Adventure Games Design Research Project - Need Opinions - Thanks ;)

[virtualpsycho]

The deadline for submissions has past.

Thank you for all insight comments.

Much appreciated.

[Ultra Magnus]

Roberta Williams' failures are in no way her own fault, but are due to the fact that you, dear reader, are an uncultured dimwit.

[Ghost]

I hope we'll see the final project? This was one fun discussion, for all the lack of trains and religion.

[virtualpsycho]

@Ghost, yes definitely.

@Ultra Mangus,

thank you for article link, extremely helpful.

[Ultra Magnus]

thank you for article link, extremely helpful.

Seriously? It's just a guy ranting.
I really only posted it in reply to some of the arguments on the previous page.
But if you actually found it helpful, then you're welcome, and I'm glad I could help.

If you're interested (and if I'm not too late) here's another one.
It's not directly about Adventure games, more about how PC games are losing out to consoles in general, but seeing as the PC is the spiritual home of point-n-click (there have been console ports of some games, but they rarely were as well received as their PC counterparts), you could see it as having a knock-on or, if you prefer, trickle-down effect.

[LUniqueDan]

Good luck with your paper VirtualPsycho.

Please send us /me a copy. (It will be much appreciated).

[virtualpsycho]

@Ultra Mangus, thanks alot.

Sometimes a well expressed rant reveals the most pertenant information.

Articles are fine to keep notfiying as it allows me refine and strengthen evidence from literature based sources.

This research study will hopefully help to some extent to uncover and organise the collection of reasons attributing to the decline, in order to correct a problem's roots must be uncovered and presented to guarantee success.

I am finished accepting opinions because they are primary research(from a person). Secondary research is literature based. The literature research is ongoing until all possible views are catered for or repeated. Opinions while being important to my primary research section, they go on forever and time is not a luxury I have to split into two (for both literature and opinion).

Thanks again. 

@LUniqueDan, Absolutely

I will be posting it on this site once finished. Hopefully it can contribute to the resolution of the constant debate about the decline and to also ensure these mistakes if avoidable can be avoided. 

[pragmatic]

As with books, genres exist. Some may prove more popular but it doesn't mean they all can't co-exist and make money. People need variety. That's why genres exist. Depending on who you ask, adventure games are making a comeback or is simply a niche genre. I want to know if someone can get industry figures to enlighten us all.

I am optimistic that adventure games can be profitable and most gaming companies know that there is more potential for profit in "casual-gaming" that are more accessible to more people... I mean people other than the testosterone-fueled 13-35 age bracket [Think Guitar Hero (social aspect), The Sims (simulation), etc.].  Beyond the PC for adventure gaming, I think the Nintendo DS is a great device for it. I've enjoyed quite a few commercial titles. The one that stood out for me is "Hotel Dusk" and "Another Code" which are very familiar to adventure gamers because the stylus mimics a mouse but also make use of the system's unique hardware like the mic and dual screen for some more varied game play. The Capcom series "Ace Detective" are popular aren't they?

But the one that outshines them all is "Golden Sun" published by Capcom which is a fantastic RPG with an expansive world and story and puzzle solving is the main mechanism of advancement.

And finally, as some other posters have commented, it's clear that Telltale is thriving. Instead of making one huge adventure game, they're serializing the series like a comic or TV series.... And they're priced right too for each episode. Or a consumer can just buy "an entire season/box set" and save a couple of dollars.

It's kind of addicting. It's like a subscription to cheap Harlequin romance novels. You devour one after another. Kind of like a cheap thrill bc you likely won't necessarily read er play the same work again.

Disclaimer: I am not saying that either Telltale and Harlequin's works are "cheap" in and of themselves. Telltale Games is a great production studio and I'm proud of Harlequin because it's Canadian and is a well known publishing house the world over. Wish Drawn & Quarterly is as successful. 

[Jared]

To my shame UM, it took me a paragraph or so to realise that rant wasn't serious. But I was laughing before that point, so all was well.

[Ultra Magnus]

To my shame UM, it took me a paragraph or so to realise that rant wasn't serious. But I was laughing before that point, so all was well.

If you haven't already, take a look around the site. The guys that wrote Old Man Murray also did the dialogue for Portal and Psychonauts.

Here's another cool AG one, which admittedly I should have mentioned earlier to help virtualpsycho out. Sorry about that, vp.

[virtualpsycho]

Here is the complete dissertation, thank you to all contributors.

Much appreciated.

http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?mwztoz2mmtk

8)

[Layabout]

Nice job mate.

Hope you do well.

[virtualpsycho]

@Layabout

Cheers.

So do i.

@ Everyone

Just to clarify, all the information presented was based upon the readings and responses received. Responses have been added to text in appendices and texts were referenced in both references section and bibliography.

Thank you.

Opinions were not used at all as that would jeopardise the strength of the research.

[virtualpsycho]

Thank you to all the participants and contributors for this study once again.....

Just a late and final update.

The final result I received for this study and dissertation individually was 68%. Two percent away from a first. Was very delighted with it, thank you once again.

Take care.

[Questionable]

Could have shortened that up for ya!


"Over time people became bored with what was essentially identical gameplay across all brands, companies and individual titles. With the emergence of more sophisticated computers the potential for different forms of gameplay attracted consumers and ultimately the stale unadapted adventure game genre would be left to sit in a corner and talk to itself, slowly growing more and more insane until the only people that would play them are the people that make them. That, would be AGS..."

Dissertation = Finished

You probably would have gotten extra points for using less words, too! =P

[virtualpsycho]

Yeah sure you could, the markers would have loved that.

[Questionable]

You never know, until you try... 

Seriously though, nice work!

[virtualpsycho]

Thanks man. Its good to hear.

The creation of the project itself sucked but I still enjoyed the subject matter. After looking it and my other documents over I only realised then how much effort I put into it. A good thing to look back on.