Screenies or Texts?
by Nate "Nateholio" Watson · in Game Design and Creative Issues · 01/09/2005 (7:00 pm) · 5 replies
I know eye candy is a big seller concerning a game. But how much do texts such as short stories, weapons descriptions, planet descriptions, and well, detailed descriptions about pretty much everything come into play when its time to try and get a good team together? I know I've personally spent more time reading things about projects than looking at the neato screenies and such concerning the same project. But thats just me, Im more interested in why a game is what it is than the way it looks during its development. Of course I do want to play a game with fairly decent graphics. And no this isnt related to my post about "Eye candy or storyline" - that was about what the final version of a game should focus on.
Edit: I would also include concept art here as part of "texts", everything from simple line drawings to colored drawings of vehicles to vistas of planets and landscapes.
Edit: I would also include concept art here as part of "texts", everything from simple line drawings to colored drawings of vehicles to vistas of planets and landscapes.
#2
03/30/2005 (11:54 pm)
Maybe if they did a better job writing the story of Doom you'd care more about it ;-) 
#3
I love most super hero games. Spider-Man 2, possibly the best game I ever played since Laura Bow 1, I also really liked catwoman, and don't care to much about stories in those games.
I really liked Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, I really disliked Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Mostly because Vice City was fun in the way it was set in the 1980's with the music and silly costumes etc. San Andreas was quite boring due to the hip-hop style of it. Had a hard time realising if I was playing a video-game or watching mtv.
The more adventure apects the game has the importance of exciting storyline increases. As with DOOM the story is really thin, and the gameplay doesn't leave much room for adventure gameplay. As with most FPS.
03/31/2005 (6:25 am)
I do like cool plot twists and story lines. But some game are more dificult to get into then others.I love most super hero games. Spider-Man 2, possibly the best game I ever played since Laura Bow 1, I also really liked catwoman, and don't care to much about stories in those games.
I really liked Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, I really disliked Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Mostly because Vice City was fun in the way it was set in the 1980's with the music and silly costumes etc. San Andreas was quite boring due to the hip-hop style of it. Had a hard time realising if I was playing a video-game or watching mtv.
The more adventure apects the game has the importance of exciting storyline increases. As with DOOM the story is really thin, and the gameplay doesn't leave much room for adventure gameplay. As with most FPS.
#4
rofl. No kidding.
Personally, I like descriptions and story to be in text AND sometimes in audio and-or visual. I really liked how Fallout would mix & match the styles they used depending on the importance of the character/items involved. Also, with the Ultima series, I really liked how the descriptions of the items would mention the wear & tear so that I would know if I needed to "fix" the items.
05/31/2005 (12:23 pm)
>>If it's a sci-fi action game like DOOM Ii don't really care what they write.rofl. No kidding.
Personally, I like descriptions and story to be in text AND sometimes in audio and-or visual. I really liked how Fallout would mix & match the styles they used depending on the importance of the character/items involved. Also, with the Ultima series, I really liked how the descriptions of the items would mention the wear & tear so that I would know if I needed to "fix" the items.
#5
You have your short and to the point versions, and you have your fully drawn out versions. A good mix of plenty of straightforward points and a few thorough descriptions on key elements might work the best. Too much and it gets boring/looks like too much/loses reader's scope. Too little and/or not enough description and they refuse to bother/miss major items among minor ones/generalize with their own thoughts, completely missing the point.
I guess it's mostly luck! ;)
(Note to others - you're missing the thread entirely, read it again, fry man!)
- Ronixus
05/31/2005 (3:04 pm)
Honestly, I try to be as descriptive as possible, though generalizing things helps to bring across a description that people can relate to. Sometimes, there just isn't a good way to be clear on what you're describing, hence charts or concept art. In most cases though, people will notice and single out what they can't comprehend more than what they do, weither curious or ignorant of it's value to the project.You have your short and to the point versions, and you have your fully drawn out versions. A good mix of plenty of straightforward points and a few thorough descriptions on key elements might work the best. Too much and it gets boring/looks like too much/loses reader's scope. Too little and/or not enough description and they refuse to bother/miss major items among minor ones/generalize with their own thoughts, completely missing the point.
I guess it's mostly luck! ;)
(Note to others - you're missing the thread entirely, read it again, fry man!)
- Ronixus
Torque Owner Martin Askestad
Martin's Games
If it's a World Wor 2 action game, I want the history to be correct.
If it's a sci-fi action game like DOOM Ii don't really care what they write.