Re: Gareth's competition


Thu, 09 Nov 1995 21:28:00 -0500

ETB>One does not have to code AI to have multiple stories within
ETB>an IF adventure. Infocom had a game, I believe it was
ETB>Cutthroats, that advertised it as having several different
ETB>ways to play out the story. Mind you, I have never played it
ETB>myself. As I recall this game offered the play several
ETB>different boats that could be scavenged.

A good example is the game I'm working on now. You start in a
graveyard, with a friend of yours who is urging you to enter that tomb
over there... If you go in, you find something that makes you a changed
man (no changed plant though) and have to deal with it for the rest of
the game. If you *don't* go in, he does. And then you have to deal
with *him* being changed for the rest of the game. No special AI
required, just one simple choice.

ETB>Simple. And it can be further extended to change the feel of
ETB>a game. Put in a Security Guard that doesn't mind you
ETB>unlocking the door, but must be distracted if you are taking
ETB>it off the hinges. Put in the owner of the book, who
ETB>decides to turn the alarm on when the missing key is
ETB>noticed.

ETB>Suddenly it is a simple puzzle with two very different
ETB>"feels" to the way to sove it.

Aargh! I hate games like that. I think a game should be totally
consistent - that is, if you play it through one way, and then go back
and play it again a different way, there won't be any fundamental
changes that aren't connected to your actions in some logical way.
Unless the whole game is based on a non-causal universe or something,
which is a whole different kettle of fish.

Anyone read the "Choose Your Own Adventure" books? I *hated* those!
They were horrible for that!

That's only my opinion though... Unlike most of the things I say, I
won't pretend that one's true in any absolute sense at all.

Joe

* SLMR 2.1a * 668 - Neighbour of the Beast