Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
interactivity for a number of years. Adapting such interactive dialogue into
more action-packed genres is often a challenge, though, because many action
game players see it as a distraction and may choose to skip the scene
altogether if they have that option.
As a writer it can be very frustrating to learn that the game has a system
which allows the player to skip cut-scenes and even interactive dialogue.Why
has the development company gone to the expense of hiring a writer if many
of the players are not even going to pay any attention to finely-crafted lines
of dialogue or keep up with the developing story? Because the player must
have as much freedom to choose their own experience as the developers are
able to incorporate into the game.The gameplay experience is everything and
if the player feels that the cut-scenes are getting in the way of that experience
their enjoyment will be reduced. For the players who want a richness and
depth to their experience that can only come from good dialogue, a strong
story, excellent graphics and so forth, the work of the writer becomes an
integral part of delivering that richness. By offering the option to skip the cut-
scenes and dialogue, the game can appeal to more than one narrow group of
players and increases the likelihood that the game will be a success.
Some game styles make story and characterisation an integral part of the
experience they give to the players. The role-playing game and adventure
game genres in particular involve gameplay that leads to the unfolding of the
story and regularly necessitates the interaction with other characters in the
game to conduct conversations, which in turn give story and gameplay
information and objectives. However, even though the players of these games
are more in tune with dialogue scenes and cut-scenes, they can still be moved
to skip through them if they feel that they are not adding to their enjoyment.
This is where the skills of the writer can really come into their own. By
creating characters and dialogue of high quality and interest, the players will
hopefully find themselves in the situation where they have no interest in
skipping the scenes because they add something extra special to the gameplay
experience.
Another passive element actually often occurs during the gameplay of
many third-person point-and-click games.When the character is directed to
move by the player clicking on the game screen with the mouse, a wait of a
few seconds takes place while the character moves into position and fulfils
whatever the player instructs them to do. With an increasing number of
games using direct control and giving the player constant input to the game,
the point-and-click style is seen as too passive by many.
