Action sequences in adventure games

[Hobbes]

As I'm currently planning out all the puzzles and challenges for Buccaneer II, I've been thinking about putting in several action sequences.

What do you people think of it? I personally loved all these little side-games in Fate of Atlantis (fighting, driving a car around, flying an air balloon, etc.). They provided a sense of adventure, of speed that the game otherwise would have lacked.

However, I disliked the ship-fighting sequences in Curse of Monkey Island. The only reason they were acceptable was because of the insult swordfighting that followed.

What I'm asking for here is your opinion. Do you like these sequences? Or, do you dislike them? What are you favourite? What are you least-liked?

[Privateer Puddin']

i like them, if done properly.

i loved full throttles fighting and destruction derby, cmi's cannon and the things you mentioned from FOA

[Fabiano]

The action sequences of GK1 and GK3 (the Gk2 I never finished) rocks. In MI3 (curse) the banjo duel was good. I like the semi-action sequences in adventure games. saying Semi-action I dont say the sequences that only hitting the keyboard or mouse solve the problem (like the Indy combat) or slowly select the itens and commands (like FF combats). its more in the middle of it, that the player must hit commands and think fast.

[Nostradamus]

I usually don't like action sequences in adventure games.

[Moresco]

action/adventure is a bit odd for me.  But adventure/action/rpg smoothes it out fine. I'm putting a project together for fun that's a full-on fighting game for AGS...course, not just any fighter...the mother of all fighters.  Hope it works cuz then I'll have something to waste my extra time on!

[GarageGothic]

I don't really care for action sequences in adventure games. But it all depends on the genre I think - I hated that silly disappearing bridge at the end of GK3, or the weird arcade games in Manhunter, but the whack-a-mole game in Sam & Max was really funny.

I think the major problem is when you're ripped out of a story-intense adventure and suddenly thrown into an arcade game (like in Rise of the Dragon). The only reason the fights worked in the Indy games was that 1) they still followed the aesthetics of the rest of the game and 2) you could avoid them through conversation or bribes.

But that said, it's a pirate game, so swordfighting and other swashbuckling feats is a must-have. I think the hard part is integrating them without making it feel like something from a completely different game. As long as it doesn't involve jumping over rolling barrels

[Lazy Z]

I kinda like action sequences in adventure games, but only if they're properly done.

Things like timing (does the action sequence really fit the flow of the game?) and length are very important, IMO. Long action scenes can be really boring, but if you keep 'em short and sweet, they can be quite interesting.

[Evil]

I'm all for stuff like in Full Throttle and stuff. And those anime little slow-motion fly back things are cool to with the weird lined/flair backgrounds. If it is animated right, I'm shure you could have a fighter game style action sequence, that would be cool too.

[PeaceMan]

Fist fights and sword fights using the keyboard might work well, but I don't like shooting sequences or things that involve just clicking the mouse on things until you win.

[Hobbes]

So, apart from Nostradamus, you generally like it... or agree that Buccaneer needs stuff like this.

I'm kinda thinking about it a bit more. I think the swordfighting was already excelled in Monkey Island... not click-festy, but puzzle-based. So I'm thinking of something else.

But, thanks for your input!

[Moresco]

Hobbes: I think you should definetly do something action-oriented.  Not that I don't love adventure, cuz I do, but when I want to play a game QFG is always looked at before the plain adventure.  That's my personal preference, but unless the puzzles are innovative, they just get boring without some kind of a break.  Hey it doesn't even have to be sword-slashing it could be a parappa the rapper dance sequence...LOL. ^^

[TheSponge]

I like action parts in adventure games...as long as their aren't too many and they are just frustrating like SQ4's...they have to be fun, that is the point after all isn't it? I prefer action sequences that involve timing and a little bit of thinking too...if it just broke out into a gun fight in the middle of a puzzle game...then it just wouldn't look right.....Like mabe a part where you have to defuse a bomb in a certain amount of time...or something of that nature. A good action part at the right time can make the game seem more intense...such as when you have to kill the the main bad guy...look at kq6 as an example.

[ratracer]

I hate action sequences in adventure games. For me, you could include them IF there was an option to override them (as in the spaceship combat in Mission Critical) - I would override them every time...

[Hobbes]

Overriding the action sequence would be possible, only if it was something like the fighting in FoA.

Let me rephrase the question a bit:

What action sequence did you like the most in an adventure game?

E.g. the submarine sailing in FoA, the insult-fighting in MI, etc.

And also... why?

[Privateer Puddin']

insult sword fighting imo, wasnt action, it was a puzzle.

[Hobbes]

True, but for me, those kind of puzzles are action sequences. The camel-riding in FoA is also puzzley, but to me it's an action sequence. The zombie-avoiding at the end of GK1 is action, but also puzzley, since you have to click the right twines, etc. There's a logic to it. But it's still action-oriented.

So, yeah, I mean those kind of elements of a game.

[Privateer Puddin']

well, since i cant remember too much of FOA (its been ages) and never played GK1, i only have the sword fighting for an example and i still dont think of it as an action bit, everyone has their own opinion i guess.

[remixor]

I would consider insult swordfighting to be my favorite, although I also disagree that it's an action sequence.  To me, it's just a puzzle.  In terms of actual action sequences, I'm not sure which ones I like the most in existing adventure games.  I don't mind them in general as long as they don't require absurd reflexes or have horrible controls.  For example, I thought that FT's action sequences (Old Mine Road, the derby) were well-conceived but poorly executed in terms of controls.  In any case, Hobbes, I'd say go for it in Buccaneer; I'm sure you know what you're doing.

[Gemmalah]

I loved insult sword fighting, it's not action just working out what goes with what.
check out sam and max, they have things like wack a rat, but that is waaaaay easy.
I would like opitional arcade sequences or an optional puzzle to do insted
so you can do them if you like them but do a puzzle if you don't, i play these when half asleep so never can do fast games!

[Migs]

If you're going to use action sequences, make sure you correctly portray the image that it's "action", e.g., have fast-moving objects/background/characters, consider making the screen shake occasionally, and so on.