Text or graphic adventure?

Steel Drummer · Sun 06/08/2006 02:36:54

Which one do you think is better? I prefer graphic because there is a lot more detail put into the game. I hate the games where you have to type however, like The Black Cauldron or KQ1. Those are SOOOO annoying.

The Inquisitive Stranger · Sun 06/08/2006 06:50:47

Huh? A lot of text adventures have plenty of detail.

Erenan · Sun 06/08/2006 07:51:20

I like text games. Scrabble, Boggle, Wheel of Fortune, etc., etc., etc.

Hammerite · Sun 06/08/2006 08:28:43

i didnt think i'd like text, but i quite enjoyed anchorhead and trilby's notes, it was the atmosphere that kept me going mainly.

Nostradamus · Sun 06/08/2006 09:23:21

I prefer a grahical GUI but if the game has an interesting story & puzzles a text parser wouldn't make it less enjoyable to me, maybe even better. I wouldn't change the text pardser in Larry 1, QFG2 or Trilby's Notes. Although I am waiting for the QFG2 remake it's more for the updated graphics than the graphical GUI. Note, though, that if you make a text GUI you have to include a wide enough verb and noun vocabulary so the game would understand what you're typing most of time. Example: some people use "get" some people use "take". If there's a closet you have to make "closet" "dresser" "cabinet" all apply to the same object.
As for completely text and no graphics at all, which the correct genre to name it is Interactive Fiction I'm not fond of the computer game genre of IF. The technology is available for creating a graphical adventure, I don't see any advantage in an IF.

Rui 'Trovatore' Pires · Sun 06/08/2006 10:17:13

The wonderful thing about IF was the freedom it provided. As much detail as you liked, and no hassle of drawing or modelling or whatever. Also, the parser allowed very interesting and varied interactions.

However - modern games are capable of all that. With graphics.

Bottom line - IF or graphic, who cares? Just give me a good game!

Ubel · Sun 06/08/2006 11:10:55

I myself never really played much of those games that didn't have any graphics at all, but I really used to enjoy Sierra's text parser games. It was, like many have already said, because of the freedom it provided.

But I do like a graphical GUI just as much. Also I would enjoy a completely text based game too, if it was written well and had a good story. So...

Quote from: Rui "Trovatore" Pires
Bottom line - IF or graphic, who cares? Just give me a good game!

Amen...

Radiant · Sun 06/08/2006 11:20:07

Imho, both are nice but it really depends on the implementation. A point-n-click is probably more userfriendly, but annoying if it lacks keyboard support or has a lot of pixelhunting. A typing system is generally more versatile, but annoying if the parser is poor.

advent · Sun 06/08/2006 15:03:50

I liked those classic text adventures where you could type unimportant actions like ''sing'', ''run'', ''jump''... And they give you funny responses. (Pick Nose anyone?)

Hammerite · Sun 06/08/2006 15:46:33

Quote from: Yoda Man on Sun 06/08/2006 02:36:54
Which one do you think is better? I prefer graphic because there is a lot more detail put into the game. I hate the games where you have to type however, like The Black Cauldron or KQ1. Those are SOOOO annoying.

play trilby's notes and you're mind may change.

thewalrus · Sun 06/08/2006 16:31:09

I'm very surprised that no one mentioned Zork. Maybe everyone else just isn't quite that old. But the orginal Zork was a great game done in all text. The parser understood a lot of different verbs and nouns. Still though I do perfer the graphic adventures but to me it doesn't really matter if they are point and click or made with a text parser......as long as the parser is reasonably flexible. Trilby's Notes was done quite well with the text parser. So I guess like others mentioned, I don't really care either way as long as the game keeps my interest and well written.

Thewalrus

Goo, goo, ga, joob!!!!!!!

DeviantGent · Mon 07/08/2006 10:59:26

Hey Chief, I'm 18, and I remember Zork fondly.

I have a lot of good memories of that White House...

Kharn · Mon 07/08/2006 14:06:33

I only tried playing 1 IF and that was when i had a C64 and had a game called black knight. cant remember much of it appart fromm if i went into some church and walked too far east i got lynched by a mob of angry people...it sucked. dont mind typing games like Lsl or as mentioned trilby's notes(brilliant!) cause they are more challenging than your ceneral point and click game.

Helm · Mon 07/08/2006 14:22:39

It's so disappointing that lovers of the genre would wait for Trilby's Notes to give IF any credit. It's not like oh... there were ever games like A Mind Forever Voyaging, or Gateway 2 or Trinity that were worthwhile before Yahtzee took a stab at the genre.

Generally, this thread baffles.

MarkPhantom · Mon 07/08/2006 14:30:19

The only issue I have with text adventures is that it's rather easy to get lost, for someone like me with a rather poor sense of direction

So it's kind of my problem really, but still - I love that game Anchorhead, but I get lost so bloody easily....

Hammerite · Mon 07/08/2006 17:05:18

yeah, i had to restart anchorhead because i got disorientated at some wall.

Radiant · Mon 07/08/2006 18:57:15

Quote from: Helm on Mon 07/08/2006 14:22:39
It's not like oh... there were ever games like A Mind Forever Voyaging, or Gateway 2 or Trinity that were worthwhile before Yahtzee took a stab at the genre.

Enchanter trilogy, Spellcasting 101, and of course HHGTG!
That said, I must say I seriously don't get Trinity. After playing through it (and I admit to resorting to a walkthrough for some of the more obtuse puzzles) it didn't evoke any reaction from me other than a puzzled 'huh?'

Quote from: MarkPhantom on Mon 07/08/2006 14:30:19
The only issue I have with text adventures is that it's rather easy to get lost, for someone like me with a rather poor sense of direction

Well, buy a sheet of graph paper and draw a map! In nearly all situations in most games the orientation of rooms makes a lot of reasonable sense (excluding the occasional maze, of course, but you're supposed to get lost in those).

MarkPhantom · Mon 07/08/2006 19:01:38

Quote from: Radiant on Mon 07/08/2006 18:57:15

Well, buy a sheet of graph paper and draw a map! In nearly all situations in most games the orientation of rooms makes a lot of reasonable sense (excluding the occasional maze, of course, but you're supposed to get lost in those).

Ah yes. Silly me :p *makes note* Sorry! It's just the more obscure city maps that confuse the hell out of me - the city of Anchorhead is pretty vast.

Ali · Mon 07/08/2006 19:20:51

I must agree with MarkPhantom. I'm perfectly prepared to draw a map, but I have a very visual memory. I remember places by what they look like and find it very difficult to navigate without something visual to grab on to. There are plenty of text adventures that I loved, but I never enjoyed the navigation.

Steel Drummer · Mon 07/08/2006 21:25:06

By text adventures i mean pure text- no graphics at all, no music. A vry unrealistic adventure.

Text or graphic adventure?

Kharn