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Dagda Mor
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Post subject: Open-ended/non-linear gameplay Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 7:27 am |
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Joined: Wed Oct 03, 2007 12:12 am Posts: 13
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_________________ ...comes...another...you are man...the last...I am the last...done...what have you done...die...all die...now...their slaves...we are their slaves...we are...the truth...you can never know...thieves...you all are...alone, not you...alone...
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Bill Masen
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Post subject: Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 8:26 am |
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Petitioner |
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Joined: Mon Oct 22, 2007 8:06 am Posts: 8
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Dagda Mor
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Post subject: Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 9:00 am |
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Joined: Wed Oct 03, 2007 12:12 am Posts: 13
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_________________ ...comes...another...you are man...the last...I am the last...done...what have you done...die...all die...now...their slaves...we are their slaves...we are...the truth...you can never know...thieves...you all are...alone, not you...alone...
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locworks
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Post subject: Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 9:06 am |
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Horseman of the Apocalypse |
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Joined: Wed Jun 21, 2006 7:46 pm Posts: 251 Location: Warsaw
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How many ways are there to skin the FPS cat?
Option 1. One path without loops and without backtracking
Go from A to G through B, C, D, E, F while busting kneecaps and taking names.
Example: HL2
Option 2. One path with loops and backtracking
Go from A to G through B, C, B, C, D, F and then back from G to A while busting kneecaps and taking names.
Example: M:M 3
Option 3. Multiple independent, mutually exclusive paths
Go from A to G through B or C or D or E or F while busting kneecaps etc.
Example: ?
Option 4. Multiple grouped paths
Go from A to G through B and C or D and E and F while busting kneecaps etc.
Example: The Witcher (you'll see when you play it)
Option 5. Sandbox
Go from A to G through any combination of B, C, D, E and F.
Example: Fallout, GTA
Do you see other options?
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locworks
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Post subject: saving all the post-apocalyptic kittens Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 10:55 am |
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Horseman of the Apocalypse |
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Joined: Wed Jun 21, 2006 7:46 pm Posts: 251 Location: Warsaw
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Dagda, Bill, the lockdown idea is still very linear. See Option 1 or Option 2 in my post. The fact that you can solve it using different tactics (stealth, releasing headcrabs, blowing up holes in walls) doesn't change the overall nature of the adventure.
For an actual non-linear game, we'd need to abandon any idea of path and predetermined areas to unlock apart from the starting point and the arrival point (which can actually be a condition, such as the number of kills or the destruction of a target. See the way Achievements work in EP2).
To draw heavily on RPGs, Option 5 (sandbox) requires:
1. Fully accessible playing area or rather an area which would be accessible to a non-HEV enhanced NPC with an axe. That means that all normal doors can be broken down, all normal windows can be broken, all fences can be climbed, etc. Access to other areas may require jump-fu, puzzles, etc.
2. Random encounters: depending on the area, health/ammo level of the player, the game generates a set of enemies which spawn at a given distance. The radar function is a superb tool to use with this. See the AvP series. The only benefit is to keep the player alert, eat away his resources and keep him on the move.
3. Non-essential set/scripted encounters: these would be the side quests/treks which would provide the player with data (brilliant idea with the watchtowers), gear and allies (Rebels pinned down at a barricade would be most glad to have the player flank the Combine and then would assign him a couple of squaddies). The player has the option to tackle the encounter or not, but he should always have the possibility to avoid it.
4. Multiple levels of victory: from barely surviving the map (avoiding all enemies, taking the quickest, shortest route) to cleaning the entire area from the Combine and saving all the post-apocalyptic kittens stuck in all the mutated trees, with any number of intermediate levels of success.
Gaining story elements from the non-essential set/scripted encounters would be high in the victory conditions list.
5. Absence of essential encounters or of NPCs who must survive:
This takes the non-linear idea further, to the point of total freedom. Alyx dies, but you can beat the game.
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Dagda Mor
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Post subject: Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 7:56 pm |
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Joined: Wed Oct 03, 2007 12:12 am Posts: 13
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_________________ ...comes...another...you are man...the last...I am the last...done...what have you done...die...all die...now...their slaves...we are their slaves...we are...the truth...you can never know...thieves...you all are...alone, not you...alone...
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Pyro-Dude
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Post subject: Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 8:06 pm |
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Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2007 5:14 pm Posts: 51 Location: Ingerlarnd
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_________________ Help my minicity to grow. Visit daily!
- population - industry - transport
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TrenchFeeder
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Post subject: Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 8:29 pm |
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Acolyte |
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Joined: Fri Mar 16, 2007 8:11 am Posts: 104 Location: Chicago
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Last edited by TrenchFeeder on Tue Oct 23, 2007 2:54 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Dagda Mor
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Post subject: Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2007 9:07 pm |
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Joined: Wed Oct 03, 2007 12:12 am Posts: 13
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_________________ ...comes...another...you are man...the last...I am the last...done...what have you done...die...all die...now...their slaves...we are their slaves...we are...the truth...you can never know...thieves...you all are...alone, not you...alone...
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Baffled
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Post subject: Non-Linear Map Design Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 11:06 am |
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Acolyte |
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Joined: Mon Jun 19, 2006 6:10 pm Posts: 13 Location: Someplace Else
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locworks
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Post subject: Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 1:19 pm |
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Horseman of the Apocalypse |
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Joined: Wed Jun 21, 2006 7:46 pm Posts: 251 Location: Warsaw
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Last edited by locworks on Tue Oct 23, 2007 2:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Pyro-Dude
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Post subject: Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 1:52 pm |
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Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2007 5:14 pm Posts: 51 Location: Ingerlarnd
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_________________ Help my minicity to grow. Visit daily!
- population - industry - transport
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Baffled
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Post subject: Issues of Scale Posted: Tue Oct 23, 2007 3:19 pm |
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Acolyte |
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Joined: Mon Jun 19, 2006 6:10 pm Posts: 13 Location: Someplace Else
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