Fundamentals of Adventure Game Design by Ernest Adams

Author:Ernest Adams [Ernest Adams]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Game Development
Publisher: New Riders
Published: 2014-02-10T22:00:00+00:00

Conversations with Non-player Characters

From the original Adventure onward, adventure game designers have faced the problem of how to create realistic non-player characters (NPCs). Computer role-playing game (CRPG) designers must address this problem, too, but in most CRPGs, an NPC’s conversation is defined by the character’s role: blacksmith, healer, tavern keeper, and so on. The player doesn’t expect to be able to discuss arms and armor with a tavern keeper (although the games might be more interesting and certainly less formulaic if he could). But because adventure games are interactive stories, players expect the characters in them to be more like humans and less mechanical.

A good many games try to sidestep the problem entirely by setting the game in worlds with extremely few, if any, people. This certainly creates a mysterious atmosphere, but it suits only a limited range of stories. Imagine how Rick’s bar in Casablanca would feel if it weren’t full of people drinking and gambling. A world with no people seems artificial and sterile.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.