saying the local games developer (the CEO of which I was at school with) was hiring for a summer internship, which I applied to and was hired for. The internship was also advertised in the job centre and online etc. but if I hadn't been on the course I wouldn't have checked any other sources and wouldn't have known the job was available. Because of that job I've made a lifelong friend who I now do a bunch of game development work with, as well as a number of other useful connections I wouldn't otherwise have had.
Funny thing, life.
Funny thing, life.
Pages:
1
