Escapist Podcast: 037: Directed vs Player Driven Narrative

[The Escapist Staff]

037: Directed vs Player Driven Narrative

This week, we discuss directed narratives vs player driven narratives and how it affects the ending of a game. We also talk about the Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition announcement.

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[Phlakes]

*Gleeful gasp
So many podcasts! Feel free to make some more for the weekend, too... They're good to play over ME3 multiplayer.

 

[Kahunaburger]

I listened to another podcast [http://www.ferretbrain.com/files/Peacast%20VI.mp3] and read a follow-up essay [http://www.ferretbrain.com/articles/article-848] from the good folks at Ferretbrain on the subject that I feel sums it up well.

 

[Uszi]

They didn't give us one great ending or five good endings.

They gave us three versions of the same one ending, and all of the versions of the one ending are filled with plot holes and inconsistencies and needlessly break the Universe of Mass Effect and don't answer our questions about what happens to the characters after the final decision.

I listened to another podcast [http://www.ferretbrain.com/files/Peacast%20VI.mp3] and read a follow-up essay [http://www.ferretbrain.com/articles/article-848] from the good folks at Ferretbrain on the subject that I feel sums it up well.

Article was excellent, thanks.

 

[Phlakes]

They didn't give us one great ending or five good endings.

They gave us three versions of the same one ending

It's almost like stopping the Reapers was the entire point of the whole trilogy.

and don't answer our questions about what happens to the characters after the final decision.

It's almost like the whole trilogy was meant to follow Shepard from the very first scene of the first game.

But yeah, can't argue with the plot holes.

 

[Uszi]

It's almost like stopping the Reapers was the entire point of the whole trilogy.

Which isn't what I meant by "the same ending."

It's almost like the whole trilogy was meant to follow Shepard from the very first scene of the first game.

Eh, but then the current ending doesn't do that, since you're treated to that awful Normandy scene.

But yeah, can't argue with the plot holes.

Indeed.

 

[sordcooper]

i am both an artist, and a highly creative person... most of the time (cant be original constantly) but yeah, that sounds about right... cuz yeah, im a bit nutso.

also, i've met some reserved artists, and their art seems to be a way to vent their emotions in a controlled manner, or a means of observing the world...

...now to actually finish listening to the podcat

 

[Valanthe]

I really have a hard time accepting that Bioware made a game that was 99% fantastic, and then -purposefully- created an ending where nothing matters, nothing is answered, and none of it even makes sense...

I mean, that's really what gets me, if the game itself was mediocre, the endings wouldn't bother me at all, but the endings are so glaringly bad, for a minute there I thought perhaps I was suddenly playing a different game. Hell I would actually -prefer- the DA:O text crawl or the "it was all a dream" of the Indoctrination Theory as opposed to what we've been left with.

 

[MisterShine]

"How much would you spend on BG:EE if it was just prettier and functional?"

20 - Buy in a heartbeat.
30 - I'd mull it over but I'd ultimately get it unless my bank account was pitifully low.
40 - I'd feel guilty and unless I got a cash winfall I'd wait til' it went on sale. Unless it was REAL pretty and I got to ogle Viconia DeVir.


ps. fuck that mage-assassin dude at the first town's inn. He always stomped all over me.

 

[Draconalis]

What?! As a Texan, I have this to say... things are trying to kill you? Buh?

On another note...

80 degrees is hot? What?

And lastly...

I go two ways, in my underwear or in pants. I don't wear shorts. I wouldn't wear clothes at all if it were legal (Pst... it's hot in Texas, clothes suck), but if am going to be forced to wear something... it's not going to be shorts.

 

[Parshooter]

I think I finally understand the ending of Family Guy's y2k apocalyptic episode

 

[Mikeyfell]

Did anybody else catch the Dragon Age 2 call back?
Well done guys.
Lets stop talking about Mass Effect 3 let's jump over to Bioware's other biggest failure and talk about that for a bit.

 

[WarpZone]

EDIT: I'm wrong. While it's true they skimp on the details in THIS podcast, turns out they explore all the fan outcry very well in a previous podcast. Check it out here: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/escapist-podcast/5483-Bonus-Mass-Effect-3-With-Spoilers-Part-2

I'm sorry, but you guys are way over-analyzing something that's not that hard to figure out. People like a happy ending. This isn't rocket science. Hollywood figured this out decades ago.

BAM: http://penny-arcade.com/comic/2012/03/16 There's your in-depth analysis.

People aren't bitching because they wanted MORE choices. They are bitching because no matter what they do in the game, they get a downer ending.

I get that you didn't want to spoil anything for Steve, but going on and on about "player agency" in the middle of the podcast is simply dishonest. It creates the impression that you believe that people are complaining because the story converged. They're not. They're complaining because the story converged in a direction they didn't want it to go, and they had no ability to avert it.

You had to know that going into the podcast. Why not just ask Steve to step out of the room? Then you could have actually discussed the game and the issue people have with the ending, instead of this non-content in the middle of the podcast where everyone goes "derp, I dunno, I gueth people juth want more choitheth!"

 

[Endocrom]

Susan: I thought we weren't gonna talk about Mass Effect 'cause you haven't played it!

Steve: No, no, but let's talk about the ending.

(Wait, what?)

 

[Lord_Gremlin]

Speaking of broken, Mass Effect 3 ending DO include a broken part. 2 Characters that were with you in the end get magically teleported elsewhere without explanation. It does look broken, exactly as if they killed a character and then he's suddenly alive with no explanation.

And another point, "main villain" offers an explanation of his action which is flat out retarded and illogical and Shepard believes it.

How illogical? Like saying "I've murdered these children with a butcher knife to prevent them from being murdered with a butcher knife".

 

[Vkmies]

Am I wrong or is there really no other way to download the podcast other than iTunes? I don't use iTunes, but I also rarelly listen to podcasts on my computer, I listen to them from my phone while on the bus, work and school and during walks.

Unless I have missed some great download link, here is a humble request: Please make it downloadable straight to your computer as an MP3. I would use the crap out of that feature.

 

[sindremaster]

It's possible to play Baldur's Gate multiplayer with the old versions. You just need to use a program called Gameranger.

 

[Slycne]

It's possible to play Baldur's Gate multiplayer with the old versions. You just need to use a program called Gameranger.

I've tried it and couldn't get it to work for whatever reason.