A guide to create the ideal adventure game

Posted by David Tanguay.
First posted on 09 July 1999. Last updated on 14 February 2008.
Articles  »  Features

What is an ideal adventure game? The answer to this question has eluded adventure game designers, developers, and players. Many so-called adventure games of today have blurred the line that, in the past, has so clearly defined the adventure genre of yesteryear. Recently, I have taken an interest in the issue, mostly to see if it is possible to reestablish this missing line. The goal of this…

Full Article
• (20) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink

Enter Your Comments

Name

Email (optional)

City, Country

Rate this article
1 (Poor) 2 (Fair) 3 (Good) 4 (Very Good) 5 (Excellent)

Message

Submit the word below for security verification


Previous Comments

 1 2 >  Of 2 Pages

Very Good

A very interesting article and a good discussion on the core elements of adventure games, without limiting the genre to pure text adventures. It is currently recommended reading for my students at Adam Smith College who study ‘Interactive Fiction’ as part of their multimedia course.

Great Britain (UK) By Colin Maxwell • On 14 February 2007 • From UK

Excellent

I have two concepts of role-playing.  The first is where you are an actor in a largely predetermined script, with limitted choices concerning the overall plot, assuming you want to complete the game to its conclusion.  As far as I know, all solo crpg’s fall into this category.  The second is a virtual world without much if any prescripted story, where the characters are behaving as they choose, and you can choose to participate in whatever way suits you.  The original ultima online was a lot like that, but real players made it ‘live’.  I would like to see more effort to make virtual worlds and npcs ‘live’.

If npcs appeared to fill basic needs for survival (drinking, eating, rest), recreation, socialization, materialism and aspirations, and made choices based on aptitudes, interests and personality traits, it would be a start.  There would also have to be a functioning economy and legal system, advancement in hierarchies, memories and communication that actually allowed basic forms of all the same ways that people interact.  There would also have to be the ability to obtain resources and manipulate them, if only in pre-programmed ways.  A balance has to be struck between realism and the limitations of technology, obviously.

Until such approaches are attempted, we have to settle for face-to-face role-playing or fairly linear, scripted games that are heavily combat-oriented.

United States By Paul • On 19 July 2006 • From Houston, Texas, USA

Good

While agreeing with the content of this article, I am surprised there was no mention of what tools are available to assist in creating your own adventure.  For example, Inform has a very distinguished background, providing all the capabilities you need to produce games of considerable sophistication and originality.  Note I have no connection with anyone connected with its development; I am just a fan of the product!

Great Britain (UK) By Robert Gomersall • On 26 May 2006 • From Ely, UK

Excellent

What you have here, sir, is what people in the Philosophy world call a “Phenomenology,” which is best defined as a philisophical writing on a specific topic based on the writer’s experience with that topic. Phenomenologies have been written on almost every topic under the sun, including Horror, Love, Passion, Hate, Idolatry, Religion, the Essence of Living...the list goes on. You, sir, have just added to the pile with your Phenomenology on Adventure Games. Good work!

United States By Kurdt • On 16 May 2006 • From Houston, TX, USA

Having just read and agreed with your article, I just would like to add one thing - what adventure games AREN’T - they aren’t fighting games. If there is violence depicted, it occurs before or after the protagonist is present. Ico, for the PS2 is a wonderful game that might fit your definitions, but for the enormous amount of fight scenes. Most of the adv gamers I talk to in forums, deplore the hack and slash direction many gamer developers are heading into. Maybe it sells more games in the 14-28 year old demographic area, but that is not the same audience who will go for adventure games, as a whole. Massively marketed games such as Syberia, are practically apologetic about it’s being in the pure adventure category, and even its creator, Benoit Sokal has said that Syberia II will have more “action”, though not fighting per se. It is a sad commentary on our times, that we must be apologetic for portraying non-violence in a game.

United States By Marilyn Nelson • On 25 August 2003 • From Sarasota, FL, USA

Excellent article on what an adventure game should be.

United States By Johnny Le Blanc III • On 24 June 2003 • From New Orleans, USA

These were SUPERB articles for which I congratulate the panel. The only part which I felt was deficient in any respect was that on the interface, the significance of which I thought was slighted, as was the discussion of it. Aside from that I fully agree with the panel and will use the reference whenever I am queried about Adventure Games. Thank you so much!

United States By Advpuzlov • On 14 June 2003 • From USA

I agree with your definition. Very well reasoned.

By Judy • On 06 February 2003 • From Texas

the article on the ideal adventure was awesome. as a fan of the good ol’ adventure games, i’m working an interactive game for a multimedia portfolio piece, and this information was really helpful. great essay!

By jayj • On 10 February 2002 • From toronto

Agree. I’ve been playing adventure games, mostly of the non-violent nature, for as long as they have been in existence.
I’ve always found it difficult to answer when asked what genre I prefer because the definitions from one to another are not the same. I’d like to see definitions widely accepted all around and I think it will have to be the designers who, ultimately, determine that issue.

By Kateet • On 12 June 2001 • From USA