Why Adventure Games Suck
Ron Gilbert, the designer of the Monkey Island games, presents an interesting article he wrote in 1989 about why modern Adventure Games fail in many ways. The advice is really useful for Jon and I in regards to level and puzzle design, as our game is largely puzzle and gameplay driven with a less-than-hefty plot line.
Some ground rules I got from the article:
- Make the goal(s) of the game clear to the player(s)
- All information necessary to get through the game should be at the player’s reach without having to die/fail
- Don’t introduce anything to the player(s) unless it will be useful to them at the time it is introduced
- Maintain incentive for the player to keep going (new areas to be seen, a goal to be reached)
