Are story games on the way out?

[ad7venture]

I'm finding it harder lately to find news articles on story games.  When you think about it, they seem to be occupying a smaller and smaller niche in the video games industry.  Will they die completely out, or will we see shorter and shorter story segments that include dialog?  I'm sure there will always be a small niche, there always is, but I'm wondering if thats all it will be.  I think part of it is that the type of stories that fit with the combative play style of most games is limited and pretty worn out.  Why have it at all?  Every knows the schtic.   You're this small time whats-it who's prophesied to save the world and kill a bunch of baddies on the way.

[Erwin_Br]

I hope not! I'm not really into the console market, but it seems to me story based games are quite rare there. And that's exactly the market that's growing so fast, pushing PC gaming into a niche more and more.

--Erwin

[NigeC]

Its pretty much why i stick with Flash/Lassie.. I believe web based games will get stronger replacing the need for downloads
A big downside is the amount of bandwidth needed to support even quite a small game online
Also I'm looking into PSP and Flash

IF there was tools to develop adventure games for consoles, wouldn't we make one? the only thing close that i'm aware of is XNA but its hardly easy to use..
But then again you run into licensing, distrubution of the game, creating a disc to run on a standard console etc.. its hardly something you can do for free

[Erwin_Br]

I would love to create a cross platform game that would not only run on Windows, Linux and Mac, but also on consoles!

--Erwin

[Kickaha]

It'll be difficult to create a game that makes sense on both a Nintendo Wii, and a PC I rather feel.  If you really make use of the Wii's abilities how can you map that to a PC?  If you don't would Wii players want to to play it?

Story is important for casual games - console games seem to be more clickfests which aren't my scene.

[ShadeJackrabbit]

I think you'd probably just use the Wii Remote as a mouse.

EDIT: Whoops... wrong button... anyways, story based games have always been my preference, regardless of genre. I think that of all the genres though, Adventure and RPG have the most potential for storyline.

[ad7venture]

I would love to create a cross platform game that would not only run on Windows, Linux and Mac, but also on consoles!

It will be interesting to see if the consoles open up to amateur developers.  I think there's a possibility with the online world.  I know there are engines that allow you to develop for the Wii or other consoles.  The Wii is really in it's own category because of the controller.  You could make a point and click with it easier than a console deal, but I think people expect more than just pointing and clicking on that platform.  Puzzles built especially for the Wii would be a lot of fun to create where you can rotate as well as place objects.  I think, though, by it's nature, people are going to want to read or listen to dialog even less than on other platforms.  Then again, I think it attracts an audience that is more open to varied game play.  I would choose the Wii hands down for developing an amateur game because it seems like it would be fun to develop for that controller.  The other ones would be pretty boring.

Its pretty much why i stick with Flash/Lassie.. I believe web based games will get stronger replacing the need for downloads

Same here.  I notice for myself, I'm more inclined to try a web based game rather than go through the whole download and install.  It means conserving resources as much as possible and using jpegs and oggs, but I think it's worth it.  That's one of the reason's I'm moving to Java.  I want to experiment with applet games.  Adventures aren't the best fit because they change scenery a lot and have a lot of voice work.  I'll probably use text and play around with reusable 3d scenery.  3d is actually a lot more efficient than most people realize if you use somewhat abstract objects and reuse them.  It's also easy to save the model and change the texture.  The same house looks different if it's brick or wood.  Obviously, the focus can't be on scenery, but I think that's o.k.  I'm playing Keepsake right now and it's really getting old wandering through this complex building where I can't remember the ways out. 

[Squinky]

My answer to the question is "not so long as I'm still making them, haha!"

[Kickaha]

And long may you do so Squinky.

There's room to experiment with web browser games, and with writing for consoles, but I'm having enough fun just writing for a desktop machine!

[ad7venture]

My answer to the question is "not so long as I'm still making them, haha!"

I think we amateurs fill a pretty small niche, although you're definitely the most productive of this small group.   

There's room to experiment with web browser games, and with writing for consoles, but I'm having enough fun just writing for a desktop machine!

The nice part of Java is that it's very easy to do either one with most of the same code, but of course, you don't want to have the client sit there loading an applet game for a half hour.  I plan to experiment, mostly, because of the server thing.  There are some free sites that offer a fair amount of server time, but I'm not sure how all that works out.  It will be an interesting experiment.

I think that of all the genres though, Adventure and RPG have the most potential for storyline.

They kind of fall into a certain pattern.  Adventures work well for a mystery type story.  I'm not sure about role-playing, really.  I find the constant fights to water down a story quite a bit.  I've never actually finished one by myself.  I had my nephew do all the boring fights while I read books and he told me when they were over.  Thats how I made it through Final Fantasy 7.  The only one I saw the ending to.  It wasn't too bad of a story, really.  That type, you have to have the evil group that is constantly sending forces trying to stop you, the good guys.  You slowly learn who this evil villain is and why he's after you, etc.  I think that would be a little limiting.

[NigeC]

I quite happy trying to get better and better every time.. whether i'm succeeding is open to debate but i think i am!
Your not likely to see a game for awhile.. but hopefully you'll all be pleasantly surprised when it see's the light of day

We may have a smaller audience, but its a lot more close and personal, a positive reaction is one hell of a buzz, the negitive you learn by and try not to do it again

[ad7venture]

Your not likely to see a game for awhile..

I'm kind of in a learning phase also.  Hopefully my Wintermute game is all right because it's nearly finished, of course it's just the first episode, but it's fairly large I think.  About 15 locations.  That's quite a few for me, anyway.

[ShadeJackrabbit]

I'm not sure about role-playing, really.  I find the constant fights to water down a story quite a bit.  I've never actually finished one by myself.  I had my nephew do all the boring fights while I read books and he told me when they were over.  Thats how I made it through Final Fantasy 7.

As, you see, that's a common misconception when I say RPG. Most people forget about games like Geneforge, Baldur's Gate, and Neverwinter Nights. They even forget games like D&D, or GURPS. In Geneforge 4, they even say that it is possible to beat the game without ever fighting, just that it's REALLY hard.

Most console RPGs fall into the FF7 mold you were talking about. These other games, on the other hand, sometimes have less fighting. Baldur's Gate may not be the best example, and Neverwinter Nights does have lots of fighting, but you don't fall into the "5 steps, battle. 5 steps, battle." routine. Actually, I found the Geneforge series the most fun because they often seem like Adventure Games with some Neverwinter Nights in the mix.

And then D&D and GURPS... you can play entire scenarios with no fighting in them, and the only thing that seperates them from adventure games is that they still have skill and point management.