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HOW MUCH DIALOGUE SHOULD THERE BE IN A DUNGEON CRAWLER?
Posts
Luiishu535
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CloseOr how much do you prefer?
I apologize for not writing more. My PC broke and I'm currently typing from my phone. Since my phone doesn't check for errors in English grammar and spelling, I deeply apologize for potential mistakes in this post.
I apologize for not writing more. My PC broke and I'm currently typing from my phone. Since my phone doesn't check for errors in English grammar and spelling, I deeply apologize for potential mistakes in this post.
Really, a dungeon-crawler can have as much or as little as you like.
As for how much I prefer, that depends. I'd like a good bit of dialog if the characters are original. If you make your own party by choosing/hiring characters, you can get away with having them be silent as players will, if they're anything like me, make up their own personalities for them XD; Tho I certainly have no objections if you work out a way for them to have dialog too.
As for how much I prefer, that depends. I'd like a good bit of dialog if the characters are original. If you make your own party by choosing/hiring characters, you can get away with having them be silent as players will, if they're anything like me, make up their own personalities for them XD; Tho I certainly have no objections if you work out a way for them to have dialog too.
It's a dungeon crawler. You're making a game that involves more on gameplay than story.
But I can assure you that this equation:
Best story + Best gameplay = GOTY (Game of the Year)
Can topple of anything.
But I can assure you that this equation:
Best story + Best gameplay = GOTY (Game of the Year)
Can topple of anything.
As much as is entertaining.
I'm not even being snarky. Dungeon crawlers are all about the crawl, and if dialogue can alleviate the hacky-slashy-treasure-stabby-badabum-badabum-badabum, then great. If its funny dialog, even better. If its to move story or plot, you could probably find some other way to do that.
I would probably just avoid 'cutscenes' and have dialog trees with lots of questions or back-out options. Put a lot of player influence on talking so that they can undergo some detective work to find out more about the game world if they so choose, or to opt out if the conversation gets boring. (theoretically if a conversation is proven to be boring it shouldn't be in the game, though you can't account for all players and all tastes)
I'm not even being snarky. Dungeon crawlers are all about the crawl, and if dialogue can alleviate the hacky-slashy-treasure-stabby-badabum-badabum-badabum, then great. If its funny dialog, even better. If its to move story or plot, you could probably find some other way to do that.
I would probably just avoid 'cutscenes' and have dialog trees with lots of questions or back-out options. Put a lot of player influence on talking so that they can undergo some detective work to find out more about the game world if they so choose, or to opt out if the conversation gets boring. (theoretically if a conversation is proven to be boring it shouldn't be in the game, though you can't account for all players and all tastes)
author=KatanaHiroshi
It's a dungeon crawler. You're making a game that involves more on gameplay than story.
I raise you Pokemon Mystery Dungeon. Great games with good and long stories and a surprisingly entertaining dungeon crawler to boot. I heard that the latest game is quite challenging from the get go, too. I agree with your other points, though!
A dungeon crawler can be anything that you want it to be. Just like every other game. Just make sure to promote your project correctly so that people who love difficult crawlers aren't misinformed because your project focuses on the story aspects more than the dungeon aspects. :)
Wow, thanks for the fast and insightful comments, everyone!
I'm planning to have two cutscenes in the game (an intro and an ending or two) and both of them will probably be skip-able. The cutscenes won't be that long though, just a few minutes at most. The other dialogue will probably just pop up during gameplay. You play as pre-made characters in the game and I wanted to give them some personality at least. The dialogue I'm planning to have in the game is aimed to strengthen the game's setting and atmosphere.
I'm planning to have two cutscenes in the game (an intro and an ending or two) and both of them will probably be skip-able. The cutscenes won't be that long though, just a few minutes at most. The other dialogue will probably just pop up during gameplay. You play as pre-made characters in the game and I wanted to give them some personality at least. The dialogue I'm planning to have in the game is aimed to strengthen the game's setting and atmosphere.
author=luiishu535
Wow, thanks for the fast and insightful comments, everyone!
I'm planning to have two cutscenes in the game (an intro and an ending or two) and both of them will probably be skip-able. The cutscenes won't be that long though, just a few minutes at most. The other dialogue will probably just pop up during gameplay. You play as pre-made characters in the game and I wanted to give them some personality at least. The dialogue I'm planning to have in the game is aimed to strengthen the game's setting and atmosphere.
How about when the player advances... so does the story? I mean, the player has to interpret the story itself by looking at the background or the location he is in at the moment. You can create a story by using the background itself and letting the player think of what happened. Just make sure to ready some points to justify those means.
I am definitely planning to add story through the game's environment and gameplay in general. The story is pretty straightforward though. This is only going to be a short 1-2 game that takes place in one dungeon (one giant basement filled with all sorts of abominations).
The focus will definitely be on the gameplay though; battles and exploration.
The focus will definitely be on the gameplay though; battles and exploration.
author=Sated
explore the psyche of the characters as they progress through such dangerous terrain towards their goal.
This is exactly what I am aiming to do with the game. The storyline will be very basic; the plot of the game is just about finding a clown and then kill it.
author=luiishu535author=SatedThis is exactly what I am aiming to do with the game. The storyline will be very basic; the plot of the game is just about finding a clown and then kill it.
explore the psyche of the characters as they progress through such dangerous terrain towards their goal.
And then everything gets bizarre.
author=Schwer-von-Begriffauthor=KatanaHiroshiI raise you Pokemon Mystery Dungeon. Great games with good and long stories and a surprisingly entertaining dungeon crawler to boot. I heard that the latest game is quite challenging from the get go, too. I agree with your other points, though!
It's a dungeon crawler. You're making a game that involves more on gameplay than story.
A dungeon crawler can be anything that you want it to be. Just like every other game. Just make sure to promote your project correctly so that people who love difficult crawlers aren't misinformed because your project focuses on the story aspects more than the dungeon aspects. :)
I found Pokemon Mystery Dungeon to be a complete and utter drag in all departments. Slow sluggish battle animations, easy battles, the sleep animations and all that senseless repeated conversation and scenes EVERY TIME YOU COMPLETED OR DID ANYTHING :'( I spent more time watching that idiot eat and sleep than in the actual dungeon.
.. sorry. I like the idea of playing cute critters, and monster in general, and I only picked up one of the series since they are sold used cheap like hell, so hey, maybe the last ones did it better.
I just had to have that said .. somewhere.. once.
Aaanyhow. It is true that anything goes. But I do agree with others that having more freedom in such choices, having a lot of story elements in the environments (and subtly so) works far better due to it making the dungeons more fun, and adding to what you are doing anyway. There are also a few with random events popping up in the dungeon, something to investigate n solve possibly, too (like The Dark Spire or Paper Sorcerer).
It all adds to the atmosphere and is just fun!
There are some first person dungeon crawlers with more story like SMT Strange Journey, some with just a kind of hidden story like the Etrian Odysseys, some with a dating-sim like snuggly character interactions when you return home (Demon Gazer) , and SMT IV had lots of dialogue.
And that storyheavy dungeoncrawler hybrids like other SMTs or Persona rock is also proof that it can work amazingly well.
.. just. make sure that the battles are rock-solid. No additives can save bad extensive dungeoncrawling if that is the care of your gameplay.
author=Kylailaauthor=Schwer-von-BegriffI found Pokemon Mystery Dungeon to be a complete and utter drag in all departments. Slow sluggish battle animations, easy battles, the sleep animations and all that senseless repeated conversation EVERY TIME YOU COMPLETED OR DID ANYTHING :'(author=KatanaHiroshiI raise you Pokemon Mystery Dungeon. Great games with good and long stories and a surprisingly entertaining dungeon crawler to boot. I heard that the latest game is quite challenging from the get go, too. I agree with your other points, though!
It's a dungeon crawler. You're making a game that involves more on gameplay than story.
A dungeon crawler can be anything that you want it to be. Just like every other game. Just make sure to promote your project correctly so that people who love difficult crawlers aren't misinformed because your project focuses on the story aspects more than the dungeon aspects. :)
.. sorry. I like the idea of playing cute critters, and monster in general, and I only picked up one of the series since they are sold used cheap like hell, so hey, maybe the last ones did it better.
I just had to have that said .. somewhere.. once.
Aaanyhow. It is true that anything goes. But I do agree with others that having more freedom in such choices, having a lot of story elements in the environments (and subtly so) works far better due to it making the dungeons more fun, and adding to what you are doing anyway. There are also a few with random events popping up in the dungeon, something to investigate n solve possibly, too (like The Dark Spire or Paper Sorcerer).
It all adds to the atmosphere and is just fun!
There are some first person dungeon crawlers with more story like SMT Strange Journey, some with just a kind of hidden story like the Etrian Odysseys, some with a dating-sim like snuggly character interactions when you return home (Demon Gazer)
And that storyheavy games like other SMTs or Persona rock is also proof that it can work amazingly well.
.. just. make sure that the battles are rock-solid. No additives can save bad extensive dungeoncrawling if that is the care of your gameplay.
I agree with your motion. A game's a game. It's you job to make it the way that you and the players want it to be. We're just here to give advice, not spoil your unique thoughts.
I did most of my narrative/world-building heavy lifting through the item and enemy descriptions, with only an opening, ending, and a smattering of NPC reactions for each character as far as dialog goes. Sure, it wasn't a story so much as a series of vignettes for each character, but it was serviceable, and using the items/enemies as carriers of detail (of which the player sees plenty) hopefully kept things from being too dry.
Just one idea!
Just one idea!
Sated
Like others have said, making a dungeon crawler doesn't mean that you can't have a meaningful storyline. I don't think that dungeon crawlers suit large, expansive storylines, but I think they can be used to explore the psyche of the characters as they progress through such dangerous terrain towards their goal.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
i was just gonna say "write fun characters" but sated put it better. this is pretty much exclusively the genre i work in so i can say that it sometimes kinda works!
I will probably give a lot of background story through the environment, notes and item/enemy descriptions. I do want to have some dialogue here and there, but that dialogue will not not stop the player's control (it won't be like cutscenes).
That time when Liberty made a dungeon crawler with no battles and lots of talking and it was actually quite well received...
SO yeah, do what you think is best.
SO yeah, do what you think is best.
