Does it make sense to die in a flashback?

[Twitchy Racoon]

Ive played several games (names I cannot recall) In which every once and awhile, youd go into a flashback, this was usually intended to develop the story and possibly the protagonist, but in these flashbacks, you could die. Does this make sense? Is this perhaps a grey area between the straight-forward gaming section and the story section of the game?

 

[Flying-Emu]

Does it make sense to have to play a section of a game that supposedly already happened?

 

[The Random One]

Does it make sense to have to play a section of a game that supposedly already happened?

As much sense as it makes to watch a section of a movie that already took place, and I say this as someone who watched Memento and Lucky Number Slevin this weekend.

It makes sense in a game if there's some sort of explanation, like in Assassin's Creed or PoP:SoT. But otherwise it's just some suspension of disbelief.

 

[clipped crow]

You could just think of it as the entire Assassin's Creed system. You're just remembering it wrong. Also, if you couldn't die then it would just be a cut-scene that you could take every once of perfectly scripted atmosphere out of...

 

[Twitchy Racoon]

You could just think of it as the entire Assassin's Creed system. You're just remembering it wrong. Also, if you couldn't die then it would just be a cut-scene that you could take every once of perfectly scripted atmosphere out of...

that actually makes sense...

 

[cheese_wizington]

Unless you go into that whole alternate universe thing than no, not really.

 

[The Night Shade]

Not really the only one that makes sense is in Assassin's Creed

 

[PHOENIXRIDER57]

The flashback would have to be a lie.

 

[Kiefer13]

Does it make sense to die normally in a game and then just replay that section again? No, but it's just assumed for the sake of canon that you make it through the events of the game without dying.

 

[Plurralbles]

yes, if you're the prince of persia.

Or...

"And that was the 7th time I died"

 

[Marter]

It makes sense to me. You don't die at all throughout the whole game, at least, not stoyline wise. Dying in a cutscene is no different.

 

[dennis321456]

You could just think of it as the entire Assassin's Creed system. You're just remembering it wrong. Also, if you couldn't die then it would just be a cut-scene that you could take every once of perfectly scripted atmosphere out of...

that actually makes sense...

oh my god that really did make sense

 

[cartographer54]

I think it's a little bit of both: Remembering it wrong and losing the game. From a story perspective the former works. From a technical perspective the latter works. It's a win-win explanation for a game designer that wants a playable flashback.

 

[Twitchy Racoon]

You could just think of it as the entire Assassin's Creed system. You're just remembering it wrong. Also, if you couldn't die then it would just be a cut-scene that you could take every once of perfectly scripted atmosphere out of...

that actually makes sense...

oh my god that really did make sense

crippled crow must be some sort of super genius lol

 

[Treeinthewoods]

Does it make sense to die in a flashback? Only if you're Alex Mercer!

 

[Slaanax]

Does it make sense to make a part of the game not playable. Some game designers think so, but playing a game is more fun than watching it.

 

[octafish]

I liked the mechanic in In Cold Blood, the premise is you are being interrogated about your actions and all the levels are flashbacks as the information is being coerced out of you. When you die in a level there is a cut back to the interrogation and John Cord says something like "Wait... that's not how it happened".

 

[LooK iTz Jinjo]

The character telling the flash back obviously has a really bad memory...