Octopus Overlords

To fix an economic downturn, many city planners built monorails. Monorails to nowhere. It’s a short-term strategy – unfortunately game companies are following their lead. A recent book on game design addresses the strategy of designing games that go somewhere.

Raph Koster is the famous game designer of Star Wars Galaxies. His book is written testimony so other game designers can mimic his ideas. Here is a quote that best summarizes his book:
"Games are puzzles to solve, just like everything else we encounter in life."

It’s true. From Pacman through Kohan, games are about puzzles. Repetitive puzzles. And fun, too. So what future is there to immersive, interactive movie-like games? None – just like a monorail to nowhere. This is only a pipedream by profiteers to hook games into movies which ensures a steady flow of money with little effort.

Two recent games are good examples of Koster’s idea of game design. The first, World of Warcraft, is lauded by critics as the best massive online RPG ever created. This is true because it polished the art of designing the perfect leveling treadmill and scheme to hoarde treasures. Gamers want more of this and it’s been called fun (gamerankings score of 93%). Another example is Doom 3. Gamers enjoy the repetitive nature of creeping through unlighted tunnels with only the help of a flashlight and crowbar. Koster’s book paves the way for the future – will you climb aboard his monorail?


Link to Slashdot topic on Raph Koster’s book on game design:
[url]http://books.slashdot.org/books/05/02/0 ... d=6&tid=10[/url]

The monorail appears to head nowhere, to the uninitiated. But in nothingness - sudden insight. That is always the way.

Computer games are the mag-lev route to enlightenment. Ask any hardcore Buddhist. For example, Half-Life 2.

Oh good, the little ray of sunshine has found its way to OO. Stay tuned to find out how not only is gaming dying, but that it causes cancer and is responsible for world hunger.

I'm still struggling with the bit about the designer of Galaxies thinking that he has ideas worth mimicking

Well, sir, there's nothing on earth like a genuine, bona fide, electrified, six-car monorail.

Monorail!

Monorail!!

Lyle Lanley: Well, sir, there's nothing on earth
Like a genuine,
Bona fide,
Electrified,
Six-car
Monorail!
What'd I say?
Ned Flanders: Monorail!
Lyle Lanley: What's it called?
Patty+Selma: Monorail!
Lyle Lanley: That's right! Monorail!
[crowd chants `Monorail' softly and rhythmically]
Miss Hoover: I hear those things are awfully loud...
Lyle Lanley: It glides as softly as a cloud.
Apu: Is there a chance the track could bend?
Lyle Lanley: Not on your life, my Hindu friend.
Barney: What about us brain-dead slobs?
Lyle Lanley: You'll be given cushy jobs.
Abe: Were you sent here by the devil?
Lyle Lanley: No, good sir, I'm on the level.
Wiggum: The ring came off my pudding can.
Lyle Lanley: Take my pen knife, my good man.
I swear it's Springfield's only choice...
Throw up your hands and raise your voice!
All: Monorail!
Lyle Lanley: What's it called?
All: Monorail!
Lyle Lanley: Once again...
All: Monorail!
Marge: But Main Street's still all cracked and broken...
Bart: Sorry, Mom, the mob has spoken!
All: Monorail!
Monorail!
Monorail!
[big finish]
Monorail!
Homer: Mono... D'oh!

Ooooh, I was trying to remember who lorax was for a while there. Then, while browsing files I've uploaded to a server of mine, I was reminded. You see, I made a post up, but never posted it on the forums, and it was addressed to him. Turns out I still have it.

Here is the post, and I must stress that this post does not necessarily represent the viewpoint of myself or any parent companies.

ChrisGrenard posted:

Here is the post, and I must stress that this post does not necessarily represent the viewpoint of myself or any parent companies.

That about sums it up.

The title of the thread is confusing. You decry "interactive games" yet what game isn't interactive? Pac man is... chess is... baseball is... mah jongg is...

As for the movie-like thing, in the main I agree -- games are not movies and shouldn't at core try to emulate them. But they can take some valuable stylistic cues from cinema, as long as designers don't get carried away (I'm looking at you, Yu Suzuki).

WoW seems quite interactive to me (in a good way). You are presented with a plethora of options and it's up to you what to do next. The combat has tactical choices and there is a degree of skill in mastering it. Loot/level/exploration hooks have been standard procedure in CRPGs since Rogue, and they still work on the psyches of many gamers (myself included). Plus there's a big old chatroom, barbie doll dress-up game, and mini-Ebay thrown into the mix to make it more enjoyable.

The grind in WoW may still be too steep, but this is more a question of degree than type. I perceive in its design some very conservative and old fashioned CRPG elements going back over 20 years, hardly indicative of any new wave in game design.

Personally I wouldn't pay a dollar to see a World of Warcraft movie. They're missing the target audience.

Behold the Lorax.

He's like a Cliff Notes version of TSS.

Got this from UGO

Raph Koster has been in the gaming industry for a comparatively short time, but his impact has been immeasurable. His work on the team for Ultima Online, as well as his role as lead designer for that game's many updates, has helped to keep its community alive for over 6 years.

Most recently, though, Raph was the Creative Director for one of the most anticipated games of all time. You might've heard of it…Star Wars Galaxies? We sat down to chat with Raph about the success of the game and what kind of updates and additions we should expect to see in the future. No, Twi'lek erotica is not planned…yet.

Famous??? until today I never heard of him. And getting your bonifides from updates is . . . well . . . questionable at best.

Wait a sec.. Repetitive posts about how pc gaming is dying.... Lorax is a monorail too! Maybe we should challenge him to a game of riddles....

D.A.Lewis wrote:Got this from UGO

Raph Koster has been in the gaming industry for a comparatively short time, but his impact has been immeasurable. His work on the team for Ultima Online, as well as his role as lead designer for that game's many updates, has helped to keep its community alive for over 6 years.

Most recently, though, Raph was the Creative Director for one of the most anticipated games of all time. You might've heard of it…Star Wars Galaxies? We sat down to chat with Raph about the success of the game and what kind of updates and additions we should expect to see in the future. No, Twi'lek erotica is not planned…yet.

Famous??? until today I never heard of him. And getting your bonifides from updates is . . . well . . . questionable at best.

Apparently he's too poor to afford the 'L' too....

ChrisGrenard wrote: Here is the post, and I must stress that this post does not necessarily represent the viewpoint of myself or any parent companies.

I thought I was the most useless poster. At least Lorax generates responses.

Ale

*crickets chirping*

lorax wrote: Another example is Doom 3. Gamers enjoy the repetitive nature of creeping through unlighted tunnels with only the help of a flashlight and crowbar.

I have yet to find the crowbar in Doom 3.

Isn't it escalator to nowhere?

Be careful. Blaine sees all. Blaine knows all.

warning wrote:Be careful. Blaine sees all. Blaine knows all.

Heh, nice reference.

Also, right now I'm kinda pissed off, but I don't really know why.

Should I:

A) Punch something

B) FPS!

C) Let my anger grow inside me until I join the dark side

D) Zerg Rush!

E) Eat a rice crispy treat

mono...

U2K and lorax? This is better than Christmas.

You decry "interactive games" yet what game isn't interactive?

If they weren't interactive, they'd be books. Or movies (like the Final Fantasies! *rimshot*). Or walls. I'll have to check that link out later, it should prove interesting (and entertaining).

Peacedog wrote:

You decry "interactive games" yet what game isn't interactive?

If they weren't interactive, they'd be books. Or movies (like the Final Fantasies! *rimshot*). Or walls. I'll have to check that link out later, it should prove interesting (and entertaining).

Or Dungeon Seige *another rim shot*