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| 23 OCT 2002 at 4:44pm |
bistroSorcerer Apprentice
Posts : 240
Joined: 15 OCT 2002
Status : Online | Choice 1. You don't necessarily have to spell out the main goal completely at the start. ...just enough to intrigue the player. Sub-plots (objectives?) can be revealed as the game progresses. You can even state the goal and objectives prior to each episode, but then introduce something that changes the objectives temporarily (like in the Thief series). But always keep the main goal.
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| 23 OCT 2002 at 5:12pm |
JonasKyratzesSorcerer Apprentice
Posts : 280
Joined: 10 OCT 2002
Status : Online | I find that there is no answer. It all depends on the game, and what you're trying to achieve. Every game must be treated as a unique work of art. There are no rules.
[i]
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| 23 OCT 2002 at 6:23pm |
FlameBoyIntergalactic Janitor
Posts : 48
Joined: 12 OCT 2002
Status : Online | I'd say Number 1 - at least have the player know what they're meant to be doing at the start, although there should certainly be more aspects to the story revealed as the game goes on.
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| 23 OCT 2002 at 6:56pm |
MichalNGrand Inquisitor
Posts : 7058
Joined: 14 SEP 2003
Status : Online | I strongly prefer a different rule: always let the player know what his/her objective is right now. There is no requirement to reveal the main objective at the beginning and it may change in the course of the game.
As an example I could give the RPG Arcanum. At the very beginning the player knows nothing at all, though he/she soon learns what the main objective is at least in a rough outline. As the game progresses, more and more details become known. The twist is that just as the player prepares for the final battle, it turns out that the arch villain is not a villain at all and that the enemy is really someone else. I loved that kind of plot development.
There is however nothing worse than having the player wonder "OK, and what the heck am I supposed to do now"? That should never happen.
I forgot my sig.
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| 23 OCT 2002 at 8:42pm |
bleepnikPrivate Detective
Posts : 544
Joined: 13 OCT 2002
Location: US
Status : Offline | I'd have to agree with Jonas. I can't give a blanket response, it totally depends on the game. All the approaches can work equally well.
.gita
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