Newsgroups: rec.arts.int-fiction
Path: gmd.de!xlink.net!news.ppp.de!lutzifer!news.rrz.uni-hamburg.de!news.dkrz.de!dscomsa!CERN.ch!EU.net!howland.reston.ans.net!pipex!uknet!cf-cm!news
From: sem1ajs@thor.cf.ac.uk (Mr A J Sithers 92)
Subject: Frustration in text adventures
Message-ID: <17774.9402181525@thor.cf.ac.uk>
Sender: news@cm.cf.ac.uk (Network News System)
Organization: University of Wales College of Cardiff, Cardiff, Wales, UK
Date: Fri, 18 Feb 94 15:25:31 GMT
X-Mailer: Cardiff Computing Maths PP Mail Open News Gateway
Lines: 44

Since there's been a lot of discussion (?!) regarding what constitutes a
GOOD adventure game , I thought I'd introduce a new thread.

I've recently been playing some of the old magnetic scrolls games
(specifically Jinxter) and this brought to light on of the most frustrating
aspects of 'traditional' text adventures - having to repeat most of the game
because of a mistake I made early on.  For example, in the afore mentioned
game, you find a box of matches early on, (with SOME matches - we're never
told how many).  I accedently lit one of the little buggers outside, and it
was blown out by the wind (fair enough).  However near the end game, I need
to use a match - and of course I've run out.  My only option is
to repeat the whole game from when I first lit the match outside - and of
course I'm not encouraged to do this.  Obviously the programmers thought -
"OK, he'll need three matches to finish the game - and that's what we'll
give him".  What I feel would have been better (and more condusive to
finishing the game) would be :

1.  More matches. (Obvious) - either in the box or better still ...
2.  Matches near the puzzle - the puzzle should not utilise the matches
    directly however
3.  A warning "Looks like you've only got one match left" or something.

I find this problem occurrs throughout many commercial adventures I've played
and restarting the game really drives me to distraction.  One of the nicest
features of the LucasArts games is that this simply does not happen, the
puzzle will stand in its own right and not be dependent on an (unrecognised)
accident that occurred early on the game.

Anyway, this is just some food for your brains, let's hear what others have
to say.


Cheers

Andy


                    
A.J.Sithers                                Department of Pharmacology                 
email wphajs@cardiff.ac.uk                 UWCM, Heath Park, Cardiff
      sem1ajs@thor.cf.ac.uk                United Kingdon, CF4 3QD
                 
                 It works! It works! I'm a Genius!

