Poll: Branching Story vs Scripted Story?

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JohnnyDelRay

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Jul 29, 2010
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To be honest, I'm a bit back and forth on this one. I've seen games ruined by either approach, and also either one turning out phenomenally great. Having said that, I think I lean towards the scripted story as I think I've had more better experiences with that type of game. COULD BE that I just play more of those types of games, but whatever.

Since I'm playing The Witcher 3 right now, I'll weigh in on that while the overarching story may not be that epic, it does have some meaningful decisions thrown at you. And some of them are just as small as either being snarky or friendly, and end up with interesting consequences. It's also a cool psychological test at times to see how heartless and shitty you are willing to role play yourself, and also how much you like screwing around, if anything just to see how much the writers are going to let shit get out of hand.
 
Oct 22, 2011
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Let's see, usually i find stories in games worse than in books or movies in general, so i think it's better when a game utilizes something that only this medium can pull out. My pick is branching.

But like to every rule, there's an exception to it and that is:
Zhukov said:
(...) "open ended" or "player driven" stories, like in Bethesda games, aren't stories at all. They're just a sequence of disconnected events, most of which will just consist of killing lots of mooks.
Because screw that kind of "storytelling".
 

madwarper

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Mar 17, 2011
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sgy0003 said:
Games such as KOTOR, DA series, ME series, [...] have branching stories, where player's decision impact what happens later in the game. This also adds replay values.
Wait... What? Have you been playing the same games I have?

KotOR? Your actions are irrelevant.
DA? Side with the Werewolves or the Elves? Templars or Mages? They're just throwing a different skin onto the same regiment of troops.
ME? Any choices you make only result in a subtle "sup? remember that time we did that thing?"

I would like to play a game where my actions had /actual/ consequences in the game world. But, those 3 examples you've listed... Those aren't it.
 

FakeSympathy

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madwarper said:
sgy0003 said:
Games such as KOTOR, DA series, ME series, [...] have branching stories, where player's decision impact what happens later in the game. This also adds replay values.
Wait... What? Have you been playing the same games I have?

KotOR? Your actions are irrelevant.
DA? Side with the Werewolves or the Elves? Templars or Mages? They're just throwing a different skin onto the same regiment of troops.
ME? Any choices you make only result in a subtle "sup? remember that time we did that thing?"

I would like to play a game where my actions had /actual/ consequences in the game world. But, those 3 examples you've listed... Those aren't it.
Okay, yeah, those were a bad examples for branching stories. My mistake. But TTG games series and maybe witched series still has branching story lines
 

Imperioratorex Caprae

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Why can't I like both and have no preference of one over the other? Poll needs 3rd option, might even be subtly ironic without one...
 

happyninja42

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I would normally say "both", because I don't think your options are mutually exclusive.

The problem I have though, especially with "choose your own adventure" stories, is that frequently they are terribly written. For example, Star Wars: The Old Republic, is terrible, TERRIBLE examples of making your own choices in stories. Because they had to have the overarching plot of each class follow the same basic route, all of your choices basically have zero actual impact on events. It doesn't matter if you go Light or Dark side as a Jedi Guardian for example, because either way, the Council still thinks you did a great job, and considers you a hero. Same for being a Sith Warrior, and going Light Side. You can end up with this paragon on Light Side goodness, in a position of power and control in the sith empire, and apparently perfectly happy to keep working for the badguys.

If that's the kind of "choice" you mean, then hell no, fuck that noise, that's not a choice at all really. I'd much rather follow a preset storyline that is written well than a flimsy, samey storyline with a few words changed here and there in the script, depending on which choices you make.