Can you turn a book into the story for a game?
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I always thought the short story "The Most Dangerous Game" (sometimes called "The Hounds of Zaroff") by Connell could make an excellent game. Its the one where the Russian aristocrat/big game hunter captures sailors and has them participate in the most intense big-game hunt ever (as the prey.) You've probably read it in school.
It could make a kickass stealth-thriller-adventure game as you control Rainsford fleeing deeper into the island, avoiding Zaroff and setting traps for Ivan and the dogs. Would lend itself nicely to Yahtzee's "conflict triangle" idea:
Ideally, a game with a three-act plot would use all three corners of the triangle - start out with evasion when you're vulnerable, use stealth in the middle to redress the balance guerrilla-style, then gain sufficient strength to sort everything out with violence in the end. But that's mixing gameplay styles, which is almost inevitably rubbish.
Beginning of game: fleeing from Zaroff. Middle: start taking out his dogs one by one,, as well as Ivan. End: Follow Zaroff to his mansion, and engage him in open combat. Since the story leaves the ending open, you could even end with a short segment of you hunting Zaroff in his own house, after you've injured him in the fight, to show just how far the mighty ca
It could make a kickass stealth-thriller-adventure game as you control Rainsford fleeing deeper into the island, avoiding Zaroff and setting traps for Ivan and the dogs. Would lend itself nicely to Yahtzee's "conflict triangle" idea:
Ideally, a game with a three-act plot would use all three corners of the triangle - start out with evasion when you're vulnerable, use stealth in the middle to redress the balance guerrilla-style, then gain sufficient strength to sort everything out with violence in the end. But that's mixing gameplay styles, which is almost inevitably rubbish.
Beginning of game: fleeing from Zaroff. Middle: start taking out his dogs one by one,, as well as Ivan. End: Follow Zaroff to his mansion, and engage him in open combat. Since the story leaves the ending open, you could even end with a short segment of you hunting Zaroff in his own house, after you've injured him in the fight, to show just how far the mighty ca
A book-to-game adaptation is very tricky, because a book is a linear story. Done poorly, it could be little more than a Metal Gear Solid-esque cutscene-heavy experience where the player gets little to no sense of accomplishment because his actions have no effect on the outcome and it will be the same experience if he plays it again.
The Dune games were an interesting way of doing it. Instead of directly adapting the source, Westwood made their own experience in the book's world (it helped that they innovated a new genre, too).
The Dune games were an interesting way of doing it. Instead of directly adapting the source, Westwood made their own experience in the book's world (it helped that they innovated a new genre, too).
Maybe one of Salvatorre's Drizzt D'uodden cycle? (sorry if I misspelled it... I necver read the books, not my cup of tea, but they may lend themselves for a decent adaptation)
Technically, Dante's Inferno is loosely based on the book of the same name and in all honesty, it wasn't half bad. A little repetitive, but that happens when they don't introduce a new enemy and just send re-skinned ones at you for the entire length of the game.
well, STALKER was based off of this old russian book called "roadside picnic" and last time i checked it was pretty sweet.
I personally don't want the game to take place with a specific plot, but man I would love to see a game take place in the universe of A Clockwork Orange.
I personally don't want the game to take place with a specific plot, but man I would love to see a game take place in the universe of A Clockwork Orange.
Most certainly.
Of all books I've read, one that struck me as a story that could make for an excellent game would be The Sicillian, a lesser-known spinoff of The Godfather that I actually found more engaging due to a tighter cast of characters. Though you would be operating in a bevy of country towns instead of a large city, it would be easy enough to adapt the whole GTA rigmarole into it with the added capacity to use the people for support depending on your reputation, since in the book the majority of Sicily's people were on the protagonists's side despite his being a bandit. The book also had a fair amount of gunfighting. The only problem is the downer ending, but it wouldn't be the first game to do that.
Of all books I've read, one that struck me as a story that could make for an excellent game would be The Sicillian, a lesser-known spinoff of The Godfather that I actually found more engaging due to a tighter cast of characters. Though you would be operating in a bevy of country towns instead of a large city, it would be easy enough to adapt the whole GTA rigmarole into it with the added capacity to use the people for support depending on your reputation, since in the book the majority of Sicily's people were on the protagonists's side despite his being a bandit. The book also had a fair amount of gunfighting. The only problem is the downer ending, but it wouldn't be the first game to do that.
Now that you say it, that would be awesome. Trying to escape/destroy a hoard of nanobots that can mimic humans, awesome. Assuming they didn't screw it up and find some way to include a super-soldier/space marine. It'd be the feeling of helplessness that'd be the best part.Daedalus1942 said:
Well, there's been various Lord of the Rings games. The one I'd like to single out is War in Middle Earth, which came out in 1988, well before Peter Jackson's movies and after the 1978 one. It can vary heavily from the books, with the game not ending unless the bad guys take over the world and/or get the ring back. Frodo & co. can suffer a TPK, Minas Tirith can fall, and you can still win.
There's also Betrayal at Krondor and Return to Krondor, both based on Raymond Feist's Midkemia series. Again, you can wander nearly anywhere and there's lots of sidequests to pick up in addition to the main plot. This is a series that would make a solid movie or three, but is maybe too similar in setting to LotR for it to happen.
Oh, and there's been a few Dune games, too, both pre- and post-movie.
A game based on Ender's game would be pretty cool. That would certainly transition well.
I'm not sure what genre, but a game set in either Asmimov's Robots or Foundation (are they one now?) universes would be interesting.
It would also be nice to see something based on Terry Brooks's works.
There's also Betrayal at Krondor and Return to Krondor, both based on Raymond Feist's Midkemia series. Again, you can wander nearly anywhere and there's lots of sidequests to pick up in addition to the main plot. This is a series that would make a solid movie or three, but is maybe too similar in setting to LotR for it to happen.
Oh, and there's been a few Dune games, too, both pre- and post-movie.
A game based on Ender's game would be pretty cool. That would certainly transition well.
I'm not sure what genre, but a game set in either Asmimov's Robots or Foundation (are they one now?) universes would be interesting.
It would also be nice to see something based on Terry Brooks's works.
Mimic? Only at the start with the rogue swarm running on the "Predprey" protocol.Cain_Zeros said:
From my memory, they assimilated some of the researchers.
Easily my favourite book evahh.
I still need to read Pirate Lattitudes. R.I.P Michael.
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Also, I was thinking it could have a similar mechanic to "The Thing" in that you suspect everyone of being infected and you can't trust anyone.
Hmm, I think The Road could be a good game. That, and Alice and Wonderland. In both of them you'd just sort of stumble around, just really exploring, dealing with whatever shenanigans gets in your way.