Playing adventure games live

Crimson Wizard · Sat 17/10/2009 17:58:51

Recently on some occasion I remembered I once tried to play adventure game "live", in a way similar to how table RPGs are played. I was... maybe 11-13 or so years old then, and that were summer holidays; I was trying to explain what "adventure games" are like to my friend, who, as far as I can remember, did not have his own PC then and never played adventure games before. Back then I got an idea that it is better to simulate how game is played. So, I took "Maniac Mansion 2" story as a sample. I drew a plan of dr. Fred's mansion on the soft ground, and played a role of narrator/"dungeon master". We haven't get too far though, since I had few problems remembering whole story, and my friend had trouble solving the puzzles, maybe because my poor descriptions did not allow him to see all the picture of surroundings. Nevertheless that was amusing experience.
So, I wonder, did anyone tried doing something like this? What do you actually think of the concept itself?

Snake · Fri 23/10/2009 23:59:52

No replies, a? Well I've got one for ye:

Back in the old days when my best friend and I were in 7th grade, I remember being at his house (which was almost every weekend) we would, once in a while, do something similar.

We would take a piece of "computer paper" and draw a scene with 1 main character and 1 objective and the other person would have to figure out how to get through the scene. We would make up all kinds of obptions and items. It was great fun!

Calin Leafshade · Sat 24/10/2009 05:22:03

...geeks

Babar · Sat 24/10/2009 12:45:10

I was also inspired by adventure games to do these little games sketched out on paper. My friends used to enjoy them a lot, but they started calling them "mazes", even though there wasn't really any pathfinding involved. I'd just sketch hallways on square-paper, going through several obstacles, with a grid representing inventory on the side.

Lufia · Sat 24/10/2009 17:17:28

I never did that with my friends. At that age, we re-enacted DBZ and Saint Seiya fights.

MrColossal · Mon 26/10/2009 01:31:48

I drew out levels from Gobliiins by memory while at school and people would play them and I'd redraw that part of the image

I only did it twice because the first reason I did it was that I was stuck on a level and had to draw the level to ask someone at school for help, they helped me [give ball and cup game to skeleton!] so I drew another and then I was tired of drawing.

The End. Good story!

Snarky · Mon 26/10/2009 03:01:28

That reminds me of the story of how Ron Gilbert did the first version of Maniac Mansion as a board game, so he could test out the puzzles and so on. Always sounded like a good idea to me. (Of course, you have to find someone who's willing to play your half-complete homemade board game.)

When I was in college I took a class on game design. One of the assignments was to design and DM an evening-long role-playing game (we were split into 4-person groups, so each of us ran one game and played three others). I made mine as a dice-less, puzzle- and story-heavy sci-fi thriller. It was rather a lot like a live adventure game (only with three players instead of one), and pretty good fun.

Other than that, at Mittens we set up a projector and a laptop, and Scummbuddy played through the first three or four Space Quest games while people sat around watching and (those that had played before) giving hints. Also there was a pool. (The pool had nothing to do with live adventure games, but it's been a cold and rainy October day in Chicago, and I miss summer, Miami and Mittens.)

IndieBoy · Mon 26/10/2009 03:54:16

Quote from: Lufia on Sat 24/10/2009 17:17:28
At that age, we re-enacted DBZ.

I'm glad I wasn't the only one who did this when I was younger

Scarab · Mon 26/10/2009 05:15:51

Quote from: IndieBoy on Mon 26/10/2009 03:54:16
Quote from: Lufia on Sat 24/10/2009 17:17:28
At that age, we re-enacted DBZ.
I'm glad I wasn't the only one who did this when I was younger

Not only did we do that, but back when I was at primary school, we had a game called "Kegga" which basically involved about ten people sitting in a circle with one person in the middle who had to stand there for as long as they could whilst the rest of the kids would kick them in the shins and calf muscles.
Good game that...

Scarab

Chicky · Mon 26/10/2009 10:30:26

I really hope that DBZ doesn't stand for what i think it does.

We played Power Rangers, Indiana Jones and Skullmonkeys (believe it or not!)

Crimson Wizard · Wed 28/10/2009 22:37:59

What's DBZ by the way? :

DrewCCU · Mon 16/11/2009 09:05:58

Actually, my friend and I did something similar to what Snake said. And we were in middle school (or late elementary) too.

on the bus - on the way home from school - we would play bomberman on a piece of paper. We would draw maps and define what items you could use and what wallsyou could blow up and stuff like that. and one person would play through it and one person would be the "computer" and throw in wrenches along the way ... like "now theres an enemy here and hes going to do this" ... or some things similar.

eventually we evolved from bomber man and made up new rules and new games and things. it was loads of fun ... i had totally forgotten about all that until just now. thanks for the memories.

Quote from: Crimson Wizard on Wed 28/10/2009 22:37:59

What's DBZ by the way? :

Dragon Ball Z ... just in case you weren't being sarcastic

Snake · Mon 16/11/2009 14:18:43

Quote from: Chicky-d00I really hope that DBZ doesn't stand for what i think it does.

Drunken Burlesque Zombies?

Phemar · Mon 16/11/2009 16:23:27

Dventure Bame Zudio.

Radiant · Mon 16/11/2009 19:54:37

Quote from: Crimson Wizard on Sat 17/10/2009 17:58:51
So, I wonder, did anyone tried doing something like this? What do you actually think of the concept itself?

Yeah, I used to do that too. It was quite fun. Eventually we switched to "wider" RPGs like D&D or Vampire.

Eggie · Tue 17/11/2009 00:36:22

Quote from: Snake on Mon 16/11/2009 14:18:43
Quote from: Chicky-d00I really hope that DBZ doesn't stand for what i think it does.
Drunken Burlesque Zombies?

Duuuuuuuuuuuude! Inspiration!

Jim Reed · Tue 17/11/2009 01:56:40

Quote
Not only did we do that, but back when I was at primary school, we had a game called "Kegga" which basically involved about ten people sitting in a circle with one person in the middle who had to stand there for as long as they could whilst the rest of the kids would kick them in the shins and calf muscles.
Good game that...

Hahaha, we play something similar to this day. It's qute painfull and fun! Basicaly, you have to catch your friend off guard and hit him as hard as you can in three allowed spots...

The shoulder relocator punch: Show a high-five, and when he's trying to high-five you, you just drop it (your fist) on his shoulder and then laugh.
The limp-maker punch: Same as above, but the punch goes into the muscle just above his knee. Very nice pain effect when your friend is sitting.
And the famous leg bender: While walking, hit him with your knee in the upper leg muscles. Guranteed three day limp.
Be warned: don't play this game drunk, as it will probably escalate in serious pain, especially if there is more than two contestants. You will not know who's "drinking" and who's "buying."

The fun part begins when he tries to chase you for revenge while cursing =D

Ahem, yes, it's a stupid game, and off topic but it's a reckognised tradition over here.
Err...a really stupid game.

Intense Degree · Tue 17/11/2009 07:54:54

Not exactly an Adventure game, but a few friends at school and I sometimes played a real life version of 80's childrens TV show Knightmare! One person would be the dungeonmaster and set a "room" for the other players to guide the blindfolded one through, with the usual sort of challenges.

That probably won't make a lot of sense unless you have seen the TV show but it was so cool that I hardly even felt like a geek (well...

) playing it!