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stealth
Protector of the Realm
Joined: 23 Mar 2002
Posts: 261
Location: Valhalla |
| Aren’t Adventure games dead? |
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It came as quite a surprise when I saw the RPGDot is now running a sister site on Adventure games. Don’t get me wrong I grew up with Adventure games and fondly remember the hours I spend with Adventure games, particularly the ones from Sierra on-line & Lucasfilm (now LucasArts). But as it is I don’t see the genre no where near its former glory. Sequels to Sam & Max and Full Throttle and a couple of years ago a near completed game called Warcraft Adventure was cancelled. There have been some success stories (according to critics anyway) but I’m not sure about the all important issue of sold copies. We have seen games like Syberia and The Longest Journey and even a revival of good old Broken Sword and Gabriel Knight. Many dislike sequels as they sometimes destroys a good thing but well it’s always easier to push a product over the counter when it’s followed by a Roman numeral. But enough about money as the purpose of this thread is not about how the money makers are ruining the industry. 
What actually intrigued me about the new site is that I’ve been contemplating about Adventure games as I’m currently writing a paper on the subject of how stories (or storytelling for that matter) in computer games is limits open-ended game play.
I’m not quite sure why Adventure games aren’t as big anymore but one plausible explanation could be that people got tired of the limited possibilities often presented by the genre. Adventure games have always been strong on telling stories (besides all the puzzle solving) and to be quite frank been pretty much about trial & error and with only one solution to every problem.
So I invite everyone who wishes to discuss the topic of open-ended game play vs. stories to join in. I’m no way a Guru and I’m very interested in other people’s opinion. Thanks.
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Mon Apr 26, 2004 8:52 pm |
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Graham 2
High Emperor
Joined: 29 Jan 2004
Posts: 795
Location: Preston/England |
It would seem that adventure games are dead/dying judging on how active this forum topic is.
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Mon Apr 26, 2004 11:23 pm |
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Gorath
Mostly Harmless
Joined: 03 Sep 2001
Posts: 6327
Location: NRW, Germany |
Adventures are very alive in Germany and Spain. Publisher DTP offically announced 5 new games these days including Runaway 2, The Westerner 2 and The Moment of Silence. Especially the last one is very interesting from a storytelling perspective.
The fact that a publisher announces a number of new games tells me that they money can be made in the adventure genre, even if you invest in high quality voice acting, like DTP does for all their adventures.
The main reason why adventures are no longer possible is that they are in a technologic dead end. In the good old days adventures were the most beautiful games. Even The 7th Guest and Myst had stunningly beautiful rendered graphics. Nowadays adventures look old compared to most other genres.
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Tue Apr 27, 2004 1:59 pm |
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Rendelius
Critical Error
Joined: 06 Jul 2001
Posts: 16
Location: Austria |
Yes, they are quite dead - but there seems to be a revival of some sort or another - and we thought a site to accompany this revival would be a nice idea for the fans and would-be fans of the genre.
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Rendelius
former Senior Editor RPGDot
now at http://www.theastronomers.com |
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Tue Apr 27, 2004 2:26 pm |
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Ioskeha
Village Leader
Joined: 25 Apr 2004
Posts: 76
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I'm probably going to get flamed for this, but oh well.
Yes adventure games are all but dead on the PC, but they're alive and kicking over on the console systems. Now you're probably thinking what adventure games for the consoles? Well just pick up any game that's labeled an RPG. In my opinion RPGs on consoles are more or less adventure games with a battle system/leveling system. Sure they're not the traditional point and click games that we all grew up with, but they are still adventure games none the less. |
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Tue Apr 27, 2004 9:24 pm |
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MoonDragon
High Emperor
Joined: 25 May 2002
Posts: 1254
Location: Waterloo, Canada |
| Re: Aren’t Adventure games dead? |
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quote:
Originally posted by stealth
I’m not quite sure why Adventure games aren’t as big anymore but one plausible explanation could be that people got tired of the limited possibilities often presented by the genre.
With all due respect, I highly disagree with this. People have not gotten tired of reading books and/or watching movies. Adventure games are only another medium of telling a story. A medium, unlike books and movies, where you actually discover the story yourself, rather than passively assimilate it.
In my opinion, the downfall in adventure game markets rests solely on who makes games. In fact, I'd go even further and put the blame solely on the publishers. Even if some game developers wanted to develop a proper adventure game, the publishers probably wouldn't properly fund it.
They are in a business of trends and sure-fire money making schemes. Some advisor tells them that the latest fad is open-endedness and to them that means that anything alternative is surely lost money.
Enter from the left: Benoît Sokal. An acomplished artist, funded by his printing publisher. The man is almost singlehandedly resurrecting the genre. How come? For one, because he is a story teller, first and foremost. Unlike most game designers/producers, this man knows visuals and his stories. He has stories to tell. Heck, I'm still tingling just remembering the intricate, yet subtly bizarre, world he created for the Syberia series.
In other words, it is my firm belief that the adventure game genre was slumping because people who were in charge of making games didn't know how to make them. Not because the public did not want to consume them.
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Thu Apr 29, 2004 5:11 pm |
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Wysardry
Village Dweller
Joined: 08 Jan 2004
Posts: 12
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I agree with MoonDragon.
I started to lose interest in commercial adventure games when they started to become less of a challenge. After playing text adventures by Level 9 and Infocom, the later graphical adventures were just too easy for me. The only real challenge they presented was to my patience.
One notable exception was the Monkey Island series, as the humour kept me interested, but otherwise they were just another game where you moved your mouse pointer around the screen until it changed colour and/or shape (thus telling you that piece of scenery could be interacted with).
Commercial adventures may be few and far between, but there are still a number of "indie" titles released each year, and there are at least two interactive fiction competitions held annually.
Text adventures are one of the few surviving genres where a single lone developer has any hope of creating a reasonably successful game. |
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Fri Apr 30, 2004 5:11 am |
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piln
High Emperor
Joined: 22 May 2003
Posts: 906
Location: Leeds, UK |
quote:
Originally posted by Ioskeha
In my opinion RPGs on consoles are more or less adventure games with a battle system/leveling system.
That's an interesting point... I had similar feelings when I played Zelda:OoT. Now, I'm not trying to diminish the game - it is undoubtedly one of the best games I've ever played - but I was acutely aware while playing that what console audiences/critics would consider an RPG is very different to the tastes/opinions of the PC crowd. Or maybe its a difference between east and west, rather than console and PC (western-made console RPGs are a bit thin on the ground, especially those that aren't ports or cross-platform developments). Maybe it's a bit of both.
The feeling I got from playing Zelda was part adventure game, part RPG... the lack of any decision-making or player-led characterisation lends more to the adventure side, while the openness of the world and the slight non-linearity of progress stir up some RPG feelings. I guess the combat, more than anything else, would prevent it from sitting comfortably in the adventure camp - especially for those taking a purist approach (ie, there should be no action at all in adventure games).
But yeah, I see your point. I'd say the same about so-called "survival horror" games too. To me, these are just horror-themed adventure games with some action thrown in. Again, no good for the purists. |
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Mon May 03, 2004 12:35 am |
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piln
High Emperor
Joined: 22 May 2003
Posts: 906
Location: Leeds, UK |
Oh... and in response to the original question, did I hear somewhere that a remake of Beneath A Steel Sky is on the cards? |
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Mon May 03, 2004 12:47 am |
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stealth
Protector of the Realm
Joined: 23 Mar 2002
Posts: 261
Location: Valhalla |
| Re: Aren’t Adventure games dead? |
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First of all let me clarify that my post really wasn’t solely concerning Adventure games but games in general. Secondly I do play and enjoy a lot of computer games but on the other hand I can’t help but wonder about the way they are made and what if it was different?
quote:
Originally posted by MoonDragon
A medium, unlike books and movies, where you actually discover the story yourself, rather than passively assimilate it.
That’s precisely what I’m getting at. Computer games should give the player that feeling but putting it on the edge a bit; in reality it’s not like that at all. Games need to tell stories to captivate players and by doing so they trap the player and limit the choices you can make. Granted there are a lot of games that doesn’t seem linear and lets you complete various task at will but how often do these tasks have influence on the main plot? You could say that we just need great writers to deliver great stories but the thing I’m getting at is I want flexible stories that changes because I did something.
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Tue May 04, 2004 11:46 pm |
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bjon045
Fearless Paladin
Joined: 02 Jun 2003
Posts: 234
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I also agree that adventure games are dead. I recently played "Still Life" which touted itself as an adventure and was I was reasonably optimistic about it until I released half the puzzles it the game where rubix-cube like puzzles (You press one thing and it moves 2 other things - press things in a certain order to solve the problem). And apart from that it had huge amounts of repetitive dialogue which could not be skipped over. Out of frustration with the game I uninstalled it.
Even though I didn't really enjoy the last installment of monkey island at least it was probably the last semi decent adventure I have played. I long for a gabriel knight 4, i think part 3 was the best adventure game we have had in the last 5 years or so (whenever it was made) |
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Mon Jun 06, 2005 2:58 am |
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Dez
King of the Realms
Joined: 08 Jan 2003
Posts: 455
Location: Fortress of Tell Halaf |
Hmm...
I also grew up with police quests, monkey islands, larrys, broken swords, dig etc..
But i have no desire to step in the timemachine.Infact think it is better that we let the genre rest in peace.The games back then were really limited.There was hardly any choise how to proceed.
Nowdays you can't just claim that this game is pure rpg or pure shooter. The best and most succesfull games these days COMBINE and MIX different elements from different genres.For instance take a look Deus Ex. It has it all..Rpg-elements add some tactical side to the game.Action makes it fun to play.And it has a lot of adventure elements too.
You can see the evolution in the rpg-genre.People have gotten tired the oldschool rpgs.I think its cool that many rpgs are merging with action games, like gothic3 or Oblivion..
Also many shooters have borrowed some rpg-elements.Hoiw about enemy territory for instance?  During the campaign you collect EXPERIENCE from various things, like killing enemy team players or doing what your class is supposed to do like healing or reparing things..Once you have gained certain amoint of experience your skills will raise and you gain few bonuses like faster reloading or better accuraty or more powerfull reviving needle..
I do not like to just sit,click and watch anymore.I have got tired of it.Those days are over for me.
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The focused mind can pierce through stone |
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Sat Aug 13, 2005 11:25 pm |
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Nothingman
Eager Tradesman
Joined: 28 Jul 2004
Posts: 30
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quote:
Originally posted by stealth
That’s precisely what I’m getting at. Computer games should give the player that feeling but putting it on the edge a bit; in reality it’s not like that at all. Games need to tell stories to captivate players and by doing so they trap the player and limit the choices you can make. Granted there are a lot of games that doesn’t seem linear and lets you complete various task at will but how often do these tasks have influence on the main plot? You could say that we just need great writers to deliver great stories but the thing I’m getting at is I want flexible stories that changes because I did something.
"They" listened to you and now we have Farhenheit 
Note: all of you who expect classic adventure game (p&c for example) will not get it from this product. If you are ready to try something different then you will enjoy. |
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Tue Oct 04, 2005 7:14 pm |
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