September BioWare news

[Pavlos]

The Edmonton Journal has run a piece featuring Drew Karpyshyn (lead writer on KotOR and Mass Effect) which discusses how BioWare creates and pens their stories. IGN have covered BioWare's presentation at the Austin Game Developer Conference (AGDC) on cinematic game design.

 

Marino traced the history of game design through phases called the Dark Ages (origin to early nineties), the Renaissance (mid-nineties and on) and the Golden Age (today and beyond). In the Dark Ages, "the game relied on the player to use the theatre of the mind to set the scene himself and to picture something in the world," said Marino, referring to early text-based games. He then showed a slide of Mario finally rescuing Peach in the World 8 castle. The text of 'Thank you Mario!', the music, and the simple graphics combined to create a powerful cinematic moment for players, said Marino. This was followed by a clip from Out of This World, which Marino cited as a more modern example of cinematic design, where the game used camera angles, animation, setting and more sophisticated sound to convey mood and tone.

 

Perhaps it should also be noted that the positive progression in technology does not necessarily equate to a positive progression in narrative and design technique.

[Emperor Devon]

the Golden Age (today and beyond)

 

Bahahaha.

 

As players explore Mass Effect's galaxy, they earn a reputation, based largely on how they respond to the comments and questions of the countless characters they meet

 

No they don't. Yeesh, from the way this article went you'd think good storytelling hadn't existed in games until now.

[Ctrl Alt Del]

No they don't.

Yeah, we don't. Except for our past deeds.

 

"Oh, look! It's the Skylian Blitz hero! You never actually fought there but, whatever, your file says so!"

 

On Taris, however, we did listen different lines here and there after some accomplishments.

[Pavlos]

On Taris, however, we did listen different lines here and there after some accomplishments.

Unfortunately, the effect is largely cosmetic, having no real effect on plot progression or gameplay. Yeah, you get discounts at certain stores, which is nice, but imagine if winning all of the fights in the duelling ring made your face known amongst the Sith. You might be able to use your celebrity to get yourself down into the Lower City, bypassing the need for uniforms. Said celebrity may bring problems, however, the Sith may identify you as a Republic soldier, launching raids on the different bars and shops around the city in search of you, completely disrupting every day life for Tarisians and closing off certain quest routes. On the other hand, your physical prowess may get the attention of certain gangs or thugs, offering the player new quest lines and new opportunities for credits.

 

I'm often frustrated that a lot of modern games off choice but do not give a return on that choice in the form of real consequences.

 

Edit: KotOR isn't actually that bad on this front, actually.

[Ctrl Alt Del]

^ Yep, though, in spite of it's aesthetical nature, sure it was nice to see people commenting on your doings throuoght the Upper/Lower/Undercity. That allied with the amount of time you spend trapped on Taris really helped to give the feel that you were actually trapped and trying to move forward.

 

I'm often frustrated that a lot of modern games off choice but do not give a return on that choice in the form of real consequences.

 

Edit: KotOR isn't actually that bad on this front, actually.

Seconded. Although I found Kotor II to be misteriously lacking on that aspect.

[Corinthian]

This is the Golden Age? Funny, I thought 1997-1999 was the heart of the Golden Age. Fallout 1 and 2, Baldur's Gate 1 and 2, StarCraft and Brood War, Freespace and Freespace 2, a whole slew of other games that I haven't paid attention to. Mass Effect is a good game, but it's hardly part of the Golden Age of Gaming.

[Sabretooth]

Golden Age? Renaissance? Dark Ages? This man has no clue of what he is talking about and wants to look like some fancy video game historian.

[stingerhs]

meh, most of today's games are merely evolving along, and the same goes for how the storylines progress. i'm waiting for the day when your actions really do influence how the storyline progresses instead of the now-cliche of multiple endings. believe me, this is no golden age. the golden age will come when you get an Oblivion-style game in which the storyline changes dynamically with the player.

 

and don't say it isn't possible. if it wasn't, games like the Total War series or the Civilization series wouldn't exist.

[Corinthian]

That doesn't make any sense, Stinger. Games like Civilization don't have any plot, and the Total War Series doesn't have much of one either.

[Ztalker]

War games tend to have no story, Corinthian.

 

Or would you like to include a romantic sub-plot between Kane and a nice female commando to command and conquer? Or that the PC of Call of Duty 4 needs to fill his taxes?

 

It doesn't work that way. Some games are better without a story, period.

 

I think stingerhns means that, in the Total War series, you can reshape the world, manage your own family etc. For me, I really formed some of a bond with the characters. And when my 8 Star general faction heir was killed by a Gaul faction, I took revenge. Slaughtered every single Gaul I could find. Chased them through Spain....

[Sabretooth]

War games tend to have no story, Corinthian.

 

Or would you like to include a romantic sub-plot between Kane and a nice female commando to command and conquer? Or that the PC of Call of Duty 4 needs to fill his taxes?

 

It doesn't work that way. Some games are better without a story, period.

Take Brothers in Arms. It had a pretty intense storyline that even worked out fantastically. And it was a war game through and through. Operation Flashpoint also had a story, to some extent.

 

I interpret Stinger as saying that in these games, each game is so loose, it could go a hundred ways. In Civilization, for eg. you might go through bad times, do some conquering, become a superpower and so on. They're unpredictable, but they're still entirely reliant on your input to go anywhere.

 

Taking something like Half-Life in contrast, you will go through a set of levels in the same order, your choices are made automatically (thereby not being choices in the first place) and once you finish the game, you know exactly how it plays out. The problem is, regardless of what sort of player is playing it, that's how the story will end up, because it doesn't allow choices.

 

So Stinger's vision is of a unification of these two game types; where in a realistic, immersive setting, you can make active decisions and choices that will constantly affect the storyline and characters; thereby giving the intricate dynamic nature of Civilization with the immersive, story-centric aesthetic of Half-Life-ish games.

 

Confound it, Stinger! Must you shroud your words in such maddening riddles?

[Serpentine Cougar]

Somewhat interesting reads, but nothing really new.

 

"Our games are so story-driven. We have a lot of surprises and twists," Karpyshyn says.

Wow, that's profound. :rollseyes:

 

This is the Golden Age? Funny, I thought 1997-1999 was the heart of the Golden Age. Fallout 1 and 2, Baldur's Gate 1 and 2, StarCraft and Brood War, Freespace and Freespace 2, a whole slew of other games that I haven't paid attention to. Mass Effect is a good game, but it's hardly part of the Golden Age of Gaming.

QFT.