fordy said:
outlawauron said:
fordy said:
outlawauron said:
fordy said:
outlawauron said:
Linearity is neither good or bad. You can do linear well and poorly, just as easily as you can do non-linear well and poorly.
@ Soleron
Then why not write a book or act if its all up to the player's imagination. |
Forgive me if I start to sound like an old codger, but back in the days where the system was limited in terms of detailing a game story out, the game would generally provide an "oversight story" and the player would fill in the details themselves. Despite the system limitations, the instruction manuals provided for the first 3 Zeldas with their incredibly detailed illustrations really got people imagining.
I know it's a completely different era now, but it can give some insight on how powerful the mind can be when playing such games.
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At this point in tech and development, it just comes across as super lazy to me.
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It can be seen that way. Another way is that it can increase the immsersion levels, because it involes the mind forcing to work at an interactive level.
I know many play games to relax. This is just another way of looking at gaming in general.
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I feel immersion can also be broken with too much freedom because the product can lack polish or compelling content because it's shoehorned into do whatever you want. A lot of characters and storylines will be available, but very few are ever fleshed out. This is why I'm not a big fan of non-linear personally. The story and characters get shoved aside for the sake of choices that usually don't really affect anything anyways.
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While I agree that the story tends to suffer on a non-linear game, there are examples where some nonlinearity can assist in the storyline. Take for example FF6, where you can choose from the three groups making it to Narshe. Character development however, I think does not get affected by nonlinearity, especially when the nonlinearity involves different characters. Once again, FF6 with Locke's story, Cyan's nightmares, Strago's childhood, etc. The majority of the second half of the game os entirely nonlinear, yet involves a LOT of character development.
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I guess we have differing expectations and definitions. I consider every FF game to be linear, some are just more linear than others.
