Reply to Re: Malachi the Jerk
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Most games are really more linear than they appear to be, especially RPGs. Adventure games like Zelda hide their linearity really well, but you still have to do things in a certain order (can't just go fight Ganon at the beginning of Zelda for example, there are other things which must be done first). No matter which game you play there's always a certain amount of objectives that must happen in a sequence to properly finish the game, so in that way all games are linear. However, it's generally good to try to disguise the linearity, and there are many ways you can do that.
Here's a few examples of ways to make a game feel less linear:
1.) Create a decent amount of area to explore and put stuff worth finding in it. This doesn't effect the main story in any way but gives the player some incentive to look around and something to do besides go from point A to point B. The hard part is finding the happy medium between a map that is too big and sparse in content, and one that is too small and claustrophobic.
2.) Allow a main story objective to be completed early, before the point in the game in which it is required. For example, if you need a long sword to get into a dungeon, make it possible to get the sword before the player has learned they need it for the dungeon. It sounds trivial but things like this can make a game feel less scripted and more dynamic.
3.) Add collectables. For example, the pixie poops from Quest for Cheese. If they are hidden well but not unreasonably, and have some kind of reward than it can be very effective.
4.) Add mini-games or optional content. So for example, in the Isle of Croth, the brothel and the bar/casino (though they don't have to be QUITE that rewarding!
). Also, the ice castle and the town that was built on a dragon nest (where you can buy the throwing axes) in Dink's main game. It gives the player a diversion/break from the linearity and adds to the overall fullness and personality of the game world.
5.) Give the player multiple objectives, which can be completed in any order but all must be done to continue. So for example, say Dink needs a pot, a seed, and some water, and the player must find all three in order to grow a plant (yeah lame example, but hey!), however they can collect them in any order. Then use the plant to reach the next plot point. It's another simple thing and really it's one task split into 3 parts, but it really does a lot more than you'd think and can be done on larger scale. For instance, 4 small dungeons each with a piece of a key hidden inside, which together can open the path to a boss (oh... I should do something like that in my DMOD...didn't even think of it till thinking of this list of ideas...thanks!).
6.) Give player choices. Even simple small choices like dialogue choices which only serve to change a small amount of text are worth putting in. Sure, it's not really getting rid of linearity from an exploration perspective, but it does make linear exploration a lot less noticeable when you are actively making choices in some way as a player. And even bigger choices can have even better (but sometimes harder to develop) effects. For example, the choice to let a town be destroyed or survive, or to choose a permanent weapon type of bow or sword (not recommended for bigger DMODs, but great for mini-game type ones) would be considered big choices. Having the choice to call a woman "fatty" or just say hello would be considered a small but still valuable choice in giving the player a greater feeling of interactivity with the game world. A couple of choices that are present in almost every DMOD are the option of grinding and the option of choosing which stat to increase at level up. Every choice counts.
Phew.... That was a bit more than I thought I would write. I'm sure I still missed some simple things that can be done to curb linearity, but hopefully this is still helpful. These things don't all have to be present in a game for it to be good, so don't feel pressured to include everything I mentioned just to make it less linear feeling. They are just some ideas to get the ball rolling.
Good luck with your DMOD and thanks for bringing linearity to attention. I think talking about it may have just helped me come up with some interesting stuff to add to my DMOD.
Here's a few examples of ways to make a game feel less linear:
1.) Create a decent amount of area to explore and put stuff worth finding in it. This doesn't effect the main story in any way but gives the player some incentive to look around and something to do besides go from point A to point B. The hard part is finding the happy medium between a map that is too big and sparse in content, and one that is too small and claustrophobic.
2.) Allow a main story objective to be completed early, before the point in the game in which it is required. For example, if you need a long sword to get into a dungeon, make it possible to get the sword before the player has learned they need it for the dungeon. It sounds trivial but things like this can make a game feel less scripted and more dynamic.
3.) Add collectables. For example, the pixie poops from Quest for Cheese. If they are hidden well but not unreasonably, and have some kind of reward than it can be very effective.
4.) Add mini-games or optional content. So for example, in the Isle of Croth, the brothel and the bar/casino (though they don't have to be QUITE that rewarding!
). Also, the ice castle and the town that was built on a dragon nest (where you can buy the throwing axes) in Dink's main game. It gives the player a diversion/break from the linearity and adds to the overall fullness and personality of the game world.5.) Give the player multiple objectives, which can be completed in any order but all must be done to continue. So for example, say Dink needs a pot, a seed, and some water, and the player must find all three in order to grow a plant (yeah lame example, but hey!), however they can collect them in any order. Then use the plant to reach the next plot point. It's another simple thing and really it's one task split into 3 parts, but it really does a lot more than you'd think and can be done on larger scale. For instance, 4 small dungeons each with a piece of a key hidden inside, which together can open the path to a boss (oh... I should do something like that in my DMOD...didn't even think of it till thinking of this list of ideas...thanks!).
6.) Give player choices. Even simple small choices like dialogue choices which only serve to change a small amount of text are worth putting in. Sure, it's not really getting rid of linearity from an exploration perspective, but it does make linear exploration a lot less noticeable when you are actively making choices in some way as a player. And even bigger choices can have even better (but sometimes harder to develop) effects. For example, the choice to let a town be destroyed or survive, or to choose a permanent weapon type of bow or sword (not recommended for bigger DMODs, but great for mini-game type ones) would be considered big choices. Having the choice to call a woman "fatty" or just say hello would be considered a small but still valuable choice in giving the player a greater feeling of interactivity with the game world. A couple of choices that are present in almost every DMOD are the option of grinding and the option of choosing which stat to increase at level up. Every choice counts.
Phew.... That was a bit more than I thought I would write. I'm sure I still missed some simple things that can be done to curb linearity, but hopefully this is still helpful. These things don't all have to be present in a game for it to be good, so don't feel pressured to include everything I mentioned just to make it less linear feeling. They are just some ideas to get the ball rolling.
Good luck with your DMOD and thanks for bringing linearity to attention. I think talking about it may have just helped me come up with some interesting stuff to add to my DMOD.
