Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
If any character growth occurs in adventure games, it is of a personal or psycholog-
ical nature rather than in numerically measured abilities such as strength, speed,
and dexterity. CRPGs have a complex internal economy, and much of the growth
that takes place consists of increasing these numbers.
The
Final Fantasy
games could be considered hybrids of CRPG and adventure.
Battles are turn-based, requiring no action skills, and they have some of the most
vivid stories and most beloved characters of any games made.
In order for the story to progress and the characters to develop, the characters have
to have something to do; therefore, exploring and combat make up a big part of
most CRPGs. In most such games, the stories and challenges are prescripted, so the
player experiences the same things each time he plays. In a few cases, individual
levels are randomized on each play, which makes the games more replayable—well-
known examples include the
Diablo
series and a rather extraordinary game called
NetHack
(see
Figure 15.1
).
FIGURE 15.1
NetHack
(Windows
user interface shown)
TIP
The earliest
versions of
NetHack
were entirely text-
based, as were the
wonderful adventure
games from Infocom
(which are still avail-
able). Graphics impress
the player, but words
stimulate his imagina-
tion. Never forget the
power of words.
