Game settings (I mean the story, not the code!)
stephen.godrich
I've been a lurker for quite a while and felt I should stop being so silent
and do something. I've been a fan of IF for many years but it's only recent
years I've really taken an interest in it again. I wouldn't call myself a
hardcore IF player which brings me to my question...
I've been toying with the idea of writing a game in Inform and the recent
arrival of the 4th edition of the designer manual has prompted me to wake up
and get on with some real game designing. The problem is that I don't
really know what setting I would like the story to be in. e.g. far future,
roman times, the present, etc. I was hoping I could pick a few brains and
find out the general consensus regarding which settings have been done to
death and which ones would people be interested in seeing done? Something
to inspire should I say! (also I'd hate to step on someone's toes by
writing something on similar lines to something someone else is working on!)
I'm a programmer by trade (for the moment) so I think I have the ability to
code a decent game and I'd like to give the game a 'magnetic scrolls' feel.
I'd like to get a combination of tried and tested with a bit of originality
mixed in. I also enjoy a good mix of story with puzzles and interaction!
I look forward to hearing any of your suggestions!
Cheers
Steve
Andrew Plotkin
In rec.arts.int-fiction stephen.godrich <stephen...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
> I've been toying with the idea of writing a game in Inform and the recent
> arrival of the 4th edition of the designer manual has prompted me to wake up
> and get on with some real game designing. The problem is that I don't
> really know what setting I would like the story to be in. e.g. far future,
> roman times, the present, etc. I was hoping I could pick a few brains and
> find out the general consensus regarding which settings have been done to
> death and which ones would people be interested in seeing done?
This same question was recently asked about puzzle types, and the
answer is the same: Everything has been done to death! Everything! Ha
ha!
Which is to say: no setting, however original, can *by itself* bring a
bad game to life. And no setting, however derivative, can bring down a
game that takes a creative, interesting, and intelligent approach to
its material.
I know that's a bloody useless answer to you, but it's true. Also:
write what you know; show, don't tell; and try to avoid spelling
errors.
--Z
"And Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah: these were the borogoves..."
*
* Re-elect Al Gore in 2004.
Muffy
>
> and get on with some real game designing. The problem is that I don't
> really know what setting I would like the story to be in. e.g. far future,
> roman times, the present, etc. I was hoping I could pick a few brains and
> find out the general consensus regarding which settings have been done to
> death and which ones would people be interested in seeing done? Something
> to inspire should I say! (also I'd hate to step on someone's toes by
> writing something on similar lines to something someone else is working on!)
I think pretty much everybody has their own ideas of what is a good
idea or a bad idea, what is done-to-death and what is still
interesting. I'm working on my own piece of IF, and I found coming up
with the actual 'tone' to be the most difficult part. I worried about
it to death: are IF players sick of this or that? I finally decided
that the only way to find out would be to get on with the game and let
people play it, and see how they feel.
(I did, however, decide to avoid mazes which require you to drop items
in order to map them, and flashlight-battery puzzles).
I've noticed that one person's "fresh" is another person's "annoying."
In terms of coming up with the setting, I've found a nice way of
stimulating creativity. If I'm working on a description or an idea and
I just can't picture it or find an original twist to it, I do a google
search on the text. Then I check out the results. I keep on searching
and looking, searching and looking. The little gestaltist maniac in my
brain manages to draw connections and shuffle things around to
accomodate the things I find on the resulting websites, and it's helping
me from being too "locked-in" to an original idea.
Or, it might just be scattering me and leading me astray, of course.
Muffy.
Emily Short
"stephen.godrich" <stephen...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
> I've been toying with the idea of writing a game in Inform and the recent
> arrival of the 4th edition of the designer manual has prompted me to wake up
> and get on with some real game designing. The problem is that I don't
> really know what setting I would like the story to be in. e.g. far future,
> roman times, the present, etc. I was hoping I could pick a few brains and
> find out the general consensus regarding which settings have been done to
> death and which ones would people be interested in seeing done?
I could give you a little list of settings I'd be interested in seeing,
but then a) I would piss off the people who are already working on such
settings in secret and b) they might not suit you anyway.
However, re. *looking* for settings: what sorts of places interest you?
Where would you go if you could? Is there some time/era that you've read
up about or were into as a kid? It helps to pick something you're somehow
enthusiastic about already: if you're going to convey a sense of wonder to
other people, it helps if you feel it yourself.
</sermon>
ES
--
Emily Short
http://emshort.home.mindspring.com/index.htm
John E
Modern gothic (think "The Crow") with a little magic.
Cyberpunk or modern sci-fi ("Snow Crash" "Diamond age")
And yes, a western.
stephen.godrich wrote in message ...
>Hi all,
>
>I've been a lurker for quite a while and felt I should stop being so silent
<snip>
Kathleen M. Fischer
>In article <sMwP6.1586$Tj4.3...@news2-win.server.ntlworld.com>,
>"stephen.godrich" <stephen...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
>
>> I've been toying with the idea of writing a game in Inform and the recent
>> arrival of the 4th edition of the designer manual has prompted me to wake
up
>> and get on with some real game designing. The problem is that I don't
>> really know what setting I would like the story to be in. e.g. far future,
>> roman times, the present, etc. I was hoping I could pick a few brains and
>> find out the general consensus regarding which settings have been done to
>> death and which ones would people be interested in seeing done?
>
>enthusiastic about already: if you're going to convey a sense of wonder to
>other people, it helps if you feel it yourself.
Excellent advice. :) I also believe that success settings are created by
their details, and you don't need to go "there" (wherever "there" is) for
inspiration. As Zarf posted a while back:
"I did, however, spent an amusing evening crawling across my living
room floor, under chairs and tables. An educational experience; how
can you write about crawling unless you study how it works? In case
you're curious, the narrow point in the cave crawl is just barely
larger than one of the gaps in the base of a papasan chair."
It's not being in Ancient Rome that's going to grab the player, it's how
much
you make them feel like they are really in the lion's den.
Kathleen
-- Masquerade (Comp2000, nominated for Best Story (XYZZY's))
-- ftp://ftp.gmd.de/if-archive/games/zcode/Mask.z5
-- The Cove - Best of Landscape, Interactive Fiction Art Show 2000
-- ftp://ftp.gmd.de/if-archive/games/zcode/Cove.z5
-- Excuse me while I dance a little jig of despair
stephen.godrich
Keep the ideas coming - I've not got a firm picture yet but I have more
ideas than before! ;)
I think I'd like to try and inject a little humour but that is a lot
trickier than it would seem.
I also like the sound of something gothic. Anyway, I'll keep brainstorming
and let you all know what I decide.
You're a great bunch! Thanks for your help!
Cheers
Steve
P.S. I know exactly what you mean with typos in games! Aaaaaaaaaaaaargh!
Magnus Olsson
Kathleen M. Fischer <greenG...@MailAndNews.com> wrote:
>>===== Original Message From ems...@mindspring.com (Emily Short) =====
>>In article <sMwP6.1586$Tj4.3...@news2-win.server.ntlworld.com>,
>>"stephen.godrich" <stephen...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
>>
>>> I've been toying with the idea of writing a game in Inform and the recent
>>> arrival of the 4th edition of the designer manual has prompted me to wake
>up
>>> and get on with some real game designing. The problem is that I don't
>>> really know what setting I would like the story to be in. e.g. far future,
>>> roman times, the present, etc. I was hoping I could pick a few brains and
>>> find out the general consensus regarding which settings have been done to
>>> death and which ones would people be interested in seeing done?
>>
>>It helps to pick something you're somehow
>>enthusiastic about already: if you're going to convey a sense of wonder to
>>other people, it helps if you feel it yourself.
>
>Excellent advice. :)
In general, you shouldn't try to second-guess the audience and write
something just because you think people might want you to write it -
partly because you heart isn't likely to be in such a project, and
partly because you're likely to guess wrong about what people really
want.
Even if you're not trying to be opportunistic, I think you should
write about what you feel is important, and what you like.
>I also believe that success settings are created by
>their details, and you don't need to go "there" (wherever "there" is) for
>inspiration.
That's important. As Zarf wrote, you should write about what you know,
but "knowing" doesn't have to mean "I know it because I've done
it/been there", but "I know it because I've researched it" or "I know
it because I've invented it". The rule is something taken literally,
in the first sense above, but if everybody had that interpretation,
there'd be no SF of fantasy.
--
Magnus Olsson (m...@df.lth.se, m...@pobox.com)
------ http://www.pobox.com/~mol ------
stephen.godrich
something, not because I expect someone else to want me to write it. What I
was hoping for is some guidance in respect to a genre/style/subject that
people have tended to be neglected. I (immodestly) feel I have the
imagination and the ability to program a half-decent game but I also feel
that if it's something that's been done to death or the audience doesn't
want, then you're wasting your time in that respect.
I would either like to write something moderately original or at least what
the audience wants to engulf themselves in. The story and puzzles are my
own (or minor adaptions of others) but the story is something that would
encourage someone to say, "I fancy playing a game of the
romantic/horrific/silly/funny/serious/political/etc. kind and this looks
like one that fits the bill".
Like I say, my writing is between myself and the reader/player. If they
don't like what I write, they can stop playing/delete the game and do
something else. I'd at least like my work to be given a chance.
What does everyone else think?
Cheers
Steve
Kayrun
>
Ah, yes,
I do enjoy this setting.
What was the western game that came out a couple of years ago?
You started out in your home & went through a closet floor into a saloon (I
think).
Seems like it had a short title.
KG
Joe Mason
Kayrun <kay...@aol.com> wrote:
>What was the western game that came out a couple of years ago?
>You started out in your home & went through a closet floor into a saloon (I
>think).
>Seems like it had a short title.
Spur?
Joe
Lucian P. Smith
: What was the western game that came out a couple of years ago?
: You started out in your home & went through a closet floor into a saloon (I
: think).
"Spur", I believe.
-Lucian
Jonathan Blask
No, isn't this "Tryst of Fate" or whatever?
-jon
"If I got stranded on a desert island (with electricity)/
And I could bring one record and my hi-fi/
I'd bring that ocean surf cd (Relaxing Sound of Ocean Surf)/
So I could enjoy the irony." - Dylan Hicks
Joe Mason
Yeah, I think you're right. Spur was a Hugo game, Tryst was inform.
Joe
Kayrun
Yes,
I think this was the one!
I remember you had to chew bubble gum in part of it.....
I really must d-load this game & play it again this summer :)
Anyone else here enjoy the western genre?
KG
Neil Cerutti
_Spur_ is the Kent Tessman game that starts with a showdown in
the street; it is bass-ackward from most Westerns. ;-)
--
Neil Cerutti <cer...@together.net>
Jasp
"John E" <john...@NOSPAMearthlink.net> wrote in message
news:dYAP6.21116$9D5.1...@newsread2.prod.itd.earthlink.net...
> A few genres I'd like to see more of...
>
> Modern gothic (think "The Crow") with a little magic.
>
> Cyberpunk or modern sci-fi ("Snow Crash" "Diamond age")
>
> And yes, a western.
>
I am especialy fond of the Dune books by Frank Herbert, Obviously avoid
plagurisms but something of a similar feel and setting could make excellent
IF.
Jasp,