Reply to Sabre's Say #237 : Formulaic extremes....and we hide them.
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OK, the "Iced wonder" has been writing articles, and I must say it looks like fun. Personally, I sometimes think I should have done Alternative Heroes a bit more like this, instead of as a rather dubious (in some people opinions) file.
But nomatter, this is a load of barmy old cack, and if you don't like that then you can just read it and forget it...but some may find it interesting.
Here we go I guess...
Every d-mod is the same, with the same puzzles, enemies, plots and endings : There is nothing new and nothing inventive inthis community. Harsh words you may say, but to a large degree it is true.
O.K, so the limits of the Dink engine and the inability to create new graphics many Dinkers have (including me)limits the horizons a little, and it all gets a bit formulaic...it always has been with Dink.
Inevitably, Dink is the hero. He must hack some enemies up (boncas, pillbugs or slayers_ to gain money to buy an item. The item lets him into a new area, with slightly harder monsters. You do that, and the evil wizard who has stolen your pig/wife/girlfriend/virginity must then be killed...or a enemy that is...how scary is this?...BIGGER THAN NORMAL!
All the same, bar the occasional new spell, or small twist.
"Cloud Castle"? Complete rubbish! What, Dink has another new house, people are missing, there is an evil wizard behind it. You must find get some gold to buy an item, and find a few more. Then you move onto the next area, have to fight some more enemies, before fighting the wizard.
It's the most predictable d-mod that has ever been...you could tell the end before the game started!
But this, like many other d-mods, is all hidden behind a few "glossy tricks" - none of which would work without the others. A slightly different conversation style, a couple of fancy fights, a couple of gimmicky bosses. What is with this?
And all the other d-mods are the same, not branching out from the formular that has and always will be on the network.
Not only "Cloud Castle" hides it's faults like this, and download 5 random d-mods and 4 will follow this formula.
Maybe I have been a bit harsh though, some d-mod authors are still pushing the Dink engine about as if they own the thing. Redink has shown invention many a time, and has not only had you skipping about time with different characters (and no Dink) in "Cycles of Evil", but wandering about his basement in "Explorations"!!.
Paul Pliska broke the mould when his game "Lyna's Story" not only had a girl as the main character, but had a completely open game structure.
Even all that time ago, Gary Hertal had Dink morphing into other characters - which has not been replicated, and has not advanced for how many years?
Some are still changing, and evolving the Dink network, but how many, and how slowly?
A few promising games that would bend the mechanics of the Dink Engine have been announced, but not released (such as "SpookHouse", and theprophets racing game) whilst others have arrived but without any polish or pinache, such as "DinkRacer".
While we have small innovations every so often, a whole lot arrives when a game such as "FIAT" or "Pilgrims Quest" and these few d-mods blow everybody away, and inspire then to make the next super-game.
Will Dink get out of this trend of rigid thinking and similar games? No. Does it need to?
No.
But nomatter, this is a load of barmy old cack, and if you don't like that then you can just read it and forget it...but some may find it interesting.
Here we go I guess...
Every d-mod is the same, with the same puzzles, enemies, plots and endings : There is nothing new and nothing inventive inthis community. Harsh words you may say, but to a large degree it is true.
O.K, so the limits of the Dink engine and the inability to create new graphics many Dinkers have (including me)limits the horizons a little, and it all gets a bit formulaic...it always has been with Dink.
Inevitably, Dink is the hero. He must hack some enemies up (boncas, pillbugs or slayers_ to gain money to buy an item. The item lets him into a new area, with slightly harder monsters. You do that, and the evil wizard who has stolen your pig/wife/girlfriend/virginity must then be killed...or a enemy that is...how scary is this?...BIGGER THAN NORMAL!
All the same, bar the occasional new spell, or small twist.
"Cloud Castle"? Complete rubbish! What, Dink has another new house, people are missing, there is an evil wizard behind it. You must find get some gold to buy an item, and find a few more. Then you move onto the next area, have to fight some more enemies, before fighting the wizard.
It's the most predictable d-mod that has ever been...you could tell the end before the game started!
But this, like many other d-mods, is all hidden behind a few "glossy tricks" - none of which would work without the others. A slightly different conversation style, a couple of fancy fights, a couple of gimmicky bosses. What is with this?
And all the other d-mods are the same, not branching out from the formular that has and always will be on the network.
Not only "Cloud Castle" hides it's faults like this, and download 5 random d-mods and 4 will follow this formula.
Maybe I have been a bit harsh though, some d-mod authors are still pushing the Dink engine about as if they own the thing. Redink has shown invention many a time, and has not only had you skipping about time with different characters (and no Dink) in "Cycles of Evil", but wandering about his basement in "Explorations"!!.
Paul Pliska broke the mould when his game "Lyna's Story" not only had a girl as the main character, but had a completely open game structure.
Even all that time ago, Gary Hertal had Dink morphing into other characters - which has not been replicated, and has not advanced for how many years?
Some are still changing, and evolving the Dink network, but how many, and how slowly?
A few promising games that would bend the mechanics of the Dink Engine have been announced, but not released (such as "SpookHouse", and theprophets racing game) whilst others have arrived but without any polish or pinache, such as "DinkRacer".
While we have small innovations every so often, a whole lot arrives when a game such as "FIAT" or "Pilgrims Quest" and these few d-mods blow everybody away, and inspire then to make the next super-game.
Will Dink get out of this trend of rigid thinking and similar games? No. Does it need to?
No.
