I Was a Teenage Adventure Gamer
What-If Adventure Games
Have you ever wondered what it would be like if a game from the RTS genre
was made into an adventure game? Or what it would be like if a first-person
shooter was an adventure game? Or a business simulation was an adventure
game? This week, I will explore these possibilities.
The first topic on the list for games to discuss is Roller Coaster
Tycoon: Loopy Landscapes. What would Loopy Landscapes be like
if it was an adventure game? I would imagine that if Roller Coaster
Tycoon was an adventure game, you would be put in the role of the
tourist. The whole point of the game would be to try out as many daring
rides as you could until your money ran out. And you would also have to
stay within the limitations of the guest. Think of what you’ve got here,
think of what you’ve got. This might be one of the most rocking games
ever made. Walking through a theme park, riding roller coasters and other
rides in a third-person view. Sounds too Messiah-ish, I know. But
it’d be an interesting romp through a theme park. Especially if you are
a cheapskate like me and don’t want to spend $50 a person to get into
the real theme park.
Next on the list is Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri. How would that
be as an adventure game? Interesting, to say the least. I would assume
that you would take command of one of the rival factions as you do in
the game but be able to navigate them through an awesome world where you
kick butt and ask questions later. Just kidding. Actually, the flair of
adventure could be added by when you navigate the faction leader around
the base you are assigned to. Perhaps it would involve solving at first
simple problems, such as delivering a message from one person to another.
Complex puzzles would be something like, find leader X from faction A
and then bring them to Room C, where they can meet with leader Z from
faction Y and then assassinate leader V from faction N. Something cool
like that. I think it would be great to see that incorporated into a game.
Our third stop, South Park, Colorado. What would it be like if we took
the first South Park FPS game ever made (South Park: The Game)?
I would imagine that it would involve you as the player controlling the
gang and going around trying to find the world’s biggest Terrance and
Phillip dolls. It would include puzzles such as “How can I get Big
Gay Al to stop following me around?” Or “N.A.M.B.L.A. is at
it again in South Park, the boys need to set a trap for these perverts
and get rid of them once and for all.” Something like that. I can
just picture it in my mind right now. All of the places of South Park
would be featured in the game. Everything would be completely accurate
to the South Park world. Kick Cartman and he’d spout off on a four-letter-word
verbal rampage. That’s what matters; you need to keep games true to the
world that they are a part of.
The fourth and final stop on our trip is two games made by the company
called Monte Cristo. Monte Cristo deals with business simulations. Now,
Start Up 2000 and Airline Tycoon are pretty much adventure
games. It’s a challenge to play both, but what if they were true adventure
games? In Start Up 2000, if it was an adventure game, you would
play the CEO of a company and go around the office all day and catch people
slacking off and firing them, leaving the big decisions to the board.
In Airline Tycoon, of course, you’d be going around and kicking
all of your employees into gear, that sort of thing. If somebody slacks
off, kick ’em in the pants and send ’em off to do the job and make sure
that they get it done right.
But of course, this is just wishful thinking on my part. Tell me what
you would like to see as an adventure game. Post your thoughts in our
very own message
board.
