Task - Week Eight

Modern gaming is a form of escapism that relies on realistic visuals coupled with an interesting storyline to draw the individual in, and hold their attention until the end of the game. Or at least, that's my opinion. Like reading, only with (usually) better pictures, it gives people the chance to be someone else, do something completely different than they would try in real life for a good few hours at a time. They allow us to experience, at least in part, things that we would never otherwise be able to do.

Some games have an in depth and linear storyline that guides the player from beginning to end, like an interactive story with a beginning, a middle and an end. Not everyone buys for the story behind a game, often it will be because they know the series already, or because of the game genre. Its assumed that whatever the other qualities of the game are, there will be some kind of story or explanation in there somewhere.

Some of the larger online games only have a vague storyline, perhaps more of a backdrop for your character. In these situations its up to the characters within the game to create their own story. So a group of different people team up and go off and make up their own adventures, within the constraints of the general background history. That might be something along the lines of who gets along with or who hates whom, who is currently warring with whom and why, or some other racial drama that might effect the character you're creating. Its assumed you'll take these into account when playing within the game, giving the player responsibility to continue to work within the 'story'.

In a game its hard to create a story that the player can actually effect, or change with his or her actions in more than a limited sense. Some try to get around this with adding features, plots or specific story ending that key to specific actions. For example, a good, evil or neutral ending depending on how your character has acted during the game. Generally the player likes to feel like their in control at least a little bit, but there are only so many different outcomes a game can generate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Payne_2:_The_Fall_of_Max_Payne
http://uk.gamespy.com/articles/596/596254p1.html
http://www.writerswrite.com/journal/jun98/lazy2.htm
http://planethalflife.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Interviews.Detail&id=10
http://www.gamedev.net/community/forums/forum.asp?forum_id=32