Industry trend? the beginning of games, "in medias res"

[gavinmcinns]

It seems to me that almost every single triple a blockbuster game opens in medias res. Every single one. Well obviously not /every/ single one (that can't possibly be true can it?) but I'm having a hard time thinking about any that don't. Can anyone explain to me why this is so prevalent? Is it real
Y just because of laziness?

Off the top

Ff13,
Dead space, cod 1-40, GTA (who happens to at least do it well enough, especially with all the interesting things they do beyond it).

Fallout 3 is a counter example.

Aborted

Please give your thoughts

 

[IceForce]

Maybe I am stupid but what is in media res?

Google is your friend.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_medias_res

It means not starting a story from the very beginning, but instead starting it part-way in, and filling in the beginning details later.

 

[IceForce]

Anyway, to answer the topic:

The Half-Life series in another example of games that don't start in medias res.

I guess the reason why it's so prevalent is because it makes the story-telling a bit more interesting than simple linear story-telling.

 

[aozgolo]

In Media Res allows games with weighty plotlines or lots of exposition to space it out over time instead of overwhelming everyone with overly saturated narratives (IE: Metal Gear Solid series). When done well, In Media Res can be used to quickly bring a player into the action, let them experience the gameplay and get a feel for how the game works before introducing to them the brunt of the plot. When done poorly, and I will say that LOTS of games do it poorly, using In Media Res tends to make the player feel confused, lost, and not know what the hell is going on, or just as bad is used as a method to try and appear "edgy" in their storytelling presentation.

 

[DoPo]

Can anyone explain to me why this is so prevalent? Is it real
Y just because of laziness?

It's a bit of a laziness, yes, but a big part of the reason is because of first impressions. Yes, that's right - you start off the game big and grand, give the players cool stuff to look at and do, and you'll get more people playing the game. If you don't grab their attention, it will falter and go to something else that is shiny.

Or at least that's the working assumption behind a lot of them - I do not know to to what extent is it true. But I'm just relating what I've heard/read.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

I think this is a way of starting a franchise...If you don't start at the beginning, that makes wriggle room for a possible prequel! As for GTA though, how exactly do you gauge 'beginning' with something like a crime-sandbox?

 

[aegix drakan_v1legacy]

a big part of the reason is because of first impressions. Yes, that's right - you start off the game big and grand, give the players cool stuff to look at and do, and you'll get more people playing the game. If you don't grab their attention, it will falter and go to something else that is shiny.

This.

In Medias Res is a powerful tool because it throws the player into a conflict from the get go and says "YO, player! Pay attention, there's shit going down!". If you don't have in medias res, your story will begin more slowly and a lto of players will think "ugh...This is boring, I'm just learning stuff, when do I get to do something?!"

Also note that In Medias Res can be just trowing you into a conflict, and not always throwing you into the middle of the game. (Actually I find games that throw you into the middle of the plot and then flash back to earlier parts to be kinds of annoying)

To give an example of In Medias Res and why it works, I'll use an RPGmaker game I made last winter where I made use of In Medias Res to start the plot. (Dunno if I'm allowed to link to it. It's called "Illusions of Loyalty" if you wanna look it up.)

I could have begun the game with telling the player about the state of the continent and the political tensions that fill it. But I felt that would bore the player and they'd lose attention rapidly. So instead, I opened up with a full on rebel attack on the capital, and used the action and short scenes to show the player the state of the country (and how they have mechanical death machines). I assumed the player didn't need me to say "This is Sarah Hawke, she is a good friend of the main character". Instead I let the player assume it by looking at how they interacted . I made it so the player will go "wow, this is crazy! What the heck is motivating all of this?!" so they will WANT to know more. Then, after the first big event is over, I hit them with the mission they had to do, gave them a quick primer on the political situation, and then let them explore a bit at their own pace (letting them speak to civilians in the town and other soldiers at the castle if they wanted) before giving them a more in depth look at the politics at the start of the first main "dungeon".

This way, the the exposition that's needed for the story to work is sandwiched by action and exploration, giving the player immediate investment to start with, as well as letting them choose if they want to go talk to everyone and get a better feel for the world.

I think it turned out really nicely in the end. No way I could have done it as well by not using in medias res (at least not without alienating a lot of players)

 

[daveman247]

I think its used a lot more in games because it can be a significant chunk of time to play through a game. If you don't immediatly grab a players attention, they will move onto something else. Noy many are going to want to sit through (or playthrough) several hours of set up, expsoition or a block of text before "getting to the good stuff." Start off with a bang (or at least something interesting) and fill in the banks as you go.

Plus for quite a few games story comes second, so there may not be much to explain besides "generic sci future setting".

 

[Altorin]

They'll explain it much better then I can, but basically, it's not laziness, it's all about catching your attention in 5 minutes. In Medias Res allows you to jump right to that good bit that will hook you.

 

[josemlopes]

Can anyone explain to me why this is so prevalent? Is it real
Y just because of laziness?

It's a bit of a laziness, yes, but a big part of the reason is because of first impressions. Yes, that's right - you start off the game big and grand, give the players cool stuff to look at and do, and you'll get more people playing the game. If you don't grab their attention, it will falter and go to something else that is shiny.

Or at least that's the working assumption behind a lot of them - I do not know to to what extent is it true. But I'm just relating what I've heard/read.

Basicly this, do you really want to a cutscene where everything that happened before is exposed to you if you can do it in a more subtle way while keeping the player interested? You end up knowing all you need to know and its less shoved in your face.

 

[GoaThief]

From my understanding it only applies to something that starts in the middle of the story, and is then explained via flashbacks or similar. Just because there is action it doesn't make it in medias res.

Dead Space as an example, doesn't start straight into action and the story then progresses in a linear fashion making it not applicable to in medias res.

 

[gavinmcinns]

Can anyone explain to me why this is so prevalent? Is it real
Y just because of laziness?

It's a bit of a laziness, yes, but a big part of the reason is because of first impressions. Yes, that's right - you start off the game big and grand, give the players cool stuff to look at and do, and you'll get more people playing the game. If you don't grab their attention, it will falter and go to something else that is shiny.

Or at least that's the working assumption behind a lot of them - I do not know to to what extent is it true. But I'm just relating what I've heard/read.

Basicly this, do you really want to a cutscene where everything that happened before is exposed to you if you can do it in a more subtle way while keeping the player interested? You end up knowing all you need to know and its less shoved in your face.

It's not either "boom explosion shaky cam qte run through a hallway" or "exposition dump cutscene", as another person said half life is a great example of how to begin a story at the beginning. If you can pull it off, go ahead and do it, but too many developers use it as a crutch to hide the inadequacies of the story.

 

[gavinmcinns]

Anyway, to answer the topic:

The Half-Life series in another example of games that don't start in medias res.

I guess the reason why it's so prevalent is because it makes the story-telling a bit more interesting than simple linear story-telling.

It's not interesting if you see it in every game. Half life is a great counter example, it gives you time to soak in the world, and by the time something big happens, you actually give a shit. Im sick and tired of being thrown into a battlefield with shit exploding every where. It's confusing and frankly stupid and most criminally, boring. The people holding the reins in the industry are not artists, they are middle men, looking at hollywood and trying to copy it so Harvey Weinstein might say that games are art before his old ass dies so they can make a couple more bucks.

 

[gavinmcinns]

In Media Res allows games with weighty plotlines or lots of exposition to space it out over time instead of overwhelming everyone with overly saturated narratives (IE: Metal Gear Solid series). When done well, In Media Res can be used to quickly bring a player into the action, let them experience the gameplay and get a feel for how the game works before introducing to them the brunt of the plot. When done poorly, and I will say that LOTS of games do it poorly, using In Media Res tends to make the player feel confused, lost, and not know what the hell is going on, or just as bad is used as a method to try and appear "edgy" in their storytelling presentation.

These developers (the ones who do poor story, which is seemingly 95% of them) should either hire some competent writers, or just quit and do something else. Games are art, and if you cant make art, then go into business. To me, 95% of these games are not art, but products to be consumed, not appreciated. Go make a can of soup or something.

 

[gavinmcinns]

I think this is a way of starting a franchise...If you don't start at the beginning, that makes wriggle room for a possible prequel! As for GTA though, how exactly do you gauge 'beginning' with something like a crime-sandbox?

When taken to an extreme, every story is in medias res to some degree, unless you are starting from the big bang or something like that, and even then... but i digress.

But there are varying degrees of it. My rule is, the more explosions in your intro, the stupider in medias res it is.

 

[Something Amyss]

Can anyone explain to me why this is so prevalent?

It allows you to suck people in with the action. Gamers seem to have a super case of ADHD quite frequently.

 

[Hero in a half shell]

From my understanding it only applies to something that starts in the middle of the story, and is then explained via flashbacks or similar. Just because there is action it doesn't make it in medias res.

Dead Space as an example, doesn't start straight into action and the story then progresses in a linear fashion making it not applicable to in medias res.

Yeah, I would consider this to be correct. I can think of plenty of AAA games that start at the beginning of the story, but frame it in an action sequence, because we can't all be Gordon Freeman I'm pretty sure all the COD MW have the training base levels, Tomb Raider always had training levels and a solid plot explanation at the start, Halo begins at the beginning, with the finding of the Ring, all the Command and Conquer series have opening introductory cutscenes of the first attacks, Splinter Cell explains your position fairly well etc.

Very few games I can think of truely start 'in medias res', but I can think of plenty that begin with action sequences that are fairly well contextualised in that segment of gameplay.

 

[senordesol]

I'm straining to think of any game I played recently that started IMR.

Bioshock Infinite started at the beginning.
Batman: Arkham Origins started at the beginning.
Skyrim started at the beginning.
Metro started at the beginning.
Farcry 3...

Are you sure you understand what IMR means? It's the practice of starting the story later in the timeline and then at some point 'beginning' the story to eventually connect to what you saw at the start. Simply 'starting' the story with an action scene is not IMR... it's just a smash start. When used effectively it's a good way to disorient and overwhelm the audience while establishing the tone of your title.

Saving Private Ryan did an excellent job of this: before we get one detail of the plot we are flung into the Normandy landings and all the blood gore and chaos therein. At this point we weren't worried about any characters in particular; just the madness of surviving from one moment to the next.

MW3 also had a...telling smash start. No tutorial, no character introductions, just: Russians over there, kill dey ass! And...that was pretty much the game. There was a moment in MW3 where they did use IMR (The failed mission to rescue the daughter) where the mission starts in the midst of an ambush then cuts away to the mission start. That segment bothered me because there was nothing learned from that ambush apart from the fact that at some point we're gonna get ambushed.